medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
M Paul Bryant-Quinn wrote:
> medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
>
> Cyprian Alston has that useful description of Roods and their uses in his
> article in the old [and incredibly useful] Catholic Encyclopedia:
>
> ...they were usually of wood, richly carved, painted or gilded, with
> foliated or crocketed sides, and with the arms of the cross terminating
> either in fleurs-de-lys or in emblazoned medallions of the symbols of the
> four Evangelists. Rood-lights were kept burning before the rood in
> medieval times, consisting either of a wick and oil in a cresset, or
> rood-bowl, or of a taper on a pricket in the centre of a mortar of brass,
> latten, or copper ... when the rood was exceptionally large or heavy, its
> weight was sometimes taken partly by wrought-iron rood-chains depending
> from the chancel-arch, which were generally of elaborate design ... the
> rood, however, striking and prominent as it was intended to be, was often
> eclipsed by the rood screen over which it was placed .... Over such
> screens was a loft or gallery (rood-loft), which, according to some
> authorities, was used for the reading of the Epistle and Gospel, certain
> lections, the Pastorals of Bishops, the Acts of Councils, and other like
> purposes.
It's the 'some authorities' that I'm querying.
> The Episcopal benediction was also sometimes pronounced, and
> penitents absolved, from the loft ... [which] likewise provided
> convenient accommodation for the organs and singers .... In England they
> were generally lavishly coloured and gilded; also, the rood frequently
> stood not on or near the screen and loft, but on a separate transverse
> beam called the rood-beam, which was similarly carved and gilded. On the
> western side [was placed] the rood-altar, which in monastic churches
> often served as the parish altar, the parishioners being accommodated in
> the nave. The altar, being immediately under the great rood, was
> dedicated to the Holy Cross .... The daily parish Mass said at the altar
> under the rood screen, was called the Rood Mass.
>
Yes, it is unusual for a monastic church to have a rood loft in the
parochial nave. The rood altar described here is at ground level.
John Briggs
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