kneeling before him with the oil of the catechumens, passing with his thumb dipped into the holy oil cross- wise from the thumb of one hand to the index of the other, with this prayer: "Consecrate and sanctify, <) Lord, these hands by this anointment and our bl( — ing." Then, with his right hand, he makes the sign of the cross over the hand- of the candidate whom he con- and continues : "In order that everything that i In \ bless may lie blessed, and what they consecrate may In consecrated and sanctified, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." Each of the ordinands says -Amen."
I from this anointment the thumbs and Ion fingers of a
priest are called the canonic fingers ; and as this anoint- ment is performed on the inner side of the hand, the priests to whom the last sacraments are administered are anointed on the outside of the hand, i 'I tun the bishop joins the bands of each of them, and one of the ministrants tie- them together with a piece of linen. When all hands are anointed, the bishop wipes his thumb with crumbs of bread ; then he presents to each of them a chalice with wine and water, with the paten placed over it. and containing a host Ike ordinands touch the top of the chalice ami the paten with the in- dex and middle finger, and the bishop -ays to each in particular. "Receive the power of offering God the sac- rifice, and to say mass for the living as well as for the dead, in the name of the Lord." Response: "Amen." Now the bishop washes hi- hands, returns to his chair, and reads the last verse of the Tractus, and then the Gospel. Meanwhile one of the newly consecrated dea- cons step- in front of the altar with the hook of the Cospels, prays the "Munda cor meum." and reads the Gospel, after receiving the benediction therein. The newly consecrated priests wipe their hands with bread- crumbs, wash them, and dry them with the linen with which they were bound. The water used for washing is poured into the piscina. As all consecrated receive the Eucharist at the hands of the bishop, there must he as many hosts prepared as there are candidates for ordina- tion. After the reading of the offertorium i short prayer preceding the sacrifice of the bread and wine), all those who have been consecrated— first the priests, then the deacons, then the others accordin-,' to their rank— step in pairs into the presence of the bishop, who sits on his tdiair with the infula on his head, kneel down, kiss his hand, and present a burning taper as an offering. The bishop, after receiving the offerings, washes his hands, lays down the infula. rises, and. the chair being re- moved, continues the ceremony of the mass. I he con- secrated priests kneel down behind the bishop on the prie-dieus prepared for them, each his mass-hook open before him: they say with the bishop the prayers ac- companying the offering of the bread and the wine, and the whole mass. The bishop speaks slowly and some- what loud, so that the consecrated priest- can at the same time pronounce the same word-, especially the words of consecration. The "secreta" (silent prayer) for the consecrated oms is pronounced with tin -. ,n la of the mass of the day under one' formula of conclusion : - Per Dominum nostrum," etc. The » cretapro ordinan- dis is, "We ask thee, O Lord! let thy holy mysteries effect that we offer thee these offerings with a worthy disposition, through our Lord Jesus Christ, thy Son." em. \iiir the paternoster and the prayer "Domine Jesu Christe, qui," etc which follows the "Agnus l>ei," the bishop kisses the altar; and after the first of the newly consecrated has done the same, he kisses him at each step, with the words ■• Peace be with you." The new priest answers. •• And with your mind." Each of i he consecrated ones gives the kiss of peace to the other
person ordained to the same rank and Standing next. After the communion of the bishop, the deacons and subdeacons | if there are any ) pray " i lonfiteor" in a sub- dued voice, the hi-hop. facing them, pronouncing the ••Miscreatur ve.-tri"aml " Iiidul-entiani." I f priest -only have been ordained, they do not receive absolution, as they perform the sacrifice together with the bishop. All
PRESBYTERIAL CONSECRATION 515 PRESBYTERIAN CHURCHES