der
a canopy supported by 8 _Referendarii_ (prelates of the tribunal of
_Segnatura_) between the _flabelli_ carried by two of His _Camerieri_.
He is followed by the dean of the Rota (whose duty it is to bear His
mitre) between two _camerieri segreti_ (who as well as two Auditors of
the Rota bear His train when occasion requires), by the _Uditore della
Camera_, the Treasurer, _Maggiordomo_, Protonotaries and Generals of
religious orders.

During the procession the choir sings the anthem, _Cum appropinquaret
etc._ When the procession is in the portico, two soprano singers
reenter the basilica, and shut the door: then turning towards
the door, they sing the first verse of the hymn _Gloria, laus et
honor_[38] and the other verses alternately with the choir, which
remains without. The subdeacon knocks at the gate with the cross, and
it is immediately opened; the procession returns into the church, and
the choir sings the concluding anthems.

[Sidenote: _its antiquity._]

The solemn commemoration, which we have described, of Christ's
triumphant entry into Jerusalem, could never have taken place
during times of persecution: nor did it originate immediately after
Constantine had ensured peace to the church. Martene (De ant. Eccl.
Rit. lib. IV, c. 20) could find no mention of it before the 8th or 9th
century, when Amalarius says "In memory of this we are accustomed to
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 obedie