The carrying about of images in “procession,” is another relic of the religion of the Greeks and Romans. For they also carried their idols from place to place, in a kind of chariot, which was peculiarly dedicated to that use, which the Latins called thensa , and vehiculum Deorum ; and the image was placed in a frame or shrine, which they called ferculum : and that which they called pompa , is the same that now is named “procession.” According whereunto, amongst the divine honours which were given to Julius Caesar by the senate, this was one, that in the pomp, or procession, at the Circaean games, he should have thensam et ferculum , a sacred chariot and a shrine; which was as much as to be carried up and down as a god: just as at this day the Popes are carried by Switzers under a canopy.
To these processions also belonged the bearing of burning torches and candles, before the images of the gods, both amongst the Greeks and Romans. For afterwards the emperors of Rome received the same honour; as we read of Caligula, that at his reception to the empire, he was carried from Misenum to Rome, in the midst of a throng of people, the ways beset with altars, and beasts for sacrifice, and burning “torches”: and of Caracalla, that was received into Alexandria with incense, and with casting of flowers, and δαδοῦχίαις , that is, with torches; for δαδοῦχοι were they that amongst the Greeks carried torches lighted in the processions of their gods. And in process of time, the devout but ignorant people did many times honour their bishops with the like pomp of wax candles, and the images of our Saviour and the saints, constantly, in the church itself. And thus came in the use of wax candles; and was also established by some of the ancient councils.
The heathens had also their aqua lustralis , that is to say, “holy water.” The Church of Rome imitates them also in their “holy days.” They had their bacchanalia ; and we have our “wakes,” answering to them; they their “saturnalia,” and we our “carnivals,” and Shrove Tuesday’s liberty of servants: they their procession of Priapus; we our fetching in, erection,