Pavy is the rendering in the A. V. of the Heb. t]5, kaph (Lev. xi, 27), the palm or hollow " hand" (as else- where rendered), and T', yud (1 Sam. xvii, 37), the open hand (as elsewhere rendered), applied to an ani- mal, in the latter case metaphorically in the sense of 2oower.
Pax, a personification of Peace, worshipped by the ancient Komans. A festival was celebrated annually in honor of this goddess on April 30.
Pax, called also Pacificalk (q. v.) and Osculta- TOKii ji (q. v.), is used to designate the so-called cere- mony known as the Kiss of Peace (q. v.). It is also em- ployed to describe a small tablet having on it a represen- tation of the crucifixion, or some other Christian sym- bol, oifered to the congregation in the Romish Church to be kissed in the celebration of the mass. It was usual- ly of silver or other metal, with a handle at the back, but was occasionall)' of other materials; sometimes it was enamelled and set with precious stones. The pax was introduced when the osciilum pads, or kiss of peace — the custom in primitive times for Christians in their public assemblies to give one another a holy kiss, or kiss of peace — was abrogated on account of the con- fusion which it entailed, and in consequence of some appearance of scandal which had arisen out of it. The tablet, after it had received the kiss of the officiating minister (priest or bishop), was by him presented to the deacon, and by him again to the people, each of whom kissed it in turn, thus transmitting throughout the whole assembly the symbol of Christian love and peace without the possibility of offence. In the Syrian churches the following seems to be the way in which the same thing is symbolized : In a part of the prayers which has a reference to the birth of Clirist. on pro- nouncing the words, " Peace on earth, good will towards men," the attending ministers take the officiating priest's right between both their hands, and so pass the peace to the congregation, each of whom takes his neighbor's right hand, and salutes him with the word peace. In the Romish Church the pax is still used. By the Church of England it was omitted at the Reformation as a use- less ceremony. The practice of saluting each other — the men, men, and the women, women — during public worship, and particularly in the agape, or love-feast, is frequently alluded to by ancient writers, as Cyril of Jerusalem {Catech. xv) and St. Augustine {Serin. 227). All the ancient liturgies, without exception, refer to it as among the rites with which the Eucharist was celebrated; but they differ as to the time and the place in the Eucharistic service in which it is intro- duced. In the Eastern liturgies it is before, in the Western after the Offertory (q. v.) ; and in the Roman it immediately precedes the communion. The cere-
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raony, which is now confined to the priesthood, com- mences with the celebrating bishop or priest, wlio sa- lutes upon the cheek the deacon; and by him the sa- lute is tendered to the other members, and to the first dignitary of the assistant clergy. It is only when the mass is celebrated by a high dignitary that the utensil called the pax is used. Having been kissed by the celebrant, and by him handed to the deacon, it is car- ried by the latter to the rest of the clergy. In ordinary cases the pax is given by merely bowing, and approach- ing the cheek to the person to whom it is communi- cated. The pax is omitted in tlie mass of Maundy- Thursday (q. v.), to express horror of the treacherous kiss of Judas.
Pax vobis, or Vobiscum (i. e. Peace he to you), was an ordinary salutation among the ancient Chris- tians. It was addressed by the bishop or pastor to the people at his first entrance into the church, a practice which is frequently mentioned by Chrysostom, who de- rives it from apostolic practice. The same form of salutation was employed in commencing all the offices of the Church, but more especially by the reader when beginning the reading of the Scriptures. The cus- tom continued in the African churches until the third Council of Carthage forbade its use bj' the reader. This form of salutation, '• Peace be with you," to which the people usually replied, " And with thy spirit," was com- monly pronounced by a bishop, presbyter, or deacon in the church, as Chrysostom informs us. It was cus- tomary to repeat the Pax robis before beginning the sermon, and at least four times in the course of the communion service. It was also used when dismissing the congregation at the close of divine worship. The deacon sent the people away from the house of God with the solemn prayer, " Go in peace." In the Liturgy of the Church of England a similar salutation occurs, "The Lord be with you," to which the people reply, "And with thy spirit." See Peace.
Paxton, George, D.D., a Scottish divine of note, was born at Dalgowry, East Lothian, in 1762. He entered the work of the ministry before 1789, and was in that year a member of the General Associate Synod, and subsequently under the same authority professor of divinity at Edinburgh. His places of pastoral labors were Kilmaurs and Stewarton. He died in 1837. He was a man greatly respected in the denomination to which he belonged, and possessed in his youth and prime rare gifts of popular eloquence. He wrote. An Inquiry into the Ohlifjativns of Religious Covenants upon Posterity (1801, 8vo): — Illustrations of the Holy Scripitui-es (Lond. 1819, 2 vols. 8vo; and often in Eng- land and America) ; a valuable supplement to Har- mer, containing a large amount of various and use- ful knowledge on subjects relating to Eastern geogra- phy, natural history, and manners and customs. See Orme, Bihlioth. Biblia. s. v. ; Nevin, Biblical Antiquities (Appendix), p. 441.