of this beautiful hymn is very ancient.  “I have seen,” says Baini “in many manuscripts both anterior and posterior to the 11th century the melodies of the preface, of the Pater noster, of the Exultet, and of the Gloria precisely such as the modern” (T. 2, p. 92).  In a splendid roll of the Minerva (signed D. 1. 2) of the 9th century, are contained the Exultet, the solemn benediction of the baptismal font, and the administration of all the ecclesiastical orders.  Nor is this the only roll containing the chant precisely similar to the modern.  D’Agincourt left another to the Vatican library.  See also MS. no. 333 of the Barberini library, of the year 1503.]

[Footnote 115:  Prudentius speaks of the “guttas olentes” or odoriferous drops of the candle, and S. Paulinus of Nola of “odora lumina”:  hence P. Arevalo conjectures that the grains of incense were fixed in the paschal candle even at the time of Prudentius in the 4th century.]

[Footnote 116:  In churches, at the words Apis mater eduxit, the lamps also are lighted.  With regard to the triple candle, we may observe that on an ancient marble column preserved in the Piazza before the cathedral of Capua is a bas-relief representing the lighting of the paschal candle by means of a reed surmounted by 3 small candles, as the Canonico Natali testifies in a letter printed at Naples in 1776.  The triple candle is mentioned in the Ordo Romanus of Card.  Gaetano, in that of Amelius, and in a MS. Pontifical of the church of Apamea, ap.  Martene.  As Thomassin observes, “we light a candle divided into three in honour of the Trinity, considering that enlightened by Christ we know that recondite mystery”.  Gavant also gives the same explanation.  In the Greek service the bishop gives his blessing, as often as he sings mass, with a triple candle.  In the Latin church it is used only on holy Saturday.]

[Footnote 117:  See Appendix.]

[Footnote 118:  This custom is proved from the letter of Siricius Pope in the 4th century to Himmerius, from letters of S. Leo and Pope Gelasius, as well as other ancient documents (ap.  Bened.  XIV, Institut. prima ed lat.); and vestiges of it are preserved in the liturgy of the weeks of Easter and Pentecost.  Ordinations were generally conferred before Christmas, as is evident from the lives of the early Popes.  Baptism was administered before the great festivals of Easter and Pentecost, that the newly-baptised might be prepared to celebrate them worthily, and receive the graces therein commemorated.  Perhaps another reason for selecting the eve of Easter may be found in the parallel drawn by S. Paul between baptism and Christ’s death and resurrection (Rom.  VI, 5 and foll.):  “we who are baptised in Christ Jesus are baptised in his death.  For we are buried together with him by baptism unto death:  that as Christ is risen from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we also may walk in newness of life” etc.]