medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
The Magdalen College pontifical also states 'de sinistro angulo ab oriente . . . usque in dextrum angulum occidentalem . . . et a dextro angulo orientali . . . usque in sinistrum angulum occidentalem'. I did wonder about which corner was meant by sinister - left as one sees it facing east i.e. north, rather that 'stage left'?
Thank you, Carlos, for the offer of your paper - would it be possible to send it as an attachment to my email address (below)?
The diagram does assume a simple, rectangular building. The church I'm thinking of probably had a semi-circular apse in the twelfth century (this was replaced with a rectangular chancel in the 13th century).
It has been suggested to me that there would not have been a ceremony at the institution of the priest, when he was presented to the parish by his patron in 1219. The church would, presumably, have been consecrated a hundred or so years earlier when it had been built - but it seems it is possible that the full ceremony would not have occurred then?
Thank you everyone for all your help - I didn't realise what an interesting discussion I was initiating!
Cate
On 7 Apr 2010, at 00:25, John Briggs wrote:
medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Whether the 1961 Pontificale Romanum is unchanged from medieval practice is, of course, the point at issue! There was no Roman Pontifical until 1596 (and the Roman Curia exceeded the brief given them by the Council of Trent -- to issue a new Breviary and Missal -- by issuing the 1596 Pontificale and the 1614 Rituale.) But William Durandus's 13th-century pontifical was hugely influential and practically determined all subsequent one. But we are concerned with earlier versions. The Carolingian Ordo translated by Repsher seems to be the earliest, which is why it would be nice to nail down precisely what it says. There seems to be general confusion: Bishop Wordsworth quotes from the "Spotted Book" which starts both alphabets from the east. I am looking at David de Bernham's Pontifical (early 13th century) and it clearly states that the Greek alphabet is inscribed from north-east to south-west [de sinistro angulo ab oriente ... usque in dextrum angulum occidentalem] and the Latin alphabet then from south-east to north-west [a dextro angulo orientali ... usque in sinistrum angulum occidentalem]. The Liber Pontificalis of Edmund Lacy says the same.
John Briggs
On 06/04/2010 22:45, Stan Metheny wrote:
medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
FWIW, the rubric in the 1961 _Pontificale Romanum_ [unchanged from medieval
practice?] states:
'. . . scribit . . . alphabetum graecum incipiens ab angulo inferiore
sinistro, et alphabetum latinum incipiens ab angulo inferior dextero . . .'
Assuming the main altar in the church is against the East wall, as the
diagram in the _PR_ does, then the Greek letters go from north-west up to
south-east, and the Latin from south-west up to north-east.
Stan Metheny
Some years ago I publshed a paper on the church consecration rite. If you
are interested, I can send you a copy of it. Besides, you can see a
diagram
