medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
I'd always assumed these lamps were associated with bede rolls which are lists
of people who have given money to benefit their soul or the soul of someone
else. There are some bede rolls that still survive, and I seem to recall that
Duffy worked on the one in Morebath, Devon in his book on that parish. I don't
think the donations are from the poor necessarily.
Kit French
On Thu, 30 Mar 2006 20:11:16 EST
Ann Ball <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
>
> I ran across a reference that in c. 1500s England, the churches usually had
>
> alms lamps (all souls or dead lamps) on or near the altar. In at least one
>
> church this was a bowl with a taper in it; in at least one other it was an
>oil
> lamp. I read one will where a man left money for it but Eamon Duffy in his
>
> new book says that at that parish (the one he is writing about) it was
> supported by small alms from the poor in memory of their dead.
>
> I am hoping that someone on this list may know a bit more about this type
> of
> light and possibly even have a picture of one. I'd like to know if the
> donations were normally from the poor and when and why the custom declined
>or
> was forbidden. I'm guessing that it went out with many of the Purgatorian
> practices due to the reformation but that's just a guess.
>
>
> In case you are curious why I am even asking its because I write the
> newsletter for the Basilian Fathers Missions (Latin American Apostolate).
> Our
> biggest donations come in with our annual November (All Saints-All Souls)
> newsletter. As a new (old) idea, this year we may do a little article on
>this
> medieval custom and put an Alms Lamp in the chapel in Sugar Land (mission
>hdqtrs)
> to burn for the month of November in memory of the dead mission priests and
> co-missionaries (donors). But I'd really like to know a little more about
>it
> and don't expect I can easily find much either in my home or the public
> library on it. I actually found the first reference to it in a medieval
>murder
> mystery, believe it or not!
>
> I'd also like to know if the churches of this time kept some sort of book
> where they recorded the names of their dead. If so, what was it called? I
> mean, of course, something commemorative and not just the parish register.
>
> thanks to anyone who wants to comment on this -- you can feel good in
> helpig
> support the missions.
>
> Ann Ball
>
>
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