The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1871-11-05

1851 tuOntu. IN q letter addressed to
following interesting explanation of that
rite: - 80 -. ''
The Syriac rite is one of great antiquity,
and according to some, it dates from the
time OF St. James the Apostle. The masses
in the Syriac church are those ct St. Peter,
ST. John the Apostle, st. James, St. Mat
Sixtus, st. JOHN Chrysostom, and st. Basil
the Great. The Syrfac rite prescribes that
fermented bread must be used in the holy
sacrifice. Tbs hosts are duly prepared
every morning in the sacristy of the church.
In the diocese of Mossui, the -four of which
the particles TO be consecrated are made is
never bought, because the faithful make
daily Offering of it to the priests, who, in
recurn, present q number Of the hosts (un..
consecrated) to parents, who give them to
their children to eat. As for the wine, the
offerings of the people enable the priests to
purchase in the autumn time the necessary
quantity of grapes from which the wine il
expressed in the vault of the church. A
sufficient quantity is thus provided for the
entire year. Strictly speaking there is no
low mass in the Syriac church, since even
on the ferial days goodiy portion Of it ia
chauated. In the cities the lessons of the
Old Testament, the epistle, gospel and GER
mainder in Syriac; while in the villages
the entire service is in Syriac On entering
the church the faithful, to attest their rev.
erence for the holy place, remove their
shoes, and resume them when the holy
functions have been performed. Tie
compartments-the sanctuary, place re-
served for the affairs and bishops throne
the choir, which is exclusively for the
clergy; and the nave. or body, of the
sacred edifice, which is appropriated to the
faithful. The sanctuary is separated from
Al - -k. Al
either by great door or by veil, which is
drawn at certain intervals In the churches
the men and women occupy places set
set apart for each. The Syrians use pros
trations instead of the genuflexions en-
ployed in the Latin church. The altar
atone of the Syriac church is usually of
marble, but wood is often substituted for
atone. The marble symbolizes the sep
ulchre, and the wood tue cross of our Lord.
According to the Syriac rite the mass ia
devided into three distinct :actions-the
first, which recalls the sacrifice of Mel
chisedech, who offered bread and wine,
commences when the celebrant, in his ordi-
nary apparel, ascends the altar and makes
an offering of bread and wine the second,
which reminds us of the oblation of Aaron,
who, clothed in sacred robes, offered the
bread of Precipitation aud incense, COM
mences when the ce!sbrant comes down
from the ali ar, puts on the vestments, and
hctulu lac W M%hO Luo OAUItOTy WIFI luCoQSes
the third and final action, which represents
the sacrifice of the cross, commences when
the celebrant, after incensing the altar,
turns round and iucenses the assistant
faithful. Immediately afterwards the
cleric, serving mass, reads certain appoint
Epistle, which being concluded, the cele-
brant descends the altara and goes to the
door of the sanctuary to read the gospel,
with face turned to the people. This being
terminated and while the celebrant 10 re-
citing certain prayers, the cleric incenses
the crucifx, the altar, the celebrant him
self, and the assem- bied faithful. The ce1e-
brant repeats the same action, after having
received the prayers already alluded to.
He then intOnes the creed, washes his fin
gers, and says "Orate, fratres," Tin Syriac,)
and, bending before the altar, beseeches
the Holy Trinity to pardon his transgres-
sions and to accept the sacrifice he is about
to offer. He then makes the commemora-
ton of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the
prophets, apostles, and other saints, pray
ing them to intercede for those who CON
tribute to the snstentation of church and
clergy, as we'll as for those for whom he
offers the holy sacrifice. He then ascends
the altar and commences with the prayer
for peace, which being concluded, the
assistant cleric receives the peace after
kissing the altar and the ce1ebrant's hand
The cleric then comes down from the altar
and gives the peace to those who are near
est to the sanctuary. They, in their turn,
communicate it to Others, the men to men,
and the womlaT7to the women. This cere-
mony is performed by claspipg hands. The
"sanctus is then said, and the celebrant
consecrates the bread and the wine. All
the prayers are invariably addressed to the
Eternal Father, except the last, in which
the celebrant, while blessing the faithful
with the adorable sacrament, invokes the
mercy of Jesus Christ our Lord. After
various prayers offered for the quick and the
departed the consecrated host, after having
been dipped in the chalice, is elevated.
After reciting the Dominica prayer the
cefebrant performs another elevation of the
patena and chalice. Having recited the
prayers corresponding to the "Donine
non sum " of the Latin church, he receives
one portion of the consecrated host, and
with a small spoon portion of the chaifce,
reserving the rest for the communion OF
faithful assisting. When COMMITMENTS
are present the celebrant dispenses the
Holy of Holes to them, the deacons re-
ceiving of the two kinds with the small
spoon, and the sub-deacoDs under one kind
with the said spoon dipped in the chalice.
The laikv in orio hlxy -.