Diseases were treated with cabalistic formulae and gross abuse of angelic names and combinations of letters.
Singular examples of acclamation are: a) The miniature by Furio Dionysius Philocalus on the opening page of a book he wrote for a high dignitary of the 4th century: *Valentine floreas in Deo; Valentine lege feliciter; Valentine vivas gaudeas*, interwoven together. b) An acclamation engraved repeatedly on the columns of the theatre at Ephesus and other Asian cities in the 7th–8th century: *ὀρθοδόξων βασιλέων χαὶ Ἰφασίνων πολλὰ τὰ ἔτη*, “to the orthodox emperors and the Greens [circus faction and later also political] many years of life.” c) Among the Greeks the formula *Iesus Christus vincit* became extremely popular and a commonplace, generally inscribed on the four arms of a cross: *I C X C N I K A*. d) Acclamations partly already in use among the Jews include scriptural formulae such as *amen*, *osanna*, *alleluia*, *Deo gratias*, *Dominus vobiscum*, *pax vobis*, *kyrie eleison*, which became current in the liturgy and not infrequent in literature and epigraphy. The same may be said of the supreme doxology *Gloria Patri et Filio*, etc., and of the so-called trisagion *Sanctus Deus, sanctus fortis, sanctus immortalis, miserere nobis*, which was especially frequent among the Easterners. e) Two acclamations very common among the Greeks, especially in epigraphy, are: *εἰς θεόν*, *εὐχὴ ὀνειροδέοντος βοήθει*, written on tombs, houses, rings and everywhere (unus [est] Deus, et Domine or Deipara adiuvat the such-and-such). The first, certainly of pagan derivation, having been applied very often already to Serapis, is widespread especially in Syria and Egypt and in paleo-Christian usage; the second, on the other hand, is found again in the Middle Ages and in every region.
3. IN SONG
Acclamations also appear in song, chiefly the *Gloria in excelsis*, the *Te Deum*, the *Benedicamus* that close the office; the *Ite Missa est* of the final dismissal of the Mass, which was preceded by other dismissals of the catechumens such as *Recedant catechumeni*; certain dialogues as we see in the Preface, the *Pater Noster*, etc.A particular kind of acclamation were those called “Gallican” by the Western Churches outside Rome, from where they passed to the Church of Rome herself. The *Laudes* or *Acclamationes pueriles*, used on certain solemnities such as Christmas, Holy Innocents, Easter, were children’s acclamations proper to the *Scholae puerorum* established at basilicas and monasteries. From the solemn circumstances in which they were employed, the *Laudes Hincmari* (from Hincmar of Reims, 806–822) became celebrated and have even taken on new development in modern times under the influence of the moment for which they were composed. These are always preceded by *Christus vincit, Christus regnat, Christus imperat*.
Musically, acclamations, whether collective or by a soloist, are always simple, as befits their acclamatory character. The melody of the most ancient ones is always shaped around the tonic accent, and even the cadences in fourths are classical and dear to Gregorian composers.