Rituale Romanum

Rituale Romanum.

Various rituals (ordines Romani) had been issued from time to time in behalf of the worship of the Roman Catholic Church, SEE ORDO ROMANUS; but the later popes, since the Council of I Trent (comp. sess. 25, De Indice Librorum) were concerned to promote ecclesiastical unity by introducing a common ritual. Pius V accordingly published the Breviarium and the Missale Romanum, and Clement VIII the Pontificale and Ceremoniale (see the respective articles); and Paul V followed their example by causing certain cardinals to compile a new service book from several of the older rituals, especially that of cardinal Julius Antonius (Sanctoe Severinoe), which was issued under the title Rituale Romanum, June 16, 1614, and its use made obligatory. It contains the sacraments to be administered by priests, sacramentalia, processions, forms, for use in records of the Church, etc. Other service books gradually gave way before it in the general use of the Church, though special books were still prepared, particularly for use in the churches in the city of Rome. See Catalani, Sacrarum Coeremoniarum, etc. (Rome, 1750, 2 vols. fol.).