e of Gregory the great,
mentions the _Sacellarius_ or Treasurer (see Thomassin lib. 2. c. 103,
n. 11), whom that holy Pope commanded according to custom to invite
the twelve pilgrims to dinner. Besides the gifts mentioned above,
the white dress is given to these _apostles_, who are chosen by some
Cardinals, Ambassadors, the Propaganda, the _Maggiordomo_, and the
captain of the Swiss guards.]

[Footnote 74: The water is brought to him by the Prince assisting at
the throne, and the towel is presented by the first Cardinal Priest.
When the Pope is prevented from performing this ceremony, the Cardinal
Dean supplies his place in presence of the sacred college (Lunadoro).
In that case the gospel is sung, not by a cardinal, but by the prelate
who is deacon of the _cappella_. Formerly, according to the MS.
Pontifical of the Apamean church written in 1214, Vespers were sung by
the Pope's chaplains, while he washed the feet of twelve subdeacons.]

[Footnote 75: Chardin and other travellers testify, that this practice
is preserved in modern times. In Homer's Odyssey the custom of taking
a bath before a banquet is frequently mentioned, III, 467; IV, 49, VI.
216; VIII, 449.]

[Footnote 76: The emperors of Costantinople used (according to
Codinus De Officiis Aulae Costantinop.) to wash the feet of twelve poor
persons: and Vespasiano Fiorentino in the fifteenth century, in his
life of Alfonso di Napoli quoted by Cancellieri, says that "Il Giovedi
Santo lavava i piedi a tanti poveri, quant' egli aveva anni, et
lavavagli, come si deve ... et a tutti dava una veste bianca, et un
pajo di calze, et un Alfonsino, et un fiorino et un carlino, et non
so che altra moneta. Dipoi il Giovedi medesimo faceva ordinare una
cena,... et la Maesta del Re la pigliava, et metteva loro innanzi, e
con il vino, et quello avevano di bisogno con grandissima umilta".
See also Martene, De Ant. Eccl. Rit. Lib. IV, c. XII, Sec. 8. Our readers
will here call to mind the good old custom still preserved of the
maundy of our British Sovereigns, so called from mandatum, the first
word of the first anthem sung during, the washing of the feet. In the
Greek church, according to Baillet, not only are the feet of twelve
poor persons washed, but the name of an apostle is given to each of
them; as it may be supposed, nobody is anxious to have the name of
Judas Iscariot: so lots are drawn to determine the person who is to
represent that traitor. This may remind us of the t