Cornelius and S.
Cyprian in the 3rd century, as well as acolythes, exorcists, and
lectors. S. Augustine and S. Gregory Nazianzen speak of _ostiarii_;
and the clerical tonsure is mentioned by S. Isidore at the beginning
of the 5th century, as a rite established before his time. Orders
are conferred by the laying on of hands and prayer, as the scripture
teaches, and also by the delivery of the instruments belonging to each
order: appropriate exhortations addressed to the candidates for the
different orders are interspersed with the prayers prescribed in the
pontifical. (On their antiquity the reader may consult Morinus de
Ordinationibus, Martene de Antiquis Eccl. Ritibus, T. 2. etc.) The
tonsure is given after the _Kyrie eleison_ of the mass, the 4 minor
orders after the _Gloria in excelsis_; subdeacons are ordained before
the epistle, which one of them repeats; deacons after the epistle
and finally priests after the first part of the tract. These last,
after the imposition of hands, receive their peculiar vestments,
viz. the stole hanging down in front, and the chasuble: their hands
are anointed with oil of catechumens, and they receive a chalice
containing wine and water, a paten with a host, and power to say
mass. (Luke XXII, 19). After offerings of candle have been made to the
ordaining Bishop, the new priests join him in saying mass[136]: and
after the newly-ordained and baptised have communicated, the priests
profess their faith by reciting the apostles' creed; they receive
power to forgive and retain sins (John XX, 22, 23), they promise
reverence and obedience to their ecclesiastical superior, and receive
the bishops blessing, who then directs that masses and prayers be
said by those whom he has ordained, and recommends himself to their
prayers. In other respects the mass is similar to that of the Papal
chapel[137]. Morcelli in his calendar in summing up the ceremonies
of this day, having mentioned the station at S. John Lateran's, the
baptism of Jews and Turks, and mass in the papal chapel, says that
at the _Gloria, tonitrus tormentorum ab Arce fiunt, AEra templorum ac
Turium sonant._

[Sidenote: Armenian Catholics:]

Having spoken of the ceremonies of the Vatican and S. John Lateran's,
we might consider our task as completed[138]. Yet one more _funzione_
attracts our countrymen on this day; and we are therefore unwilling to
bid them farewell, before it is ended. Come then to S. Biagio or to S.
Gregorio Illumi