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Dear List members, (I have tried sending this a number of times since last Friday, apologies if you have received it already) A friend of mine is working on a group of 12th century High crosses in North County Clare. He has asked me to put the following two queries to you: 1. Were popes ever represented holding croziers? He is particularly interested in 12th century examples (or lack thereof) 2 Current liturgical practise (at least in this monastery)says that the crook of the crozier should face outward as a sign of jurisdiction, when carried by the abbot and should face inwards when carried by anyone else (e.g. acolyte, M.C. etc.). We are solemnly assured by our Master of Ceremonies that this has been the practise of the church at all times, everywhere since the second Vespers of the Resurrection in Jerusalem in AD 33. Is this the case? Is anyone aware of medieval evidence for this or is it the figment of a modern liturgists overactive imagination? Monastic readers of the list will particularly appreciate the fraught nuances implicated in the second query. As we say here, 'Liturgy: the last indoor blood sport.' Colman O Clabaigh, OSB %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%