medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
George R. Hoelzeman wrote:
What sources are there which shed light on the character of the
ante-Nicean Liturgy? I obviously have a plethora of references on
structure and practice during that era, and yes, I am plodding through
bibliographies looking for further resources, however thusfar I've not
discovered specific description of how the community would arrange
itself during the various Liturgies.
George, the earliest references to liturgy of which I am aware are 1
Corinthians 10:16 and 11:20-22 and 33-34. Assuming Pauline authorship,
another contentious issue, the date of these citations would be sometime
in the 50s AD. You will not learn a great deal from them save that the
Corinthian Christians had what best might be called a proto-liturgy with
aspects Paul found objectionable. If we assume 1 Corinthians is a
genuine Pauline letter from the first century -- again a source of vast
scholarly food fights -- then we can date the beginnings of a liturgical
setting for the mass, in the sense that there was a set order in which
the various actions took place, to the mid first century or earlier (and
doubtless face acres [or hectares] of opponents).
Here in Québec, the orientation of older churches is generally altar to
the east. In vieux ville de Québec, I live on one of the few streets
that runs truly north and south. The street is oriented this way
because the cathedral's great west door opens onto it a block and a half
up the hill. Along the St. Lawrence, the orientation of some -- but far
from all -- churches is so precisely east-west that the navigational
pilots on ships use them as landmarks.
But I digress. Good luck and remember to wear your hardhat.
Regards,
Frank
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