E SACRIFICE OF THE MASS

THE SINGING OF THE GOSPEL. 161
of the head is made at Low Mass) while the Gloria is
being sung. The Gloria over the celebrant, after genu
flecting with the deacon and subdeacon at the foot
of the altar, mounts the steps, the deacon retires behind
him, and the subdeacon behind the deacon.
The priest sings Dominus vobiscum,
and is
answered by the choir ; he then sings the Collect or
Collects of the day. The deacon and subdeacon
remain behind him. The Collects over, the deacon
moves near the Celebrant and assists him while he reads
the Epistle, Gradual, and, if so be, Tract or Sequence.
Meanwhile the Epistle of the day is sung by the sub-
deacon, in the exercise of the power given him at
ordination. At its close he takes the book to the centre
of the altar, genuflects, and carries it to the Epistle
corner, where he receives the blessing of the priest. He
then restores the book to the master of ceremonies and
takes the Missal to the other side for the priest to read
the Gospel.
The priest says the Munda cor meum and in a low
voice reads the Gospel.
THE SINGING OF THE GOSPEL BY
THE DEACON.
When the priest has read the Gospel, the deacon
receives the book of the Gospels, genuflects, and goes
up to the altar, setting the book upon it the open part
turned towards the tabernacle. This rubric is the
survival of the old custom of taking the book of the
L