that are to be appointed to episcopal sees in Italy, or again of conferring the title of S.T.D., he did so, with the assistance of the high dignitaries just mentioned, in his apartment in the Vatican. He is also examiner in the concursus for parishes in Rome which are held in the Roman Vicariate. Before Eugene IV issued the Bull referred to above, the Master of the Sacred Palace was in processions etc., the dignitary immediately under the Apostolic subdeacons, but when this pope raised the auditors of the Rota to the rank of Apostolic subdeacons, he gave the Master of the Sacred Palace the place immediately next to the dean who was in charge of the papal mitre. In 1655, Alexander VII put the other auditors of the Sacra Romana Rota above the Master of the Sacred Palace. This was done, according to Cardinal De Luca, solely because one white and black habit looked badly among several violet soutanes. One of the occasional duties of the Master of the Sacred Palace is performed in conjunction with the auditors of the Rota; namely to watch over the three apertures or "drums" through which the cardinals receive all communications during a conclave. In papal processions, the Master of the Sacred Palace walks next to the auditors, immediately behind the bearer of the papal tiara. Though the office has gradually lost some of its traditional authority and rank, the Master of the Sacred Palace is a very high official. He is one of the three Palatine prelates (the others being the papal Maggiordomo and the Grand Almoner) to whom, as to bishops, the papal guards present arms. He is always addressed, even by cardinals, as "Most Reverend". In the Dominican Order he ranks next to the general, ex-general and vicar-general. He is ex officio consultor of the Holy Office, prelate-consultor of Rites, and perpetual assistant of the Index. He is consultor of the Biblical Commission and is frequently consulted by the pope. His official audience occurs once a fortnight. The official apartment of the Master of the Sacred Palace was in the Quirinal, which long contained a complete series of portraits in fresco of the Masters of the Sacred Palace, beginning with St. Dominic. These were effaced when the Italian kingdom occupied the Quirinal, but copies of them were put in the temporary apartment of the Master of the Sacred Palace in