Salutation, Ritual

Salutation, Ritual.

In the Romish Church, the words of the angel to Mary are called the Angelic Salutation. The latter clause, "Sancta Maria, mater Dei, ora pro nobis peccatoribus," was added, they tell us, in the fifth century; but the last words, "Nunc et in hora mortis nostrae," were inserted by order of pope Pius V. It is sometimes repeated at the beginning of a sermon, ending with a prayer or a pro nobis, and bells are tolled to put people in mind of it. SEE SALVE REGINA.

In the Church-of-England service a species of salutation occurs. "Having all repeated our Creed, ... we now prepare ourselves to pray. And since salutations have ever been the expressions and badges of that mutual charity without which we are not fit to pray, therefore we begin with an ancient form of salutation, taken out of the Holy Scripture; the minister commencing, salutes the people with 'The Lord be with you,' and they return it with a like prayer, 'And with thy Spirit.'"