letters were prepared and sent to the bishops by the Postulator General. In case the eyewitnesses were of advanced age, other remissorial letters were usually granted for the purpose of opening a process known as "inchoative" concerning the particular virtues of miracles of the person in question. This was done in order that the proofs might not be lost (ne pereant probationes), and such inchoative process preceded that upon the miracles and virtues in general. While the Apostolic process concerning the reputation of sanctity was under way outside of Rome, documents were prepared by the Procurator of the cause for the discussion de non cultu, or absence of cultus, and at the appointed time an ordinary meeting (congregatio) was held in which the matter was investigated; if it was found that the decree of Pope Urban VIII had been obeyed, another decree provided that further steps might be taken. When the inquiry concerning the reputation of sanctity (super fama) had arrived in Rome, it was opened (as already described in speaking of the ordinary processes, and with the same formalities in regard to rescripts), then translated into Italian, summarized, and declared valid. The documents super fama in general were prepared by the Advocate, and at the proper time, in an ordinary meeting of the cardinals of the Congregation of Rites, the question was discussed: whether there was evidence of a general repute for sanctity and miracles of this servant of God. If the answer was favourable, a decree embodying this result was published. New remissorial letters were then sent to the bishops in partibus for Apostolic processes with regard to the reputation for sanctity and miracles in particular. These processes must be finished within 18 months and when they were received in Rome were opened, as above described, and by virtue of an equal number of rescripts, by the cardinal Prefect, translated into Italian, and their summary authenticated by the Chancellor of the Congregation of Rites. The Advocate of the cause next prepared the documents (positio) which had reference to the discussion of the validity of all the preceding processes, informative and Apostolic. This discussion was held in the meeting called congregatio rotalis from the fact that it was only judges of the Roman Rota who voted. If the difficulties of the Promotor of the Faith were satisfactorily answered, the decree establishing the validity of the inquiries or processes was