180 The Holy Sacrifice
A. P. returns from giving the pax. When the A. P. comes back
to the altar he stands at the bishop's left and the deacon at
the bishop's right. The subdeacon now goes down to his
place in the middle.
If the ministers receive Holy Communion, they do not take
the kiss of peace from the bishop before their Communion.
The Conjiteor is not said. They make their Communion kneel-
ing, then kiss the bishop's hand, rise and kiss his left cheek,
while he says Pax tecum. They answer Et cum spiritu tuo. 1
§ 6. FROM AFTER THE COMMUNION TO THE END
OF MASS
As soon as the Communion act is over the M.C. replaces the
bishop's skull-cap. All in choir sit. The deacon performs the
ablution of the chalice; 2 the subdeacon comes to the gospel
side of the altar, wipes the chalice, and takes it to the
credence table. The A. P. puts the Canon episcopalis in the
middle of the altar and the missal on its stand, moves it
across, then stands at the epistle corner ready for the washing
of hands. The precious mitre is put on the bishop by the
deacon of the Mass. The train-bearer comes up. Standing at
the epistle corner the bishop washes his hands, the A. P. tak-
ing the ring and holding the towel. All in choir, except
canons and prelates, kneel meanwhile. The bishop blesses
the servers, the precious mitre is taken off. The bishop reads
the Communion antiphon, says Dominus vobiscum, sings the
post-communions, as the celebrant at every High Mass. The
deacon sings Ite missa est, as usual. When the bishop has
said the prayer Placeat tibi, the first assistant deacon puts on
his precious mitre. Facing the altar the bishop sings the
versicles, Sit nomen Domini, etc. As he sings the end of the
formula of blessing, Pater, he turns, takes the crozier in his
left, and gives the blessing, making three signs of the cross.
All kneel except canons and prelates, who bow. If he is an
archbishop, the subdeacon who carries the cross brings it
before him, and kneels with the cross facing him. The arch-
bishop does not wear the mitre when blessing.
If the Indulgence has not been proclaimed after the sermon
it is proclaimed now. The A. P. reads the form appointed,
while the bishop remains standing, facing the people before
the altar, holding his crozier as before. Then the proces-
sion is formed. The bishop gives up the crozier, his mitre is
removed. If it is an archbishop who has worn the pallium,
1 The Caer. Ep. (Lib. II, cap. xxxi, § 5) says that it is " very suitable "
that the deacon and subdeacon should make their Communion at the
bishop's Mass on Sundays. Cfr. Cone. Trid., Sess. XXIII, cap. xiii. For
the rite see Caer. Ep., Lib. II, cap. xxix, § 3.
a Not the subdeacon.
