in which the Holy Oils fhall be kept with due Decency and Reverence, with their feveral Names upon each Veffel, so that they may not be used one for another, commanding the Vicars that are to be nominated, not to go from hence without carrying thefe Boxes along with them, to their respective Churches, which the most Reverend Metropolitan will furnish them withal, and with the Holy Oils which he confecrated on Holy Thursday laft for this purpofe in the Church of Carturte in this Diocefs, which Boxes they shall put under Lock and Key in their Repofitories, either in the chief Chapel of the high Altar, or in their Vestries, or near to the Font, having them always decently covered with Silk, or in cafe the Vicars live at a confiderable distance from their Churches, or in the Heaths, in fome decent place in their Houses for fear of Infidel Robbers, and that they may be always at hand, when they shall be called to adminifter the Sacrament of Unction, and whenfoever they are carried to Church for Baptifm, or are carried to the Sick, they fhall be always carried by a Prieft, if it is poffible, but at least by one in Holy Orders; and upon Holy Thursday they fhall either burn all the Oils that remain of that Year in the Lamps of the Church, or pour them into the Font, fo as after that day not to make ufe of any Oils but fuch as are new, which after Eafter they shall either go or send to the Prelate for, or to the place where he has or dered them to be diftributed, and in cafe the

See

See be vacant, they fhall then by order from the Governour of the Diocefs, have recourfe to the Bishop of Cochim, and the Vicars that fhall neglect to go or fend for the faid Holy Oils for the use of their Churches, fo as not to have them within a month after Eafter, fhall be fufpended by the Prelate, who is defired to be very watchful in this matter, from his Office jand Benefice for fix months, and be obliged to fetch them, and the Children that fhall be baptized during that time, fhall be anointed with the Holy Oils of Baptifm when they come, neither fhall the Vicars depart from hence, until they are fully inftructed in the ufe of the Oils by Perfons appointed by the Synod to teach them, that fo they may not be mistaken in the administration of the Holy Sacraments.

Decree IX.

Here being a great Confufion in this Bi

Thoprick as to the Holy days that are to be

kept under the Obligation of a Mortal Sin, as well as to the hearing of Mafs, as to the doing of Work; wherefore the Synod doth declare that they are thefe following, to wit, all the Sundays in the Year.

In January, the first day being the Circumci fion of our Lord, and the fixth being the Feast of the Epiphany.

In February, the second day being the Purification of our Lady, and the twenty fourth being

the

the Feast of the Apostle St. Matthew, which in the Biffextile is to be celebrated on the twenty fifth.

In March, the twenty fifth day, being the Anunciation of our Lady.

In April, the twenty third being the Feast of St. George the Martyr, according to the custom of this Bishoprick.

In May, the first being the Feast of the Apoftles St. Philip and St. James.

In June, the twenty fourth being the Feast of St. John the Baptift, and the twenty ninth being the Feast of St. Peter and St. Paul.

In July, the fecond being the Vifitation of our Lady, and the third being the Feast of the glorious Apostle St. Thomas, which by fome is faid to be the day of his Tranflation, by others of his arrival in these parts, and which has by ancient custom-been ftill kept in this Bishoprick; and the twenty fifth being the Feast of the Apoftle St. James.

In August, the fixth being the Tranfiguration of our Lord, according to the custom of this Bifhoprick, the fifteenth the Affumption of our Lady, and the twenty fourth the Feast of St. Bartholomew the Apostle.

In September, the eighth being the Nativity of our Lady, the fourteenth the Feast of the Holy Cross, according to the cuftom of this Bishoprick. The twenty first the Feast of St. Matthew the Apoftle, the twenty ninth the Feast of St. Michael the Archangel.

In October, the twenty feventh being the Feaft

of

of the Apostles St. Simon and St. Jude.

X In November, the firft being the Feast of All Saints, the thirtieth of St. Andrew the Apostle.

In December, the eighth being the Conception of our Lady, the eighteenth being the day whereon the Holy Crofs of the Apostle St. Thomas did fweat the twenty firft being the Feast of the fame Holy Apoftle St. Thomas; the twenty fifth the Feast of the Nativity; the twenty fixth the Feast of St. Stephen the Protomartyr, the twenty feventh of St. John the Evangelift, the twenty eighth of the Innocents.

The Thursday of our Lord's Supper, from the time the Offices are begun in the Church until midnight, according to the custom of the Church. Eafter, and the three days following, notwithstanding they may have hitherto obferved onlytwo days. The day of our Lord's Afcenfion,the most Holy Feast of Pentecoft, with the two following days.

The most Holy Feast of the Body of God, or of the most Holy Sacrament, which, according to the custom of thefe parts, they celebrate on the Thurfday after Eafter.

*

Holy Czofs. The ftone Crofs that was found under ground at Maliapor, with the Blood of St. Thomas, and the Sword wherewith he was Martyr'd, by Gabriel de Ataide, a Portugueze Prieft, as he was digging a Foundation for a Church, about the Year 1547. is reported to have sweat at a moft prodigious rate upon the day of our

Ladies Expectation, being the 181 of December, in the Year 1557. and to have continued always to fweat upon the fame Festivity until the Year 1566.to which pious Fraud, for that is the best that can be faid of it, the Archbishop and Synod it feems gave so much credit, as to dedicate the 18th, of December to the Memory thereof

Alfo

Alfo the days of the Confecration of their Churches, and the Feasts of the Saints, to whom they were Dedicated, in their own Parishes only.

The Synod doth furthermore declare, That the Fridays from Christmas to Lent, which use to be observed in fome Parts, fhall not be kept hereafter, the Saints that were Celebrated on ' fome of them, having their particular Feasts; and others of them being Dedicated to Hereticks, as is above observed, whofe Memories ought not to be Celebrated; and the Vicars fhall not fail on Sundays at Mafs, to warn the People of all the Holy-days of the Week, that so they may be advertised to keep them.

Decree X.

Not only what Holy-days were to be kept,

were uncertain, and not uniformly obferved in this Bishoprick, but the fame also happened to the Fafting-days, which Christians are under an obligation to keep; wherefore the Synod doth declare, that the Fafting-days, as well the Ancient ones, as those that are now commandéd, are these following.

The Holy and Solemn Faft of Lent, which according to the Custom of this Bishoprick, begins upon the Monday after Quinquagefima.

The Holy Faft of Advent, which is kept in this Bishoprick with great rigor from the Sunday, that is next to the firft of December, until Christmas.

The