Richard, et al.
A most interesting and important article on this topic is
Bernard McGinn, "Iter Sancti Sepulchri: The Piety of the First Crusaders,"
in Essays on Medieval Civilization, Walter Prescott Webb Memorial Lectures
XII Eds. Bede Karl Lackner and Kenneth Roy Philip, Austin: University of
Tex. Press, 1978.
In the first section, he talks about the "failure of the holy fire".
If there have been any other discussions, please let us know!
Leah Rutchick
At 02:00 PM 9/22/00 -0400, you wrote:
>At 09:25 AM 9/22/00 -0500, you wrote:
> >At 08:44 PM 9/21/00 +0000, you wrote:
> >>> I had the occasion to witness the 'botafumeiro' -- the giant liturgical
> >>> vessel used to burn incense -- being swung like a carnival ride at
> the end
> >>> of a Sunday mass. Does anyone know of similar liturgical showmanship in
> >>> other churches?
> >
> > Perhaps one of the most spectacular liturgical "special effects"
> was the
> >spontaneous lighting of the candles at the church of the Holy Sepulcher on
> >Easter Eve. This was so celebrated that, as a phony miracle, it was cited
> >to justify al-Hakim's destruction of the church in 1009. It was featured
> >in crusade propaganda as a true miracle. However, it was a source of some
> >embarassment to the Westerners when, after they had taken Jerusalem and
> >evicted the Eastern clergymen from the church, the lights did not come on
> >as scheduled. To restart the wonder the eastern clergy had to be summoned.
>
>surprise, surprise. it also failed, acc to radulfus glaber, in 1033.
>
> > This is one of those historical phenomena that appears
> tangentially in a
> >variety of sources. Does anyone know of a single coherent study of the
> >"miracle" of the candles of the Holy Sepulcher?
>
>no, but it wd be most valuable. i have an account in german of a trampling
>triggered by it in 1900.
>
>rlandes
> >
> > --John Howe, Texas Tech
> >
> >
> >
> >
>Richard Landes
>Boston University
>History Department
>617-353-2558 (of)
>617-353-2556 (fax)
>
>Center for Millennial Studies at Boston University
>704 Commonwealth Ave. Room 205
>http://www.mille.org/
>[log in to unmask]
>617-358-0226 (of)
>617-358-0225 (fax)
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