medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
[log in to unmask] wrote:
>
> Dennis wrote:
>> Our parish, which has become a leading patron of liturgical arts in
>> the USA over the past 15 years, was faced with replacing the ancient
>> tile floor that had cracked and buckled in the heat of the last
>> really scorching Chicago summer about 6 years ago. A parishioner
>> designed a hardwood floor with various Christian symbols inlaid in
>> differeing colored woods. At the threshold of the center portal in
>> the nave a phrase was inlaid, "From this point onward, to the humble
>> mercy, to the proud, retribution" (Hinc hvmilibvs, venia, hinc
>> retribvtio svperbis." ( http://www.cantius.org/Cyber-Tour-2.htm ).
>> Where the phrase comes from, I don't know--I'm sure it has a
>> pedigree, but the pastor of the parish most probably learned of it
>> from seeing it in another setting, not from reading the writtings of
>> one of the Fathers of the Church or any ecclesiastical author. Now
>> I'm curious about it and will have to ask him the next time I see
>> him.
>
> Dennis, when you find out, please enlighten the rest of us.
> It echoes Luke 1:52 ("deposuit potentes de sede et exaltavit
> humiles").
The explanation is actually given on the website: it is to be found as
inscriptions below the statues of St Peter and St Paul on the Ponte S.
Angelo, see:
http://www.romeartlover.it/Vasi85a.htm
"Venia" doesn't seem to be a biblical word.
John Briggs
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