DEUSDEDIT.

AD. 615-618.

 

Emperor. Heraclius, 610-641.   

King. Adalwald, 615-624.

Exarchs. John, 611-616. Eleutherius, 616-620.

 

Of Deusdedit we know no more of the character and even less of the deeds than of those of his predecessor. A Roman and the son of a subdeacon Stephen, he was consecrated, after a delay of about five months, on October 19, 615.

He seems to have been chiefly distinguished by his love for the secular clergy. He replaced them in their former positions, i.e., he either simply continued the policy of Sabinian; or, if it is safe to place full reliance on the word (revocavit) used to express his conduct, he undid the work of Boniface IV, just as the latter had undone that of Sabinian by carrying out the system of Gregory the Great in placing monks in important positions. And not only did he love them in life, but in death also, leaving money to be distributed to them at his funeral. In this he was often imitated by his successors during the course of this century.

The pontificate of Deusdedit was greatly troubled by the again disturbed state of the political atmosphere throughout Italy, and by the outbreak of a plague in Rome. The vices and incompetence of Phocas had caused disturbances within the empire, and had allowed it to be fearfully harried from without by the Persians; and of course his successor, Heraclius, was unable to right everything at once. His exarch John and the civil authorities of Ravenna (judices) were put to death in the course of a popular tumult or conspiracy. The emperor, however, at once dispatched his chamberlain, the patrician Eleutherius, to succeed John and to restore order in Italy. For there was trouble in the South as well as in the North. Whether or not in connection with the disturbance in Ravenna, a certain John of Compsa (the modern Conza, in the ancient district of Samnium, some sixty miles east of Naples), declaring his independence by proclaiming himself emperor (?), seized Naples. Eleutherius showed himself a man of action. The murderers of John were put to death, and then (probably in 617) he marched along the Flaminian Road for Rome. After a royal reception from the Pope—loyal, as usual, to the cause of the emperor—the exarch continued his march to Naples, which he took by storm. The tyrannus shared the fate of the rebellious Ravennese, and was executed. Next, taking advantage, no doubt, of the youth of Adalwald, Eleutherius renewed the war with the Lombards. But he was no match for the Lombard general Sundrar, who had been trained to war by Agilulph. The exarch had to sue for peace, which he only obtained on payment of a large sum of money. In the reign of the following Pope (Boniface V) Eleutherius himself rebelled and aspired to the empire. He was, however, slain by his own troops (620), and his head sent to Constantinople. These incidents serve, at least, to show how ineffectual was the grasp of the imperial power over Italy at this period, and how thoroughly left to itself it really was.

Rome was itself more immediately affected by an earthquake (August 618), and then by a plague. This latter consisted in the outbreak of a scab of such a size that people could not recognize one another. Many think that the disease was elephantiasis, a sort of leprosy, which produces a frightful scurf. Later writers have a legend of the Pope meeting one of the sufferers from this loathsome disorder, and of his being touched with compassion at the sight of him, kissing him, and thereby restoring him to health on the spot.

Anastasius has preserved us a decree of this Pope which, with enigmatic brevity, he states thus : “Hic constituit secunda missa in clero”. Noting that in the 30th canon of the council of Agde (506), vespers are called missae vespertinae, Duchesne thinks that this decree may refer to some evening service which the Pope wished to impose upon the clergy, and that there is an allusion to it in the fifth distich of the epitaph of Deusdedit. This epitaph was composed by Pope Honorius.

The fact that Deusdedit made some decree relative to the Mass must be our excuse for here introducing a description of a Papal Mass according to the ritual in use in this century. In our modern missals and pontificals many of the ceremonies that have to be observed during the course of the Mass and different offices of the Church are placed side by side with the various prayers which have to be said. This, however, was not the case in the seventh century. No rubrics are to be found in the Sacramentaries of Gelasius and Gregory. They were instead written down in books by themselves. These books of ritual were known as Ordines Romani. That most industrious and learned Benedictine, Mabillon, collected together in the second volume of his Museum Italicum no less than fifteen of these ordos belonging to different ages and treating of different ecclesiastical functions. Of these books of ceremonies it is universally agreed that the most ancient is the one which is placed first in the collection of Mabillon. And of the Ordo Romanus I itself, the first portion is the oldest. This part gives the ceremonies to be observed in the celebration of a stational Mass by the Pope; and Grisar seems to have proved conclusively that it belongs to the seventh century; and, if not actually the work of Gregory the Great, at least shows us practically what took place when he left the Lateran palace to celebrate Mass at one of the stations. The same most learned author has also published a new text of the first portion of the Ordo. This is the one which will be here made use of.

On Easter morn, then, in the year 616, there assembled at the Lateran palace a number of officials to escort Deusdedit to the Church of St. Mary Major or ad praesepe, where it had been previously announced he was to sing Mass. The procession to the Church of the station was headed by a number of acolytes of the third region and the defensors of all the regions on foot. Then in front of the Pope rode the archdeacon, carrying the book of the gospels, with a richly jewelled cover, the primicerius of the notaries, two regionary notaries and the regionary defensors and subdeacons, one of whom carried the book of the epistles. On foot, in front of the Pope, walked an acolyte carrying the holy chrism, in an ampulla covered with a napkin, just as it is carried today during the ceremony of blessing the holy oils on Maundy Thursday. Then followed the Pope himself on horseback with grooms on either side of him. Next, more acolytes, bearing the less important requisites for the Mass, and the mansionarii (guardians or caretakers) and bajuli (bailiffs) with the more valuable ones, e.g., the chalices, the scyphi (the vessels used to contain the wine to be consecrated), the amae, the paten and other sacred utensils in gold and silver from the Basilica of St. John Lateran. Finally, also mounted, followed the vicedominus (majordomo), the vestiarius (wardrobe keeper), the nomenclator (usher) and the sacellarius (treasurer).

Meanwhile the rest of the clergy and the people had assembled at St. Mary Major’s, which had been gorgeously decorated for the occasion. In the presbyterium (sanctuary), awaiting the arrival of the Pope, were seated the bishops on the Gospel side of the altar, and the priests on the Epistle side. There also were the bearers of the regionary crosses and various other officials who were to take part in the ceremony.

When the papal cortege drew near to the basilica, another one from the church went forth to meet it, consisting of acolytes and defensors of the third region, with the priests attached to St. Mary’s, the majordomos of the Roman Church and the mansionarius carrying incense stands (timiameteria). After receiving the Pope’s blessing, they fell in with the papal procession.

Arrived at the basilica, two deacons helped the Pope to dismount, and conducted him to the sacristy. The deacons then changed their vestments outside the sacristy. The one who was to read the gospel, at the bidding of the archdeacon, opened the seal (reserato sigillo) of the book of the gospels, marked the place, and handed the volume to an acolyte. He carried it to the sanctuary and a subdeacon placed it on the altar.

Meanwhile the regionary subdeacons vested the pontiff, in the same way as we see a bishop vested today, each one carrying one of the vestments, the alb, the girdle, the dalmatic, etc. Then with three pins, just as now, the pallium was fastened on to the chasuble. When the maniple was given to the Pope, he was informed who was to sing the epistle and gospel.

Then, at a sign from the Pope, a subdeacon went to the door of the sacristy and chanted Accendite (Light up). The candles were then lighted and the subdeacon put incense in the golden thurible. The choir, too, took their places in front of the altar, men and boys on each side, and began the Introit, so called because sung when the ministers were entering the church.

When the two deacons at the door of the sacristy heard the first notes of the Introit, they joined the Pope, kissed his hands and led him towards the altar, preceded by the subdeacon with the thurible and seven acolytes with lighted candles.

This procession was met on its way to the altar by two acolytes and a subdeacon with a vessel in which was the Blessed Sacrament. After an inclination of his head to reverence the Holy Eucharist, the Pope looked to see whether there was too much of the sacred species (to be placed in his chalice), and so whether it would be necessary to again reserve a portion.

Arrived in front of the altar, and before they reached the choir, the 'torchbearers' divided, four going to the right and three to the left. The Pope, however, went in front of the choir, bowed his head to the altar, raised himself, prayed, and making the sign of the Cross on his forehead, gave the kiss of peace to the hebdomadary bishop, the archpriest, and all the deacons. Whilst the choir, at a sign from the Pope, sang the Gloria Patri at the end of the Introit, the deacons kissed the sides of the altar, and the Pope himself kissed both the book of the gospels and the altar. Then he went to his seat (which was in the centre of the apse behind the altar) and stood with his face to the East, and, of course, with his back to the people.

When the choir had finished the Kyrie eleison, the Pope turned to the people and intoned the Gloria in excelsis Deo, and then turned back to the East till the canticle was finished. Then again turning to the people, he said Pax vobis, and again turning to the East he said Oremus and the prayer. At its conclusion he sat down, as did also the bishops and priests.

But the regionary subdeacons went up to the altar and stood, some on the right of it and others on the left, while one of their number ascended the ambo (pulpit), and read the epistle. When he had finished, a cantor mounted the ambo with his antiphonary and chanted the Gradual.

A deacon then stepped forward and kissed the feet of the Pope, who pronounced over him the blessing in use to this day—Dominus sit in corde tuo. Proceeding to the altar, he kissed the book of the gospels, took it in his hands and carried it towards the ambo, preceded by two subdeacons (one of whom bore incense), and two acolytes with their candles. When the place had been found for him by the unoccupied subdeacon, the deacon recited the gospel from the ambo.

On the completion of the gospel, the Pope said Pax tibi. Dominus vobiscum, to which was answered Et cum spiritu tuo, while the book of the gospels was being kissed by all in order. The volume was then placed in a case (capsa), held by an acolyte, to be sealed and taken back to the Lateran.

Accompanied by an acolyte bearing the chalice and a corporal, the deacon then went to the altar; and with the aid of the second deacon spread the linen corporal over the altar. A subdeacon took the chalice, and with it followed the archdeacon, who, with the Pope, now went to collect the offerings which the people had brought for the sacrifice.

With the primicerius of the notaries at his right, and the primicerius of the defensors on his left, the Pope descended to the senatorium (the place reserved for the nobility), and received the offerings (the bread) of the great (oblationes principum). A subdeacon took the breads from the Pope, and they were placed in a linen cloth held by two acolytes. The hebdomadary bishop helped the Pope to collect the offerings. The small vessels of wine, brought by the faithful, were taken by the archdeacon and their contents poured into the chalice held by the subdeacon, who followed him. When his chalice was full he emptied it into a larger one carried by an acolyte. The Pope also received the offerings of the defensors in their place (ante confessionem) and from the women in theirs (which was in the north aisle), and returned to his seat.

After both had washed their hands, the archdeacon, at a sign from the Pope, went up to the altar. The archdeacon then arranged the breads which were necessary for the sacrifice and for communion, and which he received from the hands of the regionary subdeacons. He also poured the wine, supplied by the Pope himself and others, into the chalice through a strainer, so that it might be very pure. A subdeacon, who had received the water from the choir-master brought it to the archdeacon, who poured it into the chalice, making the sign of the Cross over it.

The Pope himself now advanced to the altar, received the breads (presented by himself, the deacons, etc.) and placed them on the altar. Taking the chalice from the hands of the regionary subdeacon, the archdeacon placed it (with its two handles wrapped in a linen cloth, called the offertorium) to the right of the Pope’s bread (oblatam pontificis), put the linen cloth at the corner of the altar, and then took up his stand behind the Pope. After a short prayer, the Pope signed to the choir, who had been singing during the offertory, to finish, that he might begin the Preface,

Meanwhile, at the close of the offertory, the bishops and deacons took up their stand behind the Pope and in front of the altar. The regionary subdeacons, on the other hand, went behind the altar and stood facing the Pope. After the ‘angelic hymn’ (as the Ordo calls the Sanctus), at the close of the Preface, had been said by all, the subdeacons came to the front of the altar and with the bishops, priests and deacons, remained bowed down in silence, whilst the Pope alone said the canon of the Mass.

At the words. Nobis quoque peccatoribus, the deacons stood erect, and at the words, Per quern haec omnia, the archdeacon raised the chalice by its handles with the offertorium towards the Pope, who touched it on the side with some of the consecrated hosts, and said the prayer: Per ipsum et cum ipso to per omnia saecula saeculorum. The chalice and hosts were then returned to their places.

From the beginning to the middle of the canon an acolyte, with a veil on his shoulders (what is now called the superhumeral veil), had been holding before his breast the paten, just as the subdeacon does today. At the middle of the canon the assistant subdeacon took the paten, passed it on to the regionary subdeacon, who, at the words, ab omni perturbatione securi, gave it to the archdeacon to kiss. It was then given to the second deacon to hold. When the Pope had said. Pax domini sit semper vobiscum, he put into the chalice ‘de sancta’, i.e., the portion of the host consecrated the day before. The kiss of peace was then given by the archdeacon to the clergy and people.

After this the Pope broke one of the hosts at its right, and placed on the altar the part he had broken off; in order, says one of the readings of the ordo, that throughout all the ceremony the altar might never be without sacrifice. The rest of his own hosts  he placed on the paten which was being held by the second deacon.

The archdeacon then gave the chalice to be held by a subdeacon at the right hand corner of the altar, and placed the hosts in the linen bags, which were carried by acolytes. The hosts in the little bags were then taken to the bishops and priests, to be broken into particles to be given in Holy Communion.

The Pope, meanwhile, had returned to his seat. Thither followed him two subdeacons with the paten bearing the hosts of the pontiff. At a sign from the Pope, the hosts were broken by the two deacons. With the exception of the particle broken off by the Pope himself, the archdeacon removed all the hosts from the altar, signed to the choir to recite the Agnus Dei and then went and stood by the Pope, holding in his hands the chalice he had received from the subdeacon.

When the hosts of the pontiff had been broken, the second deacon brought the paten to where the Pope was sitting that he might communicate. When he had done so, he placed a particle of the host into the chalice, saying, as the priest does to this day: “May this mixture and consecration of the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ be to us that receive it effectual to eternal life. Amen. Peace be to you. And with thy spirit”. He then received the Precious Blood from the hands of the archdeacon.

With the chalice in his hand the archdeacon went to the corner of the altar and announced where the next station was to be held. And after he had poured some of the contents of the chalice into a scyphus held by an acolyte, the bishops came forward to the Pope’s seat, that they might there receive Holy Communion at his hands; and the priests went to the altar for the same purpose. The ‘first bishop’, receiving the chalice from the archdeacon, confirmed, as it was called, i.e., administered the Precious Blood to the different clerical dignitaries down to the primicerius of the defensors.

This done, the bishop returned the chalice to the archdeacon, who poured its contents into the above-mentioned scyphus, and then handed it (the chalice) to a regionary subdeacon to be put away in the sacristy. In turn the subdeacon presented the archdeacon with a metal reed, by means of which he was to administer the chalice to the people.

Escorted by the primicerii of the notaries and defensors, the Pope proceeded to the senatorimn when he had finished giving Communion to the clergy; and there, assisted by the archdeacon with the chalice, gave Holy Communion to the lay dignitaries. Bishops, priests, and deacons helped the Pope to give Communion to the people.

As soon as the Pope came to the senatorium, the choir began to sing the antiphon at the Communion, and con­tinued to do so till all had been communicated.

At the close of the antiphon, the Pope, who had meanwhile returned to his seat, went up to the altar with the archdeacon and the second deacon, and recited the concluding prayer (the post-communion). A deacon then gave out, Ite missa est, to which was answered, Deo Gratias.

Finally, after asking and obtaining the Pope’s blessing, the various ministers returned to the sacristy. First went the regionary subdeacon, with the thurible, and the seven torchbearers. Then came the Pope with his immediate attendants. After them followed the bishops, priests, and monks; the choir, the military standard-bearers and the bailiffs; acolytes, the cross-bearers stationed outside the sanctuary, and the junior mansionarii.

With the exception of the ceremonies connected with the giving of Communion under both kinds, and with the exception of the ‘breads’ for the Mass in use in the days of Deusdedit being much more bulky than the wafers at present used in the West, there is nothing which anyone now accustomed to a papal or episcopal Mass, and to the Roman Missal of today, would find strange in a papal Mass of the seventh century, such as it is portrayed in the Sacramentary of St. Gregory and in the Ordo Romanus.

 

BONIFACE V.