Claire Sahlin wrote:
>
> What about women who died before they could be
> "purified" after childbirth? I once read that they
> were buried in unconsecrated ground.
I would be very interested to learn more about this. Rashly, I once
wrote the following, about Calvinist Guernsey:
'In 1593 a minister asked what should be done about a recent report of
"women who are churched for those who die in childbed" (_femmes
lesqueles se relevent pour celes qui sont mortes en couche_). The
traditional rite of churching of women had surprisingly been continued
by the Reformed Church. The alleged error appears to have arisen as a
consequence of the popular belief that a woman dying without being
churched should not be allowed a Christian burial. This was not in fact
a matter of dogma, Calvinist or otherwise. The misconception nonetheless
apparently led to some individuals impersonating deceased women, and
appearing at services to be churched, presumably in the hope of
providing retrospective benefit for the souls of the departed. The
minister was required by the Colloquy to investigate this, and if true,
suspend the offenders from the cene in the consistory.'
I appreciate this question concerns a period outside the Medieval
parameters of the List, but could somebody kindly point me to the
Catholic dogma which I have said did not exist, which apparently did!?
Many thanks
Darryl Ogier
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Dr D.M. Ogier
Island Archives Service
29 Victoria Road
St Peter Port
Guernsey GY1 1HU
British Isles.
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