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it with gladness. Formerly, in order to adapt it to
the circumstances of the feast, the priest improvised this
canticle. But for a very long time past the Church
herself has fixed the formula, with variations suitable
to the great feasts or other special occasions.
To the final invitation of the Preface, the choir re
sponds by singing the Sanctus, the first words of the can
ticle which the Prophet Isaias heard the Seraphim sing
(Chap, vi, 3) to which has been added the joyful accla
mation, Benedictus qui venit, together with that of the
people who hailed the entry of Jesus Christ into Jeru
salem : Hosanna in excelsis.
The prayers with which the Roman Canon begins
and which the priest says in a low voice are of ancient
origin. But before they were definitely fixed some
variations and alterations were made. The first, Te igi-
tur, invokes the blessing of God the Father on the offer
ings presented in the name of the Church, of the Pope,
of the Bishop of the diocese in which the Mass is being
said, and finally in the name of all those who are in com
munion with these heads of the hierarchy.
At the Memento for the living, all who assist at Mass
can form interiorly their own special intentions, whilst
the priest pauses to remember those for which he is
offering the holy Sacrifice.
The Church wishes also that we should remember all
chose throughout the world who are our brethren in the
faith. And at this solemn moment we should unite
our prayers to those of the blessed Virgin Mary, Mother
of God, and of the apostles and holy pontiffs, the first
of whom are designated by name, among them Saint
Cornelius who filled the chair of Peter in the third
century, and finally of some martyrs who in the
third and fourth centuries were famous in Rome.
2 T ue Liturgy of tl,o JUman .Mi>al.