Then let the fire of the lamps which is used for the
sacred font be renewed. But concerning the fire taken _ex cristallis_,
as you have asserted, we have no tradition". Pouget (Inst. Cathol. l.
1) observes that the new fire is blessed with great solemnity on this
day, "because the fire struck from a flint appears to be a type of
Christ arising from the dead". Formerly not only the lights of the
church, but all the fires of the city were enkindled from the blessed
fire (as we learn from a MS. Sancti Victoris (ap. Martene, De ant.
Eccl. Ritibus lib. IV, c. XXIV). "After the _Ite Missa est_" says
the Ordinarium of Luke archbishop of Cosenza "the bishop gives his
blessing, and immediately the deacon commands the people, saying
"Receive the new fire from the holy candle, and having put out the
old, light it in your houses in the name of Christ; then rejoicing
they depart with the light". This custom is mentioned also in Leo
IVth's homily above quoted.]
[Footnote 112: As for the Paschal candle, Anastasius says that
Zosimus, who was elected pope in 417, gave leave that candles should
be blessed in the churches. Bened. XIV, Merati and Gretser understand
by these words, that that Pontiff only extended to the parish churches
a custom already practised in the greater churches: however this may
be, the blessing of this candle is at least as old as the time of Pope
Zosimus. It is inserted in the ancient sacramentary of Pope Gelasius
(A.
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