On Making Lustral Water: Part 2

We proceed to excerpts from Baruffaldo's Ad Rituale Romanum Commentaria on the Making of Lustral Water, also known as "Holy Water".

Antequam verò ad explicationem Textus deveniamus, necessarium duco, ut nomen explicemus hujus Aquae, & quare Lustralis vocetur.

Ab antiquis, & quidem à Gentilium ritu ducitur haec Aqua, quae ideo Lustralis dicebatur, quia à Sacerdote, purgationis causa aspergebatur super Victimas, & supra Populum Templa ingredientem; ideoque purgandi, seu expiandi vim habet haec vox. Hinc Ovid, 3, de Pont. El. 2.

Spargit Aqua captus Lustrali Graja Sacerdos.

Qui Ritus postea ab Ecclesia sanctificatus fuit, usque ab ejus exordiis, nam (quidquid dicant nonnulli Authores, quòd hujus Aquae benedictae inventor fuerit Alexander Papa I.) clarè Marsilius Columna in sua Hydragiologia 2. cap. 2 à num 38. demonstrat, verum Authorem debere cognosci S. Matthaeum Apostolum, à quo deinde caeteri Apostoli, & subinde Episcopi suscepere, Durant. l.2. c.21.
[Baruffaldo ARRC 260]

Now, my rough translation:

Before we come to the actual explanation of the Text, I consider a necessary item, that the name of this Water we may unfold, and why it is called Lustral.

From ancient time, & by a certain rita of the Gentiles this water is produced, for therefore Lustral is said, because it is sprinkled on the Victims & on the People coming into the Temple by the Priest for purification; and therefore this word [Lustral] has the sense of purifying, or expiating. Thus Ovid, [reference]

The Greek Priest scatters Water, understood as Lustral.

Afterwards, this ritual was sanctified by the Church, continually from its beginning, for (whatever some Authorities say, that the inventor of this blessed Water was Pope Alexander I) clearly Marsilius Columna in his [reference] demonstrates, the true Author ought to be known to be St. Matthew the Apostle, from whom thereafter the other Apostles, & continually the Bishops maintained. Durant. [ref]