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The Church of Rome, in the following "Prayer," had in view the Emperor of Germany, who was formerly the head of the germanic confederation, and, in the Middle Ages, was intrusted, by the Church, with the charge of propagating the Faith among the northern nations. This "Prayer" is now omitted, excepting in those countries, which are subject to Austria.

Let us pray also for the

Oremus et pro christia21

most Christian Emperor N., nissimo Imperatore nostro

PASSIONTIDE

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deceptas: ut omni hæretica pravitate deposita, errantium corda resipiscant, et ad veritatis tuæ redeant unitatem. Per Dominum.

R. Amen.

Oremus et pro perfidis Judæis ut Deus et Dominus noster auferat velamen de cordibus eorum, ut et ipsi agnoscant Jesum Christum Dominum nostrum.

are seduced by the deceits of the devil; that the hearts of all those who err, laying aside all heretical malice, may repent and return to the unity of the truth. Through, &c. B. Amen.

Let us pray also for the perfidious Jews; that the Lord God would withdraw the veil from their hearts, that they also may acknowledge our Lord Jesus Christ thy Son.

Here, the Deacon does not invite the Faithful to kneel. The Church has no hesitation in offering up a "Prayer" for the descendants of Jesus' executioners, but, in doing so, she refrains from genuflecting: because this mark of adoration was turned by the Jews into an insult against our Lord during the Passion. She prays for his scoffers; but she shrinks from repeating the act wherewith they scoffed him.

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LET US PRAY.

The Deacon: Let us kneel down.

The Subdeacon: Stand up again.

O Almighty and Eternal God, who seekest not the death of sinners, but that they should live; mercifully hear our prayers, and deliver them from their idolatry: and, to the praise and glory of thy name, admit them into thy holy Church. Through, &c. B. Amen.

OREMUS,

The Deacon: Flectamus genua.

The Subdeacon: Levate.

Omnipotens sempiterne Deus, qui non mortem peccatorum, sed vitam semper inquiris suscipe propitius orationem nostram: et libera eos ab idolorum cul. tura: et aggrega Ecclesiæ tuæ sanctæ, ad laudem et gloriam Nominis tui. Per Dominum, B. Amen.

THE VENERATION OF THE CROSS.

The "Prayers" are ended. The charity and zeal of the Church have embraced the whole universe of men, invoking upon them the merciful effusion of that precious Blood, which is now flowing from the Wounds of her Crucified Lord. She turns next to her faithful Children. Filled with holy indignation at the humiliations heaped upon her Jesus, she invites us to an act of solemn reparation: it is to consist in our venerating that Cross, which our Divine Lord has borne to the summit of Calvary, and to which he is to be fastened with nails The Cross is a stumbling-block to the Jews, and foolishness to the Gentiles; but to us Christians, it is the trophy of Jesus' victory, and the instrument of the world's Redemption. It is worthy of our deepest veneration, because of the honour conferred upon it by the Son of God:-he consecrated it by his own Blood, he worked our salvation by its means. No time could be more appropriate than this for the honouring it with the humble tribute of our veneration.

1 I. Cor. i. 23.

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