At low masses
the missal was removed from the epistle side of the altar at the
beginning of the offertory, in order to leave room for the offerings,
according to an Ordinarium of Monte Casino of the year 1100. It has
for a long time been customary to remove it before the gospel, which
the priest recites turned towards the same direction as the deacon at
high mass. Mystical meanings were afterwards assigned for this removal
of the book.]
[Footnote 11: It is astonishing how Mr. Palmer could assert that "Leo
bishop of Rome in the fifth century appears to have been the only
bishop who preached in the Roman church for many Footnote: and it is
said that none of his successors until the time of Pius the fifth,
five hundred years afterwards, imitated his example". Orig. Liturg.
vol. II, p. 59. Bingham I. IV, c. Sec..3. Mr. Palmer forgot all the
homilies of Gregory the great, as well as the chronology of the Popes.
The latter might find in the multiplicity and importance of their
other occupations abundant motives for abstaining from preaching, a
duty to which so many of their clergy dedicate themselves. That the
early Popes however preached there can be no doubt, although most
of their homilies, if ever written, have not reached our time. Not
only the example of S. Peter who (whatever we may think of the local
tradition of Rocca S. Pietro above Palestrina) used certainly to
preach, as the Acts of the Apostles prove; but the general custom of
other cities would induce the zealous Bishops of Rome to exhort and
encourage their flock, particularly in time of persecution; and that
at a later period they were not unaccustomed to preach is evident
from the Ordo Romanus of Card.
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