a little water, which our Saviour is believed to have mixed with
the wine at the last supper; he implores God's blessing on these
offerings, and washes his hands in token of the purity of soul[15]
with which the sacred mysteries should be approached, and at high mass
for the sake of outward cleanliness also, on account of the incense
which he has used. Having commemorated the passion, resurrection,
and ascension of Christ, as he does also after the consecration, he
calls on those present to join him in prayer, he says another prayer
or prayers called the _secret_, because said in secret, and then
recites the _preface_ to the canon, a prayer in which he unites with
the celestial spirits in praise and thanksgiving as Christ himself
gave thanks at the last supper: it concludes with the Tersanctus or
Trisagion "Holy, Holy, Holy etc." which, as Palmer observes, has been
probably used in the Christian liturgy of the east and west since the
ages of the apostles. V. 2. p. 219.

[Sidenote: Prayers for the dead.]

The canon of the mass next follows, which as well as many of the
preceding and following prayers is said in a low voice, according to
the ancient custom alluded to by Innocent I, S. Augustine, Origen, and
other Fathers[16]. In it the priest prays for the church, the Pope,
the bishop of the place, the living and the dead[17] he reveres the
memory of the B. Virgin, the Martyrs and other Saints[18], and having
once more implored the blessing of God, and spread his hands over the
victim, according to the custom of the Jews, he pronounces over the
bread and wine the words of consecration according to the command of
Christ, and adores and raises for the adoration of the people the
body and blood of our Divine Lord. It is in this consecration that
the sacrifice of the mass principally consists; as by it the victim