ope's carriage
even now there is a chair of state, and to Him alone is reserved the
honour of a _sedia gestatoria_. Pope Stephen II in 751 was carried to
the basilica of Constantine on the shoulders of the Romans exulting
at his election: and from this fact some derive the custom of carrying
the Pope in His chair on solemn occasions.]

[Footnote 38: This hymn is attributed to the abbot Theodulph
afterwards bishop of Orleans, who lived in the 9th century. If it
were true, that he sang it as the emperor Louis le debonnaire was
passing by the prison, in which he was confined, and that he was in
consequence liberated, we should have a historical reason for the
shutting and opening of the door, and for the hymn's being sung partly
inside the church. This account has however been called in question
by Menard, Macri, Martene and others; and hence Pouget, and after him
Benedict XIV and others are contented with a mystic reason for such
ceremonies, viz, that heaven was closed to man in consequence of sin,
and was opened to him by the cross of Christ.]

[Footnote 39: In these it is called Dominica ad Palmas, Dominica
in Palmis, and in the Gregorian Sacramentary mention is made, in
the prayer which precedes communion, of the faithful carrying
palm-branches.]

[Footnote 40: Anciently a cardinal deacon used to read it, and to sing
only the words "Eli, Eli, lamma sabachthani".]

[Footnote 41: The author of this exquisite chant is unknown: Baini
supposes that he was a member of the pontifical choir: it has been
sung in the papal chapel since the middle of the 13th century. In 1585
it, together with the rest of the service of holy week, was published
by Tommaso da Vittoria with the words of the people harmonised for 4
and 5 voices; his method was adopted by the papal choir, which adorns
it with many traditional graces, and in particular gives occasionally,
says Baini, to the words of the multitude "the irresistible force of
a most robust harmony". The abbate Alfieri has published a new edition
of the _Passios_.]

[Footnote 42: In Africa till the time of S. Augustine, the Passion
used to be read in holy week from the gospel of S. Matthew alone; but
by his direction, as he mentions in his 232nd discourse, it was read
every year from all the four evangelists; and this custom is still
observed.]

[Footnote 43: That God, after He has pardoned sin and consequently
remitted its eternal punishment, often, if not generally, demands
tem