 |
 |
medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture There seems to be some confusion about the function of the piscina. I always understood the need for the piscine to be not for the water from the washing of the priest's hands at the "lavabo" (they're not THAT sacred), but for the cleansing of the chalice (and ciborium) which held the sacred species (even if the chalice is rinsed once and the water from it drunk after communion) and the cleansing of the priest's or deacon's hands after touching the hosts. Most Catholic churches, including cathedrals,have only one such sink for the priests or sacristan to use. Even though Ockham as a priest used another basin for his shaving razor, I don't see any need to multiply piscinae unnecessarily. We should, however, check the medieval regulations. GHB >medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture > >>> >>> A portable altar? Temporary altars, and nave altars? There are plenty >>> of places in churches where we can be confident that there were altars, >>> but no trace of a piscina can now be found. I agree that some sort of >>> arrangement must have been made, but we cannot be certain what was >>> actually done. >> >> Surely a bowl and a jug/pitcher of water on a table beside the altar >> would answer the need. > >It is the drain that is the main problem - and was obviously seen as >essential, as so much effort went into providing a permanent piscina. > >John Briggs > > >Yes, but was the used water considered sacred in any way? Piscinas drain >into the ground. Surely the water from a bowl could be carefully poured >into the churchyard? > >I suppose I am approaching this problem in an entirely practical/housewifely >way. A fixed washbasin with a drain is far more convenient than a bowl that >has to be carried away and emptied, but the latter is not to be despised if >needed. > >If the nave altar in our church is where I think it would have been, no way >could there have been a piscina, unless the Priest was willing to walk to a >side chapel to wash his hands. > >Anne > >********************************************************************** >To join the list, send the message: join medieval-religion YOUR NAME >to: [log in to unmask] >To send a message to the list, address it to: >[log in to unmask] >To leave the list, send the message: leave medieval-religion >to: [log in to unmask] >In order to report problems or to contact the list's owners, write to: >[log in to unmask] >For further information, visit our web site: >http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/medieval-religion.html -- George Hardin Brown, Professor of English Emeritus Department of English, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305-2087 Home: 451 Adobe Place, Palo Alto, CA 94306-4501 Phones: Mobile: 650-269-9898; Fax: 650-725-0755; Home: 650-852-1231 ********************************************************************** To join the list, send the message: join medieval-religion YOUR NAME to: [log in to unmask] To send a message to the list, address it to: [log in to unmask] To leave the list, send the message: leave medieval-religion to: [log in to unmask] In order to report problems or to contact the list's owners, write to: [log in to unmask] For further information, visit our web site: http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/medieval-religion.html