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The Ceremonies of the Holy-Week at Rome by Charles Michael Baggs
page 22 of 154 (14%)
churches was one or more fountains (Eus. Eccl. Hist. l. X, c. 4) and
sometimes a well or cistern. In these the faithful used to wash their
hands (Tertull. De orat. §, De lavat. man.) Thus in the atrium of
St. Paul's basilica there was a cantharus, restored by Pope Leo I, of
which the saint writes thus to Ennodius;

Quisque suis meritis veneranda sacraria Pauli
Ingrederis, supplex ablue fonte manus.

The _cantharus_ is mentioned by Virgil Eclog. VI, 21.

Et gravis adtritâ pendebat cantharus ansa.

A large vessel of this description may be seen in the _cortili_ of S.
Cecilia and SS. Apostoli at Rome. It used to be blessed on the vigil
or festival of the Epiphany, as it is now in the Greek and even the
Roman church. When churches were built without _atria_, a vessel
of blessed water was placed inside the church: in some of the older
churches there is even a well. See Nibby, _Dissert. sulla forma, etc.
delle antiche chiese_.]

[Footnote 16: See Le Brun tom. IV, diss. 15. Super usu recitandi
silentio missæ partem etc. This custom was connected with the
discipline of secrecy. The scripture itself does not mention what
words Christ used, when He "gave thanks", before He pronounced the
words of consecration; and the early church imitated this reserve.
Anciently curtains concealed the altar, during the most solemn part of
mass, as now in some Oriental churches. St. John Chrysostom (Hom. 3,
in Ep. ad Ephes.) mentions this custom; and traces of it still remain
at St. Clement's church in Rome.]
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