medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
I thought I remembered that Egeria offered a description of Palm Sunday in
her diary. I found the excerpts below online (Latin text plus English
translation). Per her reports, in 4c Jerusalem the the procession with the
branches preceded the Lucernarium (Vespers).
Stan Metheny
XXX
1. Alia ergo die, id est dominica, qua intratur in septimana paschale, quam
hic appellant septimana maior, celebratis de pullorum cantu his, quae
consuetudinis sunt in Anastase uel ad Crucem usque ad mane agi: die ergo
dominica mane proceditur iuxta consuetudinem in ecclesia maiore, quae
appellatur Martyrium. Propterea autem Martyrium appellatur, quia in Golgotha
est, id est post Crucem, ubi Dominus passus est, et ideo Martyrio.
2. Cum ergo celebrata fuerint omnia iuxta consuetudinem in ecclesia maiore,
et antequam fiat missa, mittet uocem archidiaconus et dicit primum: 'Ista
septimana omne, id est die crastino, hora nona omnes ad Martyrium
conueniamus, id est in ecclesia maiore'. Item mittet uocem alteram et dicet:
'Hodie omnes hora septima in Eleona parati simus'.
3. Facta ergo missa in ecclesia maiore, id est ad Martyrium, deducitur
episcopus cum ymnis ad Anastase, et ibi completis, quae consuetudo est
diebus dominicis fieri in Anastase post missa Martyrii, et iam unusquisque
hiens ad domum suam festinat manducare, ut hora inquoante septima omnes in
ecclesia parati sint, quae est in Eleona, id est in monte oliueti, ubi est
spelunca illa, in qua docebat Dominus.
XXXI
1. Hora ergo septima omnis populus ascendet in monte oliueti, id est in
Eleona, in ecclesia; sedet episcopus, dicuntur ymni et antiphonae apte diei
ipsi uel loco, lectiones etiam similiter. Et cum ceperit se facere hora
nona, subitur cum ymnis in Inbomon, id est in eo loco, de quo ascendit
Dominus in caelis, et ibi seditur; nam omnis populus semper praesente
episcopo iubetur sedere, tantum quod diacones soli stant semper. Dicuntur et
ibi ymni uel antiphonae aptae loco aut diei: similiter et lectiones
interpositae et orationes.
2. Et iam cum coeperit esse hora undecima, legitur ille locus de euangelio,
ubi infantes cum ramis uel palmis occurrerunt Domino dicentes: Benedictus,
qui uenit in nomine Domini. Et statim leuat se episcopus et omnis populus,
porro inde de summo monte Oliueti totum pedibus itur. Nam totus populus ante
ipsum cum ymnis uel antiphonis respondentes semper: Benedictus, qui uenit in
nomine Domini.
3. Et quotquot sunt infantes in hisdem locis, usque etiam qui pedibus
ambulare non possunt, quia teneri sunt, in collo illos parentes sui tenent,
omnes ramos tenentes alii palmarum, alii oliuarum; et sic deducetur
episcopus in eo typo, quo tunc Dominus deductus est.
4. Et de summo monte usque ad ciuitatem et inde ad Anastase per totam
ciuitatem totum pedibus omnes, sed et si quae matrone sunt aut si qui
domini, sic deducunt episcopum respondentes et sic lente et lente, ne
lassetur populus, porro iam sera peruenitur ad Anastase. Ubi cum uentum
fuerit, quamlibet sero sit, tamen fit lucernare, fit denuo oratio ad Crucem
et dimittitur populus.
*****************************************
XXX
1. On the next day, that is, the Lord's Day, which begins the Paschal week,
and which they call here the Great Week, when all the customary services
from cockcrow until morning have taken place in the Anastasis and at the
Cross, they proceed on the morning of the Lord's Day according to custom to
the greater church, which is called the martyrium. It is called the
martyrium because it is in Golgotha behind the Cross, where the Lord
suffered.
2. When all that is customary has been observed in the great church, and
before the dismissal is made, the archdeacon lifts his voice and says first:
" Throughout the whole week, beginning from to-morrow, let us all assemble
in the martyrium, that is, in the great church, at the ninth hour." Then he
lifts his voice again, saying: " Let us all be ready to-day in Eleona at the
seventh hour."
3. So when the dismissal has been made in the great church! that is, the
martyrium, the bishop is escorted with hymns to the Anastasis, and after all
things that are customary on the Lord's Day have been done there, after the
dismissal from the martyrium, every one hastens home to eat, that all may be
ready at the beginning of the seventh hour in the church in Eleona, on the
Mount of Olives, where is the cave in which the Lord was wont to teach.
XXXI
1. Accordingly at the seventh hour all the people go up to the Mount of
Olives, that is, to Eleona, and the bishop with them, to the church, where
hymns and antiphons suitable to the day and to the place are said, and
lessons in like manner. And when the ninth hour approaches they go up with
hymns to the Imbomon, that is, to the place whence the Lord ascended into
heaven, and there they sit down, for all the people are always bidden to sit
when the bishop is present; the deacons alone always stand. Hymns and
antiphons suitable to the day and to the place are said, interspersed with
lections and prayers.
2. And as the eleventh hour approaches, the passage from the Gospel is read,
where the children, carrying branches and palms, met the Lord, saying;
Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord, and the bishop
immediately rises, and all the people with him, and they all go on foot from
the top of the Mount of Olives, all the people going before him with hymns
and antiphons, answering one to another: Blessed is He that cometh in the
name of the Lord.
3. And all the children in the neighbourhood, even those who are too young
to walk, are carried by their parents on their shoulders, all of them
bearing branches, some of palms and some of olives, and thus the bishop is
escorted in the same manner as the Lord was of old.
4. For all, even those of rank, both matrons and men, accompany the bishop
all the way on foot in this manner, making these responses, from the top of
the mount to the city, and thence through the whole city to the Anastasis,
going very slowly lest the people should be wearied; and thus they arrive at
the Anastasis at a late hour. And on arriving, although it is late,
lucernare takes place, with prayer at the Cross; after which the people are
dismissed.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Bill East" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Wednesday, July 20, 2005 6:26 AM
Subject: [M-R] Offertorium - 28
medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Offertorium - 28
Tyrer gives examples of the form of blessing of palms and the ensuing
procession according to various rites. Let us look at the forms of
blessing first. Of the older Roman rite (11th/12th centuries) he says:
'Palms, branches of other trees, and flowers are brought to the Chapel
of St Silvester in the Lateran Basilica and blessed by a Cardinal, who
says two prayers, Omnipotens Deus qui antequam and Omnipotens Deus
Christe, the latter being the Blessing proper. This done, some of the
branches are distributed to the laity, and the rest are taken by the
doorkeepers (ostiarii) into the Lateran palace, where the Pope
distributes them to the clergy. The procession follows.' (p. 53)
We may contrast this very simple service - two prayers - with what went
on in other places, notably [and silently I remove my shoes, for I am
on holy ground] Sarum:
'The Sarum Benediction of Palms began with a Lesson (Ex. xv. 27-
xvi.10) and a Gospel (John xii. 12-19), the former read by an Acolyte
in an alb, the latter by the Deacon in the same manner as on a Simple
Feast. The Gospel ended, the Priest in a red cope proceeded to bless
the palms and flowers, those intended for the clergy lying on (Sar.
Miss.), or before (Sar. Proc.), the altar, those for the laity on the
altar-step to the south. He began with an Exorcism (Exorcizo te
creatura florum vel frondium), followed by three Prayers... The palms
and flowers were then sprinkled with holy water and censed, and the
priest said a fourth prayer . . . after which the Palms, &c., were
distributed, the choir meanwhile singing the two Antiphons beginning
Pueri Hebraeorum.' (p. 51)
A similar performance took place at York:
'At York the first part of the rite was practically the same as at
Sarum, differences only beginning when we come to the actual Blessing.
This was given by the ecclesiastic of highest dignity present who was
vested in stole and white silk cope. As we have seen, he used two
Prayers only . . . The palms were then sprinkled with holy water,
censed and distributed, the choir meanwhile singing the two Antiphons
Pueri Hebraeorum and a third, Hosanna Filio David (Matt. xxi. 9). This
done, the Officiant said a versicle Ex ore lactantium (Ps. vii. 3) and
a Collect (Omnipotens sempiterne Deus qui Dominum nostrum Jesus
Christum die azymorum). (p. 52)
At Cantuar
was something similar:
'For Canterbury we are, as always, dependent on Cant[erbury]
Ben[edictional] and Lanfranc's Decreta . . . Both our authorities make
the rite begin with the Sar. Gospel (John xii. 12-19). Then the Abbot
or Priest blesses the palms, &c., before the high altar. Cant. Ben.
prescribes: first, an Exorcism . . . after which the palms are
sprinkled with holy water, while the Antiphon Asperges me . . . is
sung. This is followed by three Collects . . . Next, the palms are
censed during the sing of the Antiphon Domine ad te dirigatur . . .
Then two prayers more . . . and, lastly, a third in form of a
Eucharistic Preface . . . The sacristans now come forward and
distribute the palms to the Abbot and the more honourably persons
present - the flowers &c. to the rest, while, as in other rites, the
choir sings the two Antiphons Pueri Hebraeorum. Finally, the officiant
says the Prayer Omnipotens sempitern Deus . . . as at York.
To express this tersely: Everywhere except in Rome there was a deal of
poncing about. (Ubique, Roma excepta, multa erat Pontificatio).
Bill.
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