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medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture >all the time this is interesting, especially on the carolingian angle, which I'll try to follow up. I'm not familiar from the English material with people being measured after the cure; it seems to be something done before the cure (or whatever) as a way of creating a bond between the individual and the saint. Sometimes it's accompanied by a vow; more often it seems to stand, as it were, in the place of a vow, or to carry with it an implied vow. Sue >medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture >Arghk. Did you ever know you had read something and just can't >remember where? I recall this measuring was something I had looked >up and used in an old article on Ex Votos. What I actually wrote >was: > >The candles lighted by the faithful and burning before the Blessed >Sacrament, relics, or images of the saints in any church are ex >votos. The origin of the use of votive candles is obscure, but from >earliest times there was a symbolism attached to their use. As the >incense sending up its cloud of fragrance was a symbol of prayer, so >the candle consuming itself was a type of sacrifice. Grateful >clients in the Middle Ages "measured themselves" to a particular >saint by setting up a candle the same height or weight as the person >who had received or desired some favor. Although ex voto candles are >burned in almost all Catholic churches and shrines, some are more >noted for this than others. At the shrine of the Virgin of San Juan >in San Juan, Texas, so many votive candles are lit by the pilgrims >that a shrine employee is kept constantly busy removing these from >in front of the altar and taking them on a little cart to a large >room set aside for them where they can finish burning. > >Unfortunately I didn't put a citation i that article. I seem to >recall I used that information in my first book on sacramentals and >got it from something about candles. You might try the old Catholic >Encyclopedia. I also seem to recall it started in the Carolingen >area. If you need me to look further, email me off list and I'll >check for sources. > >Ann Ball > > > > >Get a sneak peek of the all-new ><http://discover.aol.com/memed/aolcom30tour/?ncid=AOLAOF00020000000982>AOL.com. >********************************************************************** >To join the list, send the message: join medieval-religion YOUR NAME >to: [log in to unmask] To send a message to the list, address >it to: [log in to unmask] To leave the list, send the >message: leave medieval-religion to: [log in to unmask] In >order to report problems or to contact the list's owners, write to: >[log in to unmask] For further information, >visit our web site: >http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/medieval-religion.html -- Susan J. Ridyard Chair, Department of History Director, Sewanee Medieval Colloquium The University of the South 735 University Ave Sewanee TN 37383 USA ********************************************************************** To join the list, send the message: join medieval-religion YOUR NAME to: [log in to unmask] To send a message to the list, address it to: [log in to unmask] To leave the list, send the message: leave medieval-religion to: [log in to unmask] In order to report problems or to contact the list's owners, write to: [log in to unmask] For further information, visit our web site: http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/medieval-religion.html