their hands are anointed with oil of catechumens, and they receive a chalice containing wine and water, a paten with a host, and power to say mass. (Luke XXII, 19).  After offerings of candle have been made to the ordaining Bishop, the new priests join him in saying mass[136]:  and after the newly-ordained and baptised have communicated, the priests profess their faith by reciting the apostles’ creed; they receive power to forgive and retain sins (John XX, 22, 23), they promise reverence and obedience to their ecclesiastical superior, and receive the bishops blessing, who then directs that masses and prayers be said by those whom he has ordained, and recommends himself to their prayers.  In other respects the mass is similar to that of the Papal chapel[137].  Morcelli in his calendar in summing up the ceremonies of this day, having mentioned the station at S. John Lateran’s, the baptism of Jews and Turks, and mass in the papal chapel, says that at the Gloria, tonitrus tormentorum ab Arce fiunt, AEra templorum ac Turium sonant.

[Sidenote:  Armenian Catholics:]

Having spoken of the ceremonies of the Vatican and S. John Lateran’s, we might consider our task as completed[138].  Yet one more funzione attracts our countrymen on this day; and we are therefore unwilling to bid them farewell, before it is ended.  Come then to S. Biagio or to S. Gregorio Illuminatore, to assist at the Armenian mass; and on the road we may talk of the venerable and amiable Fathers who perform that solemn service, and of the nature of their liturgy.

SS.  Bartholomew and Thaddaeus were the first apostles of Armenia:  but it was not till the beginning of the 4th century, that the whole country became Christian in consequence of the divine blessing, which attended the zealous exertions of S. Gregory surnamed the Illuminator.  In the 6th century great numbers of the Armenians were infected with the heresy of Eutyches, who denied that there were two natures in Christ:  and to this error they afterwards added some others.  In the pontificate of John XXII, about the year 328, a zealous Dominican bishop, called Bartholomew of Bologna, went as a missionary among them; and many of the Eutychians or Monophysites returned to the bosom of the Catholic church.  In the 16th century the Catholics were so furiously persecuted by Zachary, a schismatical patriarch, that they fled and took refuge in other countries.  They have at present two establishments at Rome, one of the Antonian monks at the church of S. Gregory Illuminator, behind the colonnade of S. Peter’s; and a national ospizio at S. Biagio in strada Giulia.

[Sidenote:  their liturgy.]