which have been solemnly blessed by the Consecrator. Then with the utmost pomp the new Bishop is enthroned on the Episcopal seat while the magnificent Te Deum is intoned. During the hymn he is led between the two assistant Bishops around the church, blessing the people as he goes. Afterward he is received by the Consecrator to the kiss of peace, and the function is ended.

Those only who appreciate the hierarchical importance of the Episcopate will thoroughly understand the sublimity of the whole ceremony.

Feast of St. John de Matha, 1894.

DE CONSECRATIONE ELECTI

NT

IN EPISCOPUM.

EMO consecrari debet, nisi prius constet Consecratori de commissione consecrandi, sive per litteras Apostolicas, si sit extra curiam, sive per commissionem vivæ vocis oraculo, a Summo Pontifice Consecratori factam, si Consecrator ipse sit Cardinalis.

Statuta die Consecrationis, quæ debet esse Dominica, vel Natalitium Apostolorum, vel etiam festiva, si Summus Pontifex hoc specialiter indulserit: et tam Consecrator, quam Electus conveniens est, ut præcedenti die jejunent.

Consecratio, si extra curiam Romanam fiat, in Ecclesia, ad quam promoti fuerint, aut in provincia, si commode fieri poterit, celebretur.

In Ecclesia, ubi fiet consecratio, ornantur duæ capellæ, major pro Consecrante, et minor pro Electo. Et in majori quidem, super altari parato, ut est moris, erit crux in medio, et ad minus quatuor candelabra. In terra ad gradus altaris erunt tapetia strata, super quibus procumbit Electus, sed Consecrator, et alii genuflectent.

Paratur etiam in loco propinquo et congruo credentia pro Consecratore, super quam erit mappa munda: duo candelabra; vasa ad abluendum manus,

THE CONSECRATION OF A

N°

BISHOP.

O one is to be consecrated unless first the Consecrator shall be sure of the commission to consecrate, either by apostolic letters, if he be outside the curia, or by verbal commission given by the Sovereign Pontiff to the Consecrator, if the Consecrator himself be a cardinal. The day chosen for consecration should be a Sunday or the feast day of one of the apostles,* or it may be even a feast day if the Sovereign Pontiff shall have made this special concession; and it is fitting that both the Consecrator and the elect should fast on the preceding day. If the consecration be performed outside of the Roman curia, it should be held in the diocese to which the Bishop-elect has been promoted, or within the province, if it can be conveniently done. In the church where the consecration is to take place two chapels are prepared, a larger one for the consecrating bishop, and a smaller one for the Bishop-elect. And in the larger, upon the altar, prepared in the usual manner, a cross is placed in the middle, and at least four candlesticks. On the ground at the foot of the altar carpets are laid, upon which the Bishop-elect shall prostrate himself, but the Consecrator and the others shall kneel. In an adjacent and suitable place a credence for the Consecrator is also prepared, upon which will be a clean cloth, two candlesticks, basins,

*In Liturgy the Feast of an Evangelist is equivalent to that of an Apostle. See note in Appendix, p. 1.*

cum suis mantilibus; vas cum aqua benedicta, et aspersorio; thuribulum cum navicella, cochleari, et incenso, si Officium fit in cantu, alias non; ampullæ cum vino, et aqua pro sacrificio; Calix, hostiaria cum hostiis; medulla panis pro abstergendis manibus; sanctum Chrisma.

Item paramenta omnia Pontificalia, coloris tempori et officio Missæ convenientis, videlicet, sandalia, amictus, alba, cingulum, crux pectoralis, stola, tunicella, dalmatica, chirothecæ, planeta, mitra auriphrygiata, annulus Pontificalis, baculus Pastoralis, manipulus et gremiale.

Item paratur faldistorium ornatum pro Consecratore; et tres sedes pro Electo, et duobus Episcopis assistentibus; Missale et Pontificale. Consecrator habeat tres Capellanos ad minus, cum superpelliceis, et duos scutiferos ad credentiam.

In capella vero minore pro Electo, quæ a majore debet esse distincta, paratur altare cum cruce, et duobus candelabris, et super illud Missale, et Pontificale; ac paramenta omnia Pontificalia albi coloris, ut supra pro Consecratore numerata sunt; et ultra illa, pluviale album, et prope altare credentia minor cum mappa munda, et vasis ad abluendum manus, et medulla panis ad extergendum manus, et caput.

Ponuntur etiam octo mappulæ ex duabus cannis panni linei subtilis, per medium scissis in longitudinem, quarum duæ sint longitudinis sex palmorum quælibet, aliæ vero sex æqualis sint quantitatis. Et candelæ saltem octo, unius libræ quælibet, quarum quatuor super altare Consecrantis, duæ super ejus credentiam, et duæ super altare Electi ponuntur.

Annulus cum gemma benedicendus, et Electo tradendus, pecten eburneus. Et pro Offertorio intortitia duo, quatuor librarum quodlibet, duo panes magni, et duo barilia vini; panes et barilia ornentur, duo, videlicet, videantur argentea, et duo aurea,

and towels for the ablution of the hands, a vessel with holy water, and an aspersorium; and a thurible with boat, spoon and incense, if the office is sung, otherwise this is omitted; cruets with wine and water for the sacrifice; a chalice; the box of hosts; crumbs of bread for the cleansing of the hands; holy chrism. Furthermore, all the pontifical vestments of color suitable to the time and the office of the Mass, namely, sandals and amice, alb, cincture, pectoral cross, stole, tunic, dalmatic, gloves, chasuble, precious mitre, pontifical ring, pastoral staff, maniple and gremial. A faldstool is prepared for the Consecrator and three seats for the Bishop-elect and the two assistant bishops; a Missal and a Pontifical. The Consecrator should have at least three chaplains in surplice, and two acolytes at the credence. In the smaller chapel for the Bishop-Elect, which should be distinct from the larger, an altar is prepared with a cross and two candlesticks, a Missal and a Pontifical, and all the pontifical vestments in white, as enumerated above for the Consecrator, and in addition to these a white cope; near the altar a smaller credence with a clean cloth, vessels for washing the hands, and bread crumbs for cleansing the hands and head. Eight small strips from two rolls of fine linen (cut in lengths through the middle, of which two are each six palms in length, the remaining six being of equal quantity) are prepared, and at least eight candles, each one pound in weight, four of which are placed on the altar of the consecrating bishop, two upon his credence and two upon the altar of the Bishop-elect; a jewelled ring to be blessed and to be given to the Bishop elect; and an ivory comb. For the offertory, two torches four pounds each in weight, two loaves of bread, two small barrels of wine; the bread and the wine are to be ornamented, two to be decorated with silver and two with gold, bearing the