medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
priestly angels
Not 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 -----
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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