carry palm-branches, and cry Hosanna". Merati however, in his notes to
Gavant, considers that he has found traces of it in the Gregorian and
Gelasian sacramentaries, and in a Roman calendar of the beginning of
the fifth century[39] and his opinion is adopted by Benedict XIV. The
ceremonies of the church of Jerusalem on this day were a still closer
imitation of the entry of Christ into that city.

When the procession is ended, the cardinals, bishops, and mitred
abbots take off their sacred vestments and the prelates their
surplices, and they all resume their respective _cappe_; the
_Penitenzieri_ retire, and mass is celebrated by a cardinal of the
order of priests. Having already given an account not only of
low mass, but also of the additional ceremonies of high mass, as
celebrated in the papal chapel, we shall here mention those only which
are peculiar to palm-sunday.

At those words of the epistle (which is sung as usual by the
subdeacon), "in the name of Jesus let every knee bow", the whole
assembly kneels to adore their divine Redeemer, who became obedient
unto death for our salvation. The affecting account of His sufferings
and death is then sung by three priests[40] belonging to the
pontifical choir, and habited as deacons in alb and stole. The history
itself is sung by a tenor voice, the words, of our Saviour by a bass,
and those of any other single voice by a _contralto_, called the
_ancilla_, as he sings the words of the _maid_ to S. Peter: the choir
sings the words of the multitude[41]. The church, mourning over the
sufferings of her divine Spouse, does not allow the incense, lights,
or the benediction and salutation usual before the gospel; but the
palms are borne to signify the triumphs consequent on His death as
they are also from the elevation till after the communion. All stand