medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
I doubt that it relates to the solstice at all. Although one can (almost)
never point clearly to a definitive cause for a specific decision in the
post-conciliar revisions, I would strongly suspect Phyllis got it right. The
Consilium had a defined goal in the Calendar revisions of freeing up Lent
and Advent, especially 'Great Advent'(post 17 Dec), from sanctoral
celebrations to allow for focus on the texts of the (soon to be) expanded
formularies for the weekday Mass and Office in the (then in development)
revised _MR_ and _LH_. A very broad statement of this goal can be found in
the promulgation document for the revised calendar, _Mysterii Paschalis_
(Paul VI, 14 Feb 1969). [IIRC, this is discussed more specifically by
Bugnini in his memoirs and also by Campbell in his forest of footnotes. The
rationale for most of the changes must be mined from Consilium minutes,
intros to unpblished schemata, and the prolific personal letters and notes
of members, especially Martimort and Bugnini.]
>From: Rosine <[log in to unmask]>
>Reply-To: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
> <[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: [M-R] saints of the day 21. December
>Date: Fri, 21 Dec 2001 05:48:12 -0500
>
>medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
>
><snip>
> > I'm puzzled why, since there's such a shortage of interesting saints for
> > 21. December, the latest Roman calendar moved the commemoration of
>Thomas
> > the Apostle from this date to the date of his translatio. Was it part
>of
>a
> > concerted effort to free up Advent?
> >
> > Dr. Phyllis G. Jestice
>
>Or is it related to Dec 21st being the day (or eve) of Solstice, a
>significant Pagan holy day, and one associated with quite a few "holy
>child"
>births. Perhaps, rather than subsuming the holiday, it was considered
>better
>to reduce it's religious significance to avoid the risk of providing cover,
>as it were, for practises not condoned by the Church?
>
>Terri
>
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