After singing the foregoing praises of God in Greek and Latin (formerly the two most universal languages, to shew the union between all the Churches), two of the second choir proceed with the Reproaches. V. Because I was thy guide through the desart for forty years, and fed thee with manna, and brought thee into an excellent land, thou hast prepared a cross for thy Saviour. Then Agios o Theos, &c. is repeated alternately as above, after which two of the first choir sing: V. What more should I have done to thee, and have not done? I have planted thee for my most beautiful vineyard: and thou hast proved very bitter to me, for in my thirst thou givest me vinegar to drink; and piercedst the side of thy Saviour with a spear. Agios o Theos, &c. is repeated as above. V. For thy sake I scourged Egypt with her firstborn; and thou hast delivered me up to be scourged. The whole Choir.] My people, what have I done to thee? or in what have I grieved thee? An Two of I. Choir.] V. I led thee out of Egypt, having drowned Pharaoh in the Red Sea; and thou hast delivered me up to the chief priests. The whole Choir. My people, &c. Two of II. Choir. V. I opened the sea before thee; and thou hast opened my side with a spear. The whole Choir. My people, &c. Two of I. Choir.] V. I went before thee in a pillar of cloud; and thou hast brought me to the court of Pilate. The whole Choir. My people, &c. Two of II. Choir. V. I fed thee with manna in the desart; and thou hast beaten me with buffets and stripes. The whole Choir. My people, &c. Two of I. Choir. V. I gave thee wholesome water to drink out of the rock, and thou hast given me for any drink gall and vinegar. The whole Choir. My people, &c. Two of II. Choir. V. For thy sake I smote the king of Canaan; and thou hast smote my head with a cane. The whole Choir. My people, &c. Two of I. Choir. V. I gave thee a royal sceptre; and thou hast given me a crown of thorns. The whole Choir. My people, &c. Two of II. Choir.] V. By great might I raised thee on high; and thou hast hanged me on the gibbet of the cross. The whole Choir. My people, &c. and the ANTHEM. We adore thy cross, O Lord, and we praise and glorify thy holy resurrection, for by the wood of the cross the whole earth is filled with joy. Ps. May God have mercy on us and bless us ; may his countenance shine upon us, and may he have mercy on us. Ant. We adore thee, &c. to Ps. Then is sung the Versicle, O faithful cross! with the Hymn, in the following manner : Faithful cross! O noblest tree! In all our woods there's none like thee: HYMN. SING, O my tongue, devoutly sing Gain'd on the cross erected high; O faithful cross, &c. is repeated to*. By this wise method God design'd When the full time decreed above Sweet are the nails, &c. from*. Thus God made man, an infant lies, ; And God's incarnate feet and hands Full thirty years were fully spent Sweet are the nails, &c. from*. Bend tow'ring tree, thy branches bend, Thy native stubborness suspend: Let not stiff nature use its force, To weaker saps have now recourse; With softest arms receive thy load, And gently bear our dying God. Sweet are the nails, &c. from*. On thee alone the Lamb was slain That reconcil'd the world again; And when on raging seas was tost The shipwreck'd world and mankind lost, Besprinkled with his sacred gore, Thou safely brought them to the shore. O faithful cross, &c. to*. All glory to the sacred Three, One undivided Deity: To Father Holy Ghost and Son, Amen. Towards the end of the Adoration, &c. the Candles on the Altar are lighted, and the Cross being placed thereon, the Priest, with his Attendants, go to fetch the Presanctified Host from the place where it was yesterday deposited. Whilst the Procession is returning the following HYMN is sung. VEXILLA regis pro deunt, Et morte vitam protulit. David fideli carmine, Electa digno stipite Tam sancta membra tan Having placed the Sacred Host on the Altar, he censes it on his knees, and lays it on the corporal: and after receiving the Chalice with wine and water from the Deacon, he censes both Host and Chalice, saying: MAY this incense, which hath been blessed by thee, O Lord, ascend to thee, and may thy mercy descend upon us. |