They are sung in the Sixtine chapel by members of the papal
choir, and are read by the Card. celebrant. After each prophecy the
Cardinal standing up sings a prayer: the deacon chants _Flectamus
genua_ and the subdeacon _Levate_ before each, except the last, when
the knee is not bent, in order to shew abhorence of the idolatry
exacted by Nabuchodonosor for his statue. After the 4th, 8th, and 11th
prophecies an appropriate Tract is sung by the choir. Formerly some or
all of these prophecies were said in Greek as well as in Latin. (See
Cancellieri, _Funz. d. Set. S._ Sec. 4, Martene T. 3. p. 148.). These
lesson are recited even where there is no baptismal font, as at the
Sixtine chapel. After them follow in S. John Lateran's and other
churches the blessing of the font, and in some of them administration
of baptism.
[Sidenote: 3. The litany: invocation of Saints.]
[Sidenote: Change from mourning to rejoicing.]
3. In the papal chapel, immediately after the prophecies, the
Celebrant takes off his chasuble, and prostrates himself with the
sacred ministers before the altar; all the others also kneel, and
two tenor voices from the choir chant in the middle of the chapel the
greater litanies, called those of the saints, each petition of which
is repeated in the same words by the choir[122]. Before the verse
"_Peccatores te rogamus audi nos_" the assistant priest and ministers
go to the sacristy, and put on white vestments.
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