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medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture

Durandus' Rationale divinorum officiorum has sections on curtains and veils (1.3.35-41; 4.1.13; 4.35.3), which include the reason Graham gives and various other more and less fanciful explanations. There is now a partial English translation by Timothy Thibodeau, the co-editor of the critical ed. in CCCM 140, 140A, 140B:

Guillaume Durand, The Rationale divinorum officiorum of William Durand of Mende: A New Translation of the Prologue and Book One, [trans. by] Timothy M. Thibodeau, New York: Columbia University Press, 2007.

Book 1 also contains two long chapters on the symbolism of the rituals for dedicating a church and an altar (1.6, 1.7), including reasons why salt is mixed with the water for sprinkling, why the Greek and Latin alphabets are written in ash and sand, and so on. Durandus often provides multiple explanations (three is obviously his favourite number), showing the great complexity and multivalence of these rituals, or at least of their interpretation. -- Paul Chandler
    


On 7 April 2010 16:15, Graham Jones <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture

Imitating priestly practice in the Temple, perhaps? The Holy of Holies was curtained off because there the priest was understood to be in the presence of God. 'And the veil of the Temple was rent in twain.'

Best wishes

Graham




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Paul Chandler, O.Carm.
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