Many thanks to James and others for all the references. I think there may
be a co-authored article in this for Living Spring? (anything to avoid
writing the Janet & John guide to the European Reformation which I
foolishly committed myself to last year!)
Briefly - Athene Reiss's book is about the medieval wall paintings of
Christ showing his wounds and surrounded by craft implements which are
found in several English and Welsh churches (and European examples as
well). She argues convincingly that these are not Christ blessing the
implements of the local crafts but a warning against Sabbath-breaking - the
implements used on a Sunday re-crucify Christ. But she goes on to offer
evidence for the subsequent veneration of these paintings and quotes wills
leaving money for lights before paintings of 'St Sunday' - as John said,
this is St in the sense of sanctus, holy - so what we have is a cult of
keeping the sabbath holy, personalised in this image of Christ's wounded
body. Interestingly, the example from Newtown in mid Wales is a chantry
service of the rood and St Sunday - which suggests a cult based on the
Crucifixion but including this more specific reference to the implications
of Christ's wounds.
Where exactly the well cults fit into this I don't know - but as you say
some Continental parallels would be illuminating. Anyone out there?
Maddy
Dr Madeleine Gray, in the foothills of God's golden county of Gwent
(Department of Humanities and Science
UWCN Caerleon Campus
PO Box 179
Newport NP18 3YG
Tel: +44 (0)1633.432675
http://humanities.newport.ac.uk/history.html)
'Reading is sometimes an ingenious device for avoiding thought'
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