As the Mass has just been mentioned in a quotation from St. Ambrose, I will here subjoin a passage, on the subject, from the learned and pious Cardinal Bona, who flourished in the seventeenth century.--" There is an epistle of Pius I, acknowledged to be genuine, written about the year 166 to the bishop of Vienne, in the opening of which he thus speaks: 'Our sister Euprepia, as you well recollect, made over her house to the poor, where we dwell and celebrate Mass.'" Conc. Gen. T. 1. p. 576.—A letter also from Pope Cornelius to another Bishop of the same city, written about the year 254, remarks that, on account of the persecutions, the Christians could not publicly “ celebrate Mass.” Ibid. p. 681.-In the fourth century, S. Ambrose, writing to his sister, mentions the Mass, as likewise in his thirty-fourth discourse: “I exhort you, you that are near the Church, and can do it without great inconvenience, to hear Mass daily.” T. 11, in Append. p. 425.—In his preparatory prayer before Mass, he says: “Grant me thy grace, on this day and on every other, with a pure mind and clean heart, to celebrate the solemn service of Mass.”[1] Ibid. p. 335.-“ St. Augustin and other ancient Fathers use the same expression, and they use it as if it were common and generally received at the time.” L. 1. Rerum Liturg. c. iii. p. 17. Edit. Paris. 1678.
In this fourth century various Councils were held, which in plain terms speak of the Christian Sacrifice.
COUNCIL OF ANCYRA,[2] G. C. Against such Priests who, in the times of persecution, had shewn great weakness, it enacts : “That they be not deprived of their stations ;
- ↑ The two works quoted by Cardinal Bona, as the works of St. Ambrose, are not allowed, by the learned, to be his, though of some ancient author.
- ↑ This Council, held about the year 314, consisted of Bishops from all the principal Sees of the East, to the number of, at least, 118. - They enacted twenty-five Canons for the establishment of discipline.
