and erected a church in Jerusalem, in which it was deposited.
"The bishop of that city every year, at the season of the paschal
solemnity, exhibits it to be _adored_ by the people, after he himself
has first performed his act of profound veneration". S. Paulinus
of Nola, A.D. 430, ep. 11 ad Sever. "In the middle of Lent, the
life-giving wood of the venerable cross is usually exposed for
_adoration_". S. Sophronius patriarch of Jerusalem in 639. (Orat. in
Exalt. Crucis). From this custom of the church of Jerusalem probably
arose that of the Roman church, in which a crucifix, containing a
particle of the true cross, was publicly venerated on good Friday. In
the Sacramentary of pope Gelasius (A.D. 402) we read in an account
of the ceremonies of this day "The priest comes before the altar,
adoring the Lord's cross and kissing it--all adore the holy cross and
communicate". This ceremony is mentioned also in the Antiphonary of
S. Gregory the great and the ancient _Ordo Romanus_. Flecte genu,
lignumque crucis venerabile adora, says Lactantius. See bishop
Poynter's Christianity p. 151. Of the Greeks Leo Allatius relates that
"on good-friday, while they accompany as it were Christ himself to the
tomb, they lead round through the cities and _adore_ the sculptured
body of Christ". De consensu utriusque Eccl. lib. 5. c. 15. The
Syrians also practise this ceremony, as we learn from documents
published by Card. Borgia and Nairon. This rite is called the
_adoration_ of the cross. Let us not forget what is said in the Book
of Common Prayer in the solemnization of Matrimony "With this ring
I thee wed; with my body I thee _worship_". Such words of doubtful
signification must be interpreted from the doctrine of the church
which adopts them. Hanc veniam petimusque damusque vicissim. Now
the word _adorare_ used in our liturgy (derived from _ad_ and _ora_,
because persons when _adoring_ used to put their right hand to their
mouth; Plin. I. 28, c. 2. Apuleius in Apolog.) signifies not only to