PALM SUNDAY On this day the church commemorates the solemn entry of our Lord into the city of Jerusalem five days before His crucifixion. Palms are solemnly blessed at the Altar before the chief Mass of the day, and distributed to the Faithful. A Procession is made in emulation of those of whom we read in the Gospel as going out to meet Him with palms and Hosannas, and in reparation for the sins of those who deny the deity of our Lord. When the Procession arrives at the door of the Church the singers divide if possible into two groups— one inside the Church, the other outside with the clergy. The ancient hymn ́All glory, laud and honor,' is sung antiphonally through the closed door, and the Crossbearer then demands entrance. When the doors have been opened the Benedictus qui venit is sung and all proceed to the Altar for the Mass. Terce being said, and after Asperges as usual, the Celebrant with the Sacred Ministers (vested as for Mass, except that the Celebrant will wear a Cope, in place of a Chasuble and Maniple) proceeds to bless branches of palm placed in midst before the Altar, or at the Epistle corner. And first the Choir shall sing the Antiphon. St. Matthew 21. OSANNA to the Son of David; H Blessed is he that cometh in the Name of the Lord. O King of Israel. Hosanna in the highest. Then the priest, standing at the Epistle corner, Let us pray. The Collect. GOD, whom perfectly to love is righteousness, increase and multiply upon us the gifts of thine ineffable grace; and as by the death of thy Son thou hast made us hope for those things in which we believe, grant that by his rising to life again we may attain unto that heavenly country to which we direct our way; through the same thy Son, Jesus Christ, who ever liveth and reigneth with thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, one God, world without end. R. Amen. Then the Sub-deacon reads the lesson in the same way as the Epistle at Mass, and at the end kisses the hand of the Celebrant. The portion of scripture appointed for the lesson is written in the fifteenth chapter of Exodus, beginning at the twenty-seventh verse. IN Exodus 15. N those days the children of Israel came to Elim, where were twelve wells of water, and threescore and ten palm trees: and they encamped there by the waters. And they took their journey from Elim, and all the congregation of the children of Israel came unto the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after their departing out of the land of Egypt. And the whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness: and the children of Israel said unto them, Would to God we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots, and when we did eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger. Then said the Lord unto Moses, Behold I will rain bread from heaven for you and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in My law or no. And it shall come to pass, that on the sixth day they shall prepare that which they bring in; and it shall be twice as much as they gather daily. And Moses and Aaron said unto all the children of Israel, At even, then ye shall know that the Lord hath brought you out of the land of Egypt: and in the morning, then ye shall see the glory of the Lord. Here endeth the Lesson. Then is sung for the Gradual, R. St. John 11. THE HE chief priests * and the Pharisees gathered a council, and said, What do we? for this man doeth many miracles. If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him * And the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation. V. And one of them named Caiaphas, being the High Priest that same year, prophesied saying: It is expedient for you, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not. Then from that day forth they took counsel together for to put him to death, saying: * And the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation. UPO Or this, R. St. Matthew 26. PON the Mount of Olives He prayed to His Father: Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from Me. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak: Thy will be done. V. Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation. The spirit indeed. During the singing of the R. the Deacon places the book of Gospels on the Altar; and the Celebrant (the Deacon ministering the incenseboat) places incense in the censer. Then the Deacon says, Cleanse my heart, takes the book from the Altar, and asks a blessing from the Celebrant. Then, while the Sub-deacon holds the book, the Deacon stands between two Acolytes holding lighted candles, signs |