The next thing to be attended to, is the second dedication of the altar, which is done on the same day with that of the church. As soon as the bishop has made the double alphabet with his crosier, he takes off his mitre, and turning to the high altar, repeats an anthem, which is sung by the choir. This is done three times, and each time they raise their voices a note higher, while the bishop blesses the salt and water, with the ashes and wine. When he blesses the ashes, he prays that God would send his angel to consecrate them, that they may become a wholesome remedy to all such as shall call upon the sacred name of God, and confess their manifold sins and transgressions; and that they who, whilst they are calling on his name, shall sprinkle themselves with the ashes for the expiation of their sins, may obtain health of body, and salvation of their precious and immortal souls. After this prayer the bishop takes the salt, and mingles it with the ashes in the form of a cross. A handful of this composition he throws into the water, blessing it three times; and then he blesses the wine and mingles it with water. He delivers a discourse to the people on the virtues of things consecrated for the service of God, but this does not end the whole of the ceremony, there being still several other parts remaining. From the altar the bishop proceeds a second time to the church door, and with his pastoral staff crosses it at the top and bottom, repeating a prayer to God, that the sign of the cross may prove invincible, and be the means of driving away devils; and he likewise prays, that such as visit this church may be blessed, and abound in all manner of good things, prosperity in time, and happiness in eternity. He then returns to the place where he consecrated the holy water, and looking towards the high altar, uncovered, exhorts the people to beg of God to bless and keep this place, by the aspersion of water mingled with wine, salt, and ashes, through the merits of Jesus Christ. An anthem is then sung by the choir, and at the beginning of it, the bishop standing before the altar, dips the thumb of his right hand into the water that had been consecrated before, and makes the sign of the cross on the middle of the altar table, consecrating it in honour of God Almighty, of the blessed virgin Mary, and of all the saints; in commemoration of the saint to whom it is dedicated, in the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Besides the cross in the middle, he makes one at each corner, two at the epistle side, and two at the gospel side; after which he repeats a prayer, and walks seven times round the altar, sprinkling it with holy water. This part of the ceremony concludes by the bishop's passing behind the altar, and from thence walking round the inside of the church a second time, sprinkling the bottom of the walls with holy water. He the sprinkles the middle of the pavement before the altar, and from thence proceeds to the great gate, and continues the ceremony crossways, from one end of the wall to the other. He turns his face to the four quarters of the world, and then turning towards the great gate, repeats a prayer, laying his hands on his breast, and pouring holy water upon the cement of the stones, under which the relics are deposited. The next part of this ceremony consists in the procession of the relics, which proceeds in the following order: The bishop with his clergy, preceded by the cross, carried by a sub-deacon between two torch bearers, go and fetch the relics with much ceremony. The chrism is carried to the entrance of the church, and at going into the tent where the relics are deposited, an anthem is sung, together with the ninety-fourth plalm. The bishop having repeated several prayers, the procession begins a second time, and is conducted as follows: The cross bearers march first, with wax tapers in their hands, and the clergy follow them, singing as they go along. Behind them march several priests bearing the relics on a litter, with the incense bearer by the side of it, who takes care to prefume the relics as they pass along. There are several wax candles carried on each side, and behind the relics comes the bishop with his assistants, singing an anthem, in which they are joined by the choir; after which the whole procession goes round the church, and the bishop makes an oration to the people; which consists chiefly in celebrating the character of the saint to whom the church is dedicated: at the same time he exhorts them to treat the sacred edifice and the name of the saint with all becoming respect, and contribute chearfully towards the support of the ministers who officiate in it. Lastly, the priests take the litter upon their shoulders, and enter the church in procession, followed by all the people present, while an anthem is sung in honour of the relics, and of the saints to whom they belong. The procession, in the mean time, continues walking on; and when they are come to the altar, where the relics are to be deposited, a great number of tapers are lighted up, and the choir sings an anthem, which is given out by the bishop. Before they are deposited in the sepulchre, the bishop touches the vessel with his mitre, and then seals up the relics, but he must take care that four signs of the cross be made on the four sides of the sepulchre, sepulchre, each in the name of the three persons in the ever-blessed Trinity. He then deposits the vessel containing the relics, in the sepulcher, with every mark of respect and adoration, in order to make a more lasting impression on the minds of the people. All this time the choir sings, and continues till the bishop has laid a stone on the mouth of the sepulchre which contains the relics, when he dips his thumb in the sacred oil, and makes the sign of the cross upon it. The masons conclude this part by closing up the sepulchre, so that the relics cannot be afterwards exposed to public view without the consent of the bishop. This, however, is not the case universally, because in some churches they are permitted to shew the relics of saints; and the author of this has been shewn some of a very extraordinary nature; nay, he has seen three or four of the same, at as many different places, and each of them are looked upon by the people as genuine. The stone being fixed, blessed and signed with the cross, the altar must be incensed, which the bishop performs, by making the sign of the cross and pouring the incense upon it, beginning at the right hand, and going round; during which time the choir sings an anthem suitable to the occasion. After it is incensed, the bishop repeats a prayer, while his assistants rub the table of the altar with a very clean cloth. The table must be in the form of a cross, and the bishop must incense all the four sides. The bishop then makes five crosses with the sacred oil, and incenses the whole again, while the anthem is sung by the choir, and that is followed by another anthem. Twelve crosses are made upon the walls of that part of the church next to the altar; and these being incensed, the bishop returns again to the altar, and having repeated another prayer, gives out an anthem which is sung by the choir. He again makes five signs of the cross upon the altar, and kneeling down, prays that all true Chris burthensome with those in the law of Moses. It may be added here, that although the deists pretend to ridicule even the decent and innocent ceremonies used by the protestants, yet Mr. Hume, one of their greatest writers, betrays his cause, in telling us that the ceremonies in the church of Rome are the sole support of the Christian religion. Of particular Customs relating to Devotion in the Roman Catholic Church. Under this head the first thing to be taken notice of, is, the benediction of the Agnus Deis', which is always performed during the first year of the new pope's reign, and every seventh year afterwards. These Agnus Deis' are made of white wax, in an oval form, and upon each of them is the figure of Jesus Christ, in the form of a lamb; the meaning of the word itself being the Lamb of God. This piece of devotion is much esteemed by the devotees of the church of Rome, and the preparing of the Agnus Deis', cuts out much employment for such of the pope's chaplains as act under his chamberlain of the household. The wax of which they are made, is taken from the remains of the candles used on the preceding Easter; but as that is not always sufficient to answer the end, they are allowed more out of the apostolical chamber. The ceremony is performed on Easter Tuesday in the following manner. The popes chief sacristan blesses the water, and then the pope, dressed in his robes, blesses it a second time. This water is put into a large silver bason, and the pope repeats a prayer, begging that God would give his blessing to the water appointed to cleanse sinners from their impurities. After this, he takes some baim and pours it into the water, adding thereto the holy oil, which he likewise pours in, in the form of a cross. tians that come to the altar, may be protected from During the ceremony, he offers up several prayers At Rome, on the snares laid for them by the devil. Thursdays and Fridays in Passion Week, the altars are stripped of their ornaments, and washed with wine and water; but this seems rather to be a custom peculiar to the place, than an established ceremony, because we do not find it attended to in other coun After to God, and then turning to the Agnus Deis', blesses and incenses them, imploring God to grant them all the virtues generally ascribed to them. this, follow several other prayers, and then his holiness sits down in an easy chair prepared for him, with a napkin girt round him in the form of an apron, tries, where the Roman Catholic religion is pro- and his mitre on. The gentlemen of his chamber fessed. Such is the manner in which the people in Roman Catholic countries, dedicate and consecrate their churches, and to those who peruse this impartial account with the least degree of attention, it willappear that the ceremonies are equally heavy and present him with the Agnus Deis' in silver basors, one after another, and the pope throws them into the holy water. The cardinals in their linen. robes takes them out with spoons, made for that purpose,. and afterwards lay them on a table covered with a clean white cloth, and then wipe them with a napkin, which they wear in the form of an apron, and the assistant prelates range them on a table, where they remain till they are thoroughly dry. After this part of the ceremony, the holy father rises up, and in a prayer, addresses himself to the holy Ghost, beseeching him to bless them, and then makes his application to Jesus Christ. After this they are again put into basons, and the holy father takes the cardinals along with him to dinner. The same ceremony is resumed on the Thursday following, and continued till they are all blessed, which is on Friday, and during that time foreign ambassadors, and all sorts of strangers, then at Rome, are permitted to be present. On the Saturday following, mass is sung by a car. dinal priest, at which his holiness assists, dressed in his robes, and as soon as the Agnus Dei is sung, an apostolic sub-deacon, dressed in his robes, with the cross bearer and two taper bearers walking before him, goes to the pope's sacristan and takes from him a bason full of those Agnus Deis' lately blessed, and wraps them up in a party coloured china cotton. The sub-deacon is followed by a clerk of the ceremonies, with two chaplains in their surplices; when they have come to the door of the chapel they all kneel, while the sub-deacon sings the following words, "Holy father, these are the new lambs, who have sung their Hallelujahs to thee. They drank not long ago at the fountain of holy water; they are now very light, or very much enlightened, praise the Lord." To which the choir answers, "God be praised, Hallelujah." After this the sub-deacon advances towards the altar, and when he comes so near as to touch the rails, he again repeats the same words; and a third time when he approaches the throne of the holy father. Two auditors present the Agnus Deis' to the two cardinal deacons assistants, who lay them in a decent I manner on his holiness's knees, and the two auditors hold the two ends of the napkin, whilst the holy father blesses the sacred college. The cardinals having shewn the utmost respect to his holiness, take, off their mitres, and holding them with the points or horns downward, receive into them as many of the Agnus Deis' as he chuses to bestow. After the cardinals have had their share, the remainder are distributed among the foreign ambassadors, nobles, and prelates, who happen at that time to be in Rome. The ceremony concludes by the pope's washing his hands; and he and all the cardinals unrobing themselves. As it frequently happens that many of these Agnus Deis' are not distributed, is such cases, those that are left are given to the prelate who is the keeper of the pope's wardrobe, who distributes them among pilgrims, or such other foreigners as happen to visit Rome. This practice of blessing the Agnus Deis' took its rise about the seventh or eighth century; for as it was common in those ages to make thousands and ten thousands of converts in a day, by only marking them with the sign of the cross after baptism, so, in order to distinguish them from the Heathens, they were ordered to wear about their necks pieces of white wax, with the figure of a lamb upon them. This was done in imitation of the Heathen practice of hanging amulets around their necks, as preservatives against accidents, diseases, or any sort of infections; many of these amulets are to be met with in the cabinets of the curious, and they are still frequently found in Wales, and in the northern parts of Britain. They are in the form of rings, of a deep azure colour, interspersed with most beautiful white spots; and the substance of them resembles transparent glass, and undoubtedly they have in them something of that nature. The next thing to be attended to, is the canonization of saints, and a solemn ceremony it is, especially when we consider, that by the pope's single act he can make men or women who have been long consigned to their graves, objects of divine worship, and mediators between God and sinners. When a person is to be canonized, the pope holds four consistories; in the first of which, he causes the petition of those who solicit for the canonization, to be examined by three auditors of the rota, and directs the cardinals to revise all the instruments relating thereto. lating thereto. In the second, the cardinals make their report; and in the third, which is held in public, the cardinals pay their adoration to the pope ; after which an advocate makes a pompous oration in praise of the person who is to be made a saint. He expatiates at large on the miracles he has wrought and even pretends to know from what motives he acted. In the fourth consitory, the pope, having summoned all the cardinals and prelates together, orders the report concerning the deceased to be read, and then takes their votes, whether he is to be canonized or not.. On the day of canonization, the church of St. Peter is hung with rich tapestry, with the arms of the pope embroidered upon it, together with the arns of the prince who desires the canonization. The church is most pompously illuminated, and filled with thousands of devout catholics, ready to attend to the ceremony of the saints being conducted to paradise. It gives them some encouragement to attend the ceremony, when they consider, that the more respect they shew to the saint, the more ready he he will be to hear their prayers, and offer them up before God. During this ceremony the pope and all the cardinals are dressed in white; and it costs the prince who requests the canonization, a vast sum of inoney, for all the officers belonging to the church of Rome must have their fees; but this is only a trifle, when it is considered that the saint will intercede for his subjects, in heaven, who indeed, poor as they are, generally pay all the expences attending the ceremony. That the ceremony of the canonization may be conducted in the most magnificent manner, an elegant theatre is erected in St. Peter's church. But that the reader may be enabled to form proper idea of all the different parts of the ceremony put together we shall here present him with an exact account of the canonization of four persons, not longer ago than the year 1712. These persons were Pope Pius V. Andrew J'Avellino, Felix de Cantalice, and Catherine de Bolognia. On the twenty-second day of May, 1712, the procession began in the following order: The charity boys of the apostolic hospital of St. Michael walked first, with lighted tapers in their hands. They were followed by all the orphans in the city, maintained at the public expence; by the fathers belonging to the convent of miracles of the third order, the bare-footed Augustines, of jesus and Maria, the Capuchins, the the brothers of charity, the fathers of mercy, of St. Adrian, the Anchorets, of St. Onuphrius, the Minims, of mount Trinity, the fathers of St. Andrew the monk, and, in a word, by all the regular orders in the church of kome. These were followed by the secular clergy, and the whole procession was regulated by one of the pope's chamberlains. The standard of St. Felix was supported by ten Capuchin friars, and followed by a great number of the same order. Another detachment of the same order followed that of St. Andrew; and the fraternity of the Agonizants that of Pope Pius V. each in the habits of their respective orders. After them came the Referendaries accompanied by the registers of the pope's court, and the clerks of the chamber. The master of the sacred palace followed after, having in his train all the pope's domestics of a superior rank, each of them carrying silver candlesticks with burning tapers in their hands. The sub-deacon, who was cross-bearer, appeared in his white robes, having on each side of him an apostolic officer, carrying a red staff. The Vatican penitentiaries of the society of Jesus came next, dressed in white, with their hats on, and then the generals of the orders, who were followed by the cardinals, the deacons walking first, the priests after them, and then the bishops, attended by the envoy of Bologna on the right, and the constable governor of Rome on the left, with a great number of other officers. The cardinal deacons assistants, with the gospek cardinal deacon between them, walked next, and then appeared his holiness in his chair. Being about to open the gates of heaven to the new made saints, the minds of the people were filled with the strongest fervour of devotion, especially as he was dressed in the most sumptuous manner that can be imagined. Eight of the senior referendaries bore up a rich and pompous canopy over the holy father's head, with pikes embellished with silver, and the Swiss guards with their naked swords surrounded the chair. His holiness was followed by an apostolical sub-deacon, different orders; together with a long train of abbots, bishops and prelates, from different parts of the world. After these came the officers of the pope's chapel; his esquires, in their cassocks, the procurators general of the five mend cant orders, all dressed in their proper robes, which, on such occasions, are extremely magnificent. The gentlemen of the pope's bed-chamber followed, dressed in scarlet; after them called the auditor of the mitre, who walked between came the fiscal procurator, the commissary of the two gentlemen of the privy chamber in red robes; apostolic chamber, the consistorial advocates, his the procession being closed by the monks of the holiness's private chaplains, the gentlemen of the bed-chamber, and the music of the chapel, singing without intermission, during the whole. After them came the four magnificent standards of those saints It is almost incredible to think what vast multiwho were to be canonized, with the miracles they were said to have wrought, embroidered upon them. tudes of people followed the procession, all eager to obtain the pope's blessing, and to be recommended As the precedency had been given to St. Catherine of to the notice of the saints who were to be canonized. Bologna, her banner was carried first; that of St. Felix de Cantalice next; then came St. Andrew d'AAs soon as the pope arrived at the church of St. Peter, he se own the taper he held in his hand, and putvellino and last of all that of Pope Pius V. as the ting is me, went up to the high altar, where servant of the servants of God. Six of the Minor he kneed own before the holy sacrament. After No. 11. this he was carried to his throne, and the cardinal | who was deputed to demand the canonization, moved towards the throne, having the cardinal legate of Bologna on his left hand, and a consistorial advocate on his right. They first bowed to the altar and his holiness, and the advocate begged of the holy father that he would be pleased to inroll among the number of the saints, the four holy persons who had been so strongly recommended to him. This was seconded by a gentleman of the bed-chamber, who closed his harangue in begging for a blessing on the ceremony, and exhorting all the people present, to join with him in prayer for that purpose. His holiness then rose out of his chair, and all the clergy kneeled down, whilst two musicians of the chapel sung the litanies of the saints. The sovereign pontiff called upon the Holy Ghost to be with them, while the Minims keep standing before the throne, and singing with tapers in their hands. It was then asked of his holiness, if he would comply with the request of those princes who had solicited for the canonization? to which the secretary of briefs announced, that his holiness was going to make a decree, for raising Pius V. Andrew d'Avellino, Felix de Cantalice, and Catherine de Bologna, to the rank of saints, to the glory of God, and the honour of the Catholic church; in order that their names may be called upon, for ages to come. After these words have been repeated, the cardinals stood up, and the pope, às Christ's vicar, pronounced the decree of canonization; commanding, that from that time, all the faithful should, in their ordinary course of devotion, pray to these saints, who were now become advocates for them in heaven. Whilst the music in the chapel was singing, the master of the ceremonies gave notice, by a signal to the citizens of Rome, that these persons were advanced among the members of the blessed, and that they were to be mediators between God and them, for the remission of their sins: upon which the whole city was in an instant illuminated; the churches were crouded with people ready to offer up their prayers to the new made saints: the bells were set a ringing, and nothing but devotion in one part, and confusion in another, were to be found. The whole ceremony concluded with the following prayer, which the holy father composed himself: May God Almighty have mercy on you, by virtue of the merits and prayers of the holy Virgin, and of all those whom we have now declared to be saints May the divine Majesty, for their sakes, pardon all your sins, and lead you into eternal life; giv ing you indulgence here, and remission of sins hereafter, Amen." To what has been here said, we may add, that canonization of saints was not known in the Christian church till towards the middle of the tenth century, and so far as we are able to form a notion, without prejudice or partiality, the Christians in that age borrowed it from the Heathens; for it was customary both with the Greeks and Romans to deify all those heroes and great men, who had made a more than ordinary figure among them. We have many instances of these deifications among the Heathens, and they are recorded both by their poets and historians; nay, we sometimes find them introducing the gods themselves, raising up deceased heroes to the rank of deities; thus Övid describes Jupiter as deifying Hercules. As an old serpent casts his scaly vest, We read of Charles Boromea, archbishop of Milan, that it was resolved on, some years before he died, to place him among the saints as soon as he died, which was done, and now he is adored as an object of divine worship. This is exactly similar to the practice of the ancient Heathens, who often told their heroes and great men while alive, that for their great and virtuous actions, they would be ranked among the gods; of this we have many striking instances in Virgil, who, of all the Roman poets, seems to have been the most addicted to the flattering of Augustus, who indeed had raised him from a low degree of obscurity to grandeur. Thus he addresses Augustus. And chiefly thou, whose undermin'd state Or o'er the fruits and seasons to preside, Then |