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hymn whose first verse was composed by angels (Luke 2 : 14 ). The devout
might bow profoundly at the intonation and recite to themselves its second
verse, ‘‘and peace to men of good will.’’ Human beings and angels might
thus join in giving glory to God.^142 Saint Omobono prostrated himself before
the crucifix on the choir screen as the priest intoned the Gloria, extending
his arms in the form of a cross, ‘‘as a knight imitating his Lord.’’ While he
often remained prostrate, Omobono never failed to rise for the Gospel.
When he died, right in the middle of Mass, everyone knew something was
wrong, because he remained on the floor during the chanting of the Gos-
pel.^143 Outside of the general Communions at Christmas, Easter, and Pente-
cost, the priest alone received Communion. Nonetheless, any prayer said at
Communion time had a special power. Christ was truly present on the altar.
Many layfolk prostrated themselves at this time, a less theatrical gesture than
it might appear, because nearly all would already have knelt for the Agnus
Dei. At Communion, the devout prayed for the living and the dead, that the
merits of the sacrifice might also be theirs. The anonymous Mass treatise
suggested two prayers for this time, one for the living, the other for the dead.
Since these prayers were too long to memorize, the author meant them for
a literate readership. Most simply repeated a Pater and an Ave.^144
In 1427 , confraternity members in the Veneto were found serving the
priest at the altar. ‘‘Artisans and mere laymen’’ (artifices et meri seculares) were
singing along with the priest; they moved the missal for him, carried the Pax,
ministered the incense and water. They even joined in the responses, saying:
‘‘Kirieleison, Christeleison, etc., Spiritu tuo, Sanctus sanctus, Credo in
Deum Patrem, Agnus Dei qui tollis peccata mundi.’’^145 The priest who had
observed all this was scandalized. This was a job for clerics, not the laity, at
least in the fifteenth century. But those pious men had probably not intro-
duced anything new. In the late eleventh century, Bishop Sicardo of Crem-
ona took it for granted that the people would chant the Kyrie and respond
at the Agnus Dei; they replied to the Pax and its prayer (which should be
sungalta voce,‘‘so that the people who wish can respond,’’ said the bishop).
Layfolk sang ‘‘Amen’’ to the opening collect, responded ‘‘Et cum spiritu tuo’’
to the ‘‘Dominus vobiscum,’’ and ‘‘Deo gratias’’ to the ‘‘Ite missa est.’’ In
short, they made all the easy responses.^146 In the case of the Credo, which
was long and difficult but essential to the faith, the people showed assent by
singing the Kyrie after it. That chant everyone could master.^147 The only
short response that Sicardo gave to thechorusrather than thepopuluswas the
- Ibid.
143 .Vita Sancti Homoboni, 114 , 166. - Florence, Biblioteca Nazionale Centrale,msMagl.xxxvi. 81 bis, fol. 37 r.
- Rigon, ‘‘Organizzazione,’’ 723.
- Sicardo,Mitrale, 3. 2 , col. 101 A; 3. 4 , col. 107 D; 3. 5 , col. 114 B; 3. 6 , col. 134 B; 3. 6 , col. 138 B; 3. 8 ,
col. 143 B; 3. 8 , col. 139. - Ibid., 3. 4 , col. 113 D; see Cattaneo, ‘‘Partecipazione,’’ 411.