Low Mass Ceremonial (Burnett)/Directions for Celebration
Concise Directions for the Celebration of a Low Mass
The Preparation
The priest who is about to celebrate the holy mysteries ought to be prepared for this exercise of his office. He is bound not only to see that all things needful for the celebration of the holy Eucharist are in readiness, but also to exercise due care that he himself has the right dispositions and has fulfilled the conditions which traditional rules require. For example, he should have said the matin (Prayer Book) office, and have observed a natural fast from the preceding midnight. If he have opportunity he should say the preparatory form which is set forth elsewhere in this book, and should have some special intention of applying the fruit of the mass to some person, or number of persons, or for the furtherance of some special object.
Having finished his devotions, the priest should preserve a recollected mind, and refrain as far as possible from all conversation. He will do well to read over the Collect, Epistle, and Gospel which he is to use in the mass, and the Preface if a proper one is appointed. He should determine the prayer, or prayers, which he will use as the post-communion, note the last Gospel (if he intends to read it) if another than that for Christmas Day should be read, and see to it, either personally or by a trusty server, that the altar lights are kindled and the altar is in readiness for the mass, and that the cruets containing wine and water, the box of altar-breads and whatever else be needed are in their proper places.
The priest, having washed and dried his hands, prepares the chalice, in the following order: Over the cup he places a clean purificator, folded lengthwise, so that the ends hang down on two sides; upon the purificator he places the paten; on the paten he places a priest's altar-bread; then he lays the pall on the paten, and then covers all with the silk veil so arranged that it hides in front the whole chalice. Lastly he places the burse, in which is a clean corporal, upon the veil, and so that the open side thereof will be opposite the front of the chalice and towards the priest when he carries the chalice to the altar.
Having prepared the chalice, the priest, habited in cassock, signs himself with the sign of the cross and proceeds to put on the vestments, in the following order and manner. He takes up the Amice by the two upper corners, using both hands to do so, and kisses the middle of the upper part of the amice (not the apparel or "collar") and then, passing his right hand over his left he draws the amice around his left shoulder behind his head, rests the upper part of the amice upon his head and at once lowers it to his neck, brings the two corners to the front under his chin so that the amice covers his collar all around, and then crossing the strings he passes them close up under his arms and across his back, and brings the ends together in front, over his breast, and ties them. While putting on the amice and the other vestments, the priest may say the vesting prayers set forth in the Appendix. Next gathering up the Alb with both hands, the back part from the bottom to the top, he puts it over his head, and putting his arms through the sleeves, allows it to fall down all around him, and then fastens it at the neck. Then, taking the Girdle, he doubles it for about two thirds of its length, and holding the loop thereof in his right hand and the other end of the doubled portion in his left hand, he passes the said portion about his body, upon his loins, puts both ends of the girdle through the loop, draws them taut, and brings the loop to the front; then taking hold of the lower end he passes it, by his right, around his body and then through the second loop thus formed, and drawing both ends taut lets them hang down in front. If the alb be too long, it should be gathered up under the girdle. Care should be taken that the alb hangs evenly all around. Then, taking up the Maniple the priest kisses the cross upon the middle of it, and places it on his left arm between the wrist and the elbow. Next taking the Stole with both hands, at points a few inches apart and equally distant from the middle, he kisses it in the middle and then places the middle of the stole upon the back of his neck. Then he crosses the stole over his breast, and lifting up the ends of the girdle between the pendant parts of the stole, he passes the said ends over the stole, one to the right and the other to the left and tucks them under the girdle one on each side of his body. Lastly the priest puts on the Chasuble.
From the Commencement of the Mass up to the Offertory
Being duly vested, the priest holding the chalice, by the knop, with his left hand, as high as and a little in front of his breast, his right hand upon the burse, proceeds to the altar. After making the due act of reverence at the foot of the altar-steps he goes up to the foot-pace and standing in the midst puts down the chalice, a little to his left, upon the altar. Then he takes up the burse, carefully takes out the corporal, places the burse upright against the gradine to the left of the midst, unfolds and spreads the corporal upon the midst of the altar so that its front edge will be near and parallel with (but never overhanging) the front edge of the altar-mensa, and then puts the veiled chalice upon the corporal in the midst thereof. Then he goes to the book on the Epistle-side, opens it at the beginning of the mass-rite, returns to the midst, bows slightly towards the cross, goes down the steps, faces the altar, bows profoundly, stands erect, signs himself with the sign of the cross, and says the preparatory prayers. The prayers ended, the priest goes up to the foot-pace, joins his hands upon the altar, kisses it and then goes to the book, where facing the altar he signs himself with the sign of the cross and begins the mass. After the prayer "Almighty God, unto whom" etc., if the commandments are to be recited, the priest goes to the midst, bows slightly towards the cross, turns by his right, faces the people, and rehearses the Commandments; otherwise, still standing by the book and facing the altar, he says the "Summary of the Law" and then goes to the midst faces the altar and says the Kyries. This done, the priest returns to the book and says the Collect, after which, still facing the altar, he announces and reads the Epistle. The Epistle ended, if he have no server, the priest takes up, with both hands, the desk and book thereon, and carries them to the Gospel corner of the altar, making the due act of reverence as he passes the midst, and puts the desk down upon the altar obliquely, so that the back of the book will look towards the north-east corner of the altar, and then goes to the midst where, facing the altar, he says the prayer "Cleanse my heart" etc. This done, the priest goes at once to the book, stands facing it, announces and then reads the Gospel. If the server move the book and desk, the priest having said, "Here endeth the Epistle," goes to the midst, faces the altar, says the prayer, "Cleanse my heart" etc., and then goes to the Gospel corner, says "The Lord be with you," to the server, and then announces the Gospel. When he has finished reading the Gospel, the priest lifts up the book, kisses the Gospel-text and says (privately) the prayer, "By the words of the Gospel may our sins be blotted out." Having replaced the book upon its desk, the priest moves desk and book, with both hands, near to the corporal; and then goes to the midst, faces the altar, and (if it is to be said), says the Creed.
When notices are to be given and a sermon preached, if it be more convenient, the priest may make the announcements, and preach, standing on the foot-pace and having his back turned towards the Gospel-side of the altar. If the celebrant will preach the sermon from the pulpit, he goes first to the sedilia on the Epistle-side of the sanctuary and there lays aside his chasuble and maniple, and then goes to the pulpit. The celebrant returning from the pulpit goes first to the sedilia and there puts on his maniple and chasuble. Then going to the midst before the altar steps, he makes the due act of reverence, and goes up to the foot-pace.
From the Offertory up to the Canon
The priest, standing in the midst and facing the altar, begins the offertory by reading one of the appointed sentences. Then he carefully removes the chalice-veil, and places it, folded once or twice lengthwise, near the corporal and close to the gradine on the Epistle-side. Next he takes up the pall, and places it partly on the corporal and partly on the chalice-veil. Then he takes up the paten, and holding it with both hands, carries it to the Epistle-corner of the altar or to a convenient point on the Epistle-side. If he have no server, the priest serves himself, either from the gradine or, preferably, from a movable credence, placed near the Epistle-corner of the altar. From the bread-box he takes as many small breads "as he shall think sufficient," placing them, with his right hand, upon the paten held in his left hand, so that the large (or priest's) bread will be on top. Then holding the paten with both hands he returns to the midst, faces the altar, holds the paten as high as and a little in front of his breast, and says the prayer "Receive, Holy Father," etc. Having said this prayer, the priest lowers the paten to about four inches above the corporal, makes with it the sign of the cross horizontally, and puts it down upon the corporal a little behind the embroidered cross. If more altar-breads are needed than can conveniently be placed upon the paten, a ciborium should be used. The ciborium containing the needed breads, should be placed on the corporal at the back, offered in intention when the priest's-bread upon the paten is offered, and then covered with its cover. Having offered the breads, the priest goes to the Epistle-side, and standing facing the altar he reaches the chalice to himself, taking it with his left hand by the knop. Then, with his right hand, he wipes the cup of the chalice, within and without, with a purificator, and sets the chalice down upon the altar. Then holding it with his left hand by the knop, the purificator being held between the knop and the thumb of the same hand, and so that part thereof falls over the thumb, the priest, with his right hand, pours wine into the chalice. Then making the sign of the cross, with his right hand, over the water cruet, he says the prayer, "Oh God who didst" etc., meanwhile pouring a very little water into the chalice. Still holding the chalice with his left hand, the priest takes the purificator with his right hand and wipes away any drops of wine or water that may have adhered to the interior or exterior surface of the cup. Then having placed with his left hand the purificator upon the altar about mid-way between the chalice and the corporal, he sets the chalice, with the same hand, between the corporal and the purificator, and goes to the midst. Then taking up the chalice, with his right hand, he holds it up before him, the foot with his left hand and the knop with his right hand, so that the top of the cup is about on a line with his eyes and says, privately, the prayer, "We offer unto thee," etc. Then he lowers the chalice to about four inches above the altar and makes with it, horizontally, the sign of the cross, and then places it upon the corporal a little behind the paten. Then, having his hands joined, and bowing moderately, he says the prayer, "In the spirit," etc. Standing erect, and having his hands extended and raised as high as his shoulders he says, "Come, O Holy Ghost," and then joining his hands, he says "almighty and everlasting God," and then placing his left hand on the altar to the left of the corporal, he makes, with his right hand, the sign of the cross over the paten and chalice, saying "and bless this sacrifice, prepared for thy holy name." The priest then goes to the Epistle-side of the altar, near the corner, where he stands facing the altar. Here he receives the basin containing the offerings of the people, and "presents" them by raising the basin about as high as his breast and immediately lowering it and placing it upon the altar, meanwhile saying "Receive, O Holy Trinity," etc. Immediately after it has been presented, the basin containing the offerings should be removed from the altar and set down upon the credence. The priest now goes to the Epistle-corner, where he stands facing south and recites privately the psalm Lavabo, (Ps. xxvi, 6–12) while water is poured over the extremities of his fingers by the server; or, if he have no server, while he thus ministers for and to himself: and then having wiped his fingers dry with the lavabo-towel, he stands facing the altar while he concludes the psalm and the Gloria Patri. Then he returns to the midst where, bowing moderately, and having his hands joined upon the altar, he says, privately, the prayer, "Receive O Holy Trinity this oblation," etc. Having said this prayer, the priest places his hands extended on each side of (i. e., beyond) the corporal, kisses the altar, stands erect, turns to the people, and, as he extends and raises his hands and again joins them before his breast, says, "Let us pray for the whole state of Christ's Church militant." Then turning (completing the circle) back to the altar, he says the prayers for the Church. If no offerings of money have been received, the words "alms and," in the first of the said prayers, should be omitted.
If the Bishop permit, the Exhortation, General Confession, Absolution, and prayer of Humble Access, will be transferred to the point immediately after the Prayer of Consecration; otherwise the prayers for the Church ended, the priest, standing facing the people, says the exhortation, "Ye who do truly," etc., and then kneels down upon both knees, upon the foot-pace, and says the General Confession. The Confession ended, the priest stands up, turns to the people, and says the Absolution, and the Comfortable Words. Then the priest, extending and raising his hands, says, "Lift up your hearts"; and then, immediately after the response, joins his hands, saying "Let us give thanks unto our Lord God." Then the priest, having turned back to the altar, (completing the circle), again extends and raises his hands and proceeds to say the Preface and Sanctus. The Sanctus ended, standing erect the priest says (aloud, if the Bishop permit, otherwise privately) "Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest," signing himself from forehead to breast. Then kneeling upon the foot-pace, and having his hands joined, the priest says the prayer of Humble Access, "We do not presume," etc.
The Canon
Having said the prayer of Humble Access, the priest rises, and, having his hands raised and extended, proceeds to say the Prayer of Consecration in a low but clear and audible voice. After the words, "until his coming again," if a ciborium be in use, and the priest has not moved it before beginning the said prayer, he now uncovers it and moves it forward on the corporal at the right of the chalice. Then, as he utters the words, "he took bread," he takes up, with both hands, the paten, raises it a little above the altar-mensa, and at once replaces it upon the corporal. Then he takes the priest's-bread between the thumb and forefinger of his left hand, holds it upright a little above the paten, raises his eyes heavenward and at once lowers them, bows his head, and, as he says the words, "and when he had given thanks," he makes the sign of the cross over the bread with his right hand. As he says the words, "he brake it," the priest holds the larger bread between the thumb and forefinger of each hand, upright, and raised a little above the paten, and makes a small fracture in the lower part of it. Then bowing his head, he says, "and gave it to his disciples, saying, Take, eat," and extends the other fingers of his hands over the paten, and allowing them to touch the breads thereon, and says, "This is my Body which is given for you; Do this in remembrance of me." If a ciborium be used to hold the breads for the people, the priest holds his bread, and extends his other fingers over the breads in the said ciborium, if possible, allowing his fingers to touch the breads, while he repeats the words, "This is my Body," etc. After he has said the words of consecration the priest raises his head and, holding the host (as before, with both hands) over the paten, he genuflects slowly and devoutly, rises at once in like manner, and elevates the host in a perpendicular line above the paten to a point a little above his head, holds it there for an instant and at once lowers it and places it upon the paten. (From this time until the ablutions the thumb and forefinger of each hand are not to be disjoined except when the consecrated bread has to be touched or handled.) After placing his host upon the paten, the priest places his hands upon the corporal, to the right and left of the paten, the palm of each hand turned towards the altar-mensa, and, holding his head erect, genuflects as before and rises again. If he has used a ciborium, he now covers it and places it conveniently upon the back part of the corporal. If there be upon the corporal an extra vessel of wine, the priest, before proceeding with the consecration, will place the said vessel, uncovered, alongside of and to the right of the chalice. In either case, whether the wine be only in the chalice or also in another vessel, the priest now places the extremities of the last three fingers of his left hand upon the base of the chalice, and then taking the pall between the middle finger and the forefinger of his right hand, he lifts it up from the chalice and lays it down upon the back part of the corporal so that it will rest partly on the veil. If there be need to do so, the priest, before taking hold of the chalice, should rub together the thumb and forefinger of each hand over the paten, in order to remove any particles of the host that may have adhered to them. Proceeding with the prayer, as he says the words, "Likewise after supper," the priest takes the chalice, with both hands, by the knop, and raising it about four inches above the altar, he says the words, "he took the cup," and at once places it again on the corporal. Then holding it by the knop, with his left hand, and bowing his head, the priest makes with his right hand the sign of the cross over the chalice as he says the words "and when he had given thanks," and again holding the chalice, as before, with both hands, he says the words, "he gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of this: for"—then retaining his hold of the chalice at the knop with his right hand, he raises it a little above the altar and takes hold of the base or foot of the chalice with his left hand in such a manner that the thumb and forefinger rest upon the base, and the other fingers support it beneath; and thus holding the chalice, meanwhile bowing his head and resting his elbows lightly upon the altar, he says the words, "This is my Blood of the New Testament, which is shed for you, and for many, for the remission of sins:" Then again holding the chalice at the knop, with both hands, the priest sets it down upon the corporal, and says the words, "Do this as oft as you shall drink it, in remembrance of me."
If there be upon the corporal, besides the chalice, another vessel containing wine which is to be consecrated, the priest, as he says the words, "This is my Blood," etc., holds the chalice raised a little above the altar, by the knop, with his left hand, touches with the forefinger of his right hand the edge of the base of the chalice, and rests the other fingers of his right hand upon the said extra vessel, and directs his intention to consecrate, to the wine in both vessels. Having put down the chalice upon the altar, and said the words, "Do this" etc., the priest places his hands upon the corporal (as after the consecration of the Bread), genuflects reverently and at once rises again. Then grasping the chalice at the knop, with his right hand, and the base with his left (as directed above), and having his eyes fixed upon it, the priest reverently raises the chalice in a perpendicular line, lifting it so that the base thereof is brought to a level with, and not higher than, his eyes, holds it there for an instant, and then in like manner lowers it and sets it down upon the corporal where it was before. Then he places the last three fingers of his left hand upon the base of the chalice, takes up the pall with his right hand and places it upon the chalice, covers and moves to the back part of the corporal the extra vessel, if there be such, and placing his hands upon the corporal he genuflects devoutly and at once rises again. At both elevations (of host and chalice) the priest must be careful to avoid bringing the ends of the maniple in contact with the host, or hosts, on the paten.
Standing erect, and having his hands extended before his breast, the priest says the words, "Wherefore," etc. At the words "holy gifts," and again at the words "bless and sanctify," the priest makes with his right hand the sign of the cross over both chalice and paten, his left hand placed on the corporal. At the words, "Body and Blood" the priest makes the sign of the cross, as above directed, over the paten and then over the chalice. At the words, "heavenly benediction" the priest signs himself from forehead to breast with his right hand, the left meanwhile held in front of, but a little below his breast, palm upward. Here, that is before going on to say, "And although," etc., the priest may make, privately, commemoration of the faithful departed. At the words, "are unworthy," having his left hand on the corporal, the priest strikes his breast three times with the extremities of the last three ringers of his right hand. He joins his hands and bows his head as he says the words "through Jesus Christ our Lord," and then placing his left hand on the foot of the chalice, he takes up the pall with his right hand and lays it down on the corporal and veil, genuflects reverently, rises at once, and holding his host with his right hand and the chalice by the knop with his left hand, he makes the sign of the cross with the host (held upright) twice over the chalice as he says "by whom and with whom" and then in like manner between the chalice and his breast, as he says, "in the unity of the Holy Ghost, all honor and glory be to thee, O Father Almighty;" and then holding the host upright over the chalice held with his left hand, he elevates chalice and host as high as his breast and says, "world without end." Then at once he lowers the chalice and host, places the chalice upon the corporal behind the paten, and the host upon the paten, rubs the forefinger and thumb of each hand together over the paten (to dislodge any particles that may have adhered to them), places his left hand on the foot of the chalice, places the pall on the chalice with his right hand, then, placing both hands upon the corporal, he genuflects reverently, rises at once, and stands erect, having his hands joined.
The Communion
In immediate preparation for his sacramental communion, which, without exception, he must make every time he consecrates the Eucharist, and before all other persons, the priest should use some brief devotions, and for this purpose may now say (privately) the suitable forms of prayer which are set forth elsewhere in this book. During the recitation of the prayer, "Deliver us," etc., the priest, having first signed himself with the sign of the cross, removes the pall, genuflects, rises, takes up his host, and holding it upright, with both hands over the chalice, breaks is carefully into two equal parts. The half held in his right hand he places on the paten, and then from the lower end of the other half he breaks away a small particle, places the greater part on the paten, and with the particle makes the sign of the cross thrice over the chalice while he says (privately) "The Lord be with you," and then drops the said particle into the cup (at the side nearest to himself so that he may readily receive it when he communicates himself) and says the words, "Let this commixture" etc. Then after rubbing together (over the paten) the thumb and forefinger of each hand, he covers the chalice with the pall, genuflects, rises again, and says the words, "O Lamb of God," etc. At the words, "have mercy upon us," and "grant us thy peace" the priest strikes his breast with the extremities of the last three fingers of his right hand. Then joining his hands and placing them so that the tips of his little fingers touch the front edge of the mensa, and the extremities of his ring and middle fingers rest upon the corporal, his eyes fixed upon the Sacrament, he says the prayers, "O Lord Jesus Christ, who saidst," etc., "O Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the living God," and "Let not the partaking," etc. Then, having disjoined his hands, he places them upon the corporal, stands erect, genuflects, rises again, and says the words, "What reward" etc. Then taking up both parts of the host and holding them with his left hand in such a manner that the broken edges may touch or slightly overlap each other and the host be raised a little above the paten, the priest bows his head and with his right hand strikes his breast three times, saying each time "Lord I am not worthy," etc. Then, using both hands, he brings the two parts of the host together so that one lies directly over the other, and above the paten, and holding them with his right hand, his left resting on the corporal, he signs himself with the host (over the paten) and says, "The Body of our Lord Jesus Christ, which was given for me, preserve my body and soul unto everlasting life. Amen." Then bowing down his head and at the same time raising the host higher directly over the paten, the priest reverently places both parts of the host upon his tongue. Then after rubbing together his thumbs and forefingers over the paten, the priest stands erect, joins his hands, holds them near, and a trifle higher than, his breast, and meditates briefly on the Blessed Sacrament. Then he removes the pall from the chalice, puts his hands upon the corporal, genuflects, and rises, meanwhile saying, "What reward" etc. Then at once he takes up the chalice (as at the elevation), and holding it as high as his breast, very carefully and reverently signs himself with it, meanwhile saying, "The Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, which was shed for me, preserve my body and soul unto everlasting life. Amen." Having said these words, the priest places the chalice to his lips and communicates himself, taking care to receive together with the Precious Blood the particle which was placed therein. After he has communicated himself, the priest passes his lips over the brim of the cup in order to remove whatever of the Precious Blood may have adhered thereto, and then replaces the chalice upon the corporal, covers it with the pall, places his hands upon the corporal, genuflects, rises again, and, having his hands joined, meditates briefly on the Blessed Sacrament.
The server, (if there be one) if he is to be communicated, should kneel on the foot-pace, at the right of the priest, and there receive his communion. After the priest has received the communion in both kinds (as directed above) and, it may be, has administered the same to the server, he takes up the paten, holding it between the forefinger and the middle-finger of his left hand so that the joined thumb and forefinger rest on the paten, and the other fingers support it beneath; and holding one of the hosts between the thumb and forefinger of his right hand, raised a little above the paten which he now holds as high as and near his breast, he turns, by his right and faces the people. Keeping his eyes fixed on the Sacrament, the priest says, privately, "Behold the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sins of the world." And then he says, privately, the following words, thrice—"Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof; but speak the word only and my soul shall be healed." If a ciborium be used, the priest does not take up the paten, but moves the ciborium forward on the corporal, uncovers it, holds it by the stem, with his left hand, and a host over it with his right hand, and proceeds as directed above. Persons to be communicated should present themselves "in order." Bishops, priests, and deacons, duly habited, should kneel at the altar-steps. If any lay persons who are members of Religious orders or communities present themselves, they should kneel at the altar-rail, before and apart from the other people. Of the people, boys and men should kneel on the Epistle-side of the said rail, and girls and women on the Gospel-side. Deaconesses, not being under solemn vows, should kneel with the other women.
Going to administer the communion to the people, the priest should pass directly down the altarsteps (not diagonally), and then to the end of the rail on the Epistle-side. As he is about to give the sacrament to each person, the priest makes with the host, the sign of the cross over the paten or the ciborium. It will suffice, if the priest says the first-half of the formula, "The Body" etc., as he communicates each person, and then says, once only, at the end of each railful, the concluding sentence, "Take and eat," etc. The people should kneel in upright posture, keep head erect, present right hand bare, palm uppermost and open, supported by the left hand, a little higher than the breast, and carry the host with the right hand to the mouth and take it with the tongue from the palm of the said hand. When he has finished administering the Body of Christ to the people then kneeling at the altar-rail, the priest returns to the altar, places the paten or ciborium upon the corporal, removes the pall from the chalice, genuflects, rises again, takes up the chalice (as at elevation), and holding it as high as and near his breast, he proceeds as before to the Epistle-end of the altar-rail and there begins to administer to the people. The rule about use of formula of administration, given above, applies here also. The priest should always retain a firm and controlling hold of the chalice. The people may guide the chalice by taking hold of the base, but ought not to touch the cup. Each communicant should hold head quite erect, drink a very little of the Precious Blood, and carefully refrain from wiping the lips after communicating. When all who are then kneeling at the rail have communicated, the priest returns to the altar, passes his lips over that part of the cup from which the people received the Precious Blood, and then sets down the chalice upon the corporal and covers it with the pall.
If, while the priest stands facing the people and in readiness to administer the sacrament, no one approaches to receive the same, the priest, after giving sufficient opportunity, turns by his right to the altar, and replaces the paten, or ciborium upon the corporal.
When all have communicated, or (if so be) when no one approaches to receive the sacrament, the priest, having replaced the vessel or vessels upon the corporal, covers the ciborium (if one has been used) with its cover, and places it on the corporal behind the chalice. If he has before him, on the corporal, in addition to the chalice, another vessel containing the Precious Blood, the priest places or leaves it duly covered, alongside the ciborium. Then he covers the chalice with the pall, and taking hold of the right-hand corner of the anterior portion of the corporal and lifting it up, he draws it carefully to his left, over the paten. Then over all, he spreads the silk veil.
The Thanksgiving and Conclusion of the Mass
Having covered the vessels, the priest genuflects, rises, stands erect, extends his hands before his breast, and says the Lord's Prayer. While reciting the following prayer, "Almighty and everliving God," etc., the priest bows his head towards the altar-cross as he says the holy name, and joins his hands as he concludes the prayer. After he has recited the Gloria in excelsis, or hymn in lieu thereof, the priest genuflects and goes to the Epistle-side to say the post-communion prayer. If there be no server, the priest moves, for himself, the book and its desk. If, in addition to the Collect of the day, one or more Collects were said, so many (as the Collects) should be the post-communion prayers. The prayer or prayers ended, the priest goes to the midst, genuflects, rises, kisses the altar, stands erect, joins his hands, and turns by his right towards the people, in such a manner that his back will be towards the Gospel-side of the altar and not towards the sacrament, and says the words "The peace," etc., and at the words "blessing of God" etc., he blesses the people with his right hand. In this act, the left hand is held palm up, near and a little below the breast, and the right hand is to be kept straight, the fingers extended and joined, the little finger towards the people, and the hand moved in a perpendicular line from the height of the forehead to a point opposite the breast, and then on a horizontal line extending from the left shoulder to the right.
After he has pronounced the blessing, the priest turns, by his left, to the altar, genuflects, rises, and then removes the veil, laying it on the altar at the Gospel-side. Then, taking hold of the right hand anterior corner of the corporal, with his right hand, the priest lifts it up carefully and draws it to his right, and lets it lie upon the altar. Then he takes up the pall from the chalice and lays it down upon the corporal, genuflects, and rises again. Standing erect, the priest takes up the paten with his left hand, and consumes all the hosts which remain upon it. Then holding with his left hand the paten over the chalice he rubs the paten with thumb and forefinger of his right hand, so as to cause the sacred fragments (if any) to fall into the chalice. Then resting the left hand, in which is the paten, upon the corporal, he rubs together the thumb and forefinger of his right hand over the chalice, so as to detach any particles that may have adhered to them. Then taking, with his right hand, the chalice by the knop, and holding the paten beneath his chin, he reverently drinks the Precious Blood with every particle, receiving it from the same part of the cup from which he made his communion and from which he administered to the people. If the priest has a server, he now holds out the chalice to receive wine for the purification. If he has no server, the priest goes to the credence, or to the gradine on the Epistle-side (if the cruets be thereon) and brings the wine-cruet to the midst and pours a little wine into the chalice. Then he says the prayer, "Grant, O Lord" etc., moves the wine gently about in the chalice, and then drinks it, holding chalice and paten as above directed. Having set down the chalice upon the corporal, the priest takes it up again with the last three fingers of each hand about the cup, and holding his thumbs and forefingers over the cup, he carries it to the Epistle-side where he holds it so that the server may pour a little wine and then at once some water over his, (the priest's) thumbs and forefingers. Then the priest places the chalice upon the altar, dries his thumbs and forefingers with the purificator and says, privately, the prayer, "Let thy body," etc. Then he places the chalice so that he may reach it from the midst, and goes to the midst. If he has no server, the priest will get the cruets and place them within his reach on the Epistle-side of the altar, and make the pourings for himself into the chalice as it stands on the corporal. Then holding the purificator between the thumb and forefinger of the left hand, so that it will hang over the back of the hand, and taking up the chalice, by the knop, with his right hand, he receives the ablutions, meanwhile holding the purificator under his chin. Then holding the chalice by the knop with his left hand, the priest wipes the outside and the inside of the cup with the purificator. The chalice is then set down upon the corporal, the folded purificator hung over the cup as it was when brought to the altar, the paten placed on the purificator, and the pall upon the paten. Then, resting his left hand on the altar, at the left of the corporal, the priest, taking the chalice, by the knop, with his right hand, lifts it up and sets it down beyond the corporal on the Epistle-side of the altar. The priest then folds up the corporal,—the forepart over the middle, the backpart over the forepart, the right-hand part over the middle, and the left-hand part over all,—and puts it into the burse which he places on the altar in the midst. Then he covers the chalice with the veil (as it was when brought to the altar), places the burse on the veil, and then taking the chalice by the knop with his left hand and resting his right hand on the burse, he sets the chalice in the midst, and adjusts the veil as at the beginning of the mass. If a ciborium has been used, the hosts, if any remain therein, should be consumed by the priest immediately after he has cleansed the paten and before he receives the Precious Blood. The ciborium should then be cleansed, after the manner of the cleansing of the chalice, the ablutions poured into and received from the chalice. If there be a tabernacle on the altar, the ciborium with hosts therein, may be put into it before the paten is cleansed.
Standing in the midst, before the veiled chalice, the priest bows his head, has his hands joined upon the altar, and says, privately, the prayer "Let this my" etc. Then he kisses the altar, and, if he be pleased to do so, goes to the Gospel-side where he reads the last Gospel. If there be no server to move the book, the priest himself will carry it from the Epistle-side to the Gospel-corner. Standing facing the book, which is placed obliquely, as at the Gospel in the mass, and having his hands joined, the priest says to the server, if there be one, "The Lord be with you," or at once if there be no server, goes on to sign the book and himself and to announce the Gospel as in the mass. Having read the Gospel, the priest closes the book, returns to the midst, bows to the cross, takes up the chalice, by the knop, with his left hand, turns it so that the back part of the veil is towards his breast, places his right hand upon the burse, lifts up the chalice, holds it before his breast, turns, himself so that his back looks toward the Gospel—or, if he please, towards the Epistle-side of the altar, according to the position of the server at the foot of the steps, descends the steps, turns (by his right or left as the case may be) and faces the altar, makes the due act of reverence, and proceeds to the sacristy.
In the sacristy, the priest bows to the cross, sets down the chalice in its place, says a short prayer, (e. g., the collect for Corpus Christi Day) and then proceeds to take off his vestments; after which, having washed his hands, he goes to make his thanksgiving. If the priest does not read the last Gospel, then, immediately after he has said the prayer, "Let this my," etc., he kisses the altar, bows to the cross, takes up the chalice and departs as directed above.