medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
priestly angelsNot exactly. I claim no expertise on this topic, nor am I aware of exhaustive studies of this in art and/or theology. But the treatment in art and theology doesn't appear to be clear or consistent, at least to me. E.g., in the Hebrew Scriptures priests are referred to as angels (in the sense of messengers) of the Lord. [Mal 2:7, labia enim sacerdotis custodient scientiam et legem requirent ex ore eius quia angelus Domini exercituum est.]
FWIW, my understanding is that theologians made a distinction between the sacramental /liturgical and non sacramental/liturgical roles of the priest. It would seem that angels could function in the latter but not the former. A few quotes to illustrate:
Thomas a Kempis: Grande mysterium et magna dignitas sacerdotum, quibus datum est quod angelis non est concessum. Soli namque sacerdotes in Ecclesia rite ordinati potestatem habent celebrandi et corpus Christi consecrandi. [_De Imitatione Christi_, Bk 4; Ch 5; 1]
Also, cf. the famous remark attributed to -among others- St. Francis of Assisi that "If I saw an Angel and a priest, I would bend my knee first to the priest and then to the Angel."
Saint Laurence Justinian, speaking of priests, "Oh, how very great is their power. A word falls from their lips and the body of Christ is there substantially formed from the matter of bread, and the Incarnate Word descended from heaven, is found really present on the table of the altar! Never did divine goodness give such power to the angels. The angels abide by the order of God, but the priests take him in their hands, distribute him to the faithful, and partake of him as food for themselves."
St. Bernard: "The dignity of the priesthood surpases all the dignities of kings, of emperors, and of angels."
St. Peter Damien: "Although angels may be present, they yet wait for the priest to exercise his power, but no one of them has the power of the keys-of binding and of loosening."
So an angel could perhaps have distributed the Eucharist, but could not have confected it. Being vested with stola and also sometimes in tunic would be appropriate for that role as well as perhaps the messenger/preacher/proclaimer/minister role. Does anyone know if there are contrary views? Or representations of angels vested in chasuble?
Stan Metheny
----- Original Message -----
From: Phyllis G. Jestice
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: Wednesday, November 30, 2005 8:16 AM
Subject: [M-R] priestly angels
medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Aren't angels honorary priests? They often appear, at least in fifteenth-century art, wearing stolas.
Phyllis
medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Phyllis Jestice wrote:
Today (30. November) is the feast day of:
Andrew
In the Sarum Calendar, an Inferior double feast.
Frederick of Regensburg (blessed) (d. 1329) Frederick was born to a
poor family of Regensburg and became a lay brother at the local house
of Augustinian hermits, where he was employed as a carpenter. F. got
a reputation as a miracle-worker, and even received communion from an
angel.
Is that permitted? What is the clerical status of angels? Was it a Reserved Sacrament?
John Briggs
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Phyllis G. Jestice
Associate Professor
History Department
University of Southern Mississippi
Hattiesburg, MS 39406-5047
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