offertory. At the offertory, after the initial prayers, and after the celebrating prelate had censed the offerings of bread and wine, the cross at the Altar, and the Altar itself, and after he handed the thurible to the deacon and was incensed himself, but before the washing of hands, the normal rite of Mass was again paused for a brief special ceremony in which the emperor presented gifts to the Church: the celebrating prelate went to his cathedra (in the case of the coronation of Pedro I, presided by the Bishop of Rio), or to a faldstool at the altar (in the case of the coronation of Pedro II, presided by the Archbishop of Salvador), and there waited for the emperor, who came from his throne, fully vested as always, and with the crown on his head and the sceptre in his right hand. Kneeling before the celebrating prelate, the emperor received from his officers of state a lit candle encrusted with gold coins, and delivered that candle to the prelate as a gift. The emperor also donated two pieces in the form of bread, one of gold, the other of silver. And after presenting the gifts, the emperor kissed the prelate's hand, rose to his feet, returned to the throne, and the liturgy of the Mass continued, with the celebrating prelate returning to the Altar for the rite of washing of hands. In the insensations by the deacon that followed the washing of the hands of the celebrant, the emperor was incensed separately from the people, and before them. Once all ceremonies of the offertory were concluded, a special secret prayer was recited for the emperor after the day's proper secret. At the dialogue introducing the Preface, as the bishops removed their skullcaps and stood bareheaded in preparation for the consecration of the Eucharist, the emperor removed his crown and delivered it to be held by the same officer of state who bore it during the Gospel reading. The emperor also delivered his sceptre to another aide. The emperor remained without crown or sceptre until the Communion, and resumed their use immediately before the postcommunion prayer. At the Sanctus the emperor knelt for the Canon of the Mass as usual, and remained kneeling at the prie-dieu at the throne dais until the conclusion of the Eucharistic Prayer. After the Roman Canon, Mass continued normally, with the Pater Noster and