the Nativity of the Virgin (xx. 262). St. Peter Damian, cardinal bishop of Ostia, died in 1072 (Ceillier, xx. 514). He is the author of two sermons on the Nativity of the Virgin (p. 538). Saint Bernard, abbot of Clairvaux, died in 1153 (Ceillier, xxii. 328). He is the author of a sermon on the Nativity of the Virgin (p. 442). Guillaume d'Auvergne, bishop of Paris, died in 1248 (Ceillier, xxiii. 461). Two of his sermons are on the Nativity of the Virgin (p. 475).

St. Cyril, archbishop of Jerusalem, died in 385 or 386 (Ceillier, vi. 486). A discourse is attributed to him on the festival of Purification and the Presentation of Jesus Christ to the temple. But Ceillier thinks (tome vi. pp. 542, 543) that it cannot be by him; for it is said in it that the festival of the Purification was celebrated by carrying lighted wax tapers, and that this custom had existed for a long time; whereas "il est certain par le témoignage de Cyrille de Scytopie (apud Allatium de Methodio, pag. 86, edit. Fabricii, Hamburgi, 1716) qu'une dame, nommée Scelie, a commencé, vers le milieu du cinquième siècle, c'est-àdire, plus de soixante ans après la mort de Saint Cyrille, a faire célébrer cette fête avec des cierges. Il ne paraît par même que l'établissement de la fête de la Purification ait précédé de beaucoup celui d'y allumer des cierges; au moins est-il certain qu'elle n'eut lieu dans le grandes églises d'orient que dans le sixième siècle, à Antioche en 527. . . . . à Constantinople en 542, et depuis dans tout le monde chrétien." The Purification, Presentation of Christ in the Temple, and the Meeting, form the same festival which is celebrated on the second of February (see Butler's Lives of the Saints, edit. Dublin, 8vo, vol. i. pp. 186– 189). Butler adds: "The procession with lighted tapers on this day is mentioned by Pope Gelasius I., also by St. Ildefonsus, St. Eligius, St. Sophronius, patriarch of Jerusalem, St. Cyril of Alexandria," &c., in their sermons on this festival. It perhaps is connected with the "feralia" of the Romans, which was celebrated on the 21st of February (see Blunt's Vestiges of Ancient Manners, 8vo, 1823, pp. 188, 189). The use of wax candles formed a prominent part in the religious processions of paganism. See Middleton's Letter from Rome (1742, 8vo, 5th edit. pp. 189, and 239, 240), where it appears that Vigilantius reproached the clergy with having borrowed this from paganism, and that Jerome, so far from denying, defended the adoption. In the Russian Church wax tapers form a common offering to saints in churches (see Pinkerton's Russia, 8vo, 1833, p. 55). Saint Gregory, bishop of Nyssa, died early in the fifth century (Ceillier, viii. 210). Among the works attributed to him, Ceillier

says (viii. 352), is "un discours sur la fête de la Purification, autrement de la rencontre; car les grecs la nommaient ainsi, à cause du concours de divers justes, entre lesquels Simeon and Anne semblaient venir au devant de Jésus-Christ. Mais on ne peut attribuer ce discours à Saint Grégoire de Nysse, la fête de la Purification n'ayant été établie que dans un siècle où ce père ne vivait plus. Cedrène en met l'institution à Antioche en l'an 527 (Cedrenus, Hist. pag. 366) après un tremblement de terre qui renversa la ville. Ce ne fut que depuis ce temps-là qu'elle s'établit à Constantinople, sçavoir l'an 542 en le quinzième année de Justinien ensuite d'une grande mortalité (Theophan. Chronographia, p. 88). On voit aussi par la vie de Saint Théodose, abbé, qu'on la célébrait à Jerusalem vers le milieu du cinquième siècle (Allatius in Method. Martyris Convivium, pag. 344); et peut-être y avait-elle été instituée vers le même temps qu'à Antioche; car l'auteur de cette vie semble dire qu'elle était plus ancienne que le milieu du cinquième siècle." Saint Ambrose, archbishop of Milan, died in 397. See Ceillier (xii. 357), who says (p. 572), that a sermon on the Purification is falsely attributed to him. St. Cyril, patriarch of Alexandria, died in A.d. 444. See Ceillier (xiii. 252) who says (p. 287) that his eleventh homily "est une explication de ce qui se passa au jour de la Purification de la Sainte Vierge, lorsqu'elle porta Jésus à Jérusalem pour le présenter au temple." Saint Fulgentius, bishop of Ruspa, died in 533 (Ceillier, xvi. 16). A sermon on the Purification of the Virgin is attributed to him, but wrongly, for says Ceillier (xvi. 130), “la fête de la Purification n'était point établie en occident du vivant de S. Fulgence. La fête de la Purification fut établie en Antioche en 527, et à Constantinople en 542, d'où elle passa ensuite dans le reste du monde chrétien." Hesychius was bishop of Jerusalem during the Pontificate of Gregory the Great (Ceillier, xvii. 534). He wrote (p. 538) a homily "sur la fête de la Rencontre, ou de la Purification; elle n'est point imprimée." Sophronius, patriarch of Jerusalem, flourished in the middle of the seventh century (Ceillier, xvii. 616). He is the author "d'un discours sur la fête de la Rencontre, ou de la Purification de Jésus-Christ au temple" (p. 620). André was archbishop of Crete in A.D. 711. He is the author of a homily on the festival of the Purification (Ceillier, xviii. 95). Ambroise Autpert, abbot of St. Vincent, flourished a little after the middle of the eighth century (Ceillier, xviii. 199). He is the author of a homily on the Purification, which Baluze has incorrectly ascribed to Alcuin (p. 208). In it he gives an explanation of the gospel which is read on that day, by which it appears that it was customary to read on to the

fortieth verse in the chapter of St. Luke, whereas at present they stop at the thirty-second verse. Autpert adds (p. 209) that important as this festival was, it was not universally kept, but that it was celebrated at Rome with much solemnity, "par tous les fidèles de la ville, chacun ayant un cièrge à la main," and no one was allowed to enter the church without having a taper in his hand. The emperor Leo VI. died in A.D. 911. He is the author of a discourse on the Purification of the Virgin (Ceillier, xix. 523). Fulbert, bishop of Chartres, died in 1028 (Ceillier, xx. 129). One of his discourses, says Ceillier (xx. 144), “fut prononcé le jour de la Purification. Fulbert fait voir que Jésus-Christ et la Sainte Vierge sa mère ne se présentèrent au temple que pour obéir à la loi. En parlant des cierges allumés, que les fidèles portaient dans l'église, il dit: En mémoire de la présentation de Jésus-Christ au temple nous célébrons ce jour avec l'oblation des cierges, dont la lumière signifie sa divinité, la cire sa chaire virginal." Yves, bishop of Chartres, died in 1115 (Ceillier, xxi. 428). In a sermon on the Purification, "il parle (p. 483) de la bénédiction des cierges que les fidèles apportaient à l'église, et qu'ils offraient aux prêtres pendant la messe, en mémoire de la présentation de Jésus-Christ au temple." Geoffroi, abbé de la Trinité de Vendosme, died in 1132 (Ceillier, xxi. 553). Two of his sermons are on the Purification of the Virgin (p. 570). The venerable Hildebert, bishop of Mans, died in 1133, or 1134 (Ceillier, xxii. 14). Three of his sermons "sont pour la fête de la Purification" (p. 26). Hildebert mentions that on that day "on portait des cierges suivant le décret des pères " (Ceillier, xxii. 30). Marbode, bishop of Rennes, died in 1123. He has written a poem on the festival of the Purification (Ceillier, xxii. 48). Abelard died in 1142. One of his sermons is on the Purification of the Virgin (Ceillier, xxii. 180). Saint Bernard, bishop of Clairvaux, died in 1153 (Ceillier, xxii. 328). Three of his sermons are on the Purification of the Virgin (p. 442). Peter de Celle, bishop of Chartres, died in 1187. There is a sermon by him on the festival of the Purification (Ceillier, xxiii. 281). Guillaume d'Auvergne, bishop of Paris, died in A.D. 1248. One of his sermons is on the festival of the Purification (Ceillier, xxiii. 474).

St. Chrysostom, archbishop of Constantinople, died in A.D. 407 (Ceillier, ix. 21). A discourse on the Annunciation of the Virgin and a separate treatise on the same subject are ascribed to him; but Ceillier (ix. 529 and 616) classes them among his "écrits supposés." Saint Chrysostome, archbishop of Ravenna, flourished in the middle of the fifth century. One of his discourses is on the

Annunciation (Ceillier, xiv. 19). Basil, archbishop of Seleucia, died before A.D. 460 (Ceillier, xiv. 307). One of his discourses, the thirty-ninth, is on the Annunciation of the Virgin (xiv. 311). Anastasius, patriarch of Antioch, died in 598. There are two discourses by him on the Annunciation of the Virgin (Ceillier, xvi. 639). André was archbishop of Crete in the reign of Justinian II. who was killed in A.D. 711. One of his discourses is on Saint Jean de Damas, or

the Annunciation (Ceillier, xviii. 95). Damascene, monk and priest of Jerusalem, died between 754 and 787 (Ceillier, xviii. 113). Some verses are attributed to him on the Annunciation, but it is doubtful if he wrote them (p. 147). But he is the author of two homilies on the Annunciation (p. 149). In A.D. 656, the tenth Council of Toledo "fit sept canons, qui Date. portent en substance que la fête de l'Annonciation de la Vierge, qui se célébrait en differents jours dans les églises d'Espagne serait fixée aux dix-huitième de décembre, huit jours avant Noël" (Ceillier, xviii. 827). Moyse Bar Cepha died in 913. "On a de lui plusieurs homélies sur les principales fêtes de l'année entre autres sur l'Annonciation de la Sainte Vierge" (Ceillier, xx. 79, 80). Hermann Contracte died in 1054. He was a monk and a native of Suabia (Ceillier, xx. 314, 315). "Il passe aussi pour Office. l'auteur d'un office pour la fête de l'Annonciation de la Sainte Vierge" (Ceillier, xx. 318). Yves, bishop of Chartres, died in 1115. His fifteenth discourse is on the Annunciation (Ceillier, xxi. 483). The "Venerable Hildebert," bishop of Mans and archbishop of Tours, died in 1133 or 1134 (Ceillier, xxii. 14). There is a sermon by him on the Annunciation of the Virgin (p. 26). Marbode, bishop of Rennes, died in 1123. There is a poem by him on the Annunciation (Ceillier, xxii. 48). Peter Abelard died in 1142. He is the author of a discourse on the festival of the Annunciation (xxii. 180). Saint Bernard of Clairvaux died in 1153. There are three discourses by him on the Annunciation (Ceillier, xxii. 442). In A.D. 1001 or 1002 it was proposed in a council held in Italy, or in Gaul, to change the festival of the Annunciation from the twenty-fifth of March to the eighth of December, “à l'imitation des espagnols, mais l'ancien coutume prévalut" (Ceillier, xxii. 786). But I suspect Ceillier is mistaken, and should have said the eighteenth and not the eighth of December. The former date is given by Fleury (tome xii. p. 356, livre 58, no. 14), and Ceillier himself states (tome xviii. p. 827) that in 656 the tenth council of Toledo ordered it to be celebrated on the eighteenth "Both the eastern

of December. And yet Butler chooses to say:

and western churches celebrate it on the twenty-fifth of March, and have done so, at least ever since the fifth century" (Lives of

the Saints, vol. i. p. 395). Peter de Celle, bishop of Chartres, died in 1187. Seven of his sermons are on the Annunciation (Ceillier, xxiii. 281). Arnoul, bishop of Lisieux, died in 1182. There is a sermon by him on the Annunciation, of which Ceillier has given a short analysis (Histoire générale, xxiii. 315, 316).

Saint Epiphanius, archbishop of Salamine, died in A.D. 403, about the age of ninety (Ceillier, viii. 631-642). He relates an ancient tradition respecting Joachim and Anne (pp. 735, 736). André, archbishop of Crete, flourished before the middle of the eighth century, since he was archbishop under Justinian II. and was still living in A.D. 713. He is the author of an ode or odes on Saint Anne (Ceillier, xviii. 95). He says (p. 97) that Anne and Joachim being sterile had obtained the Virgin by their prayers, though he confesses there is nothing respecting the Virgin's parents to be found either in the Bible or the ancients. Cosme was Protovestiaire (which we should call Master of the Wardrobe) at Constantinople to the emperor Leo VI. Ceillier says (xix. 559) that there are in the libraries many discourses under his name, and among others, one on Saint Joachim and Saint Anne, father and mother of the Virgin. Saint Jean de Damas, or Damascene, flourished about the middle of the eighth century (Ceillier, xviii. 110). In the fourth book of his treatise. On the Orthodox Faith, "il traite dans un chapitre particulier des ancêtres du Sauveur et de ceux de la Sainte Mère qu'il dit être née de Joachim et d'Anne." There is a homily ascribed to him, but, as Ceillier thinks (p. 150), wrongfully, for it is said in it that "Joachim, père de la Sainte Vierge, gardait les troupeaux. On ne trouve rien de semblable dans les anciens qui ont parlé de ce patriarche, et Saint Damascene, faisant la généalogie de la Sainte Vierge dans le quatrième de La Foi orthodoxe,' n'insinue en autre façon que Saint Joachim ait exercé cette profession."

Anastasius, patriarch of Constantinople, died in A.D. 598 (Ceillier, xvi. 638). There is a discourse by him on the Visitation of Mary, but it has not been printed (p. 646).

Saint Ildephonse, archbishop of Toledo, flourished in the middle of the seventh century. He composed a mass in honour of the Virgin, which was "d'une si grande étendue, qu'il l'avait lui-même notée pour être chantée en musique" (Ceillier, xvii. 713).

Georges Pisidès, deacon and "garde-chartres" of the church of Constantinople flourished about the middle of the seventh century. "Son poème en vers iambiques sur le temple de la Mère de Dieu à Constantinople a été donné par Du Cange dans ses notes sur Zonare" (Ceillier, xvii. 533).