tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21262073970718827602024-03-20T00:27:04.792-07:00Feasts, Fasts, Saints and the Medieval ChurchSaints, Pilgrimage, Liturgy, Art, Music, Tradition, Faith, the Gospels and the Apostolic Church; Our Devotion from the Resurrection,to the Middle Ages, to Now +Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12759054514480504146noreply@blogger.comBlogger85125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2126207397071882760.post-67208450730571758152013-05-31T16:00:00.001-07:002013-10-03T05:21:00.104-07:00A Place for Corpus Christi in the Anglican Church. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirw4HqUtFjMtSjE3LZQWdvZn0HWkvQVTTFaJoDwQJ_xR5h4Uc_-S1eIH4clEge0jYmTDO9SrhDO9yoBGiLmj3qZOmmAT-LHG7tiz90UowcpWcHRXcn33qqe2-WNvsbIUD-U-0HWt9TvBA/s1600/Corpus+Christi+Time+Square.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirw4HqUtFjMtSjE3LZQWdvZn0HWkvQVTTFaJoDwQJ_xR5h4Uc_-S1eIH4clEge0jYmTDO9SrhDO9yoBGiLmj3qZOmmAT-LHG7tiz90UowcpWcHRXcn33qqe2-WNvsbIUD-U-0HWt9TvBA/s400/Corpus+Christi+Time+Square.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Anglican Corpus Christ, Time Square, New York City.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Since the Reformation, and particularly since the genesis of Cranmer's Thirty-Nine Articles, the feast of Corpus et Sanguine Christi, the Body and Blood of Christ, has had an awkward position in the Anglican Church. Article XXV 'Of the Sacrament' says "The Sacraments were not ordained of Christ to be gazed upon, or carried about, but that we should duly use them" -a strict rejection of the Corpus Christi Liturgy. I agree that the Sacrament should not be 'carried about' and 'gazed upon' only to be left unused. The Blessed Sacrament and its feast day should not be directly associated with the doctrinal abuses of medieval popes and prelates. The original purpose for Corpus Christi was to be a celebration of the Christ's sacrifice and the Church's eternal communication with that sacrifice. If the Church's duty is to bring all the people it can into an understanding communion with Christ then Corpus Christi, following the Easter and Pentecost seasons should be celebrated as the Church's offering to the world the Eucharist. If the Church's duty is to bring all the people it can into an understanding communion with Christ then Corpus Christ, following the Easter and Pentecost seasons should be celebrated as the Church's offering to the world the Eucharist.<br />
<br />
The Feast of Corpus Christi was instituted only in 1246 for the Thursday after Trinity Sunday. Among the reasons for its establishment were growing popular devotion to the Blessed Sacrament (many urban areas had dozens of lay-societies or 'confraternities' dedicated to the Blessed Sacrament -Liege had over forty) and thus the desire of many to have a festival allocated for it, and conflicts over the nature of the sacrament. At the time the feast was established, Pope Urban IV asked St. Thomas Aquinas to write the liturgy for the feast and to explain the nature of the sacrament. (It is from St. Thomas Aquinas that we get the hymns 'O Salutaris Hostia' (O Saving Victim), 'Pangue Lingua' (Sing my Tongue), Tantum Ergo, and several others.) Corpus Christi remains the Church's holiday to celebrate the institution of the Eucharist. A celebration of the Sacrament was meant to reflect a celebration of the our salvation by Christ's flesh and blood given up on the cross. As I said in a previous post, on <a href="http://feastssaintsmedievalchurch.blogspot.com/2013/02/anglican-eucharistic-theology.html">Anglican Eucharistic Theology</a>, I think that the early Christian belief of the nature of the Sacrament, that it is the body of Christ both in essence and efficacy to those who believe it is just that, complies in high and low-church. The Anglican Church does in fact, through its worship in the Book of Common Prayer, make plain its belief in Christ's presence in the Eucharist -this is furthur investigated in Bruce Ford's essay <a href="http://www.gracechurchinnewark.org/how-the-episcopal-church-teaches.php">"How the Episcopal Church Teaches the Catholic Faith."</a> Whatever a parish believes about the nature of the Blessed Sacrament, however, the feast is appropriate in both high and low-Church traditions because it is the Church's thanksgiving for its continuing communion with Christ and its worship -and the Eucharist remains the principal liturgy of the Anglican Church whatever its orientation. This is the traditional reason for the celebration of the Body and Blood of Christ, but I believe that with today's position of Christianity there is yet another reason.<br />
<br />
Another case for keeping the feast of Corpus Christi is its proximity to the Pentecost and the liturgy's inclusion of an outdoor procession. It is very rare to find societies that are wholly Christian today -much less Christians of the orthodox faith. Corpus Christi can be celebrated then both as the Church's celebration of the Eucharist and 'Pentecost in action' by bringing the Eucharist out of the church and into the world to proclaim the risen Christ. As part of the Church's duty is to bring people into it, Corpus Christi as a sharing of Christ via the Eucharist is appropriate in the season after Pentecost when the Church celebrated its foundation and the beginning of its spread all over the world. The Corpus Christ Liturgy does not have to be an outdoor procession in the traditional sense, it can be any way of bringing the Eucharist to the masses. A procession of the sacrament or even celebrating the Eucharist outdoors in a public area would cover both aspects of the feast: a thanksgiving for the institution of the Eucharist and the revelation of the risen Christ to the world.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP98wT06MneaCT8DSXBQbDHPhbz5_ef1I3UBCwJa9ZJ4hCURZH0uaCMRO5eUvYk9_Dn-MMJE2-yWl9FVnfeh8p7j-A28SKTttjS0hCQ-utt7v53dN-_g_CFy-OpZ3IMYmrZq-KtyFgRgc/s1600/Archbishop+of+Canterbury+celebrate+Communion+Eucharist+mass.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP98wT06MneaCT8DSXBQbDHPhbz5_ef1I3UBCwJa9ZJ4hCURZH0uaCMRO5eUvYk9_Dn-MMJE2-yWl9FVnfeh8p7j-A28SKTttjS0hCQ-utt7v53dN-_g_CFy-OpZ3IMYmrZq-KtyFgRgc/s400/Archbishop+of+Canterbury+celebrate+Communion+Eucharist+mass.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
O God, Who under this wondrous Sacrament hast left us a memorial of Thy Passion, grant us, we beseech Thee, so to reverence the mysteries of Thy Body and Blood, that in ourselves we may ever sensibly have fruition of the redemption which Thou has wrought. Who with thine only Son Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit, lives and reigns, one God, now and forever. Amen. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Collect for Corpus Christi from the Sarum Missal.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2126207397071882760.post-59053017807052797382013-03-30T21:16:00.001-07:002013-04-04T14:21:51.116-07:00Veneration of the Cross and the Liturgy of the Easter Sepulchre: Triduum Liturgies in Medieval England. <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNtKWKZG-MSsVBmRPnTPlFWFgk6StQlGkZ1hFclAgKOwvTUGYcv1S-oNKEDTybvSI6t-mje7uCwiT2RBwurplHaZwQxOeM_Jo5TsJaMpfHeoKWWojuo6fbxE2soWDoK85I17h0TL8Zrt4/s1600/All+saints+hawton+easter+sepulcher.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNtKWKZG-MSsVBmRPnTPlFWFgk6StQlGkZ1hFclAgKOwvTUGYcv1S-oNKEDTybvSI6t-mje7uCwiT2RBwurplHaZwQxOeM_Jo5TsJaMpfHeoKWWojuo6fbxE2soWDoK85I17h0TL8Zrt4/s400/All+saints+hawton+easter+sepulcher.jpg" width="255" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All Saints, Hawton, Easter Sepulcher. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The Liturgy of Good Friday is an ancient one. As I mentioned in a post on <a href="http://feastssaintsmedievalchurch.blogspot.com/2013/03/st-cyril-of-jerusalem-march-18.html">St. Cyril of Jerusalem</a>, the liturgy of the Veneration of the Cross has its origins in the rites created and performed at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem in the 4th century -when Cyril was Bishop there. In Jerusalem, the actual planks from the true cross were kept in Constantine's basilica and in a rite recorded by a 4th century Spanish nun, Egeria, displayed for veneration by pilgrims.<br />
<br />
<div>
<span style="background-color: #666666; color: #eeeeee; font-family: inherit;">"Then a chair is placed for the bishop in Golgotha behind the Cross, which is now standing; the bishop duly takes his seat in the chair, and a table covered with a linen cloth is placed before him; the deacons stand round the table, and a silver-gilt casket is brought in which is the holy wood of the Cross. The casket is opened and (the wood) is taken out, and both the wood of the Cross and the title are placed upon the table. Now, when it has been put upon the table, the bishop, as he sits, holds the extremities of the sacred wood firmly in his hands, while the deacons who stand around guard it. It is guarded thus because the custom is that the people, both faithful and catechumens, come one by one and, bowing down at the table, kiss the sacred wood and pass through. And because, I know not when, some one is said to have bitten off and stolen a portion of the sacred wood, it is thus guarded by the deacons who stand around, lest any one approaching should venture to do so again."</span><br />
<br />
The liturgy made its way into several regional rites including the Sarum and Durham rites in England, where it became part of the larger and more genuinely English 'Liturgy of the Easter Sepulcher.' In English Cathedrals and parish churches, the Easter Sepulchre served as the Easter Garden or Altar of Repose, which are more common today. The rite for the Easter Sepulchre, however, stretched through each day of Triduum. This way, all parts of the Triduum liturgies focused on the Resurrection. After all, we don't venerate the cross because by it Christ was killed, but because "by the Cross, joy hath come into the whole world." We venerate the cross for Christ's resurrection, as the instrument which brought about our Salvation. This is part of the rite for the veneration in the Sarum Missal.<br />
<br />
Priest: <i>Behold the wood of the Cross, on which hung the savior of the world. O Come let us adore.</i><br />
Choir: <i>We adore Thy Cross, Or Lord, and we praise and glorify Thy holy Resurrection, for by the Cross, joy hath come into the world. </i><br />
<br /></div>
<div>
After the Veneration of the Cross, or Creeping to the Cross as it was called in England, the crucifix was taken in procession with the reserved sacrament from Maundy Thursday to a stone structure on the north side of the chancel that bore resemblance to either the sedelia or a wall-tomb. Both the crucifix and the sacrament were then placed in a carved wooden or gilded box similar to a reliquary which rested like a chest or feretory on the stone slab (like an altar) of the sepulchre much like a saint's reliquary rests on the stone of a table-shrine (like the shrine of St. Frideswide pictured in the blog cover). The sepulchres often feature the soldiers sleeping round the tomb, the women visiting and the angels. Some even have a special compartment for the Sacrament which resembles the carved tomb. </div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8-IR07a9VsPUIIQ6kNU4Vhu9cLHOVk5UhrbRzdFYlxM_O0Oy0RN4IkfN8R4RqdHlrEfwca5llktC-Ci_iZYBBuA79B16kc1iTqsFBmlO1TlkJ1AwvbzZ4DSI-b1gYIS5jv2UtJ0n5X-s/s1600/St.+Peter+and+Paul+Church,+East+Harling+easter+sepulcher.GIF" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8-IR07a9VsPUIIQ6kNU4Vhu9cLHOVk5UhrbRzdFYlxM_O0Oy0RN4IkfN8R4RqdHlrEfwca5llktC-Ci_iZYBBuA79B16kc1iTqsFBmlO1TlkJ1AwvbzZ4DSI-b1gYIS5jv2UtJ0n5X-s/s320/St.+Peter+and+Paul+Church,+East+Harling+easter+sepulcher.GIF" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">St. Peter's East Harling. The chest sat like a reliquary on the slab. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
The author of the "Rites of Durham" recorded the performance of the Liturgy of the Easter Sepulchre at Durham Cathedral which, because of the local importance of <a href="http://feastssaintsmedievalchurch.blogspot.com/2013/03/st-cuthbert-of-lindisfarne-march-20.html">St. Cuthbert</a>, interestingly included an image of Christ with St. Cuthbert.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg57H4J17mhf6SGywN-mHMcx70RyJMC_JuTwjhLBwo1VFvPJWr_NYAEXCcQ6AWy43rkcm8affxfCDfhTC0UWwi2OBPOpuJ3tqyrTJ5sYgdejvzxfrOnQPBfgC-kQ2ucZkNXw8zviWXXSwg/s1600/Easter+Sepulcher+lincoln+cathedral.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg57H4J17mhf6SGywN-mHMcx70RyJMC_JuTwjhLBwo1VFvPJWr_NYAEXCcQ6AWy43rkcm8affxfCDfhTC0UWwi2OBPOpuJ3tqyrTJ5sYgdejvzxfrOnQPBfgC-kQ2ucZkNXw8zviWXXSwg/s320/Easter+Sepulcher+lincoln+cathedral.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sepulcher with soldiers, Lincoln Cathedral. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="background-color: #666666; color: #eeeeee;">"Within the Abbye Church of Durham uppon good friday theire was marvelous solemne service, in the which service time after the passion was sung two of the eldest monkes did take a goodly large crucifix all of gold of the picture of our saviour Christ nailed uppon the crosse lyinge uppon a velvett cushion, havinge St Cuthberts armes uppon it all imbroydered with gold bringinge that betwixt them uppon the said cushion to the lowest stepps in the quire, and there betwixt them did hold the said picture of our saviour sittinge of every side on ther knees of that , and then one of the said monkes did rise and went a prettye way from it sittinge downe uppon his knees with his shoes put of[f] verye reverently did creepe away uppon his knees unto the said crosse and most reverently did kisse it, and after him the other monkes did so likewise , and then they did sitt them downe on eyther side of the said crosse and holdinge it betwixt them, and after that the prior came forth of his stall, and did sitt him downe of his knees with his shooes of[f] and in like sort did creepe also unto the said crosse and all the monkes after him one after an nother, in the same order, and, in the meane time all the whole quire singinge an Himne, the service beinge ended the two monkes did carrye it to the sepulchre with great reverence, which sepulchre was sett upp in the morninge on the north side of the quire nigh to the high altar before the service time and there did lay it within the said sepulchre, with great devotion with another picture of our saviour Christ, in whose breast they did enclose with great reverence the most holy and blessed sacrament of the altar senceinge and prayinge unto it uppon theire knees a great space settinge two taper lighted before it, which tapers did burne unto Easter day in the morninge that it was taken forth."</span><br />
<br />
<br />
The precise liturgy, though different than the one at Durham, is also found in the Sarum Missal. At Salisbury, after Communion from the reserved Sacrament, the celebrant and a deacon removed their vestments and their shoes and approached the Sepulchre, placing the wooded crucifix (often described as a cross or image of the Christ on the cross) and the pyx with the Sacrament inside the chest in the Easter Sepulchre.<br />
The priest began:<br />
<br />
<i>P. I am counted as one of them that go down into the pit: I have been even as a man that hath no strenght, free among the dead.</i><br />
<i>V. Thou hast laid me in the lowest pit, in a place of Darkness and in the Deep. There have I been. </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
The Sepulcher door was then shut and the service ended with no dismissal as it is still done.<br />
<br />
The Liturgy of the Easter Sepulchre continued on Easter Day as the first part of the ceremonies. At Sarum the procession went first to the Sepulchre and "after censing it with great veneration" removed the pyx and the cross and after proclaiming "<i>Christ being raised</i>" began the great Alleluia and took the Sacrament to the high altar for adoration.<br />
<br />
The 'Rites of Durham' also contains a record of this ceremony:<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieROAU_ZRqM7EZhwBzgze4Lp6nElrHaFw3GTPNK2-16n_wIuCbuRgwVuTTV9oJsjQRGj6DgUCe4HhJBOaHikiOoljcaDn4vfaUCwhBdCWYMDiAaXrOYKfdlXacBR_xax7PIdYiIsJxgRg/s1600/Coity,+Glamorgan,+Easter+Sepulchre+1500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieROAU_ZRqM7EZhwBzgze4Lp6nElrHaFw3GTPNK2-16n_wIuCbuRgwVuTTV9oJsjQRGj6DgUCe4HhJBOaHikiOoljcaDn4vfaUCwhBdCWYMDiAaXrOYKfdlXacBR_xax7PIdYiIsJxgRg/s200/Coity,+Glamorgan,+Easter+Sepulchre+1500.jpg" width="168" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Coity, Glamorgan, Wales. The chest <br />
with symbols of the passion. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
"There was in the abbye church of duresme [Durham] verye solemne service uppon easter day betweene 3 and 4 of the clocke in the morninge in honour of the resurrection where 2 of the oldest monkes of the quire came to the sepulchre, being sett upp upon good friday after the passion all covered with redd velvett and embrodered with gold, and then did sence it either monke with a paire of silver sencors sittinge on theire knees before the sepulchre, then they both risinge came to the sepulchre, out of the which with great reverence they tooke a marvelous beautiful Image of our saviour representinge the resurrection with a crosse in his hand in the breast wheof was enclosed in bright Christall the holy sacrament of the altar, throughe the which christall the blessed host was conspicuous, to the behoulders, then after the elevation of the said picture carryed by the said 2 monkes uppon a faire velvett cushion all embrodered singinge the anthem of christus resurgens they brought to the high altar settinge that on the midst therof whereon it stood the two monkes kneelinge on theire knees before the altar, and senceing it all the time that the rest of the whole quire was in singinge the foresaid anthem of Xpus resrugens, the which anthem being ended the 2 monkes tooke up the cushines and the picture from the altar supportinge it betwixt them, proceeding in procession from the high altar to the south quire dore where there was 4 antient gentlemen belonginge to the prior appointed to attend theire cominge holdinge upp a most rich cannopye of purple velvett tached round about with redd silke, and gold fringe, and at everye corner did stand one of theise ancient gentlemen to beare it over the said Image, with the holy sacrament carried by two monkes round about the church the whole quire waitinge uppon it with goodly torches and great store of other lights, all singinge rejoyceinge and praising god most devoutly till they came to the high altar againe, wheron they did place the said Image there to remaine untill the assencion day."<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinfUL5QHO29Iu8XUnkRyGZXFON_UszeEilJfCH_aCWck1EPLtL-LBNWKc2d3ARGTnUW7Nm9sg581NY7VSXBEXaGd7yf7WZLYLkGLe5zPl1tuo9qlYYLAI37vJbQhjedYBwPkfNn6j-JJM/s1600/St+Andrew,+Heckington+The+Easter+Sepulchre.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinfUL5QHO29Iu8XUnkRyGZXFON_UszeEilJfCH_aCWck1EPLtL-LBNWKc2d3ARGTnUW7Nm9sg581NY7VSXBEXaGd7yf7WZLYLkGLe5zPl1tuo9qlYYLAI37vJbQhjedYBwPkfNn6j-JJM/s320/St+Andrew,+Heckington+The+Easter+Sepulchre.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #5c5c5c; color: #efe7dd; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;">St. Andrew Heckington sepulcher with the </span><br style="background-color: #5c5c5c; color: #efe7dd; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: #5c5c5c; color: #efe7dd; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;">soldiers, women and angels.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
The Veneration of the Cross and the Liturgy of the Easter Sepulcher, though rarely used, both bear relevance to the Triduum experience for the Church today. These are not merely medieval filler, added to lengthen the ceremonies or embellish the celebration, but are a liturgical reenactment of the death and Resurrection of Christ, the foundations of our Christian faith. Just as these acts in the life of Christ complete the foundation of our faith, their reenactment remains the core of our Triduum liturgies. These rites allow each of us to engage in the acts of crucifixion and Resurrection that happened two thousand years ago. Physically and emotionally we experience the sadness and rejection of sin and death leading to the cross and the unmatchable joy in the resurrection, Christ's victory over death on the cross, and in the comfort that Christ, God made human, has lived, died, lived again and stayed with us so that we two may really live.<br />
<br />
Collect (From the Episcopal Church, BCP, Easter):<br />
<span style="background-color: #666666; color: #eeeeee; font-family: inherit;">O God, who for our redemption didst give thine only-begotten Son to the death of the cross, and by his glorious resurrection hast delivered us from the power of our enemy: Grant us so to die daily to sin, that we may evermore live with him in the joy of his resurrection; through Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. <em>Amen.</em></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2126207397071882760.post-45452706973052384902013-03-25T19:45:00.002-07:002013-06-02T18:51:12.571-07:00The Liturgy of Palm Sunday, Palm Branches as Symbols of Victory and the 'Calvaries' of Brittany.<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaDVGOrR3fxBdLYzPdtWuy1ytToluHcsKbIOinLEkSUo_Yn0xxgXV6LdO_vMPdJ2Mn7ksmf4YFI4aYYh1V9yqxHbvRyoxJHGtgaC_xcMR89G9VPBvIuD6kHtqVTkt4AvIw1HFXX-J6NnU/s1600/giotto+palm+sunday.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="376" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaDVGOrR3fxBdLYzPdtWuy1ytToluHcsKbIOinLEkSUo_Yn0xxgXV6LdO_vMPdJ2Mn7ksmf4YFI4aYYh1V9yqxHbvRyoxJHGtgaC_xcMR89G9VPBvIuD6kHtqVTkt4AvIw1HFXX-J6NnU/s400/giotto+palm+sunday.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Palm Sunday as represented by Giotto in the Arena Chapel, Padua.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The celebration of Palm Sunday as we know it dates back to 4th century Jerusalem and remains party of the liturgy in almost all Christian Churches around the world. It is an odd Sunday to celebrate: a Sunday, as one Episcopal Priest lately put it "a Sunday filled with confusing emotions because we have this ominous feeling of what is coming." Christ knew what would happen to him when he came to Jerusalem; it was part of his Sacrifice. Jesus' self -Sacrifice did not start when Judas betrayed him to the priests, but when he rode into Jerusalem on the Donkey.<br />
Christians in Jerusalem before the Edict of Milan (A.D. 315) would not have been able to worship to openly but once Christians were free to worship, a Palm Sunday procession into the gates of Jerusalem, just as Good Friday and Easter were celebrated at Constantine's Church of the Holy Sepulcher, probably started very soon after. St. Cyril of Jerusalem, Bishop there from 349 to 386, is thought to be the writer of these liturgies which also include a foot-washing for Maundy Thursday and the Veneration of the Cross -where a piece of the True Cross was actually venerated.Because of the thousands of pilgrims who were now coming to Jerusalem we are lucky to have a picture of the Holy Week Liturgy there in the 4th century. The account by the Spanish nun, Egeria, on her pilgrimage tells of Cyril's celebration which started on the Mount of Olives and proceeds to the Gates while the people shout "Hosanna in the Highest!"<br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: #666666; color: #eeeeee;"><i style="font-family: georgia, serif;">"Procession with Palms on the Mount of Olives.</i><span style="font-family: georgia, serif;"> Accordingly at the seventh hour</span><span style="font-family: georgia, serif;"> all the people</span><span style="font-family: georgia, serif;">go up to the Mount of Olives, that is, to Eleona, and the bishop with them, to the church, where hymns and antiphons suitable to the day and to the place are said, and lessons in like manner. And when the ninth hour approaches they go up with hymns to the Imbomon, that is, to the place whence the Lord ascended into heaven, and there they sit down, for all the people are always bidden to sit when the bishop is present; the deacons alone always stand. Hymns and antiphons suitable to the day and to the place are said, interspersed with lections and prayers. And as the eleventh hour approaches, the passage from the Gospel is read, where the children, carrying branches and palms, met the Lord, saying; </span><i style="font-family: georgia, serif;">Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord</i><span style="font-family: georgia, serif;">,</span><span style="font-family: georgia, serif;"> and the bishop immediately rises, and all the people with him, and they all go on foot from the top of the Mount of Olives, all the people going before him with hymns and antiphons, answering one to another: </span><i style="font-family: georgia, serif;">Blessed is He that cometh in the Name of the Lord</i><span style="font-family: georgia, serif;">. And all the children in the neighbourhood, even those who are too young to walk, are carried by their parents on their shoulders, all of them bearing branches, some of palms and some of olives,2 and thus the bishop is escorted in the same manner as the Lord was of old. For all, even those of rank, both matrons and men, accompany the bishop all the way on foot in this manner, making these</span><span style="font-family: georgia, serif;">responses, from the top of the mount to the city, and thence through the whole city to the Anastasis, going very slowly lest the poeple should be wearied; and thus they arrive at the Anastasis at a late hour. And on arriving, although it is late, </span><i style="font-family: georgia, serif;">lucernare</i><span style="font-family: georgia, serif;"> takes place, with prayer at the Cross; after which the people are dismissed."</span></span><br />
<br />
The Palm Sunday Procession seems to have spread quickly as pilgrims who had visited Jerusalem returned home to institute these liturgies in their own Holy-Week rites. The Palm Sunday Procession was incorporated into the <i>Mozarabic Rite</i> of Spain in the 5th century, around the time that Egeria visited the Holy Land, and into the <i>Gallican Rite</i> by the 7th century. And by the 8th century, Palm-Sunday seems to have been a common practice among the Franks in Northern Italy, where it was recorded to be an integral part of the liturgy in the famous Abbey of Bobbio. The well-known hymn: "<i>All Glory, Laud and Honor,</i>" was actually a chant written by the 9th century bishop, Theodulf of Orleans:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/r8oOj92rqxA?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAS4sfd4eunfZszXEJpzVU8-MA6-DNxA4xePgXfbFZntW2rLu6ahSavHWW-UIZjO3HdzNdOi-SHRSieR9FXN6ysfBiHy3DqjliRvfnbRpsS1eHXZE-QDYeO89MXcCF5Cv1Uix7GDsAsmY/s1600/Great+Lenten+veil.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAS4sfd4eunfZszXEJpzVU8-MA6-DNxA4xePgXfbFZntW2rLu6ahSavHWW-UIZjO3HdzNdOi-SHRSieR9FXN6ysfBiHy3DqjliRvfnbRpsS1eHXZE-QDYeO89MXcCF5Cv1Uix7GDsAsmY/s320/Great+Lenten+veil.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Great Lenten Veil at Millstatt Abbey<br />
Austria, concealing the high altar. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Because St. Aldhelm, the 8th century bishop of Sherborne (now Salisbury), used it in his own Celtic-Saxon rite, Palm Sunday was part of the <i>Sarum Rite</i> long before it was used in Rome which happened in about the 12th century. At Salisbury Cathedral, home of the Sarum Rite, the Palm Sunday Procession was the most elaborate of all the processions of the Church year. Across Europe, Jesus was often represented by a wooden carving of he and the donkey which could be pulled through the crowd on wheels. In Salisbury, a monstrance with the Blessed Sacrament was also carried in the procession. Also at Salisbury, the <i>Great Lenten Veil</i> was erected between the high altar and the quire to deny the congregation a view of the Elevation of the Host, the climax of the Medieval Liturgy. During the reading of the Passion, the Veil, representing the curtain in the temple, was torn in two. Veils were probably abolished with rood screens in the Council of Trent, but a few survive in Austria and Southern Germany.<br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: orange;">The Calvaries of Medieval Brittany and the Palm Sunday Liturgy</span></b><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAw9uDGcqp1q7eKt5Wv3W6BaJTIJh-P9SyxKUQ9f4pHMiwQCEoTOZ-nRhBSEiJClZxeIg20_lhXkkIaaJj3Le42OVZmnkrQSmoc5wMacF29Su-THyFPSymVl0__GPnA6Iio2JWyhDYPQY/s1600/Pleubian_calvaire.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAw9uDGcqp1q7eKt5Wv3W6BaJTIJh-P9SyxKUQ9f4pHMiwQCEoTOZ-nRhBSEiJClZxeIg20_lhXkkIaaJj3Le42OVZmnkrQSmoc5wMacF29Su-THyFPSymVl0__GPnA6Iio2JWyhDYPQY/s320/Pleubian_calvaire.jpg" width="187" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Calvary with a Pulpit at Pleubian.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
In Celtic Christianity, the sign of the Cross, as in Eastern Churches, held a great deal of importance in liturgy and in art. The meticulously carved crosses of the great Irish and Scottish monasteries as well as the high crosses of Wales, Cornwall and northern England still show, as some of the chief survivors of Celtic Christian architecture. In Brittany, the Celtic obsession with Calvary and the sign of the cross developed into the erection of elaborate '<i>Calvaries</i>,' great 15th-16th century stone sculpted scenes of Crucifixion -like all the parts of the <i>Stations of the Cross</i> put together in a Passion-tide version of the well-known nativity scene. On Palm Sunday, the Calvary was visited during the procession like a station, decorated in flowers and garlands along with gravestones. Not quite Calvaries, but more simple Churchyard crosses, also visited on Palm Sunday, can be found in many villages in Britain especially in Wales and Cornwall, where where was a lot of traffic with Brittany through the 8th century. A 13th century bishop of Lincoln at one point ordered that such crosses be erected at all parish churches for the very purpose of the Palm Sunday procession. In Brittany, elaborate calvaries can still be found in many towns.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJWz25A438ImIc3DSWXGnaR3dE48mqm9jCQF2luP-cv1DSrjdSAXRb20NLPvoD036KdWsfn3RiWGZ-K6lxBBwDHOzG3umT8P3kSbeZ4EuYzGHATYMXnmgfIAWwfOZXjr0j_PCpfOAVZzU/s1600/calvaire+at+St+Jean+Trolimon,+in+Finist%C3%A8re.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJWz25A438ImIc3DSWXGnaR3dE48mqm9jCQF2luP-cv1DSrjdSAXRb20NLPvoD036KdWsfn3RiWGZ-K6lxBBwDHOzG3umT8P3kSbeZ4EuYzGHATYMXnmgfIAWwfOZXjr0j_PCpfOAVZzU/s400/calvaire+at+St+Jean+Trolimon,+in+Finist%C3%A8re.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Calvary at St. Jean, Trolimon, Brittany. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-Mm6P7RQyJGVnL4fCkYz8DOHGS1ePvI2mCnatELagMpHkYdeq6OUjSk9YrtEr3mbuNKKRw1nWxV-mfxIQhfxlyxgATAhz0cRZr8zzofLGiHUNqCNog6Fz24An8dfjfFnO6p7NI7A6Qfw/s1600/Calvaire_Plougastel_face_Est.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-Mm6P7RQyJGVnL4fCkYz8DOHGS1ePvI2mCnatELagMpHkYdeq6OUjSk9YrtEr3mbuNKKRw1nWxV-mfxIQhfxlyxgATAhz0cRZr8zzofLGiHUNqCNog6Fz24An8dfjfFnO6p7NI7A6Qfw/s400/Calvaire_Plougastel_face_Est.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Calvary at Plugas, Brittany. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b><span style="color: orange;">As Symbols of Victory</span></b><br />
In Britain and Brittany, the graves of the dead were also visited on Palm Sunday and, like the crosses and Calvaries, decorated in Yew branches and flowers (as a replacement for palms). This was symbolic of the hope which Christians hold for the Resurrection of the Dead at Jesus's second coming, -the palms stood for their 'victory' over death just like Christ's victorious entry into Jerusalem was his ride to conquer death. Since very early times, martyrs have also been represented with palm branches as a symbol of their victory. These saints are said to have received the 'Palm of Martyrdom.'<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgr2yoNw4t0BC_-UzrLnZK_1axMDAD0L0zgXaCIlILB_t8mq_cG0e5ie8VFp0TFnOlZx_gLDYQD-OA6nCJBbk1xj82igM8cSWAtSdwdd6U35GdwhogCAQQ2AFhHebUi0Dsx1RFbSy6BbU/s1600/meister_von_san_apollinare_nuovo_in_ravenna_002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgr2yoNw4t0BC_-UzrLnZK_1axMDAD0L0zgXaCIlILB_t8mq_cG0e5ie8VFp0TFnOlZx_gLDYQD-OA6nCJBbk1xj82igM8cSWAtSdwdd6U35GdwhogCAQQ2AFhHebUi0Dsx1RFbSy6BbU/s400/meister_von_san_apollinare_nuovo_in_ravenna_002.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A procession of virgin martyrs with palms at Ravenna. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2126207397071882760.post-27809240239691081092013-03-19T14:29:00.002-07:002013-03-25T17:22:16.105-07:00St. Cuthbert of Lindisfarne, March 20.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjksce2dpfbxREGw1qxcUn9ByrsYJvvcbP_BK_5LfPVEK3BkYciLy_IUyJSl5bCtpYLkGVe1CCecu-ogjc9VI_HF6leVQzhundmn8mEojiOEfCkD6vcAqiBPz61jEcwj-3wU4ZFfb-Bg9s/s1600/St.+Cuthbert+stained+glass+york.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjksce2dpfbxREGw1qxcUn9ByrsYJvvcbP_BK_5LfPVEK3BkYciLy_IUyJSl5bCtpYLkGVe1CCecu-ogjc9VI_HF6leVQzhundmn8mEojiOEfCkD6vcAqiBPz61jEcwj-3wU4ZFfb-Bg9s/s1600/St.+Cuthbert+stained+glass+york.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">St. Cuthbert with the head of St. Oswald in 15th century glass at York Minster. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
St. Cuthbert is certainly one of Britain's, if not of all Anglicanism's, greatest bishops. The humility, love and compassion that he shared with his community, along with the many centuries of devotion paid to him after his death mark him both as one of the most loving and most loved leaders of English Christianity. Love is a reflexive act; the compassion, and trust shown to him by the Northern community is equally important to the care that he held for the people of his bishopric in the 7th century. The memory he left for his followers has survived right down to our generation and continues to act as a rock for the Church in Britain. His cult has survived war and peace; the Viking invasions beginning in 793, the danish invasions of the 10th century, the Norman Invasion, and it has even survived the impious destruction of the Reformation. His bones still lie at Durham, 1326 years later, where he is visited daily by pilgrims.<br />
<div>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioaamymHo6rq7Zc3bAWgk_yx2ki7nrDuKk-35toerUao9WCBWPNenwMq8Dcks5BO6eIr-0mljLRO8sZY4OyBgHG7i2DNKDzLFy17Ugbexczdu88w8uwp-4UvB-FaUVvVBy4FS8Iv3lHyo/s1600/St.+Cuthbert,+life+of.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioaamymHo6rq7Zc3bAWgk_yx2ki7nrDuKk-35toerUao9WCBWPNenwMq8Dcks5BO6eIr-0mljLRO8sZY4OyBgHG7i2DNKDzLFy17Ugbexczdu88w8uwp-4UvB-FaUVvVBy4FS8Iv3lHyo/s320/St.+Cuthbert,+life+of.jpg" width="220" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">St. Cuthbert from the <i>Vita</i> by Bede.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Cuthbert was born in 634, near Melrose. He was a shepherd until he saw a vision as a boy. It is one of the early chapters in the <i>Vita Sancti Cuthberti </i>by the Venerable Bede, the primary source for the life of St. Cuthbert, that is dedicated to this vision called <i>Quomondo cum pastoribus positius animam Sancti Aidiani Episcopi ad coelum ab angelis ferri aspexerit </i>(literally, how while he was posted with the shepherds, he witnessed the soul of the Holy Bishop Aidan being carried to heaven by angels). This is what prompted him to enter into the monastery of Melrose at an early age. Cuthbert did well as a monk in the eyes of the abbot, Boisil. He came to accept the Roman customs after the Synod of Whitby and was made prior of Melrose. When his new abbot, Eata, went to Lindisfarne, Cuthbert followed and became prior of Lindisfarne where he pursued missionary work in Northumbria and southern Scotland. As prior, and later as bishop, he was confronted with near schism in the aftermath of the Synod of Whitby (663-4). The Synod had decided to adopt the Roman Rite in place of the Celtic Rite, which it had been using since St. Aidan brought Christianity to Northumbria in 631. Cuthbert, in accordance with his monastic vows of obedience required that the abbey use only the new rite because it was what the Church had decided in council. Cuthbert was not a supporter of the Roman or Celtic right....he was a supporter only of the Church. In 676 he decided to take monastic life a step further and live as a hermit on the Farne islands of the Northumbrian coast. there he remained for 9 years, living on a simple diet of onions and fish. He built himself an oratory and practiced the Celtic rite of saying the psalms in the cold sea water. It is recorded that when he came out from the water, the otters dried his feet and the birds brought him fish out of their own admiration. And while on the island he would bless those who came to seek his comfort.<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPROOwnAAPb9fjO9j-YlbQ-plUbTmsbhxPB7uRfLsmBC0MVMMfIWyiDkUFKxVCYj6EjOoe9xccV20uNnFhL67U-QzpEyUoOdMjMtDXDygvWGb12FIY_8trbhbVs1af_WKhkhmJJL2_1UA/s1600/IMG_5650.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPROOwnAAPb9fjO9j-YlbQ-plUbTmsbhxPB7uRfLsmBC0MVMMfIWyiDkUFKxVCYj6EjOoe9xccV20uNnFhL67U-QzpEyUoOdMjMtDXDygvWGb12FIY_8trbhbVs1af_WKhkhmJJL2_1UA/s320/IMG_5650.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">St. Cuthbert in my own book of hours. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
In 685 Cuthbert was appointed the Bishop of Hexham, (which he swapped for Lindisfarne) by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Theodore of Tarsus. He left the Farne with King Ecgfrith and Bishop Trumwine and returned to his missionary work in the bishopric. During his short episcopate, he traveled through his diocese on foot, ministering to the rural and urban poor alike and performing miracles for their relief. Her returned to his hermitage 687 where he died two months later with the words "Always keep Peace and Divine Charity amongst yourselves," stressing the importance of a united Church. He lived first to extol and praise God and to worship him by living like him and to extend the good news of Christ's love to all people in his flock so that we might be comforted and learn to comfort others.<br />
<div style="text-align: right;">
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGD2WYNv_ti1Wb1IcavvEnQvbAJP8wfwyhtqJVTGvYuf7zlkMgb0XLEjzjolkoKn_vJVE2OLjC1BdOcfiYbZQ4A_df6UBA5L9dyvVM9ALxwoEMg7OXKYeomranMSTBT8ULanjfbqMVP4Y/s1600/Death+of+Cuthbert+manuscript+life.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGD2WYNv_ti1Wb1IcavvEnQvbAJP8wfwyhtqJVTGvYuf7zlkMgb0XLEjzjolkoKn_vJVE2OLjC1BdOcfiYbZQ4A_df6UBA5L9dyvVM9ALxwoEMg7OXKYeomranMSTBT8ULanjfbqMVP4Y/s320/Death+of+Cuthbert+manuscript+life.jpg" width="216" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Monks use torches to tell of Cuthbert's death.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
The Saint left an impression on Northern England that never wore away. In 875, the community on Lindisfarne, where the Saint was first buried, was forced to move after a Viking attack. In an account of the event, the bishop at the time, Eardulf, required that he the monks leave the island before the attack. They took the precious relics of St. Cuthbert and of Lindisfarne's many other saints west, away from the sea while some of the monks stayed and died trying to save the Church at Lindisfarne from the Vikings. The community traveled all over the north of England for 7 years, collecting treasures donated to the shrine by neighboring kings, including the stole pictured below, and even attempting to go to Ireland -but were prevented by a storm which is believed to have been caused by the Saint. In 882, the community settled at Chester-le-Street, where they remained until the Danish incursions and in 995 relocated to Durham. By the time William the Conqueror came to England, Cuthbert was so important that he knew he would have to demonstrate his loyalty to their saint which he did during the Harrying of the North, when he visited Durham. Cuthbert's last miracle, so some claim, was shrouding the city of Durham in fog while the Luftwaffe passed overhead during the Second World War.<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTOMgM495vWxypJf0kjuuJZicOXxCBvKwNvMZhncP37Ij0yrAg1g02iftpFgCIsgvZZ2FX0wp37WR66TFgBVcZV1NzSDgKBVCWUO8bzplpnNxGcBxAX5j6tv9XleqUcGGbMAHpI0x4GCo/s1600/P7040459.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTOMgM495vWxypJf0kjuuJZicOXxCBvKwNvMZhncP37Ij0yrAg1g02iftpFgCIsgvZZ2FX0wp37WR66TFgBVcZV1NzSDgKBVCWUO8bzplpnNxGcBxAX5j6tv9XleqUcGGbMAHpI0x4GCo/s320/P7040459.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Durham Cathedral on its hilltop bend in the river Wear. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
The cult of St. Cuthbert that continued to grow in England was never overtaken by another saint in the North, and perhaps only in all of England by St. Thomas Becket. In fact,Thomas death in 1170, caused the next few decades, under the leadership of the Norman bishop, Huge de Puiset, to be dedicated to a renaissance in art, architecture and liturgy for the promotion of his cult. The City of Durham and the people of the Durham diocese became the city and people of St. Cuthbert. Their dedication was so strong to him as their protector and Christian example that they were called the <i>people of the saint</i>, or in Old-English the <i>Haliwerfolc</i>. The Bishops of Durham were given princely status as the successors of St. Cuthbert, and their lands became an autonomous 'Palatine' state within the Kingdom of England sometime referred to as the "Patrimony of St. Cuthbert." St. Cuthbert fostered a Christian community during his life by his example but established a Christian community on his memory that has lasted for centuries.<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGtUOnWkx9r8sBXglJH2epQDsRHwme7bvYDhXyoEVHoM2MPyG8RYHYURp7E-I7HRgtQ_FQ95iD0uAcBUM4U_4iH1sWfhOyd9RQYsiAlMRtCv57fCaPDnLLQGEsxApO4YuEZT5DZdNhMks/s1600/Feast-of-St-Cuthbert-Coldingham-Breviary-1275.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGtUOnWkx9r8sBXglJH2epQDsRHwme7bvYDhXyoEVHoM2MPyG8RYHYURp7E-I7HRgtQ_FQ95iD0uAcBUM4U_4iH1sWfhOyd9RQYsiAlMRtCv57fCaPDnLLQGEsxApO4YuEZT5DZdNhMks/s320/Feast-of-St-Cuthbert-Coldingham-Breviary-1275.png" width="251" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Feast of St. Cuthbert in the Codlingham Breviary.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
The monastic and the daily life of the community of the Cathedral was so focused on St. Cuthbert that the liturgy offered in Durham also came to revolve around its patron. All the offices and masses for the feast and translation feast of St. Cuthbert (September 4) were specially written to include the themes of Cuthbert's life and the example imprinted on the community. The antiphons, versicles, sequences and of course collects all recalled miracles from the history of St. Cuthbert. A Lenten Vespers antiphon follows -commemorating Cuthbert as an apostle to the English of Christ:<br />
<br />
<i>Oriens sol iustitiae dignatus est illustrare</i><br />
<i>Per ministros lucis suare cunctos fines orbis terrae</i><br />
<i>Ipsi laus qui dedi Anglis lucernam suae salutis</i><br />
<i>Cuthbertum bonum doctorem ac pro huis untercessorem</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>The rising sun of Justice deigned to illuminate</i><br />
<i>through the ministers of his light all the boundaries of the earth</i><br />
<i>Praise to Him who gave the English the lamp of His salvation,</i><br />
<i>Cuthbert the good Doctor, and praise Him for his intercession</i><br />
<span style="background-color: #666666; color: #eeeeee; font-family: Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span>
And the antiphon for Matins recalls an early miracle where Cuthbert calls back the monk's rafts to land by prayer:<br />
<br />
<i>Dum iactantur puppes salo: sanctus orans heret solo</i><br />
<i>Mox ventorum vis mutate: naves vertit ad litora.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>When the ship was cast about in the sea, the praying saint remained alone.</i><br />
<i>At once the force of the winds changes and the ship turned to the coast.</i><br />
<br />
Several other miracles are recalled including his vision of St. Aidan's soul rising to heaven and Cuthbert's prophecy of his own death.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxKAufetni2HBmyr7DK-VNvU2WB6jiyYbZzCktMz-WmYwDeQfRLFP2KtBXV8ata8ghmKJZVbU24xZBoqSYJw2eyuF6w6Zi6v9flzuA0G7tanH8iSL3cAb9gHHb1_W9Cd4az39IyuvGl_I/s1600/cuthburt_maniple_c909.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxKAufetni2HBmyr7DK-VNvU2WB6jiyYbZzCktMz-WmYwDeQfRLFP2KtBXV8ata8ghmKJZVbU24xZBoqSYJw2eyuF6w6Zi6v9flzuA0G7tanH8iSL3cAb9gHHb1_W9Cd4az39IyuvGl_I/s320/cuthburt_maniple_c909.jpg" width="107" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cuthbert's stole.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The cult took a blow at the Reformation when the Calvinist wife of the new dean of the cathedral ordered many of relics associated with Cuthbert, but not the relics of the saint himself, to be destroyed along with the stained glass windows that depicted his miracles and the shrines built in other parts of the church where the saint had previously rested. But Calvinism has never defined Anglican Christianity, only invaded it, and the cult of St. Cuthbert at Durham, with the presence of his tomb, never really disappeared and has been greatly revived since the episcopate of Bishop Cosin in the 17th century.<br />
<br />
Today Cuthbert remains the most venerated saint in the north of England, if not in its entirety. There is an endless stream of pilgrims to the sites associated with him including Melrose Abbey, the Holy Island of Lindisfarne, his chapel on the inner Farne Island and, most of all, to his tomb-shrine at Durham Cathedral. St. Cuthbert has regained a spot as an example and the 'lamp to salvation' in the devotion of Anglicans around the world. It remains, however, more important that the leaders of the Church look to people like St. Cuthbert in the times of Schisms and a shrinking Church. St. Cuthbert himself confronted these problems, dealt with them and strengthened the Church of Northumbria. The same can be done today in his example. The Church must remember that its purpose is to spread the words of Christ's love around the world as one Church, with one faith under one head; Christ. This is why schism remains one of the most urgent of the Church's -including Anglican, Orthodox and Roman- problems. Discord in the Church prevents it from its duty. Cuthbert recognized this and forgot his personal opinions on the Roman versus Celtic rite issues for the sake of the Church. By being righteous, the Church is neglecting its duty; its duty to Christ and its duty to his people. Hopefully people, priests and most importantly bishops will look to Cuthbert and those like him as examples of where the Church needs to return. When we invoke the names of saints in our prayers, this is what we are doing.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwhI_YfmUkWZS6OiJoM9qCjNlsqy2omtVa2E0WQGDpGMhiy7GQMp0gXlfxPnU8ocqdy9x-3iyLBvPrSALDi9lKuQ0nPsZ8bAo_F0jleqB3J8_gAVlBC3Xn-9Wx7xIo2iMbYCE1gXPTQ48/s1600/cuthbert+isle.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwhI_YfmUkWZS6OiJoM9qCjNlsqy2omtVa2E0WQGDpGMhiy7GQMp0gXlfxPnU8ocqdy9x-3iyLBvPrSALDi9lKuQ0nPsZ8bAo_F0jleqB3J8_gAVlBC3Xn-9Wx7xIo2iMbYCE1gXPTQ48/s1600/cuthbert+isle.PNG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">St. Cuthbert's Isle, Lindisfarne. The cross stands on the site of his first hermitage.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="color: #f3f3f3;">Collect (from the Church of St. Mary the Virgin, Holy Island):</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="color: #f3f3f3;">We thank you Father for the life of St. Cuthbert of Lindisfarne: his reverence for all living creatures, his observance of a dedicated life under rule, his missionary zeal, his kindness to all who came to him for comfort-and all for love of you. So in our pilgrimage of life strengthen us to walk with care in these ways that he observed through the study of prayer and personal example, that we may bring peace and integrity to your world in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="color: #f3f3f3;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2126207397071882760.post-68470135917207276882013-03-18T18:29:00.002-07:002013-03-24T18:42:40.740-07:00St. Cyril of Jerusalem, March 18. <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFN-xBppDoKs31ntpL0mVmUZC_qQ3_IXmxSi7kuoka6p2RgKSr_8pi8MTNX34nEvwtlM5VqkvPJfY20fxc2jlwBe_TWISE6AB0CRbicLcDGiSKdXHzLfUJz0Dz8HuHu3CIaECxoQefWrs/s1600/St.+Cyril+Catecheses.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFN-xBppDoKs31ntpL0mVmUZC_qQ3_IXmxSi7kuoka6p2RgKSr_8pi8MTNX34nEvwtlM5VqkvPJfY20fxc2jlwBe_TWISE6AB0CRbicLcDGiSKdXHzLfUJz0Dz8HuHu3CIaECxoQefWrs/s400/St.+Cyril+Catecheses.jpg" width="318" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Catecheses of St. Cyril. The Procatecheses is the prologue. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Cyril was born in Jerusalem around 315 and became a bishop in 349, so he was not among the 318 at Nicaea but was bishop during the high tide of the Arian heresy. As bishop of the diocese of Jerusalem which was growing in importance because of the steady stream of pilgrims, he was a direct challenge to the Metropolitan Bishop of Caesearea, Acacius, who was an Arian. Cyril strictly opposed Arianism and taught the faith as established at Nicaea which he also upheld in the First Council of Constantinople in 381. He was forced into exile several times by Acacius and later Arian Emperors but always returned to Jerusalem before he died in 386.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMP_4padqD5UeCQRYuh1gY6PJnqCryclPXZO_xwR8bPSFlwUEFh36meXoH40M_UbL2UFcR5yy_87Av5Y-w0L4xD0PO50jnKCZ_6tOqk3ytYf2WAtQbRuK0tzGhbTMxqsqogodC1MjWY64/s1600/St.+cyril.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMP_4padqD5UeCQRYuh1gY6PJnqCryclPXZO_xwR8bPSFlwUEFh36meXoH40M_UbL2UFcR5yy_87Av5Y-w0L4xD0PO50jnKCZ_6tOqk3ytYf2WAtQbRuK0tzGhbTMxqsqogodC1MjWY64/s320/St.+cyril.jpg" width="218" /></a></div>
He is remembered for his scholarship in liturgy, his charity and as one of the greatest theologians of the 4th century as a definer and defender of the faith. Sometime during his episcopate he wrote the <i>Catecheses, </i>eighteen lectures on the Christian faith to be preached to the catechumens, those waiting for baptism, and the five <i>Mystagogical Catechese</i>s, on the sacraments, for the newly baptized. For these works, Cyril earned his place among the early Church Fathers, and remains a source for those looking for definitions and explanations in Christianity as his works have survived and are widely known.<br />
As the Emperor Constantine had only made the world safe for Christians in 315, Christian laypeople were coming from their cities with their bishops now freely able to visit the tombs of martyrs being erected and more significantly to travel to Jerusalem itself. Cyril provided for probably increasing numbers of pilgrims the Holy Week liturgies that are still used everywhere today, including the procession with palms on Palm Sunday.<br />
The Episcopal Church cites the journal of a 4th century Spanish nun called Egeria, who came in contact with St. Cyril while in Jerusalem. Here is her account for the festivities on <b><span style="color: #e69138;">Palm Sunday</span></b>:<br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: #666666;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-family: georgia, serif;"> "Accordingly at the seventh hour</span><span style="font-family: georgia, serif;"> all the people </span><span style="font-family: georgia, serif;">go up to the Mount of Olives, that is, to Eleona, and the bishop with them, to the church, where hymns and antiphons suitable to the day and to the place are said, and lessons in like manner. And when the ninth hour approaches they go up with hymns to the Imbomon, that is, to the place whence the Lord ascended into heaven, and there they sit down, for all the people are always bidden to sit when the bishop is present; the deacons alone always stand. Hymns and antiphons suitable to the day and to the place are said, interspersed with lections and prayers. And as the eleventh hour approaches, the passage from the Gospel is read, where the children, carrying branches and palms, met the Lord, saying; </span><i style="font-family: georgia, serif;">Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord</i><span style="font-family: georgia, serif;">,</span><span style="font-family: georgia, serif;"> and the bishop immediately rises, and all the people with him, and they all go on foot from the top of the Mount of Olives, all the people going before him with hymns and antiphons, answering one to another: </span><i style="font-family: georgia, serif;">Blessed is He that cometh in the Name of the Lord</i><span style="font-family: georgia, serif;">. And all the children in the neighborhood even those who are too young to walk, are carried by their parents on their shoulders, all of them bearing branches, some of palms and some of olives,2 and thus the bishop is escorted in the same manner as the Lord was of old. For all, even those of rank, both matrons and men, accompany the bishop all the way on foot in this manner, making these </span><span style="font-family: georgia, serif;">responses, from the top of the mount to the city, and thence through the whole city to the Anastasis, going very slowly lest the poeple should be wearied; and thus they arrive at the Anastasis at a late hour. And on arriving, although it is late, </span><i style="font-family: georgia, serif;">lucernare</i><span style="font-family: georgia, serif;"> takes place, with prayer at the Cross; after which the people are dismissed."</span></span></span><br />
<br />
The Good Friday <b><span style="color: #e69138;">Veneration of the Cross</span></b> is also recorded. In Jerusalem, this was celebrated of course in the part of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher (which Egeria refers to as "the Basilica") which stands right over Golgotha:<br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: #666666;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-family: georgia, serif;">"Then a chair is placed for the bishop in Golgotha</span><span style="font-family: georgia, serif;"> behind the Cross, which is now standing;</span><span style="font-family: georgia, serif;"> the bishop duly takes his seat in the chair, and a table covered with a linen cloth is placed before him; the deacons stand round the table, and a silver-gilt casket is </span><span style="font-family: georgia, serif;">brought in which is the holy wood of the Cross. The casket is opened and (the wood) is taken out, and both the wood of the Cross and the title</span><span style="font-family: georgia, serif;"> are placed upon the table. Now, when it has been put upon the table, the bishop, as he sits, holds the extremities of the sacred wood firmly in his hands, while the deacons who stand around guard it. It is guarded thus because the custom is that the people, both faithful and catechumens, come one by one and, bowing down at the table, kiss the sacred wood and pass through. And because, I know not when, some one is said to have bitten off and stolen a portion of the sacred wood, it is thus guarded by the deacons who stand around, lest any one approaching should venture to do so again. And as all the people pass by one by one, all bowing themselves, they touch the Cross and the title, first with their foreheads and then with their eyes; then they kiss the Cross and pass through, but none lays his hand upon it to touch it. "</span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #666666;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-family: georgia, serif;"><br /></span></span></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6j9NpC_vM75_W7HaSo-n6SWfY1AbsI58G-HkrePR1p0jt4qzIWNeqAbK5EEqDyxOw6aYJtXoHIhTi-tcheavY5uOXbWMBmJoi1p-O0Zu7d5IvOXUl5dCPAIx5tLNj7kjxv1MA8bx4SnQ/s1600/golgotha.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6j9NpC_vM75_W7HaSo-n6SWfY1AbsI58G-HkrePR1p0jt4qzIWNeqAbK5EEqDyxOw6aYJtXoHIhTi-tcheavY5uOXbWMBmJoi1p-O0Zu7d5IvOXUl5dCPAIx5tLNj7kjxv1MA8bx4SnQ/s400/golgotha.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Golgotha today.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Collect (From the Episcopal Church):<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Strengthen, O Lord, the bishops of your Church in their special calling to be teachers and ministers of the Sacraments, so that they, like your servant Cyril of Jerusalem, may effectively instruct your people in Christian faith and practice; and that we, taught by them, may enter more fully into celebration of the Paschal mystery; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2126207397071882760.post-89666808008445887582013-03-17T17:37:00.002-07:002013-03-25T13:25:32.071-07:00St. Patrick, Patron Saint of Ireland, March 17<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_St3Pm3fbRuXlA3qn87FDWnmsN9_6PyU5yJ1flPg3IN6MTYPi_sQvcizlfIl0ie411GVn-GnHqxQc8zOgXBkfzvXJ7FaVVhT7iBsqDqCgKMRyZxEYtDUUhoXHSDzTdfPSXkjKCEsqMs4/s1600/statue-of-st-patrick-at-croagh-patrick.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_St3Pm3fbRuXlA3qn87FDWnmsN9_6PyU5yJ1flPg3IN6MTYPi_sQvcizlfIl0ie411GVn-GnHqxQc8zOgXBkfzvXJ7FaVVhT7iBsqDqCgKMRyZxEYtDUUhoXHSDzTdfPSXkjKCEsqMs4/s400/statue-of-st-patrick-at-croagh-patrick.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">St. Patrick at Croagh Patrick, where he had an oratory. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Patrick is perhaps the most famous saint after St. Francis of Assisi and the Blessed Virgin Mary. And because the Church he founded is the Church of Ireland, he is very important in both the Roman and Anglican Churches.<br />
Patrick was born on the Northwest coast of Britain in 390 to a noble family. His father was a Roman official and a deacon while his mother was probably a native Briton. The story is too well known: at 16 Patrick was captured by Irish raiders (at the time, the Irish were called the 'Soctians' by the Romans, which means pirates) and brought to Ireland to work as a slave-shepherd. He later paid for his freedom with a gold coin he found and escaped back to Briton. But his time as a shepherd in Ireland was far from over. He became a priest and then a bishop, perhaps in Gaul. In 432 he had a dream telling him to return to Ireland to reestablish the Church (there had been one mission before him by Bishop Palladius who was sent by the Pope but failed in Ireland and pursued missionary work in Scotland).<br />
Patrick landed at what is now called Downpatrick, where he began his mission. He quickly spread Christianity by appealing first to the Irish kings and then to the tribes. He built upon the ruin of the old religion and so many of Ireland's holy wells and hills now associated with Patrick and other saints were once pagan sanctuaries. To each king he assigned what became archbishops and to each tribe a bishop. Patrick did not establish monasteries, these were brought later by St. Cairnach, who was trained in Whithorn by St. Ninian, but colleges of bishops which provided for select centers of Christianity that served as 'bases' for the evangelization of the whole country.<br />
Patrick established his principal seat at Armagh, where his successors, the Archbishops of Armagh, remain the 'Primate of All Ireland.' He died in 461 and is buried outside the Church of Ireland Cathedral at Downpatrick. His work was a catalyst of a golden age of Christianity enshrined by the Celtic peoples of Wales, Ireland and Scotland. He began a process, but did not Christianize Ireland entirely, and his disciples and successors, also among Ireland's greatest saints, are due, therefore, much veneration also.<br />
<br />
<br />
There are many saintly bishops like St. Patrick but we must reserve him some credit because of the singularity with which he fulfilled his mission. It is not recorded that Patrick took very many companions with him, so Ireland's conversion is almost wholly due to Patrick's work. Patrick confessed that he hated the Irish, and with good reason since they enslaved him, but here we see how Patrick followed Christ's commandment: "Love thine enemies" and brought the thing that he loved most to the people he hated.<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAIDPdfTIEqeQs8T22EJeFEy2me0rN3ua61PBCUDRIGFV2InWNBnx3YmgjEquNti4u-7k5wc0qVVZqaUt9Z9BkgpEejW93a-nAovqtXAQ5cdgrO2rifCxm7ZCO_apCnhEcxjP5Xe5pgg4/s1600/Downpatrick+Cathedral+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAIDPdfTIEqeQs8T22EJeFEy2me0rN3ua61PBCUDRIGFV2InWNBnx3YmgjEquNti4u-7k5wc0qVVZqaUt9Z9BkgpEejW93a-nAovqtXAQ5cdgrO2rifCxm7ZCO_apCnhEcxjP5Xe5pgg4/s320/Downpatrick+Cathedral+1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Downpatrick Cathedral.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
St. Patrick relevance in the Church is not overdone, though perhaps a different part of his life and work needs to be emphasized for its benefit. The Church is desperately in need of people, priests and most importantly bishops like St. Patrick. I am afraid to say that many of the Church's leaders are unimaginative and though the Church was many times smaller in Patrick's Day, its community was many times more healthy than it is today. The Church needs bishops who are willing to dedicate their lives to establishing more bishoprics, priests and religious communities. Missionary areas are no longer on the edges of the world. We have been off of our guard and now each diocese around the world is a shell, including thousands of people who do not know Christ. We must invoke the example of St. Patrick and his successors for the future of our Church.<br />
<br />
Collect: (From the Episcopal Church)<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Almighty God, who in your providence chose your servant Patrick to be the apostle of the Irish people, to bring those who were wandering in darkness and error to the true light and knowledge of you: Grant us so to walk in that light, that we may come at last to the light of everlasting life; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and ever. Amen.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPrzq14mutAf4lwy6B0WOW7QQyzkwlHpkk24hK2DuQo9JMdldbLXWuX9QXzw5kuInJSd2pIJM4WqwIAgny67NGlOgj1igDhOq_hpcQRPRQOCWQLVHjGs9Ej-JgI4WwH1uiE9AjECFFxRU/s1600/downpatrick+grave.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPrzq14mutAf4lwy6B0WOW7QQyzkwlHpkk24hK2DuQo9JMdldbLXWuX9QXzw5kuInJSd2pIJM4WqwIAgny67NGlOgj1igDhOq_hpcQRPRQOCWQLVHjGs9Ej-JgI4WwH1uiE9AjECFFxRU/s400/downpatrick+grave.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tomb of St. Patrick at Downpatrick Church of Ireland Cathedral. The (Anglican) Church of Ireland is the Church directly descended from the Church established by St. Patrick. This is why it has all of the old churches and Cathedrals of Ireland. It is a catholic Church, though no longer under the pope. It is, literally, The Church of Ireland. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
"St. Patrick's Breastplate." There is some debate over whether Patrick wrote it but it still remains important to his memory and message.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><lyrics></lyrics></span><br />
<div style="display: inline !important;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Christ be with me, </span></div>
<br />
<lyrics><span style="font-family: inherit;">Christ within me,<br />Christ behind me,<br />Christ before me,<br />Christ beside me,<br />Christ to win me,<br />Christ to comfort<br />and restore me.<br />Christ beneath me,<br />Christ above me,<br />Christ in quiet,<br />Christ in danger,<br />Christ in hearts of<br />all that love me,<br />Christ in mouth of<br />friend and stranger.<br /><br />I bind unto myself today<br />the strong Name of the Trinity,<br />by invocation of the same,<br />the Three in One, and One in Three.<br />Of whom all nature hath creation,<br />eternal Father, Spirit, Word:<br />praise to the Lord of my salvation,</span></lyrics><span style="font-family: inherit;"><lyrics></lyrics></span><br />
<div style="display: inline !important;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">salvation is of Christ the Lord.</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2126207397071882760.post-65850625169078538562013-02-13T13:15:00.001-08:002013-04-19T11:43:04.243-07:00Anglican Eucharistic Theology: Essentially Compliant with both High and Low-Church Traditions.<div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilt-scasEQ7BR6SgrxBc-b6LIEXXs38OocqBGQnS2tS3imKNloGWQJF8gNJmCtAF_HrnZEY7kP-kzIZMZQahgl7rk-zqs-8hKca9JTjXPnNmmhQr5L8TXp3cFiW3wkfTajqfiXvgu4ulk/s1600/Baptist+communion.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilt-scasEQ7BR6SgrxBc-b6LIEXXs38OocqBGQnS2tS3imKNloGWQJF8gNJmCtAF_HrnZEY7kP-kzIZMZQahgl7rk-zqs-8hKca9JTjXPnNmmhQr5L8TXp3cFiW3wkfTajqfiXvgu4ulk/s400/Baptist+communion.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
A topic much discussed and argued over, this is more of a reflection on my struggle to find what the Eucharist is to me as a devoted, orthodox Anglican -I am glad if it helps others who are also looking for an explanation. I am not a theologian, trying to define Eucharistic theology, but a layman, trying to uncover it for my own beliefs. I must say that before I begin writing on this much debated subject that I am personally drawn to the Orthodox way of looking at the Eucharist as the 'Holy Mysteries' this solves a lot of problems the worst of which being that we quarrel over the Eucharist, a gift from Christ, at all. </div>
<div>
What I have read over the past days and months has allowed me to view the celebration of the Eucharist in Christian worship as both a sacrifice of the Body and Blood of Christ and as a memorial. I will argue that there is discrepancy between the medieval, Roman Catholic term transubstantiation and the proud and unchristian followers of the destructive reformation in Switzerland and Germany, but that there should be no discrepancy between the high and low church visions of the Eucharist within the Anglican Church.<br />
<div>
First, I will establish the Anglican Church's position within Christianity. The Anglican Church is different in many ways from other Protestants -it should not really be labeled as such. These included its organization, its initial intentions for reform and what little doctrine it does have. It's reformation, as Matthew Parker, Archbishop of Canterbury under Queen Elizabeth, expressed it, was more like the African or Oriental Orthodox Church, which split from the rest of the Church in its refusal to recognize the Council of Chalcedon in 451 in its attempt to become more like the primitive Church. This is why Anglicanism retains episcopacy, its succession from the apostles, and the Eucharist as its main worship unlike other protestant churches which protest even the primitive Church -and thus almost all of historical Christianity, by rejecting the Eucharist as main worship and by rejecting episcopacy. Anglicanism's attempt to stick to the Christianity of the early Church is reflected in its use of the creeds as its main, if not only universal source of doctrine outside the Bible and Book of Common Prayer.<br />
So the Anglican Church is one of the four ancient Christian Churches, the other three being the Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox churches. But what of it's worship?<br />
By the 14th and 15th centuries, the belief of the Church was of transubstantiation in the Eucharist -the chemical change of the bread and wine to the Body and Blood of Christ. But this was a misinterpretation of the use of the word transubstantiation by the so famous theologian and Doctor of the Church, St. Thomas Aquinas. It seems that the understanding of the word 'substance' in transubstantiation came to mean something other than that which was written by church doctors. Tyndale puts it this way:<br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: #666666; line-height: 19px; text-indent: -39px;"><span style="color: #eeeeee; font-family: inherit;">"As concernyng the transsubstanciatyon I thinke that such a speche was among the olde doctours though they that came after vnderstode them amysse."</span></span><br />
-From the OED definition of the word 'transubstantiation,'<br />
<br />
Anglicans wanted to restore the meaning and worship in the Eucharist back to its stance in the early middle ages, to clear out the 'superstition,' a favorite of English reformers, from the worship of Christ. They were not like the iconoclasts in Switzerland who tore up and trampled upon the Blessed Sacrament- never among the English- but they did not want people to view the sacrament as a literal piece of Christ's flesh that, then, could heal and restore anyone or thing from a saint to an unrepentant sinner to livestock. Today we cannot see the Eucharist in these ways either. We cannot say that the bread and wine are chemically changed into Christ's Flesh. It all goes back to the misinterpretation of the word transubstantiation. 'Trans' of course mean 'change,' but substance is where things get confused. In Latin, it literally means below the surface, inwardly. In medieval literature, the word substantially is used to describe the togetherness of the Holy Trinity:<br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: #666666;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">"<span style="line-height: 19px; text-indent: -39px;">He herd angels steuen And seiȝe Fader and Sone and Holi Gost In on substaunce, in on acost</span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-indent: -39px;">." </span></span></span><br />
-From the OED.<br />
<br />
Just as the Trinity is not of one material but Three Persons of once substance or essence, the Blessed Sacrament is the Body of Christ in essence. This is how Cranmer, the first reformation Archbishop of Canterbury, explained the Blessed Sacrament:<br />
<br />
"The true Body of Christ is present to those who truly receive him. Inwardly we eat Christ's body; outwardly we eat the Sacrament. Yet the Body of Christ is in the Sacrament both by substance and by efficacy."<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: right;">
</div>
This is the definition of the Church Fathers of the early Church so this is why Cranmer insists that this be the definition of the Eucharist for the continuing Anglican Church. Cranmer clearly states that Christ is present in the Eucharist. But he is trying to say that at the same time that the Eucharist is substantially, or in essence, the body of Christ but is not chemically flesh. It is also the body of Christ in efficacy -or potency, the consecrated Eucharist is no longer 'just bread;' it is the body of Christ in essence. But he is also saying that Christ is present only to those who truly accept him, the sacrament is no use to a person who does not have faith.<br />
Similarly, John Donne, the beloved 17th century poet and dean of St. Paul's Cathedral, took the view of the Blessed Sacrament based on the writings of the Church Fathers and of Cranmer and supported it drawing directly from the Gospel of John. He explains this in his poem <em>Divine Poems: on the Sacrament</em>:<br />
<br />
"He was the Word, that spake it:<br />He took the bread and brake it;<br />And what that Word did make it,<br />I do believe and take it."<br />
<br />
If more 'Low Church' Anglicans prefer doctrine based solely on scripture then John Donne gives us a direct explanation based on scripture in support of Cranmer's and the Church Fathers' version of Transubstantiation. <br />
On this note, Anglican Eucharistic doctrine is clearly defined by the first of the Anglican Church's great theologians (Cranmer) while it is also scripturally supported. Doctrine on the nature of the Eucharist should not be disputed between the Anglican High and Low Church traditions. The consecrated bread and wine is in essence the Body and Blood just as the Trinity is in essence one being. The superstition of the later middle ages is cut out with the fact that there is no chemical change in the Eucharist, only an essential one. High church Anglicans may say that the 'Mass is a Sacrifice,' while low church Anglicans may say that it is only a 'memorial.' My answer to this is, based on Cranmer's definition of the Eucharist, that the Mass is both a sacrifice and a memorial. It is a sacrifice in the way that it is a meal which we have all gathered at and that this is the Body of Christ sacrificed for those who believe in him. But it is not a repeat of the Crucifixion, the ultimate sacrifice, it is a memorial of the Crucifixion. Christ has already died, risen and ascended to heaven so the sacrifice of the Eucharist recalls his Body and Blood in a memorial of these things.<br />
High and low church Anglican definitions of the Eucharist can be one. The Mass is a sacrifice -the Body and Blood of Christ is recalled by the priest essentially in the sacrament of bread and wine, and a memorial -Jesus Christ has already sacrificed himself on the cross and risen from the dead. This definition is in accordance with the holy tradition of the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church from primitive times and with the theology of the Anglican reformers, namely with the explanation of St. Thomas Cranmer.<br />
<br />
But I still think that the best way to see the Eucharist is to see it as a Holy Mystery and not to let ourselves become mixed up in the politics that we have created over the gift that is still Holy whatever we decide.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwepsORHxGP6y-312eDDove4GSEJh-2ucs6y5Oe9ezAVsLYQNwVRoXwL_wrwK4vePGFhweEgaomAo33dlw7Y0Xd1LRE2ViuS5u9Gkytrr_itXFmvrJRuCxLPtnEDjAUdIl9O6IHDlVqn8/s1600/Coptic+icon+last+supper.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="142" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwepsORHxGP6y-312eDDove4GSEJh-2ucs6y5Oe9ezAVsLYQNwVRoXwL_wrwK4vePGFhweEgaomAo33dlw7Y0Xd1LRE2ViuS5u9Gkytrr_itXFmvrJRuCxLPtnEDjAUdIl9O6IHDlVqn8/s400/Coptic+icon+last+supper.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
</div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2126207397071882760.post-62713337999827568642013-02-07T16:00:00.001-08:002013-05-12T10:41:35.953-07:00Liturgical Tropes: Medieval Filler or Helpful Interpretations?<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnoxu8s5kLhglmPipW2esaq2w7ACRtceVYfnlKl44sgC5fmUtZJMoUneqEyqBX-r0GoGKnF5emiFLVXWeOBA0QakwZeUbtvOqULED6PVTngQD56Q_YdgO06Okflh84bwt5_cMBqnLiApk/s1600/Graduale+ad+constitudinem+Sarum+(1508)+-+In+nomine+Domini+omne+genu+flectatur.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnoxu8s5kLhglmPipW2esaq2w7ACRtceVYfnlKl44sgC5fmUtZJMoUneqEyqBX-r0GoGKnF5emiFLVXWeOBA0QakwZeUbtvOqULED6PVTngQD56Q_YdgO06Okflh84bwt5_cMBqnLiApk/s320/Graduale+ad+constitudinem+Sarum+(1508)+-+In+nomine+Domini+omne+genu+flectatur.PNG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ecce Homo: 'Behold the Man.' Sarum gradual chant.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I've been looking at the definitions and use of tropes and sequences particularly in the Sarum Mass. In this Post, I will discuss the function and history of sequences and tropes and how the latter could be , in a modified form, useful in our own, modern liturgies.<br />
<div>
Both sequences and tropes were 'discontinued' in the Book of Common Prayer of the Anglican Church and completely abolished in the Roman Church's Council of Trent, save the <i>Victimae Pascale</i> of Easter, the <i>Veni Sancte Spiritus</i> of Pentecost, the <i>Lauda Sion Salvatorem</i> and the Dies <i>Irae</i> of the Requiem. The Sarum Rite and other ancient rites contained many more sequences than these, one for most of the numerous feasts of the medieval liturgical calendar. </div>
<div>
Sequences are very similar to hymns, but were sung just before the chanted Gospel <i>Alleluia</i> which had grown so long as to permit each of the clergy to kiss the Gospel book. Sequences are typically joyful and always hymns of praise and awe -fitting with the last syllable of the <i>Alleluia</i> which had evolved into a joyful melisma. </div>
<div>
Tropes were insertions of text and/or pieces of chant to lengthen or interpret the text being sung. For example, at Salisbury, home of the Sarum Rite, tropes containing just adding the name of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the patron of the cathedral, were inserted into the<i> Gloria</i> in important feasts to embellish the liturgy. Here is an excerpt from the Sarum<i> Gloria</i> where the tropes (italicized) act similarly to clauses.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Sarum <i>Gloria</i>:</div>
<div>
"For thou art only holy, <i>sanctifying Mary</i>;</div>
<div>
Thou only art the Lord, <i>ruling Mary</i>;</div>
<div>
Thou only, <i>crowning Mary</i>, Jesus Christ with the Holy Spirit...."</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The Sarum <i>Kyries</i> also use tropes.Instead of addressing just "Lord" and "Christ," a petition for the Holy Spirit is added to emphasized the doctrine of the Trinity. Additionally, tropes are added into each petition to embellish the <i>Kyrie.</i> The well-known "Orbis Factor is one of the Sarum <i>Kyries</i>, though this one addresses the Holy Spirit only at the very end, and is mainly made up of tropes. </div>
<div>
<br />
Orbis Factor:<br />
<span style="background-color: #666666;"><span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.1875px;">Orbis factor rex aeterne, eleison</span><br style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.1875px;" /><span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.1875px;">Pietatis fons immense, eleison</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #666666;"><span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.1875px;">Noxas omnes nostras pelle, eleison</span><br style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.1875px;" /><span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.1875px;">Christe qui lux es mundi dator vitae, eleison</span><br style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.1875px;" /><span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.1875px;">Arte laesos daemonis intuere, eleison</span><br style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.1875px;" /><span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.1875px;">Conservans te credentes confirmansque, eleison</span><br style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.1875px;" /><span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.1875px;">Patrem tuum teque flamen utrorumque, eleison</span><br style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.1875px;" /><span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.1875px;">Deum scimus unum atque trinum esse, eleison</span><br style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.1875px;" /><span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.1875px;">Clemens nobis adsis paraclite ut vivamus in te, eleison.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #666666;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: #666666;"><span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.1875px;">Maker of the world, King eternal, have mercy upon us.</span><br style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.1875px;" /><span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.1875px;">O immense source of pity, have mercy upon us.</span><br style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.1875px;" /><span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.1875px;">Drive off all our evils, have mercy upon us.</span><br style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.1875px;" /><span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.1875px;">Christ who art the light of the world and giver of life, have mercy upon us.</span><br style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.1875px;" /><span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.1875px;">Consider the wounds produced by the devil's art, have mercy upon us.</span><br style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.1875px;" /><span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.1875px;">Keeping and confirming thy believers, have mercy upon us.</span><br style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.1875px;" /><span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.1875px;">Thou and thy Father, an equal light, have mercy upon us.</span><br style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.1875px;" /><span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.1875px;">We know that God is one and three, have mercy upon us.</span><br style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.1875px;" /><span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.1875px;">Thou, merciful unto us, art present with the Holy Spirit that we might live in thee, have mercy upon us.</span></span><br />
<br />
<br /></div>
<div>
Compare this with the origional, untroped, much simpler, three-fold</div>
<div>
Lord have mercy</div>
<div>
Christ have mercy</div>
<div>
Lord have mercy.<br />
...and now you can see just how much the tropes add.</div>
<div>
below in the Orbis Factor, troped <i>Kyrie</i> as chanted from the Gradual of Eleanor of Brittany. </div>
<div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/sA7shBpD0js?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Additionally, The Catholic Encyclopedia uses an French <i>Sanctus</i> as an example of troping:</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Sanctus: <i>ex quo sunt omnia</i> Holy: <i>from whom all are all things</i></div>
<div>
Sanctus: <i>per quem sunt omnia </i> Holy: <i>through whom all are things</i></div>
<div>
Sanctus: <i>in quo sunt omnia, Dominus</i>...Holy: <i>In whom are all things</i>, Lord...</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b><span style="color: orange;">Tropes could have a function in modern Liturgy.</span></b></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6hnaL7dyxjSLqeCSAC0yCD7yroQssp-qvXFLdUcN93cEMCgz43HoSU39Q460OlYqzVYPB5ijuxc7TOAzvkO3FZkWn_uVh8vYnvX3Rp_WXEYaLAmE_no-M5xsjwpA2Usth1meCvJj_G_g/s1600/Sarum+missal+gloria+mary+tropes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6hnaL7dyxjSLqeCSAC0yCD7yroQssp-qvXFLdUcN93cEMCgz43HoSU39Q460OlYqzVYPB5ijuxc7TOAzvkO3FZkWn_uVh8vYnvX3Rp_WXEYaLAmE_no-M5xsjwpA2Usth1meCvJj_G_g/s320/Sarum+missal+gloria+mary+tropes.jpg" width="197" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sarum Gloria: "Sanctifying Mary"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
Tropes could be found in many chanted texts to expand on the praise of God or of his saints or to explain Theology. While tropes were often added to the liturgy just as an extra filler in the liturgical stew, I see tropes as an opportunity to clarify and explain parts of our complex liturgies to the laity. Reviving tropes in prayers which are well known, perhaps too well known, could be particularly useful for the explanation of meaning which is otherwise overlooked because of the commonness of that prayer. </div>
<div>
I am specifically referring to the Lord's Prayer. While reading former Bishop of Durham, N.T. Wright's "The Lord and his Prayer," which thoroughly explores the meaning and implications of each line of the Pater Noster, I thought, before I knew about troping, that it would be useful to add short clauses into the chanted prayer which concisely explain the meaning or add petition to the line. In reading about tropes, I found a precedent for this idea. While I don't know if the Pater Noster was ever troped, although the chant from the Abbey of Santo Domingo de Silos includes an <i>Amen</i> sung by the choir after each verse, the deep meanings of each line of so important a prayer should be relayed to the faithful during the service -and tropes are a perfect opportunity. The Lord's Prayer is, as Wright mentions, one of those prayers we recite without really reflecting on its meaning, and each verse is stacked with, as Wright explains, important implications for the mission of Christianity. Wright's "The Lord and his Praye" is an excellent book that all Christians should read...so I will not spoil it. </div>
<div>
By adding a short trope to the end of each verse in the Our Father, the meaning of each line would be concisecly explained and the general importance of the prayer emphasized. After the Our Fath, other parts of the mass, which many of us may participate in without much thought, such as the creeds ould also be troped not for the sake of embellishing the mass or restoring medieval customs, but for explaining the complex and important meanings behind the words in our liturgies. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
-Some more on the function and history of Tropes from "<a href="http://www.oxfordbibliographies.com/view/document/obo-9780195396584/obo-9780195396584-0054.xml">Oxford Bibliographies</a>." </div>
<div>
<span style="line-height: 18px;"><b>Tropes</b></span></div>
<div>
<span style="line-height: 18px;">"Liturgical poetry, in the form of additional lyrics inserted into all the chants of the medieval Mass, flourished in the 9th through the 12th centuries. In a medieval Latin culture marked by intense interest in hermeneutics, even the Gregorian chants became a field open to extensive use of glosses and added verses performed together with the chant. The authors provided interpretations of the base texts in metaphors, images, or tropes, with the result that the grammatical term “trope” (Greek </span><i style="line-height: 18px;">tropos</i><span style="line-height: 18px;">, in Latin </span><i style="line-height: 18px;">conversio</i><span style="line-height: 18px;"> or </span><i style="line-height: 18px;">versus</i><span style="line-height: 18px;">) came to be the name of the genre. Sung between the segments of a chant, the tropes could comment on and meditate over the preceding words of the chant, but they could also prepare for the performance of the words that followed. By means of these insertions, the chantor or compilator could vary the performance of a chant in endless ways while still maintaining the authorized form of the liturgical base chant. Extensive repertories were collected in manuscripts all over Europe. At first written on loose leaves or in the margins, they came to be inscribed into graduals and missals, and then gathered in individual manuscripts labeled “troparium” or “troparium-prosarium.” Because these manuscripts are the earliest witnesses of Western musical notation, or “neumes,” they have attracted many musical scholars as well. The oldest tropes must have been created well before the division of the Carolingian Empire in 843, because they are found in similar form both in East Frankish and West Frankish regions and in Lotharingia. In the following centuries, the repertories came to be divided into more or less separate regional traditions."</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2126207397071882760.post-54367778563225851652013-01-19T20:28:00.001-08:002013-03-25T13:32:42.602-07:00Saint Wulfstan, Bishop of Worcester, 19 January.<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgIZfj-Ysbl_EPOxWeM7hkASm31MYy7KDklSWU-Ua0clI-t3xOuj99ldFSmwTLLKHCecXG43Yt4OR4ooxYWh6al-yD9LTkrmVkdYRjbx7RkItor7U95LExR6L1wcL2n5NMnQAZNFD2CHo/s1600/IMG_5038.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgIZfj-Ysbl_EPOxWeM7hkASm31MYy7KDklSWU-Ua0clI-t3xOuj99ldFSmwTLLKHCecXG43Yt4OR4ooxYWh6al-yD9LTkrmVkdYRjbx7RkItor7U95LExR6L1wcL2n5NMnQAZNFD2CHo/s400/IMG_5038.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">St. Wulfstan of Worcester (watercolor of stained glass by myself)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Saint Wulfstan was a Saxon bishop of Worcester in the late 11th century who recognized the unimportance of the secular ruler in the context of his duties: to be spiritual shepherd and whole comforter of the people entrusted to him as bishop. Wulfstan witnessed an ugly transition in the history of England: the transition from Saxon rule to the rough, oppressive Norman rule begun by William the Conqueror in 1066.<br />
<br />
Born in 1008, Wulfstan began his career at Worcester as a monk in 1038 and then Prior of the Benedictine Cathedral Priory. When the bishop of Worcester, Ealdred, became Archbishop of York, Wulfstan was appointed the position which he reluctantly accepted like so many other saintly bishops (namely Sts. Cuthbert, Hugh and Peter of Tarentaise). After the conquest, Wulfstan submitted to William I and to his new Archbishop of Canterbury, Lanfranc, rather that risk his position (most other Saxon bishops were deposed) and thus his relationship to the people he led with great devotion and efficiency. Wulfstan incorporated the rules of his previous monastic life into his role as bishop, running his diocese, and sometimes others when they were vacant, as if he were following a rule. He designed a system for episcopal visitations (while many of his episcopal colleagues enjoyed their palaces), rebuilt Worcester Cathedral, consecrated numerous churches encouraged to be patronized by local lords, and was notorious for his charity and ministry to the poor and dispossessed. It was towards the end of his career that he cooperated with Lanfranc to end the capture and sale of English slaves at Bristol by Vikings. For his submission to the new regime and his passionate undertaking of the bishopric, he was trusted and valued by the first two Norman kings even though the court claimed he was unfit for his position as he could neither speak French and was "unlearned." Whether the latter was true or not (it probably wasn't as the Saxon Benedictines, like most others, were patrons of learning) his leadership, charity and devotion are ample evidence of his holiness. He died in 1095 while washing the feet of the local poor. He was the last surviving Saxon bishop when he died and was immediately venerated as a saint.<br />
<br />
St. Wulfstan reminds us of the tentativeness, weakness and inhumanity of all human governments and regimes. For St. Wulfstan, a Saxon or a Norman king was of little importance though of great consequence, to his duty as shepherd and caretaker his people. Christ is the only perfect, just and eternal government, all others are stained by humanity's innate sin and fleeting. Before Wulfstan passed the government of his country from one ruler to another. He chose not to side with one or the other but with Christ, the real and only King, and continued his duties as laid out under his rules.<br />
In another sense, bishops and priests of today should look to St. Wulfstan as a model of administration. Wulfstan followed a kind of "episcopal rule" (a phrase I am making up) which allowed him to fully integrate his life with his duties as bishop. Such a rule for today's bishops and priests, whether it was one of evangelism, visitation, or ministry in particular, or each combined, would recast a much holier light on the episcopal office as it is and was once was regarded-the office of today's apostles and heralds of the risen Christ.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #f3f3f3;">Collect: (From the Episcopal Church)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #f3f3f3;">Almighty God, whose only-begotten Son hath led captivity captive and given gifts to thy people: Multiply among us faithful pastors, who, like thy holy bishop Wulfstan, will give courage to those who are oppressed and held in bondage; and bring us all, we pray, into the true freedom of thy kingdom; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and </span>ever. Amen.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2126207397071882760.post-60188889299934971272013-01-09T16:03:00.002-08:002013-03-25T17:21:21.607-07:00St. William Laud, Archbishop of Canterbury, 10 January.<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFFh0othUHkT2LJc4X9HV0ckqTSaPnyaSmCFa8k4mOrNrgKATrAC0-jo4ljK3-bEbjsK3AsH1Qjsg0x3jMvSwgJ9kjHQWlvxAlNX-SpXcpnprz-zqk5IwyC2aAFNCXhaRDRJMm3Ry1PMA/s1600/William_Laud+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFFh0othUHkT2LJc4X9HV0ckqTSaPnyaSmCFa8k4mOrNrgKATrAC0-jo4ljK3-bEbjsK3AsH1Qjsg0x3jMvSwgJ9kjHQWlvxAlNX-SpXcpnprz-zqk5IwyC2aAFNCXhaRDRJMm3Ry1PMA/s400/William_Laud+2.jpg" width="301" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">William Laud, Archbishop of Canterbury.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Another martyred Archbishop of Canterbury, William Laud is among the most important definers of Anglicanism and Church leaders since the reformation. Laud was born in 1573, the son of a Reading cloth merchant, went to the university of Oxford and was ordained to the priesthood in 1601. His first bishopric was that of St. Davids in Wales in 1621 and later the bishoprics of Bath and Wells, London and finally Canterbury in 1633. From the beginning of his career, he stood for the high church camp of Anglicanism emphasizing the importance of the free will of man rather than thew double predestination of the Puritans, the Calvinist camp of the English Church. Additionally, he emphasized the importance of the Church's position as the continuation of the pre-Reformation Catholic Church as part of the ancient Apostolic Church and thus the importance of its ceremonies. As the psalmist says, "worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness." While he first became dean of Gloucester Cathedral, he moved the altar back behind the medieval rood screen and covered it in elaborate hangings and candles: a move which incurred the anger of local Puritans. Puritans remained the chief problem throughout his episcopate as they wanted to purge or "purify" the Anglican Church of all connection to the ancient/pre-reformation apostolic Church including its ceremonies and structure. The abandonment of episcopacy, however, would have left the English Church a sect instead of part of the Body of Christ-the "One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church",as described in the Nicene Creed, which is descended from the 12 apostles and thus from Christ himself. Laud's effort to save and secure these principals in the Anglican Church would eventually lead him to his death. <br />
In his visits to the English and Welsh dioceses as Archbishop, Laud noted the extreme poverty of the majority of parish priests, who could "barely clothe or feed themselves." Laud made more enemies, especially in the House of Lords, when he suggested that some of the Church Lands confiscated under Henry VIII be returned for the livings of priests. While Archbishop, Laud increased his political involvement through his friendship with Charles I, King and Martyr, and though he had no ecclesiastical jurisdiction in Scotland, where episcopacy had been abandoned and replaced with Calvinist Presbyterianism, had great influence on the re-establishment of the Church in that land. The bishops had returned to Scotland under James I soon after his ascension in 1603 but it was Laud who supervised much of the revision of Scotland's liturgy. In 1637 he and the Archbishop of St. Andrews made the Prayer Book of 1637 official. The book was very Anglican and Catholic in its liturgy and was completely rejected by the Scots in the Bishops War-which soon became the Civil War.Though he was a high churchman, however, he was not a Papist. He refused a seat in the College of Cardinals twice saying that first Rome would have to reform itself. Never-the-less, Laud was captured in 1641 and charged with High Treason and other ridiculous charges by the severely Puritan House of Commons and the House of Lords, offended by his proposition about the return of Church lands, and imprisoned in the Tower of London. He was formally tried in 1644 and sentenced to death though Charles tried to pardon him. Among the evidence presented against him was that he used incense an unleavened "host" in the celebration of the Holy Communion. He was martyred for the protection of the Church on this day, 10 January, 1645 praying <span style="font-family: inherit;">"The Lord receive my soul, and have mercy on me, and bless this kingdom with peace and charity, that there may not be this effusion of Christian blood amongst them."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiemZyOZ3gFqLagFRDL_eA2_i-seRG7cc5IAGOBZ8z34D-XNuPrFWah435KDJyT-ABiBgqhgQbM_MZPHnuAHmq7XhJBUPexbdc0nCovFrOOm-Yl9VCEerqCZCpWOWOqPl5mFjjOQAIfZfU/s1600/William_Laud_trial.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiemZyOZ3gFqLagFRDL_eA2_i-seRG7cc5IAGOBZ8z34D-XNuPrFWah435KDJyT-ABiBgqhgQbM_MZPHnuAHmq7XhJBUPexbdc0nCovFrOOm-Yl9VCEerqCZCpWOWOqPl5mFjjOQAIfZfU/s400/William_Laud_trial.jpg" width="231" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trial of William Laud before Parliament.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
Today, William Laud's passion reminds us of the importance of the orthodox structure and doctrines of the Anglican Church. The structure of the Church, its apostolic bishops and its sacraments are a direct and historic connection to Christ and should be revered this way. There is a sort of "Puritan" faction in some Churches of today's Communion which insists on the redundancy of structural or doctrinal commitments and instead reinforces simply Christian principals or ethics. Christianity, however is like an arch: Christ, who is the Church, is the keystone and so without him the arch falls away. The Church and her headers need to recognize and revive in focus that faith which is her heart. Though there are many people who want it to become a merely a secular, social, humanist force rather the force of love which comes directly from Christ and from all those who love him. William Laud stands for the persistence of those who live and breath Christ in faith against forces that want to turn it into an instrument for shifting popular demands. Now, when the Church is again being challenged, bishops and priests and laypeople should be willing to be persecuted like Laud because they recognize and support the importance of the orthodox faith and the Church's connection to its ancestors, saints, apostles and to Christ through episcopacy and the sacraments.<br />
<br />
Collect (From the Episcopal Church):<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Keep us, O Lord, constant in faith and zealous in witness, that, like thy servant William Laud, we may live in thy fear, die in thy favor, and rest in thy peace; for the sake of Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNqVnLYpKLxBmIk3huPL-TCYTw2MYgwWgxgDSCUbrorWMmfh4kC7veLj9DcCzxGtdxWWTw3VtMQovl5XBh36v46tMaYTaiqHMF6I1AdkpjqVJw7IvsonpnYyTOLFX8LIafN-8slUEmFQ0/s1600/St.+Kathryn+Cree.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNqVnLYpKLxBmIk3huPL-TCYTw2MYgwWgxgDSCUbrorWMmfh4kC7veLj9DcCzxGtdxWWTw3VtMQovl5XBh36v46tMaYTaiqHMF6I1AdkpjqVJw7IvsonpnYyTOLFX8LIafN-8slUEmFQ0/s400/St.+Kathryn+Cree.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Church of St. Katharine Cree in London. Consecrated by Laud in 1631 in an elaborate ceremony which the Puritans later used as "evidence" of his Romish ways during his trial claiming that he had used incense and an unleavened host.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2126207397071882760.post-82242873551044994422012-12-24T10:46:00.002-08:002013-03-25T17:22:38.888-07:00St. Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury, 29 December. (Also known as Thomas of Canterbury)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifJaO6fq2gRjQoIXRKJJJq4x-or76d4SYGfVFL-p86Uwe3aghNFsjVTbgxiwuQ3_iqyb3S41PFEICN4-2FmoF17rFeed11-t_o29YMKxQFE2AEPBjU1GYM_coqBcuVZqelKxR2plFxd5k/s1600/becket.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifJaO6fq2gRjQoIXRKJJJq4x-or76d4SYGfVFL-p86Uwe3aghNFsjVTbgxiwuQ3_iqyb3S41PFEICN4-2FmoF17rFeed11-t_o29YMKxQFE2AEPBjU1GYM_coqBcuVZqelKxR2plFxd5k/s1600/becket.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stained glass image of St. Thomas from Canterbury</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="color: #eeeeee;">December 29 is the day on which one of England's most famous churchmen, Thomas of Canterbury, is remembered as the saint who stood up for the Church and was killed in the Cathedral Church of Christ at Canterbury. Thomas' actions leading up to his martyrdom are sometimes criticized as self-serving but all of these actions, and the martyrdom which surpassed them all, were and remain symbols of the Church's rightful position next to or above civil and secular authority in the world. </span><br />
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"> Thomas was born into a Norman merchant family in London in around 1120. He was educated in a few monastic schools in London and spent some time in Paris before he returned to England to serve the Archbishop of Canterbury, Theobald of Bec, who was a Norman like Thomas and perhaps even related to him. Thomas was made the Archdeacon of Canterbury and held several ecclesiastical positions in Kent, the Cathedrals at London and Lincoln and even at the Yorkshire Benedictine Abbey at Beverly. His success as an administrator in these churches allowed him to become the Chancellor to King Henry II. During his time as chancellor, Thomas and Henry became close friends, and he for now, enjoyed the freedoms of a secular administrator. But after the death of Theobald, Henry nominated Thomas for Archbishop of Canterbury, the primate of all the Church in England, thinking that as a friend Thomas would resolve the Church vs. State controversy by acknowledging Henry as his superior. </span><br />
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"> On becoming Archbishop however, Thomas decided that his allegiance now lay directly and primarily with Christ and his Church. He also adopted a lifestyle of asceticism, wearing a hair shirt to mortify his skin and a black benedictine habit under his episcopal robes to symbolize humility and the vow of poverty. His first conflict with civil authority came at the Council of Clarendon, when Henry tried to take more control over the Church from Rome. Thomas refused to sign and was tried before the for not cooperating. In 1164, Thomas fled to France where he took sanctuary in the Cistercian Abbey of Pontigy in Picardy. Before his return in 1170, Henry tried to secure the succession of his son to the English throne by holding a coronation for him. Since Becket was not present, Henry allowed the Archbishop of York instead to crown the prince, which was traditionally a prerogative of the Archbishops of Canterbury. For this, Becket excommunicated York, the other bishops who attended the ceremony and a whole cast of candidates for privileged ecclesiastical offices who had taken to traveling with Henry. Finally after six years of living as a monastic in exile, Thomas was allowed to return to England. From Calais, he left for Canterbury in early December 1170. But Henry, while at Rouen, soon learned of the excommunications and, naturally infuriated by them, uttered that fateful phrase: "Will no one rid me of this troublesome priest?" as T.S Elliot wrote it. Meanwhile, Thomas preached a sermon on Christmas Day on Christian martyrdom which included a prediction that this would be his last sermon. On the 29th of December, four knights, who had been with the King at Rouen, arrived at the Palace of the Archbishop in Canterbury. Thomas was leaving with his attendant to go to vespers in the Cathedral. He was pursued through the cloister but turned to face his murderers at a pier near the entrance of the chapel of St. Benedict. The knights demanded that he renounced the excommunications or come with them out of the Church. Thomas refused to do either and held fast to the pier while one of the knights tried to drag him out. Another knight struck him on the head and after falling to his knees where he received two more blows, saying "I commend my soul to Christ and the Church." The tomb began to attract pilgrims immediately and hundreds of miracles were recorded. He was canonized just three years later and in 1174, Henry II did penitence there, receiving three blows from each of the eighty monks of Canterbury. His relics were translated into a new shrine in 1220 under Archbishop Langton into the chapel behind the high alter. The shrine remained there until 1538, when Henry VIII had it demolished and Thomas proclaimed a rebel in an effort to eliminate all vestiges of papal power in England.</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguv1G_uLp0rHKulL4zC_N8TCZmErxU70mGHfkRw1Es_hh5zdW0hmJIxpinwXxD3SQ-XF-nZIFpz1vQ5K2xxtBEIicoNwsjYNRxcxt61RK9ZK48iBRB5zWgiN126ppZNQXA1hfsLO_QJvA/s1600/shrine-to-saint-thomas-becket.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguv1G_uLp0rHKulL4zC_N8TCZmErxU70mGHfkRw1Es_hh5zdW0hmJIxpinwXxD3SQ-XF-nZIFpz1vQ5K2xxtBEIicoNwsjYNRxcxt61RK9ZK48iBRB5zWgiN126ppZNQXA1hfsLO_QJvA/s320/shrine-to-saint-thomas-becket.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Place of Martyrdom in Canterbury Cathedral. The metal swords and cross make a great memorial though the small altar is a bit of a let down.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"> As says a booklet from Canterbury Cathedral, now the mother-Church of the Anglican Communion and still a place of pilgrimage for those who "seek the holy blissful martyr quick" (from Chaucer), "there is a law higher than the will of worldly princes, and that secular tyranny, in God's name, be resisted even unto death." By his example in martyrdom, Thomas shows that to protect the Church and its faith, martyrdom may even come by the hand of another Christian. Like Thomas, it is essential that all priests, especially bishops, must guard the traditional and continuing mission and faith of the Church perhaps even to other bishops. There are bishops in the Anglican and the Roman Churches who believe that the faith is too 'medieval' for modern Christians, and that the Church should be stripped of its faith to become a sort of moral, community force without borders. That is the very act of abandonment of Christ's mission to us, his Church. So, like St. Thomas of Canterbury, every archbishop, bishop, priest and layperson must stick fast to the Church and to its faith even if it means to be shunned, to be scolded, to be mocked, to be insulted, and yes, to be martyred. There is nothing more precious than the blood which is the love which Christ shed for us and we must be willing to shed that blood also for the love of Christ and his Church.</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbhooFlpGSWp2XoFnIrpCWFsc_fNN7NlCCFRC1HsjfpGhup6WLFPXWNSSCB01Cp_u2rMEy1fdQc61dYTrJn6WRGpjACZfF6l-hpMOFj__DFGm5O5FCgCtPOXPNfDnHHEgX3UEutS7cdqI/s1600/1170-Le-meurtre-de-Thomas-Becket-fresque-du-XV%C3%A8-dans-la-cath%C3%A9drale-de-Canterbury.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbhooFlpGSWp2XoFnIrpCWFsc_fNN7NlCCFRC1HsjfpGhup6WLFPXWNSSCB01Cp_u2rMEy1fdQc61dYTrJn6WRGpjACZfF6l-hpMOFj__DFGm5O5FCgCtPOXPNfDnHHEgX3UEutS7cdqI/s320/1170-Le-meurtre-de-Thomas-Becket-fresque-du-XV%C3%A8-dans-la-cath%C3%A9drale-de-Canterbury.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Martyrdom on the tomb of Henry IV of Lancaster.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Collect:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="color: #f3f3f3;">O God, our strength and our salvation, who didst call thy servant Thomas Becket to be a shepherd of thy people and a defender of thy Church: Keep thy household from all evil and raise up among us faithful pastors and leaders who are wise in the ways of the Gospel and who are willing to serve your holy Church even unto death; through our Lord Jesus Christ the Shepherd of our souls who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, One God, now and forever. Amen.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie16BHVXq76dBnbvznMJKcbAIntipFEwUr8m0ONIrAVGujXTPm4GGOKwbfE54QAArA_8PwTimxPpU7USL8xEmxnBZlGKyJWrjhlH4kfVejvaG6d0D33x4lfCxE5YQ7sE7uLiWH6Hu1gfQ/s1600/Canterbury+Cathedral+altar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie16BHVXq76dBnbvznMJKcbAIntipFEwUr8m0ONIrAVGujXTPm4GGOKwbfE54QAArA_8PwTimxPpU7USL8xEmxnBZlGKyJWrjhlH4kfVejvaG6d0D33x4lfCxE5YQ7sE7uLiWH6Hu1gfQ/s320/Canterbury+Cathedral+altar.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Canterbury Cathedral high altar. Behind is where Thomas's shrine stood.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhusmap1HfWc3giumxaQ25OQUTugOFWl22JBKHvFahsf-AoN6EGYIeVysSeRugZaE_Jjmvq-3ZUAOrRcA05Fswl2gaQh6jdDh-s_Iw-vvswfMr-V-uVToan27ICSBQMgmsyxhCDfGca8uA/s1600/Shrine+of+St.+Thomas+Becket.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhusmap1HfWc3giumxaQ25OQUTugOFWl22JBKHvFahsf-AoN6EGYIeVysSeRugZaE_Jjmvq-3ZUAOrRcA05Fswl2gaQh6jdDh-s_Iw-vvswfMr-V-uVToan27ICSBQMgmsyxhCDfGca8uA/s320/Shrine+of+St.+Thomas+Becket.jpg" width="256" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An artist's interpretation of the shrine of St. Thomas.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv5_qClalS7nb0QJn43IvGAu_kVPQ6CR1_22YDBxa572E9ZoJPHDIR0kYjGoD-Qr66cWoi1oZDmwIh5IhTt5XB_fKeKtOS6OHTS0qFTIcj0x9uuV1C1TDqvwixQM1iQiswVWqUAIa2HAo/s1600/pilgrim's+badge+st+thomas+becket.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv5_qClalS7nb0QJn43IvGAu_kVPQ6CR1_22YDBxa572E9ZoJPHDIR0kYjGoD-Qr66cWoi1oZDmwIh5IhTt5XB_fKeKtOS6OHTS0qFTIcj0x9uuV1C1TDqvwixQM1iQiswVWqUAIa2HAo/s320/pilgrim's+badge+st+thomas+becket.JPG" width="249" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pilgrim's badge depicting the shrine.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">
<span style="color: white; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: large;"><b>The Shrine of St. Thomas at Canterbury. </b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"> <span style="color: #eeeeee;">As the most popular pilgrimage site in England and in much of northern Europe, the shrine of St. Thomas at Canterbury became one of the most lavishly decorated shrines in Christendom. When the Cathedral was rebuilt after the fire of 1174, the east end was designed with the tomb in mind. Behind the high altar steps were built up into a sort of second chancel which formed a smaller gothic apse. Pilgrims could pass the quire and the altar and ascend into the apse to circumnavigate the shrine which was built in the center of the apse. The shrine itself was a typical English one in structure. The golden reliquary-coffin which contained the body of St. Thomas rested on raised arches into which pilgrims could crawl to be closer to the relics. Over the reliquary was another lid, in the same shape as the reliquary and draped in precious cloths. This could be lowered and raised to allow pilgrims to view the reliquary and to protect the precious shrine from thieves. Over most of the ensemble there was a golden net upon which the gifts of any pilgrims from smaller relics to </span></span><span style="color: #eeeeee;">jewelry<span style="font-family: inherit;"> to ex-votos were hung. At the foot of the shrine was an altar and around the shrine were large, free-standing candlesticks. This kind of 'table'shrine was very popular in England and can still be seen with the shrine of St. Frideswide at Oxford, St. Alban, St. Thomas Cantilupe at Worcester and St. Edward at Westminster. In around the year 1500, a Venetian pilgrim left this account of the shrine: </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #eeeeee; text-align: justify;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #f3f3f3; text-align: justify;">“The tomb of <st1:place>St.</st1:place> Thomas the Martyr, Archbishop of Canterbury, exceeds all belief. Notwithstanding its great size it is all covered with plates of pure gold ; yet the gold is scarcely seen because it is covered with various precious stones, as sapphires, ballasses, diamonds, rubies, and emeralds ; and wherever the eye turns, something more beautiful than the rest is observed, Nor, in addition to these natural beauties, is the skill of art wanting ; for in the midst of the gold are the most beautiful sculptured gems, both small and large, as well as cameos ; and some cameos are of such a size that I am afraid to name it ; but everything is far surpassed by a ruby, not larger than a thumb nail, which is fixed at the right of the altar. The church is somewhat dark, and particularly in the spot where the shrine is placed ; and when we went to see it the sun was near setting, and the weather was cloudy : nevertheless, I saw that ruby as if I had it in my hand. They say it was given by a king of <st1:country-region>France</st1:country-region>.”</span></div>
<br />
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #eeeeee;">Canterbury Cathedral, which already hosted the shrines of many saintly Anglo-Saxon archbishops, was turned wholly into a church built for pilgrims. St. Thomas's shrine was the most important part, but like the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem there were many other altars and shrine's associated with Becket. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #eeeeee;">The following is a list of the various shrines in Canterbury associated with Thomas and the offerings made at them on April 18th, 1303. Each of these were relics associated with Becket's martyrdom (It was common atin English Cathedrals to build a separate shrine for the saint's head as it was at Lincoln with St. Hugh, Lichfield with St. Chad, and at Croyland Abbey with St. Guthlac). Becket's crown (of his head), which was struck of when he was killed, was kept in a part of the Cathedral called 'Becket's Crown,' a chapel at the extreme east end which is circular in shape. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #eeeeee;">"At the Shrine of S. Thomas the Martyr, one brooch of gold.</span><br />
<span style="color: #eeeeee;">At the same shrine in money . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7<i>s</i>.</span><br />
<span style="color: #eeeeee;">At the Head of the same saint . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7<i>s.</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #eeeeee;">At the Point of the Sword whereby the same saint</span><br />
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"> underwent his martyrdom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7<i>s.</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #eeeeee;">At the Cloak of the same saint . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7<i>s.</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #eeeeee;">At the Tomb of the same saint in the vault . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7<i>s."</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i>-</i>From J. Charles Wall's <i>Shrines of the British Saints</i><br />
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
As Becket became an 'international saint,' there are images of him and his marytrdom all over Europe, here are some of my favorites: </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit7zXBbtf20AC0RWRGj8Upd4mW9CXn0cXt4mWQ8CkxW7dZV54U47VKkMqGw5eZfJw7T0q1lX82D35qc-JGoPi8Y2InP2e_J_VTjYKf_kPzoRcGtmvrXhGM0ENL5XOo31gOWF-FOq9s0j0/s1600/Becket+chasuable.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit7zXBbtf20AC0RWRGj8Upd4mW9CXn0cXt4mWQ8CkxW7dZV54U47VKkMqGw5eZfJw7T0q1lX82D35qc-JGoPi8Y2InP2e_J_VTjYKf_kPzoRcGtmvrXhGM0ENL5XOo31gOWF-FOq9s0j0/s200/Becket+chasuable.jpg" width="149" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some vestments worn by Thomas at Sens Cathedral.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUFbKw7b-T3ene9wmNrQSGr1TnbwqT-qJmB3l-fScGqkf4MorJmmMTWoLB0nOF7OUemUbEn5Mi4p3sP0wL6WoXDJaIeFp36oryDhp-Km7Ztkhv5s8nzNZ_f8PSUqPEqRls2VPOmYEbThU/s1600/Becket+boss+norwich.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUFbKw7b-T3ene9wmNrQSGr1TnbwqT-qJmB3l-fScGqkf4MorJmmMTWoLB0nOF7OUemUbEn5Mi4p3sP0wL6WoXDJaIeFp36oryDhp-Km7Ztkhv5s8nzNZ_f8PSUqPEqRls2VPOmYEbThU/s200/Becket+boss+norwich.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Boss in Norwich Cathedral </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj78Vc32g2kUJfvFlj4S17aARLdHDQm_NFc9GqzePE1yP8BoE0aeC_fQFgf3mALkbjCLVmIcmViQ46d-fxWGcV3c7waszowDxXWtLFYdh4OM_v0Cb0n_eFmkVu57UeW8G4BFymM_8Taxp0/s1600/Sens_Bay+Thomas_Becket_Panel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj78Vc32g2kUJfvFlj4S17aARLdHDQm_NFc9GqzePE1yP8BoE0aeC_fQFgf3mALkbjCLVmIcmViQ46d-fxWGcV3c7waszowDxXWtLFYdh4OM_v0Cb0n_eFmkVu57UeW8G4BFymM_8Taxp0/s200/Sens_Bay+Thomas_Becket_Panel.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sens Cathedral, the burial.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGyAzxKinqwlIx_VbHX-noNZHVWj443hYkFTnXaZdRQcbb_OeagQGi-h6II3vSvTMFZkfg1CJVmLmEaWC7nDF0y4ymKbVzagK07QzEv-fBzRy-Z9id8OeMJPXf54bZIHtcNGEHwvLZRuI/s1600/thomas+becket.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="138" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGyAzxKinqwlIx_VbHX-noNZHVWj443hYkFTnXaZdRQcbb_OeagQGi-h6II3vSvTMFZkfg1CJVmLmEaWC7nDF0y4ymKbVzagK07QzEv-fBzRy-Z9id8OeMJPXf54bZIHtcNGEHwvLZRuI/s200/thomas+becket.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Martyrdom in Bayeux Cathedral. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiTKNBQ8xxi_JWF8mfOfnaKSKzJH64QF74nttcu4pg6VRn3KPlQGct8UUOt6GSmtFB-m9Kt9R-RzoCYxkAnxyqQj5WCCK_ncPcwyrf12I9i6D1aMw6H8_Fuau_SsAw-8FEeUqUw10IVpU/s1600/Thomas_Becket+limoges.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiTKNBQ8xxi_JWF8mfOfnaKSKzJH64QF74nttcu4pg6VRn3KPlQGct8UUOt6GSmtFB-m9Kt9R-RzoCYxkAnxyqQj5WCCK_ncPcwyrf12I9i6D1aMw6H8_Fuau_SsAw-8FEeUqUw10IVpU/s400/Thomas_Becket+limoges.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Martyrdom on a Limoges reliquary. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2126207397071882760.post-89526862365478521202012-12-20T14:25:00.003-08:002013-03-25T13:39:40.893-07:00St. Dominic of Silos, 20 December. (Santo Domingo de Silos)<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfhsumoQsHMfKFdjYN1NeiP3VGcVO_wQoGCvD5u8uZhADj9rv-AzcK634vm02-vBepU0JLgxxuijDOcfuGpd_z-emJnDtLG9Kxoj-ABGv7B_uWDOn7WVLJIIBkEPODkEZyUzQxsiKOR0w/s1600/Santo+Domingo+de+Silos.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfhsumoQsHMfKFdjYN1NeiP3VGcVO_wQoGCvD5u8uZhADj9rv-AzcK634vm02-vBepU0JLgxxuijDOcfuGpd_z-emJnDtLG9Kxoj-ABGv7B_uWDOn7WVLJIIBkEPODkEZyUzQxsiKOR0w/s400/Santo+Domingo+de+Silos.jpg" width="208" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">St. Dominic depicted in the robes of a mitered abbot. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="color: #eeeeee;">Santo Domingo de Silos, as he is called in the Spanish language, was born in the rural town of Canas in Castille around the beginning of the 11th century. He was a shepherd for much his childhood and his family was part of the Spanish peasant class, which endured some of the worst conditions of all of Europe's lower classes. His career is all the more remarkable in light of his humble birth. While still young, he entered the benedictine abbey at La Rioja, called San Millan. There he eventually became Prior but was deposed by the King of Navarre, Garcia III, when he refused to allow the confiscation of some of the Priory's land. A refugee of that northern Spanish kingdom, Dominic won the patronage of King Ferdinand I of Leon, who placed him as the Abbot of the Abbey at Silos, where only six brothers lived in its ruinous state. Dominic gradually rebuilt the monastery, increasing the number of brothers, and establishing a library and scriptorium and thus, increasing its reputation, especially as a center for the Mozarabic Liturgy, the rite of the ancient Visigoth Church. Remembering his humble origins, much of the new wealth of the Abbey at Silos was used to free Christian slaves from the Muslim Moors, who occupied almost the entire southern half of Spain in the 11th century, territory which, previous to Moorish control, was Christian. Dominic died on this day in 1073. Three years later, his relics were translated into the Abbey Church where they became the center of his cult and where, in 1170, Joan of Aza, prayed for a child, promising to name him Dominic-who would became the famous Spanish saint and founder of the Dominican Order of Preachers. Dominic of Silos is venerated in both the Roman and Anglican Churches.</span><br />
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"> Dominic became the head of a dying church. But with a combination of liturgical and historical studies, charity for Christian neighbors and the insistence of the importance of the monastery's involvement and prominence, and that of the greater Church in general, in secular society. His life and works remain significant to the modern church as a model to rebuild redundant churches and establish new ones as centers of ecclesiastical liturgy and study, and as dispensers of charity might which could bring the church back to its position as a center of public devotion and relief.</span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTMi-72Ui9Ft2iamJvV5RbfchWpq81f3oEnCSPj9d17vrZu4ooI-FDUmSSPMG01JpMwLYCMnPjQx9RhUECjkMVFUI2K8UUDG9woug7340SkshGzLVDQW_iBSEE744g2KYeuuN9_g0UdsE/s1600/Cloister+of+the+Abbey+of+Silos.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTMi-72Ui9Ft2iamJvV5RbfchWpq81f3oEnCSPj9d17vrZu4ooI-FDUmSSPMG01JpMwLYCMnPjQx9RhUECjkMVFUI2K8UUDG9woug7340SkshGzLVDQW_iBSEE744g2KYeuuN9_g0UdsE/s320/Cloister+of+the+Abbey+of+Silos.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The romanesque, 'double decker' cloister of the Abbey. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><a href="http://www.abadiadesilos.es/">The Abbey of Santo Domingo De Silos</a></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<span style="color: #eeeeee;">The Abbey, in Leon, Spain, actually dates to the Visigothic Church of the 7th century. The Abbey remained a center of the Mozarabic Rite after the death of St. Dominic although, like rest of the Church, except for the Archdiocese of Milan, it eventually switched to the Latin Rite. As monasticism has had little part in the core of the Roman Catholic Church for sometime, Silos seems to have begun to disintegrate again in the 19th century, when it sold many of the manuscripts from its library. Since then, the monastery has rejuvenated itself as a center of Gregorian Chant, for which it is known world wide....St. Dominic's mission continues.</span><br />
<br />
Chant from the Mozarabic Antiphonary of the Abbey.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/MFOgp9CYL7Y?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
One of the Abbey's many recordings of Gregorian Chant: <i>Puer Natus in Bethlehem</i>.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<object class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="http://3.gvt0.com/vi/Ef0WUN_YDuM/0.jpg" height="266" width="320"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Ef0WUN_YDuM&fs=1&source=uds" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><embed width="320" height="266" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Ef0WUN_YDuM&fs=1&source=uds" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object> </div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2126207397071882760.post-61687153482281712062012-12-15T08:48:00.000-08:002013-03-25T13:41:38.288-07:00St. John of The Cross, 14 December. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdemQqn6fEHObczEPpoWxYmYFKHeXNNFQHM-1wVrDIFDiIhltRvDE86TmEfcJnjmabVH8j9xfodajy3JWqlZnZLimUKASa6SbzjawzS_2tPNwg7vTV-Z_zvPle4sKHS9UIxJRB_oV0Mgg/s1600/st-john-of-the-cross.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdemQqn6fEHObczEPpoWxYmYFKHeXNNFQHM-1wVrDIFDiIhltRvDE86TmEfcJnjmabVH8j9xfodajy3JWqlZnZLimUKASa6SbzjawzS_2tPNwg7vTV-Z_zvPle4sKHS9UIxJRB_oV0Mgg/s320/st-john-of-the-cross.jpg" width="309" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="color: #eeeeee;">John of the Cross was born into a poor Jewish family, similar to his contemporary and co-founder St. Teresa of Avila, in the 1540s near the Town of Avila in Castille, Spain. For the first part of his life, John studied in colleges and universities, including that of Salamanca, across Spain and became an acclaimed scholar before he met the humble Teresa at Avila in 1567. The two saints began the beginning of a movement that would see the foundation of reformed Carmelite houses all over Spain and that sought a more personal, contemplative, and humble relationship with Christ when they made the journey from Avila to Valladolid to found a new house in 1568. In the path of the nun and friar lay an old argument within the Carmelite order in Spain which forbid each side from establishing houses in the territory of the other. John and Teresa founded several houses in the region called Andalusia, in southern Spain, where the 'calced' or 'observant' Carmelites, who rejected the reforms of Teresa's 'discalced' order and the disagreement was settled but only after John spent some time in a Spanish prison. John had many layers within his character. He was very wise and acted not only as the prior of many Carmelite friaries but also acted as a spiritual director to several of Teresa's nunneries. Many of the treatises and teachings of his come from his instruction to these nuns and to his own friars but also from his time in prison, where he composed and memorized poetry which he later set down in writing. He was extremely pious, especially in his devotion to the celebration of the mass. Though learned, he was approachable by any person of any status and in fact had a special affection for the poor and so earned the title: "patron of the afflicted." After he died on December 14, 1591 at 49 years old, he was buried in one of his friaries at Segovia. For his humility, devotion, charity to the dispossessed, and deep knowledge and teacher of the love of God, he is venerated as a saint in both the Roman and Anglican Churches.</span><br />
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"> John's perseverance in remaining entrenched in his and Teresa's movement back towards religious humility is the same quality of the martyrs. The Church today must resist accusations from secular society that it is arcane and too narrow-minded for modern society with an answer in the form of St. John of the Cross: humility and charity, comfort and affection for the dispossessed is neither arcane nor narrow minded. St. John of the Cross and St. Teresa are examples of what the Church stands for...in action as well as belief. The Church needs to re-strengthen its relationship with society, Christ's relationship with society, by reviving its St. Johns; its purpose wholly dedicated to the bearing of the cross for the good of the world.</span><br />
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #eeeeee;">Collect:</span><br />
<span style="color: #f3f3f3;">Almighty God, the judge of all, who gave your servant John of the Cross a warmth of nature, a strength of purpose and a mystical faith that sustained him even in the darkness: shed your light on all who love you and grant them union of body and soul and the same courage to take up the task of bearing the cross of your Son, Jesus Christ, who with you and the Holy Spirit, lives and reigns, One God, forever and ever. Amen </span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLUSm7XSWsxI52vmkRmp5A1d-AYUfNoOF1vyjIqnI2VYLzM1RY_iBE-vomFXVa_ywTammvftdtQK8iAwYmhuCMn53dOpfaX3MiAA4xxDJJ-PC43UqLFZFaUoHJK75UfJqKK_lb3P3vpBQ/s1600/Virgin+of+Carmel+with+Sts.+Teresa+and+John+of+the+Cross.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLUSm7XSWsxI52vmkRmp5A1d-AYUfNoOF1vyjIqnI2VYLzM1RY_iBE-vomFXVa_ywTammvftdtQK8iAwYmhuCMn53dOpfaX3MiAA4xxDJJ-PC43UqLFZFaUoHJK75UfJqKK_lb3P3vpBQ/s400/Virgin+of+Carmel+with+Sts.+Teresa+and+John+of+the+Cross.jpg" width="340" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Virgin of Mt. Carmel with Sts. Teresa and John of the Cross</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2126207397071882760.post-69417491184886854592012-12-14T17:06:00.000-08:002013-03-25T17:19:23.355-07:00St. Drostan of Deer, 15 December<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjevH0-0aGmLBhS8GaKVat2pGgmqhge4Dcj4OZdZuokQp1ETc9-g_dnNXVEaTWoSNtsvoBfpOaA9905KVFzsv9-1dXlf8E1re1q04y-JtDs90SaS_19jgVuwU4uBPXm8w3qr-XhFLOpo8/s1600/Book+of+Deer+St.+John+Drostan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjevH0-0aGmLBhS8GaKVat2pGgmqhge4Dcj4OZdZuokQp1ETc9-g_dnNXVEaTWoSNtsvoBfpOaA9905KVFzsv9-1dXlf8E1re1q04y-JtDs90SaS_19jgVuwU4uBPXm8w3qr-XhFLOpo8/s320/Book+of+Deer+St.+John+Drostan.jpg" width="206" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbg014kMiuSyCT-sCgekMurkA1_Rxt5ThIz02wd-PjyRtc4ylArwUw2vxncSuUiowCXP2yJqOYjipLkiFNyIT2WOpHs3R3gjFe3iT_GQmcXSaSl_gIzWRU5tSsM0N554EkV1yTmgmItV4/s1600/Book+of+Deer+St.+Drostan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbg014kMiuSyCT-sCgekMurkA1_Rxt5ThIz02wd-PjyRtc4ylArwUw2vxncSuUiowCXP2yJqOYjipLkiFNyIT2WOpHs3R3gjFe3iT_GQmcXSaSl_gIzWRU5tSsM0N554EkV1yTmgmItV4/s320/Book+of+Deer+St.+Drostan.jpg" width="255" /></a></div>
<br />
Speaking of<a href="http://feastssaintsmedievalchurch.blogspot.com/2012/12/early-medieval-monasticism-and-revival.html"> monastic saints</a>...<br />
<br />
St. Drostan was a disciple of St. Columba on his missions through the Kingdom of the Picts in the 6th century. He established a monastery at Deer, which is now called by the related name Aberdour (or Inchcolm), which became the most important Church in that part of Scotland where it secured Christianity. Of this monastery, which fell into decay in periods but held religious communities until the Reformation in the 1500s, Drostan was abbot and perhaps also bishop, as many Celtic abbots were, and probably received a lot of royal support for it because of its proximity to the Pictish capital of Craig Phadrig, near Inverness. Towards the end of his life he left his abbey in the hands of the next abbot and became a hermit in the Scottish Highlands where he continued to preach to and give relief to the poor.<br />
<br />
Anyhow, Drostan's abbey at Deer was instrumental in establishing churches and securing Christianity in the Moray-Grampians area. Thus, Drostan's Abbey, which was the mother of so many Christian churches in Eastern Scotland, was itself a daughter of Iona, the mother-house of all Scottish Churches (except for Whithorn), and of Iona it could be said, since it was established by St. Columba, was daughter to Clonard Abbey in Ireland and so forth. The seeds of missionary monasticism grew quickly and spread Gospel in the British Isles quickly once they were planted. It is the same today. With modern St. Finnians (teacher to Columba), we can have more St. Columbas. And with more St. Columbas we can have many more St. Drostans: many more churches and cathedrals filled: many more people comforted by the presence of Christ.<br />
<br />
<br />
Above: St. John the Evangelist and the first chapter of his Gospel "In Principia erat Verbum" from the Book of Deer, a Celtic gospel book illuminated at St. Drostan's monastery.<br />
<div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2126207397071882760.post-1317150111415772432012-12-12T20:05:00.002-08:002013-03-24T18:28:27.998-07:00Early Medieval Monasticism and the revival of the Church.<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO2MbrWoliUI5SZT6ELcqM0GGQibCH5HIlAfS1kdtbe6HakxzlGVYcLg3qZNJNUhS9Qzv1X2A2Gr8BObQTa3-nhtuBW6iQFtAOGGScyWtw85Pb8FDUj_gWIVe1i3cQ0GWR1Oy6KFTA9uw/s1600/St.+Ninian.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO2MbrWoliUI5SZT6ELcqM0GGQibCH5HIlAfS1kdtbe6HakxzlGVYcLg3qZNJNUhS9Qzv1X2A2Gr8BObQTa3-nhtuBW6iQFtAOGGScyWtw85Pb8FDUj_gWIVe1i3cQ0GWR1Oy6KFTA9uw/s320/St.+Ninian.jpg" width="115" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">St. Ninian at Whithorn</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia2zyUK5CmlWgJFCL7TxBjWcYCcNp-8J2OHE2Yr1rVBV8woiKgT5h9OSQUUiAc7AGLeQPjyyynT90ACCLgYd59BpFSHlCpJBb9llk6pfEC4XTOULIbdDb4Aei9GM8-cHot8ODQhRfvEfg/s1600/St.+Columba+Landing+at+Iona.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia2zyUK5CmlWgJFCL7TxBjWcYCcNp-8J2OHE2Yr1rVBV8woiKgT5h9OSQUUiAc7AGLeQPjyyynT90ACCLgYd59BpFSHlCpJBb9llk6pfEC4XTOULIbdDb4Aei9GM8-cHot8ODQhRfvEfg/s320/St.+Columba+Landing+at+Iona.jpg" width="261" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">St. Columba and his monks land on Iona.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #eeeeee;">If the Church, is ever to once again be the center of
attention for communities and to stay that way, then it will have to look back
towards the methods it used to spread Christianity when it did completely
dominate society. I do not mean the methods of the inquisition or of other
ecclesiastical courts of the later Middle Ages but the monastic missionaries of
the 6<sup>th</sup>, 7<sup>th</sup> or 8<sup>th</sup> centuries, who often
brought people Christianity not by force but by comfort.</span><br />
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"> The parish system of today’s Church is a system that was
designed not to expand Christianity but to maintain it. (Originally it is derived from the system of local churches established around the diocese of Tours by St. Martin the the 5th century to keep the converted pagans Christian.) The fact that parish
Churches have lost many members shows that the parish system has been unable to
maintain Christianity and that the Church needs to revert back to a system of
evangelization. I think that the answer to rebuilding the Church lies in the
revival of monastic missionaries, whose duty it is, not to meditate within the walls of great
abbey churches, but to establish themselves in small communities everywhere,
and draw people into the parish churches. The way that the islands of Great
Britian and Ireland, Frisia and Germany were turned Christian in just a couple
centuries was by the establishment of monasteries. St. Patrick began the
conversion of Ireland by the establishment of semi-monastic colleges of bishops
in the 5<sup>th</sup> century. St. Comgall and St. Coemgan strengthened
Christianity there by establishing monasteries based on the abbey of St. Martin
at Whithorn in Galloway, established by St. Ninian. St. Columba began the
conversion of the Picts with the establishment of Iona Abbey, St. Boniface the
same for the Germans at Fulda, St. Augustine for the English at Canterbury, St.
Aidan the Northumbrians at Lindisfarne, St. Piran in Cornwall, St. Wilfred at Echternach and the list
goes on. If the Church is to bring Christianity to as many people and
communities as these saints did then it must revive the same methods that they
used.</span><br />
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"> My idea for a revival of missionary monasticism includes a model where the order would draw members from the dispossessed; the poor, the homeless, the lonely, the addicted, the unemployed or those who are looking for new meaning in their life...of course anybody could join the order. The order would educate new members in monasteries before they took either term (a period of a few years like a service commitment) or life vows. The 'monasteries' would probably be parish churches that provided for the relatively comfortable shelter of the brothers and sisters, who during the day would go out into the community to help people in any way from acting as nurses, to musicians, to after-school care, to parish-based charity-anything for the good of the community. All of the work would be in the name of Christ and the members would make sure the people who they helped knew this and would provide additional instruction in the faith...to be overseen by the local parish priest or local priors and prioresses. The monasteries where new members would be educated would not be associated with parishes but would be their own institutions, designed for the very purpose of educating candidates for religious orders in the Anglican faith, and then sending them to various places to help communities and draw members into the comfort of Christ. The order would hope to eventually begin to establish its own parishes, where small 'colleges' of brothers and sisters were based (somewhat like civic chantry chapels) and could begin new congregations by drawing the people they helped to the chapels where the order lived...previous houses or apartments.</span><br />
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"> Contemplative monastic orders have given a lot of meaning to devoted individuals during and after the Middle Ages, but while so much of society has, as many of these early saints might have said, "relapsed into paganism"(though deism or atheism would be more appropriate for today), those who want to dedicate their lives to God's work rework their monastic rules around the spreading and strengthening of Christianity in specific communities.</span><br />
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"> The point here is that such an order would provide for the comfort and betterment of people's lives where ever it was established, and that it would renew the Church's mission to continue to spread the blessing of Christ in new places and to make it stronger in the places where it already is. </span><br />
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"> If Christianity is ever to bee as meaningful to people and to whole communities as it was under the leadership and successors of these early saints, then the Church needs to revive their methods and zeal in spreading the faith so that the Church, which is the Body of Christ, can reach out to, comfort, aid and included as many people in as many places as possible. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: white;">Collect:</span><br />
<span style="color: white;">Almighty God, for love of your Son Jesus Christ, alight in us the missionary zeal of the ancient saints, who dedicated their lives to the spreading of your comforting word, so that the Church, which is the Body of Our Savior, can revive its holy mission in all places and among all peoples in this world, in the name of Jesus Christ Our Lord. Amen.</span><br />
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2126207397071882760.post-50064780834450640142012-12-06T20:46:00.001-08:002013-03-25T13:30:13.581-07:00St. Ambrose of Milan, 7 December, and the Ambrosian Rite and Liturgy.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP3N86fZh6t6TSM5mUSraJS0WrKXxVx1et5orSsCZeiXfCC7bGLPWfFSLPB0Kd7tRBcbYvjk8oD9QJPCTpZ4obnb9fAOY-R3uXzQcIPXucYXQgFn1bE_3het-dG8XJgJPJ86ebSF6xyRs/s1600/St.+Ambrose.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP3N86fZh6t6TSM5mUSraJS0WrKXxVx1et5orSsCZeiXfCC7bGLPWfFSLPB0Kd7tRBcbYvjk8oD9QJPCTpZ4obnb9fAOY-R3uXzQcIPXucYXQgFn1bE_3het-dG8XJgJPJ86ebSF6xyRs/s400/St.+Ambrose.jpg" width="177" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><b>St. Ambrose, Archbishop of Milan.</b></span><br />
St. Ambrose lived in the 4th century A.D. and was, before he became Archbishop of Milan, the Roman Governor of Aemilia and Liguria, a province of what is now Lombardy with the capitol at Milan. Upon the death of the Arian bishop of Milan, Ambrose went to the council of bishops who were to elect the new archbishop to prevent conflict but found himself instead as elected to take that office, which he humbly accepted. Ambrose allotted all his wealth to the poor except for some which he reserved for his sister, as did St. Anthony the Great when he entered the desert of Egypt to become a hermit. He is similar to St. Hugh of Lincoln in his lifestyle as bishop where he practiced humility and asceticism in one of the highest and most public offices in the Roman empire. Also as a precursor for later medieval saint-bishops such as Hugh or Thomas Becket, he came into great conflict with the Roman Emperors and other secular authorities through his suppression of the Arian heresy. The Arians were still at large in the 4th century and demanded the right to worship in some of Milan's greatest Churches, which Ambrose refused, incurring the anger of the Emperor Valentinian, whose wife was an acclaimed Arian. He also excommunicated the Emperor Theodosius after massacres in Greece. Throughout his episcopate, Ambrose was staunch in maintaining the true faith of the Nicene Creed and the practice of Christian Charity and mercy. He died in 395 and is buried in the Basilica of St. Ambrogio in Milan.<br />
As one of the first 'Doctors of the Church,' Ambrose is remembered as a great hymnist, liturgist, and theologian as St. Augustine of Hippo was his greatest student. Many of his works survive and among his most prevalent focuses are human sin, ethics, and divine grace, but his writings also influenced the growing importance of the sacraments of of specific doctrines of the Church. He influenced liturgy through music and through the composition of the rite. As a hymnist, he composed a form of chant now honored to him as <i>Ambrosian Chant</i> which involves a chanted dialogue between the officiant of the office and the congregation and is still used in the Archdiocese of Milan. He, like the writers and composers St. Jerome or Gregory the Great, is often depicted in a scriptorium. At one point as Archbishop, Ambrose got into an argument with Churchmen in Rome about Milan's distinct liturgy from the Roman Rite. He resolved that when ever he went to Rome he would use their customes but in Milan he would keep practicine the Ambrosian Rite. His decision is purpetuated in a common saying which survive today when he wrote in a letter "When in Rome, do as the Romans do."<br />
The example of Ambrose as a Church figure involved in every aspect of the Church's and its members lives is important in a world that is constantly growing more secular. Although many believe that no religion should have any official place in government this does not mean that archbishops, bishops, and priests should remain un-involved and unspoken. They should by no means attach themselves to a political party...but the Church should make itself known through public outcry and involvement that it is a body of citizens whose beliefs will not allow for certain trespasses of the state to be acceptable. Ambrose's deep influence in regional liturgy and music also shows that priests and bishops should look towards the perfection of a liturgy that will best satisfy the devotion of the Church's members.<br />
Most importantly, the careful guardianship of the faith by Ambrose against rogue bishops in the church who upheld the Arian heresy, shows us the importance of preserving the faith, especially when it is assaulted by our own bishops, our successors to the apostles, and other forces from within the Church. The faith in Christ-of the one holy Catholic and Apostolic Church- is the only real treasure. It must be protected from people in the church who deny the faith and its leaders and members must continue to fulfill its eternal duty...to bring Christ, to bring the Church, to as many people in the world for their comfort from the knowlage that Christ is Our Savior...from everything that could challenge our happiness in this world and the next.<br />
<br />
<strong><span style="color: #e69138;">The Ambrosian Rite and Liturgy.</span></strong><br />
The Ambrosian Rite is the only non-Roman Rite liturgy that is allowed to be used in any diocese of the Roman Catholic Church except for the Gallician Rite, which can only be used in the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Spain on the Feast fo St. James, 25 July, who is buried there. It is the main use of the parishes in the Archdioces of Milan, where Ambrose was bishop. The rite could be described as more byzantine than the roman rite in its arrangement of the Mass and the Divine Offices and even the liturgical calendar. Perhaps most remarkably, the services of Holy Week are distincly different from any other latin rite, and both the seasons of Lent and Advent are longer than the ususal Roman observance. Ambrosian Chant, which is distinct from Gregorian Chant, is Gallo-Roman in nature, more similar to the Mozarabic Chant of Spain or the chant used in Gaul. The Ambrosian Chant often calls for a treble (boys choir) section. The chant also includes a part for the congregation, who is supposed to join in the chant both at Mass and at daily offices, esspecially in the singing of the psalms. The Basilica of St. Ambrogio in Milan is known to use the Ambrosian Chants and Rite regularly.<br />
<br />
Collect:<br />
<span style="background-color: #666666; color: white; font-family: inherit;">O God, who gave your servant Ambrose grace eloquently to proclaim your righteousness in the great congregation, and fearlessly to bear reproach for the honor of your Name: Mercifully grant to all bishops and pastors such excellence in preaching and faithfulness in ministering your Word, that your people may be partakers with them of the glory that shall be revealed; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #666666; color: #f3f3f3; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span class="long-title yt-uix-expander-head" dir="ltr" style="-webkit-user-select: auto; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; cursor: pointer; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: -0.05em; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="Ambrosian chant - Alleluia. Hodie in Bethlehem puer natus est"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Ambrosian chant - <i>Alleluia. Hodie in Bethlehem puer natus est.</i></span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<object class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="http://3.gvt0.com/vi/yZ_woagXXuM/0.jpg" height="266" width="320"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/yZ_woagXXuM&fs=1&source=uds" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><embed width="320" height="266" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/yZ_woagXXuM&fs=1&source=uds" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
The Gospel Alleluia from the Ambrosian Rite in Milan Cathedral.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/ESpL-MpY6VQ?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Preces and responses in the Ambrosian Rite in the Basilica of S. Ambrogio, Milan, where St. Ambrose is buried. The church seems to be the most well known for its use of the rite.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/VJBBBoAsr4w?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
<span style="background-color: #999999; color: #f3f3f3; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: #999999; color: #f3f3f3; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2126207397071882760.post-46736942131751043132012-11-21T17:11:00.002-08:002012-11-28T13:22:20.994-08:00St. C.S. Lewis, 22 November.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghsQBXA05yNhqoXvp5FYCZDkPGSGJVxOHxSsmQ0-bFHbVxsu2f58WToF-b2rU-XQSGSqigOt7iLTt5Kfg6Alp1vg3ptYilyHis0pyMSbwnc50fZhyphenhyphencwmQ799d-87bkBee86nQhoXA96R0/s1600/cs-lewis.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghsQBXA05yNhqoXvp5FYCZDkPGSGJVxOHxSsmQ0-bFHbVxsu2f58WToF-b2rU-XQSGSqigOt7iLTt5Kfg6Alp1vg3ptYilyHis0pyMSbwnc50fZhyphenhyphencwmQ799d-87bkBee86nQhoXA96R0/s320/cs-lewis.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"> </span><br />
C.S. Lewis still has presence in our lives today as if he had died only yesterday. This is perhaps because of his many books, which attract the interest of all ages, are widely read. I know very little about Lewis. But the little that I do know about him and all that I have read from his works shows him to be a holy man and a saint of the Church in all its meanings.<br />
Lewis grew up in County Ulster, Ireland and was a member of the the Church of Ireland as a child but lost his faith as a teenager. He attended the University of Oxford for Literature, especially interested in Norse literature, and after which he fought in World War One in 1917. He remained a staunch atheist for a long time, supporting it in many of his early debates and writings. But, after teaching at Oxford for some time he rejected atheism, converted to Christianity, and joined the Church of England in 1931, partly influenced my J.R. Tolkien and other colleagues. He described the end of the process as stubborn resistance to God and then in "Trinity Term...I admitted that God was God, and knelt down and prayed, perhaps the most dejected and reluctant convert in all of England. Later, in one of the Oxford debates of the 1930s when the question was posed "does God exist?," for the existence of God and additionally, though in a different setting, that Jesus was the Son of God, much to the surprise and contempt of many Oxford fellows. He married the Jewish American Joy Davidman in 1957, while she was in a hospital bed for treatment of bone-cancer. His faith spurred the dozens of books that he published, many of them written to support aspects of orthodox Christianity. These books include <i>"Miracles," </i>which supports divine miracles, and <i>"The Problem of Pain,"</i> which explains the existence of pain and suffering in a world made by God. His books "<i>The Chronicles of Narnia"</i> are based around deep Christian symbolism. He died in 1963 and was buried at his parish, Holy Trinity Headington Quarry.<br />
Lewis's sanctity exists in many parts and perspectives of his life. Lewis, as both well accomplished as a secular scholar and theologian; as both a for-some-time atheist and then a faithful, orthodox believer, stands for, among many things, the compatibility of natural knowledge and the orthodox Christian faith. In a time where the Christian faith has been attacked as archaic, superstitious, without reason, and hypocritical, orthodoxy is important and fortunately Lewis, certainly a man of reason and natural knowledge has also provided us with a defense from these questions. As he himself was a non-believer who used reason to criticize the Church, his acceptance of Christ and defense of Christian religion serves as an motive for the Church's continuing support of orthodoxy. He serves as an example to the faithful and to the questioning that the Christians can fully accept orthodox Christianity and accept natural and scientific fact and reason at the same time, which is why he is so important to the modern Church.<br />
<br />
Lewis was added to the liturgical calendar of the Episcopal Church of the United States in 2011 for November 22 with the following collect:<br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: #666666; color: #f3f3f3; font-family: inherit;">O God of searing truth and surpassing beauty, we give thee thanks for Clive Staples Lewis whose sanctified imagination lighteth fires of faith in young and old alike; Surprise us also with thy joy and draw us into that new and abundant life which is ours in Christ Jesus, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. <em>Amen.</em></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #666666; color: #f3f3f3; font-family: inherit;"><em><br /></em></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeExyz5I3JaMRCaA4rP5WGQGRxmSEgA5lFk5YDHmRJFHRCmcQr7snZTIgqqskZEt5VwqAYqFMPQYTVYLMZwKce2S64JqX3bau0FGh37g-NbypJ268esclQUenBlfNqPpnBA2DsuQ5K3Hk/s1600/Narnia+window.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeExyz5I3JaMRCaA4rP5WGQGRxmSEgA5lFk5YDHmRJFHRCmcQr7snZTIgqqskZEt5VwqAYqFMPQYTVYLMZwKce2S64JqX3bau0FGh37g-NbypJ268esclQUenBlfNqPpnBA2DsuQ5K3Hk/s400/Narnia+window.jpg" width="328" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Narnia window at Holy Trinity Headington Quarry, Lewis's parish church.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="background-color: #666666; color: #f3f3f3; font-family: inherit;"><em><br /></em></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2126207397071882760.post-80855856646536015532012-11-17T20:32:00.001-08:002013-03-25T17:23:03.149-07:00St. Hugh of Lincoln, Protector of the Oppressed, 17 November.<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoJilReEAMVp9yV2XcF0x7XbUJVl4vU_Zlvk5_lv9LY_9afMlLnQ998vVMZ1ZRGdPd26k2M2gsFM9UtoAFEOIBhN31m7DvpUeTSn5u5phKuvjqwMmK7ZvMNauKPxeCICFDoFuJ0bF_wa4/s1600/St.+Hugh+of+Lincoln+spain.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoJilReEAMVp9yV2XcF0x7XbUJVl4vU_Zlvk5_lv9LY_9afMlLnQ998vVMZ1ZRGdPd26k2M2gsFM9UtoAFEOIBhN31m7DvpUeTSn5u5phKuvjqwMmK7ZvMNauKPxeCICFDoFuJ0bF_wa4/s400/St.+Hugh+of+Lincoln+spain.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">St. Hugh of Lincoln on a Carthusian altarpiece in Spain.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="color: #eeeeee;">St. Hugh was born at Avalon, France around 1140. A son of the Lord of Avalon, Hugh became affiliated with the Augustinians at an early age but eventually became a friar at the Grand Chartreuse the head Carthusian monastery, because he desired a more isolated and contemplative life. It was during this time that Hugh became friends with the Cistercian Archbishop, St. Peter of Tarentaise, a man famously devoted to charity and humility, who became Hugh's mentor. Hugh eventually became a priest and the procurator of the Grand Chartreuse which was a big deal for the Carthusian because unlike Black Benedictines, Cistercians or most other religious orders, only some Carthusian friars were ordained. In 1179, Hugh traveled to Witham in Dorset to fill the post as Prior of the first Carthusian House in England. Hugh nourished the community at Witham and settled disputes with the local villagers. It was at Witham that Hugh began his troublesome relationship with English Royalty, extending through the reigns of Kings Henry II, Richard I and John. In 1186 the chapter of Lincoln Cathedral elected Hugh as Bishop much to his surprise.</span><br />
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"> It was during Hugh's episcopate that he really became a saint. Hugh worked to wrestle the church out from under royal authority, reminding several kings that they were not exempt from hell, and were, in fact, well into the journey there. His humility, a relic of his Carthusian day, was a trend in Hugh's episcopate that set him apart from most other bishops of his time, challenging the behavior of the Church. King Richard one said of him "If all the bishops were like my lord of Lincoln, no prince among us could raise his head against them." He regularly visited his diocese, moving systematically from palace to palace. On his visits he established a variety of charities for the disposed and never hesitated in counselling any person who approach him whether king, child or leper. It was recorded that he enjoyed children in particular and many times ate with lepers, instead of nobles, and washed their feet, a sincere demonstration of pious humility. He had a particular affinity to the burial of the dead, so that whenever he and his episcopal retinue came across neglected dead bodies, he would would personally bury them according to the appropriate rites preformed with deep piety, or when he came into a town where there was a funeral, he would ask permission to say the Mass. While Lincoln Cathedral was being built, Hugh helped to work on the its construction by carrying a yoke to and from the work site. He also protected the Jews of his diocese in Lincoln and Oxford from popular violence. It was recorded that all the Jews participated in his funeral procession along with the 3 Archbishops, 14 bishops, 100 abbots, 3 kings and thousands of others when he died on this day in 1200.</span><br />
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"> If all the bishops of the modern Anglican Church were like St. Hugh of Lincoln, not only would all secular rulers be unable to raise their head against them, but the Church would be strong in faith and unity, and the greatest example of charity and care for human life in all the world.</span><br />
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"> Even if just a few bishops, personally worked in communities to strengthen both people's role in society and relationship to Christ and the Church, by washing people's feet, by calling the homeless to sleep inside, to visit the homes of the lonely, the elderly, the afraid ...the list does not end, the Church would be what it really is...the body of Jesus Christ, living and doing what Christ did and does.</span><br />
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"> The example of people like St. Hugh is key to the existence and mission of the Church. From his time to our time, the population for whom he showed so much Christian love had increased exponentially-and it its the Church's job to grow and do what he did-what Christ wants us to do-for all those people. The primary role of the Church is to maintain its true faith, to bring it to all people, and to treat them as Jesus would. There are other specifics, but in general it cannot afford to dwell elsewhere.</span><br />
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #eeeeee;">Collect:</span><br />
<span style="color: #f3f3f3;">Almighty God, who sent your servant Hugh to minister to kings and princes, children and lepers alike; to be an example of apostolic ministry for the Church and an example of Christian charity and humility for the world; grant that we, as the Church and as individuals, may minister to the world with the same penetrating humility, undaunted faith, and caring charity in the message of our Savoir Jesus Christ, Your son, who with You and the Holy Spirit, live and reign, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9CQbRAc7z-UKvZKzzSDWSpdX1i-w3EVCcnWPTBSnlRGXIGg0nib-5H9z9gNjJUQd7PhX32soIxaCW-aoaO6oZbrwrUsKOplg3eoD_Xe-S2wYyTJD7LfNN1oyos_gfuOe-Y3XhwvNZIfY/s1600/St.+Hugh+of+Lincoln.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9CQbRAc7z-UKvZKzzSDWSpdX1i-w3EVCcnWPTBSnlRGXIGg0nib-5H9z9gNjJUQd7PhX32soIxaCW-aoaO6oZbrwrUsKOplg3eoD_Xe-S2wYyTJD7LfNN1oyos_gfuOe-Y3XhwvNZIfY/s320/St.+Hugh+of+Lincoln.jpg" width="159" /></a></div>
<div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggNiFyKj8isWt30wFSJDl6U8S78nzkdtaqE4gNqSUrcICiiK_pGO1_pR27u61FI7Vl9mpwlqdwWi3APxxGC0S07ikN8oqhbaNJx1d_brEpw6VtSYtq0Mv_1wyqsoXgJfoq5qWZAj_TjpQ/s1600/St.+Hugh+of+Lincoln+(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggNiFyKj8isWt30wFSJDl6U8S78nzkdtaqE4gNqSUrcICiiK_pGO1_pR27u61FI7Vl9mpwlqdwWi3APxxGC0S07ikN8oqhbaNJx1d_brEpw6VtSYtq0Mv_1wyqsoXgJfoq5qWZAj_TjpQ/s1600/St.+Hugh+of+Lincoln+(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggNiFyKj8isWt30wFSJDl6U8S78nzkdtaqE4gNqSUrcICiiK_pGO1_pR27u61FI7Vl9mpwlqdwWi3APxxGC0S07ikN8oqhbaNJx1d_brEpw6VtSYtq0Mv_1wyqsoXgJfoq5qWZAj_TjpQ/s320/St.+Hugh+of+Lincoln+(1).jpg" width="195" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"><br /></span>
<span style="text-align: center;">St. Hugh is often depicted with the goose that followed him around in one town in the diocese as here in stained glass from York and on a poly-chrome reredos.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2126207397071882760.post-63371494371680489802012-11-15T18:57:00.002-08:002013-03-25T17:21:56.834-07:00Feast of the Consecration of St. Samuel Seabury: the Bestowal of the American Episcopate: The first Bishop in the United States of America.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf_dChunPn5aoxoexJ3brXdDuDVqMY6nLXco5J4CycvWSWUgRlL_5V0zSudM_mbOfTfHi6U3-TQt555K14FccGIFzamwmu6MQ_0dnvk5HQKgbyO9ijtig2Jt4Ua1rcDwTKozemy4lX29k/s1600/Samuel+Seabury.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf_dChunPn5aoxoexJ3brXdDuDVqMY6nLXco5J4CycvWSWUgRlL_5V0zSudM_mbOfTfHi6U3-TQt555K14FccGIFzamwmu6MQ_0dnvk5HQKgbyO9ijtig2Jt4Ua1rcDwTKozemy4lX29k/s400/Samuel+Seabury.jpg" width="316" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="color: #eeeeee;">This feast annually marks the official establishment of the Anglican Church in the United States and is therefore as important to Episcopalians as the arrival of St. Augustine in Kent is to the Church of England, and the whole Anglican Communion. Samuel Seabury is to the U.S. what St. Aidan was to Northumbria, what St. Columba was to the Picts, what St. Patrick was to the Irish, and, as said before, what St. Augustine was to the English. He was the missionary who finally secured the Apostolic line on America. And for this reason he is a man of 'blessed memory,' as St. Bede would have said it, to the Church in the United States. </span><br />
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"> Seabury grew up in the Colony of Connecticut and was ordained by the Bishop of London in 1753. He became a member of a missionary group in the colonies and successively served as Rector to the parishes of Christ Church New Brunswick, NJ, Grace Church Jamaica, NY, and St. Peter's Westchester County, NY. Both before and after the Revolutionary War, Seabury remained loyal to the Church of England and advocated for the establishment of a bishopric in the colonies. After the war, he was elected in a meeting of the Church in Connecticut to seek Episcopal consecration in England. He was denied consecration by the Archbishop of Canterbury because Church of England Bishops had to swear an oath to the king, which was problematic for the now American Seabury. So he sought consecration by the non-juror bishops of Scotland, who were in hiding because they refused to recognize the Hanoverian dynasty and, as Episcopalian in structure and catholic in worship, were suppressed by the Presbyterian Church of Scotland. The Scots agreed to consecrate Seabury on the conditions that they call themselves the 'Episcopal' Church, to get back at the Hanoverians in England, and that the Americans included the Epiclesis after the words of institution in the rite for Holy Communion. Seabury was consecrated on this day in 1784 by the bishop and suffragan of Aberdeen, and the bishop of Ross and Caithness in Aberdeen. He went on the establish the Church in Connecticut and Rhode Island, participated in the first consecration of a bishop in America, Claggett of Maryland, and served as the second Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church. He died in 1796 and in buried in St. James Church, New London. </span><br />
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQCRY3l8tU0mHyrxF7zFE2zVp5ZW5oABVy0fDgoFsBFJqNNhJB-CCE2xNYHQ6Nc7rhX696V8ynMVSkMI6tDvuvsdyQEpfCiOKnO8kgLhWe49AbzaCShFsZrhlEx6OZb9wAQfarwS_z2Fw/s1600/Consecration+of+Samuel+seabury+at+Old+st+pauls.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQCRY3l8tU0mHyrxF7zFE2zVp5ZW5oABVy0fDgoFsBFJqNNhJB-CCE2xNYHQ6Nc7rhX696V8ynMVSkMI6tDvuvsdyQEpfCiOKnO8kgLhWe49AbzaCShFsZrhlEx6OZb9wAQfarwS_z2Fw/s400/Consecration+of+Samuel+seabury+at+Old+st+pauls.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Consecration of St. Samuel Seabury from St. Paul's Edinburgh.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"> St. Samuel Seabury is an important example for the Episcopal Church, and all Churches of the Anglican Communion, as an enthusiastic missionary, supporter of the faith, and father of the Church. Both diocesan and missionary bishops can look up to him when they work to penetrate their own diocese with the Gospel or to bring it to new places and establish new Churches. As I said in my post <a href="http://feastssaintsmedievalchurch.blogspot.com/2012/07/the-church-is-in-need-of-her-saints.html">The Church is in Need of Her Saints</a>, "t<span style="background-color: #5c5c5c; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;">he Church owes much of her existence to these men and women who died for the faith or kept clean the Church of corruption. Today by placing a candle before the image or relic of a saint we are both thanking our mortal ancestors for giving us the Church and praying that we as Christians might be able to imitate the extreme dedication to Christ that these saints exercised." Samuel Seabury is saint, father, and missionary of the Anglican Church, whose work, as a mortal follower and herald of Christ, we members of the modern Church, should hope to emulate. When we say a prayer remembering St. Samuel Seabury we are thanking Christ for his sacrifice, and for our salvation; for all the comfort that we get from him because holy men and women like Samuel Seabury secured the faith for us. </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #5c5c5c; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;"></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #5c5c5c; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;"></span></span>
<span style="background-color: #5c5c5c; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;">Collect:</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #f3f3f3;">Eternal God, you blessed your servant Samuel Seabury with the gift of perseverance to renew the Anglican inheritance in North America: Grant that, joined together in unity with our bishops and nourished by your holy Sacraments, we may proclaim the Gospel of redemption with apostolic zeal; through Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #f3f3f3;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #f3f3f3;"></span></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_8xkoVj5Ei8uTA_Ae9U9Hylw0kjUWDBGZSzxpUq82yAF8LKNNM_-rHim5D_DJGkRXqIPSoOppgRlN71e71Ef5eBh-pUojIrQ3VDwH030gZBEo4H7D3QpaJWKKEiPxGG_gLcuZgJGIlHk/s1600/Samuel+seabury's+miter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;"><img border="0" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_8xkoVj5Ei8uTA_Ae9U9Hylw0kjUWDBGZSzxpUq82yAF8LKNNM_-rHim5D_DJGkRXqIPSoOppgRlN71e71Ef5eBh-pUojIrQ3VDwH030gZBEo4H7D3QpaJWKKEiPxGG_gLcuZgJGIlHk/s320/Samuel+seabury's+miter.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;">The miter of St. Samuel Seabury.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="color: #eeeeee; font-family: inherit;">Because Samuel Seabury was the first of any bishop in America, there is some literature surrounding his miter, (which I think should be treated as a relic). It is kept by the Diocese of Connecticut in Hartford. The following poem is by A. Cleveland Coxe.</span><br />
<br />
<blockquote>
<span style="color: #eeeeee;">THE rod that from Jerusalem<br /> Went forth so strong of yore;<br />That rod of David's royal stem,<br /> Whose hand the farthest bore?<br />St. Paul to seek the setting sun,<br /> They say, to Britain prest:<br />St. Andrew to old Caledon;<br /> But who still further West?</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #eeeeee;">Go ask!--a thousand tongues shall tell<br /> His name and dear renown,<br />Where altar, font, and holy bell,<br /> Are gifts he handed down:<br />A thousand hearts keep warm the name,<br /> Which share those gifts so blest;<br />Yet even this may tell the same,<br /> First mitre of the West!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #eeeeee;">This mitre with its crown of thorn,<br /> Its cross upon the front;<br />Not for a proud adorning worn,<br /> But for the battle's brunt:<br />This helmet--with Salvation's sign,<br /> Of one whose shield was faith;<br />This crown--of him, for right divine<br /> Who battled unto death!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #eeeeee;">Oh! keep it--till the moth shall wear<br /> Its comeliness to dust,<br />Type of a crown that's laid up where<br /> There is nor moth nor rust;<br />Type of the LORD'S commission given<br /> To this, our Western shore;<br />The rod of CHRIST--the keys of heaven,<br /> Through one, to thousands more.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #eeeeee;">They tell how Scotia keeps with awe<br /> Her old Regalia bright,<br />Sign of her independent law,<br /> And proud imperial right;<br />But keep this too for Scotland's boast;<br /> 'Twill tell of better things,<br />When long old Scotia shall have lost<br /> Those gewgaws of her kings.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #eeeeee;">And keep it for this mighty West<br /> Till truth shall glorious be,<br />And good old Samuel's is confest<br /> Columbia's primal see.<br />'Tis better than a diadem,<br /> The crown that bishop wore,<br />Whose hand the rod of David's stem<br /> The furthest Westward bore.</span><br />
<div>
<br /></div>
</blockquote>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2126207397071882760.post-52658442151399169072012-11-13T19:49:00.003-08:002013-03-25T17:23:30.763-07:00St. Dyfrig of Wales, 14 November. (Also known as St. Dubricius or Devereux)<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6cUKfH7XGz-FnVh5zyvPgEKSfyOchvoYL8CcW_e5Rh5ytxYyV5ZAURYQ0c9upmX0tWE2QfmHAKAKWG6PsLKQFMbfKiQ99zEeo7VPNEmQ6Z8oR3L0D_Ys2c0o08gvKrBXQQrpi1OCDk5U/s1600/Bardsey-Island.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6cUKfH7XGz-FnVh5zyvPgEKSfyOchvoYL8CcW_e5Rh5ytxYyV5ZAURYQ0c9upmX0tWE2QfmHAKAKWG6PsLKQFMbfKiQ99zEeo7VPNEmQ6Z8oR3L0D_Ys2c0o08gvKrBXQQrpi1OCDk5U/s400/Bardsey-Island.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bardsey Island where St. Dyfrid retired, North Wales. "The island of one thousand saints."</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
St. Dyfrig was a monk and bishop of sixth century Wales. Raised a Christian he established abbeys at Hentland, where the parish church is dedicated to him, and Moccas, both in Herefordshire, which became renowned centers of Welsh Christian learning and produced many more saints. He acted as a missionary bishop to parts of Herefordshire and southern Wales and eventually became the Archbishop of Caerleon, Primate of the ancient Welsh Church. As Archbishop he fostered the Welsh monasticism to which he was so accustomed on a much larger scale establishing more abbeys and churches with the help of his friend, the Abbot St. Illtud and St. Cadog the hermit, and consecrating some of Wales' most important saints bishops, including St. Samson and St. Deiniol. In 545, he is said to have called a synod Llandewi Brefi for the Church to uniformly reject the Pelagian heresy, which suggests his possible association with St. Germanus of Auxerre. It was at this synod that Dyfrig passed the Archbishopric of Caerleon to St. David of Wales, and retired to Bardsey, the Island of Saints, where he died at the famous monastery. His relics were translated in the 12th century to the Cathedral at Llandaff, where they still rest. Though St. David is dully remembered as the great saint of the Welsh people, Dyfrig was key to the stability of the Welsh Church. Monasteries would remain the core of Celtic Christianity for centuries to come and Dyfrid greatly contributed to their establishment in Wales, securing the strength and ability of the Christian religion in a tumultuous time period with no end in sight. Dyfrig, although not the founder of Christianity in Wales should be considered one of its greatest fathers, and thus one of the fathers of Christianity in Britain and of the whole Anglican Church.<br />
The time period in which Dyfrig lived is dark with uncertainty. But what we do know about Dyfrig and his passionate nurturing of the faith is precious to our Church's history and modern life when she looks back to her roots to see who watered the seedling that became the tree. Although Dyfrig may seem, then, like an obscure, eclipsed figure, our Church is directly descended from his work and only through the revival of his work can the Church continue the mission established by Our Savior and nurtured by St. Dyfrig 1460 years ago. There are many saints like Dyfrig, whose lives are partly missing to us in the fog of time but who's examples and works passed the Church to us so that we, though we too may someday be obscured in the same fog, can pass on the same beloved faith for generations 1460 years from now.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjKLFLdHQ01M5fzflZfI6Q8s3eqREGvBNPLxjD0vko43gPLDrcaUbT_rGUQLENr2d0vPoZGPQX_mknK19Qvy41uMb5fsIdBgiS4pG0AcofctlV2yBsAJmO-7pdVLkfC8fnviKVUWZFCRk/s1600/llandaff+blog.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjKLFLdHQ01M5fzflZfI6Q8s3eqREGvBNPLxjD0vko43gPLDrcaUbT_rGUQLENr2d0vPoZGPQX_mknK19Qvy41uMb5fsIdBgiS4pG0AcofctlV2yBsAJmO-7pdVLkfC8fnviKVUWZFCRk/s400/llandaff+blog.PNG" width="298" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Llandaff Cathedral, established by St. Dyfrig.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2126207397071882760.post-89003698067998267162012-11-09T13:23:00.000-08:002012-11-09T13:23:37.675-08:00Rt. Rev. Justin Welby, Bishop of Durham, elected Archbishop of Canterbury.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Today, the one hundred and fifth Archbishop was announced following the Queen's approval at Lambeth Palace to be the Rt. Rev. Justin Welby, Bishop of Durham. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/off72fR-ZO4?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19.200000762939453px; text-align: start;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;">"In his opening statement at Lambeth Palace, Bishop Justin said he was “astonished and excited” to be taking over from Dr Rowan Williams, who stands down as Archbishop at the end of December. Acknowledging the many challenges faced by the Church, he said it will be a privilege to provide leadership "at a time of great spiritual hunger"."</span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
From the website of the Archbishop: <a href="http://www.archbishopofcanterbury.org/index.php">http://www.archbishopofcanterbury.org/index.php</a></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2126207397071882760.post-55719238186461268502012-11-07T19:36:00.001-08:002013-03-25T17:24:04.527-07:00Feast of St. Willibrord, Apostle to Frisia, 7 November and the Dancing Procession of Echternach<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEf5Pdo51izp0WCQ1ncdW78mHys6EBd4nWGcmO-gkYN94gGSOnT6bctCsNdyV4cIudlGZ3BWBxyCRglHLPh36Gz3JROrDBfnzOg4NGeF8gv6uYyWlc-ueYP3_PtVLu10cOuvSrgTmuF5I/s1600/St.+Willibrord.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEf5Pdo51izp0WCQ1ncdW78mHys6EBd4nWGcmO-gkYN94gGSOnT6bctCsNdyV4cIudlGZ3BWBxyCRglHLPh36Gz3JROrDBfnzOg4NGeF8gv6uYyWlc-ueYP3_PtVLu10cOuvSrgTmuF5I/s640/St.+Willibrord.jpg" width="402" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">St. Willibrord: Apostle to Frisia, first Archbishop of Utrecht.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"> St. Willibrord was one of the earliest of the Anglo-Saxon missionaries to the Germanic peoples. His mission to the pagans of what are now the Netherlands sparked a century of English sponsored missions to bring the Gospel to Frisia and Germany. Many saints would follow this first Archbishop of Utrecht, penetrating deep into barbaric lands and placing their lives in jeopardy. Willibrord was born near York in Northumbria A.D. 658 and was educated in the abbey of St. Peter at Ripon by St. Wilfrid. When he returned to England in 690, he organized a mission with twelve other monks to bring Christ to Frisia. He gained support for his mission from Pippin II of the Franks and Pope Sergius who consecrated him a bishop. Willibrord soon established a cathedral at Utrecht and a flourishing monastery at Echternach, now Luxembourg, in much the same fashion that St. Augustine established the Church in Kent a century before. He was repelled once and his churches burned, but he returned and rebuilt everything and even sent further missions into Denmark and Germany. He died in 739 and his body was enshrined at the Abbey at Echternach where it remains.</span><br />
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"> Willibrord's life is important to the modern Church as an example of missionary perseverance. The Church has lost members all over the world, and it is in need of leaders like St. Willibrord to penetrate into each and every community, even, and especially where there are church congregations already. The setbacks that Willibrord experienced to his work was much more forceful and damaging than the silent yet quick declination that the Church today is experiencing, and so a reformulated interest in his example and thanksgiving in the his work and the work of the many saints like him is important to the revitalization to the Church where she exists and to spread the love of Christ where it has yet to thrive.</span><br />
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"> <span style="font-size: large;"> The Dancing Procession of Echternach</span></span></div>
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"> The cult of St. Willibrord became very strong in Luxembourg, Belgium, and in the Netherlands, where, to this day, Europe's only dancing procession is held every year on St. Willibrord's day. The procession begins with the chanting of the Litany of St. Willibrord and then the procession dances through the city, into the abbey and right down into the crypt to pass the shrine of St. Willibrord, while the bishop sits over the entrance to the crypt, blessing pilgrims as they pass beneath him.</span><br />
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><br /></span><span style="color: #cccccc;">This video, though a bit dramatic in presentation, captures both older and more recent films of the St. Willibrord Dance. </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<object class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="http://3.gvt0.com/vi/FQ68OFEC_p8/0.jpg" height="266" width="320"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/FQ68OFEC_p8&fs=1&source=uds" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><embed width="320" height="266" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/FQ68OFEC_p8&fs=1&source=uds" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
And this, from last year:</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/h5ATJ6itUs8?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #eeeeee;">Collect:</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: start;"> </span><span style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">O Lord our God, who dost call whom thou willest and send them whither thou choosest: We thank thee for sending thy servant Willibrord to be an apostle to the Low Countries, to turn them from the worship of idols to serve thee, the living God; and we entreat thee to preserve us from the temptation to exchange the perfect freedom of thy service for servitude to false gods and to idols of our own devising; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #eeeeee;">Heavenly Father, we ask you especially on this day when a new Archbishop of Canterbury has been chosen to give him the strength and perseverance of St. Willibrord and all thy saints, that he may help to heal the Church and extend its mission to all corners of the earth; we ask this through your Son Jesus Christ. Amen</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfPJhoALGnNf9ZD6CNn6HOUpirCNBx4PEQo3QTtVSCwk2-Vi8wmLTXEBUgu1VNbpSE4b-87N-Vrp34wS7fO76kmXm4qwHdS0n2y4tXcuY6abPD36_4fgZuZ8GCIIrflLXqsUvVflqdRbk/s1600/Shrine+of+St.+Willibroard+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfPJhoALGnNf9ZD6CNn6HOUpirCNBx4PEQo3QTtVSCwk2-Vi8wmLTXEBUgu1VNbpSE4b-87N-Vrp34wS7fO76kmXm4qwHdS0n2y4tXcuY6abPD36_4fgZuZ8GCIIrflLXqsUvVflqdRbk/s320/Shrine+of+St.+Willibroard+2.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shrine of St. Willibrord at Echternach Abbey.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #eeeeee; font-size: large;">The Litany of St. Willibrord:</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #eeeeee; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #eeeeee;">Lord, have mercy,<br />Christ, have mercy,<br />Christ, hear our prayer.<br />Christ, hear our prayer!</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #eeeeee;">God the Father in heaven, Have mercy on us.<br />God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.<br />God the Holy Spirit, Have mercy on us.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #eeeeee;">God the Holy Trinity, Have mercy on us.<br />Blessed Mary, pray for us.<br />Blessed Mother of God, pray for us.<br />Blessed Virgin of all virgins, pray for us.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #eeeeee;">St Willibrord, pray for us!<br />St Willibrord, Guiding Light of the Church,*<br />*pray for us, St Willibrord<br />St Willibrord, Bright-shining star of our country,*<br />St Willibrord, Missionary to our homeland,*<br />St Willibrord, special protector of this our land,*<br />St Willibrord, first apostle of the Netherlands.*<br />St Willibrord, founder of monasteries and churches,*<br />St Willibrord, promotor of progress and knowledge,*<br />St Willibrord, teacher of truth,<br />St Willibrord, passionate interpreter of the teaching of Christ,*<br />St Willibrord, ceaseless proclaimer of the Holy Gospel,*<br />St Willibrord, teacher of true faith,*<br />St Willibrord, founder of peace and justice,*<br />St Willibrord, model of hope and reconciliation,*<br />St Willibrord, conqueror of injustice and discord,*<br />St. Willibrord, Architect of Community and Unity,*<br />St Willibrord, Destroyer of idols,*<br />St Willibrord, Patron Saint of children,*<br />St Willibrord Gentle guide of the lost,*<br />St Willibrord , Support of the homeless,*<br />St Willibrord, Friend of the persecuted,*<br />St Willibrord, Light of the blind,*<br />St. Willibrord, Refuge for the sick,*<br />St Willibrord, Gentle father of the poor,*<br />St Willibrord, Comforter of the afflicted and sorrowful,*<br />St Willibrord, Helper to the suffering,*<br />St Willibrord, True voice of God,*<br />St Willibrord, Humble servant of Jesus Christ,*<br />St Willibrord, Mighty advocate in heaven,*<br />St Willibrord, Miraculous healer,*<br />St Willibrord, True witness and confessor of Christ,*<br />St Willibrord, Saviour of those who doubt their faith,*<br />St Willibrord, Supporter of the carer and educator,*<br />St Willibrord, Hope of those who pray,*<br />St Willibrord, Model of patience and gentleness,*<br />St Willibrord, Example of active love,*<br />St Willibrord, Master of joy and life,*<br />St Willibrord, Disciple of Christ,*</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #eeeeee;">Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world,<br />Lord, have mercy on us!</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #eeeeee;">Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world.<br />Lord, hear our prayer!</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #eeeeee;">Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world.<br />Lord, have mercy on us!</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;">
Litany From <a href="http://www.willibrord.lu/rubrique4/Saint-Willibrord/prayer/The-litany-of-St-Willibrord/Litany" style="text-align: center;">http://www.willibrord.lu/rubrique4/Saint-Willibrord/prayer/The-litany-of-St-Willibrord/Litany</a></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2126207397071882760.post-23810653305617001852012-11-03T18:49:00.001-07:002013-03-25T17:25:19.379-07:00Feast of St. Winifred, 3 November (also called St. Winefride, Gwenffrewi or Wenefreda)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTxqNWCoHa-ujTP-UOl8Dj5NucH9FG9ovxn8FGWChFFL69xLl2DlD3otDARyZsfKu6A81CKm631Fjm2YI4VRoyduSG9dC_4fCX-MrojuWzEsQeIg5JAlIy-En_VnDjd15B2pzBgoguoC4/s1600/St.+Winifred's+shrine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTxqNWCoHa-ujTP-UOl8Dj5NucH9FG9ovxn8FGWChFFL69xLl2DlD3otDARyZsfKu6A81CKm631Fjm2YI4VRoyduSG9dC_4fCX-MrojuWzEsQeIg5JAlIy-En_VnDjd15B2pzBgoguoC4/s400/St.+Winifred's+shrine.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fragments of St. Winifred's Shrine at Shrewsbury Abbey.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Winifred was a welsh princess of the 7th century, who decided to become a nun instead of marrying, joining a monastery in northern Wales. The legend follows that her suitor, Caradog, was enraged with her decision and pursued her, similar to the stories of St. Frideswide and of St. Etheldreda in faraway East Anglia who chose the religious life much to the dismay of the young King Ecgfrith of Northumbria. Caradog struck of the head of Winifred and where it fell a spring appeared, a reoccurring theme in the cult of saints in Wales. Winifred picked up her head and brought it to the renowned missionary and abbot, St. Beuno who restored her to life. Winifred proceeded to become the abbess of Gwytherin, a monastery in Denbighshire, and made a pilgrimage to Rome. She died in A.D. 660 and was buried at Gwytherin but was translated by benedictine monks in the 12th century to the Abbey Church of St. Peter and St. Paul at Shrewsbury, where her relics were venerated in a shrine up to the reformation. The well, where her head landed, continues to be maintained as a pilgrimage site. Winifred is featured in the "Cadfael" series, by Ellis Peters, which takes place at Shrewsbury Abbey during the 12th century.</div>
Although few of us will ever have the honor of witnessing a miracle exactly like that of St. Winifred, her story remains part of the larger Christian journey. Her persistence to enter a life fully dedicated to the work and thought of Christ, is an example for all Christians today who may becoming priests or religious themselves or who may be looking for a way to integrate Jesus into every aspect of life outside of the religious life and find others who discourage them from doings so or suggest that a person's Christian life should be more private. Followers of Christ carry on a faith that must be expressed in every aspect of life and so by no means can we both live Christianity privately and support the faith fully. St. Winifred is among those saints who lead all Christians to seek full intimacy with Christ in an ordained religious, or lay life despite any form of persecution or discouragement. With St. Winifred's example, we, as Christians, must embody the faith in our own lives and proclaim the love of Christ for the rest of the world to know also.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnTOn8sdx0q1c217B7v-vv8QsvvPwXNfXKi5jddsrmL_3FF0Gy6-s4Me2SHYbwc8x7aqOBcwpcPKZw8UdtcxKqpsDnyt5F73q4DSL8wH4pxtZiuoTbU_h779neRg_jkNG6Hiih-okJzP4/s1600/Gwytherin+Church.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnTOn8sdx0q1c217B7v-vv8QsvvPwXNfXKi5jddsrmL_3FF0Gy6-s4Me2SHYbwc8x7aqOBcwpcPKZw8UdtcxKqpsDnyt5F73q4DSL8wH4pxtZiuoTbU_h779neRg_jkNG6Hiih-okJzP4/s320/Gwytherin+Church.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gwytherin Church; probably built on the foundations of Winifred's monastery.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3gzyfvVrGjn3kmR3LYExbJrYZYjkBCHN6TbdioekWF4wNbSyvwNSxx_kFxkrU1dO6rSi6bUIEZd5TZjjdFjz8ulhR3R08gMf95ZPMoxz8o0-4xJfe550JwYWQ-PRffoA0cu3FYFMAQDc/s1600/Shrewsbury+Winifred.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3gzyfvVrGjn3kmR3LYExbJrYZYjkBCHN6TbdioekWF4wNbSyvwNSxx_kFxkrU1dO6rSi6bUIEZd5TZjjdFjz8ulhR3R08gMf95ZPMoxz8o0-4xJfe550JwYWQ-PRffoA0cu3FYFMAQDc/s400/Shrewsbury+Winifred.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Martyrdom of St. Winifred in Shrewsbury Abbey.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2126207397071882760.post-28126413510213727382012-10-21T19:21:00.002-07:002013-03-25T17:24:26.607-07:00St. Frideswide, October 19 (also called St. Frithuswith).<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqiLRfxjHinv8DNZbo-PyCIdORBSm-IlfsrLPWQY2cdB48dwLOjWWCa5o_9ne2947wVSdqEX66FkrQj9LGdmN6nCwYfRYhgY2CUqwDMSxU7s0oIbNr7coYl7j2Vv1CYPfU_hGqj743K5A/s1600/st+Frideswide.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqiLRfxjHinv8DNZbo-PyCIdORBSm-IlfsrLPWQY2cdB48dwLOjWWCa5o_9ne2947wVSdqEX66FkrQj9LGdmN6nCwYfRYhgY2CUqwDMSxU7s0oIbNr7coYl7j2Vv1CYPfU_hGqj743K5A/s400/st+Frideswide.PNG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Medieval stained glass in the chapel of St. Frideswide, Christ Church Cathedral. St. Frideswide is in the middle.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Frideswide was born in the late seventh century to King Didan and Queen Selfrida, rulers of a Mercian (the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of the Midlands) sub-kingdom. At an early age, Frideswide showed interest in becoming a nun and requested that her father give money for her to establish a nunnery in Oxford, then the capital of Didan's little kingdom. She was successful in establishing and nurturing a prominent nunnery, and her reputation as a miracle worker and a holy woman in general contributed to the hallowed story that surrounds her. The legend, from a twelfth century life, is told as such: Frideswide established her community of nuns on the edge of Oxford when the King Algar of Leicester demanded that she marry him. Frideswide refused Algar's request but was sized by Algar's men, who were stuck blind upon touching her. Algar then decided to find her himself, but Frideswide was warned and escaped to the river Thames where she was transported in a boat by an Angel to Bampton, where she took cover with some of her companions in the house of a swineherd in the forest. There she stayed for several years, after establishing a community and gathering a reputation as a miracle worker. Algar was struck blind in his pursuit upon entering the city. Frideswide moved back to her Oxford nunnery from her community at Bampton where she ruled as abbess and where her fervent prayers yield still more miracles until her death in 727. Frideswide is associated with a particular well at Binsey where she hid for a time founding a chapel and working miracles and a cult grew around her simple grave. By the twelfth century, however, the monastery at Oxford had become a house of secular canons and so the Augustinians, whose special purpose, they believed was to establish centers of learning for priests hospitals for the poor and to revive shrines of saints who had fallen out of popularity. St. Frideswide's became an Augustinian monastery and in approximately 1180 after much fasting and keeping of vigils the canons were revealed her grave by miracles. The bones were translated into a shrine on 12 February 1180 and again in 1289 were they remained until the reformation when they were interred with the body of Catherine Martyr.<br />
The Shrine of St. Frideswide at Oxford has recently been rebuilt and dominates a chapel to the north side of the high altar in Christ Church Cathedral. Frideswide is an example, as the first among the people of Oxford to give up the '"inordinate love of things of this world," for us to follow Christ by throwing away all the treasures of this world and dedicate our lives to his work. We can do this in little ways, by sacrificing small, everyday distractions so that we can focus more on Christ, what he gave to us and what we can do to spread his love. Frideswide, like many other saintly monastics, is a model for how we can do this, give up earthly distractions. Not everybody is supposed to be exactly like Frideswide, not everybody should hide themselves in the cloister, rather Frideswide's many works show us how we can do what she did on our own terms.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #eeeeee;">Heavenly Father, who inspired thy servant Frideswide to give up earthly desires for a life of prayerful dedication to the work of your son, Jesus Christ; inspire us also to cast off earthly distraction and clothe ourselves in a life in the footsteps of our savior, through the same thy Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE4fCH2Ju4lcSauvHLbIQR_4O8o82gUiU1bkVwAsGghAofEX9XuHtwiNQE8Fp_681qtY_j58FU_xtoGX9vp9lBgpbqoLipaq3FpUnyVM2C3wOH4ooZs79lDWYpR_qH1yYdhEcvCJKJ1oY/s1600/IMG_2060.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE4fCH2Ju4lcSauvHLbIQR_4O8o82gUiU1bkVwAsGghAofEX9XuHtwiNQE8Fp_681qtY_j58FU_xtoGX9vp9lBgpbqoLipaq3FpUnyVM2C3wOH4ooZs79lDWYpR_qH1yYdhEcvCJKJ1oY/s400/IMG_2060.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shrine of St. Frideswide. The widow tells her legend.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2126207397071882760.post-80158113470246571142012-10-15T13:49:00.001-07:002013-03-25T13:35:57.907-07:00St. Teresa of Avila, October 15th. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEQQhIopdiNhiS9QtfPLsF8Gz4WOjXf5PzPNUXfU1ngjPPES7H6COBYgjda7JN2kzJj0_RkpfxuATntNoCcn5eMnBpQK1Vm6rHZ-7U6e1oSdG3y18wZdlb_4PfIBbXq5vrCiqUFG_nWHk/s1600/St.+Teresa+of+Avila+of+jesus.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEQQhIopdiNhiS9QtfPLsF8Gz4WOjXf5PzPNUXfU1ngjPPES7H6COBYgjda7JN2kzJj0_RkpfxuATntNoCcn5eMnBpQK1Vm6rHZ-7U6e1oSdG3y18wZdlb_4PfIBbXq5vrCiqUFG_nWHk/s320/St.+Teresa+of+Avila+of+jesus.jpg" width="284" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
St. Teresa was a Carmelite nun born in 1515 outside the Castilian city of Avila. Her Grandfather was a Jew making her family converts. As a child Teresa was inspired by the faith of the saints particularly martyrs and at age seven, trying to escape to the Moorish lands, was eager to display the same faith along with her older brother. She quickly returned to Avila, however, and became a nun in a Carmelite convent. There she came down with an illness which increased her faith and she became penitent. What followed was a series of visions culminating in an appearance of Christ him self. She recorded the experience writing,<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 17px;"><i>"I saw in his hand a long spear of gold, and at the iron’s point there seemed to be a little fire. He appeared to me to be thrusting it at times into my heart, and to pierce my very entrails; when he drew it out, he seemed to draw them out also, and to leave me all on fire with a great love of God. The pain was so great, that it made me moan; and yet so surpassing was the sweetness of this excessive pain, that I could not wish to be rid of it..."</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 17px;"><i><br /></i></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span class="Apple-style-span"><span style="line-height: 19px;">Teresa spent much of the rest of her life writing several books on theological subjects, including prayer, aestheticism, mysticism, and the soul, all in reaction to her visions. Her new thinking lead her to push reform for the Carmelite Order in Spain. She began to establish new monasteries under a rule even more strict than the regular rule. The first of such monasteries was the convent of San Jose in Avila, its members taking a vow of absolute, apostolic poverty. They lived among and for the poor, and since they were shoe-less they came to be known as the "Discalced Carmelites." Throughout the 1560s, Teresa was granted permission to spread her order, which was unpopular because of its renunciation of property, not only on an individual basis but on a communal basis. Teresa, joined by another mystic, St. John of the Cross, traveled all over Spain and established monasteries for both men and women. The last of her seventeen convents was the Convent of the Annunciation in Alba de Torres, where she also spent time on writing about her visions and revelations before her death. </span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span class="Apple-style-span"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="line-height: 19px;">The example that St. Teresa has left for the Church is essential to the Church's mission; to its likeness to Christ. It is the willingness of people like Teresa to live to help other, dedicating their lives to do Christ's work, that helps carry the Church from generation to generation. The Church is the body of Christ, and therefore its actions must be as true to Christ's actions as the human condition permits. St. Teresa's mission embodies a reciprocal relationship: the Church's duty is to draw people under its protective wing, in doing so it must comfort them with the saving words of Christ, and in doing that it draws them into his body; the Church. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="line-height: 19px;"><span style="color: #f3f3f3;">Merciful God, who by your spirit raised up your servant Teresa of Avila to reveal to your Church the way of perfection: grant that her teaching may awaken in us a longing for holiness, until we attain to the perfect union of love in Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen</span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="line-height: 19px;"><span style="color: #f3f3f3;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="line-height: 19px;">-Festivals and Lesser Festivals of the Church of England. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="line-height: 19px;">In just 2008, the first Carmelite convent in the Episcopal Church was established in Rising Sun Maryland. The Convent is dedicated as <a href="http://www.ecst.ang-md.org/index.html">The Episcopal Carmel of St. Teresa of Avila</a>. It is a growing community, and it serves as a first for a hopeful revival in the Anglican Church for the religious life, dedicated to the work of Christ and prayer for our Church and our world. </span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0