h the medium of the sacrifice.
The priest, in this part of the ceremony, washes his hands; he concludes
with the _Preface_, an act of thanksgiving, in which are explained some
of the mysteries of religion applicable to the day on which they are
celebrated. Among others of this latter class, the preface for the
Trinity is admired for its conciseness, and the elegance and accuracy
with which the composition explains that great mystery, in terms which
cannot be objected to even by any Protestant church.

After the offertory follows the canon, which is the preparation for the
consecration, and is also composed of prayers, in which a spirit of
penitence, and the invocation of the divine protection in the solemn act
about to be celebrated, form prominent features. The priest next takes
the host, pronounces over it the words of consecration, and elevates it,
so that the people may see and adore it. He does the like with the
chalice, and then prepares himself for the communion, which consists in
his eating the host and drinking the wine in the cup. Twice afterwards
he pours wine and water into the cup, and drinks off the contents, which
are called the _ablutions_. He pronounces other two prayers or
thanksgivings, blesses the people, and dismisses them with the formula,
"_Ite_, _missa est_," "Go, the mass is over." Still, however, he
continues to read, on ordinary days, in the first chapter of St John's
Gospel, or, on other solemn days, from the other evangelists.

All this is accompanied with various ceremonies, genuflections, and
changes of position. For example: the prayers are said in front of the
altar; the introite, the collect, and the epistle, on the right; the
gospel on the left; the priest, at certain parts of the ceremony, turning
his back upon the altar, and his face towards the people. In celebrating
the mass, it is required that the priest be dressed in certain vestments,
which are, in no small degree, complicated. Some of these are white, and
of linen. Others are of silk, and in colour varied according to the
solemnity of the day. For example: on the feast-day of a martyr, the
ornament is red; on the feasts of the Virgin, and on those on which are
celebrated any of the mysteries of the life of the Saviour, it is white;
in masses for the souls of the departed, of which we shall treat
hereafter, it is black; the violet colour is used in Advent and in Lent;
the green on some particular Sundays. The cathed