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E06540: The Latin Gelasian Sacramentary (or Liber Sacramentorum Romanae Ecclesiae), probably compiled around 750 near Paris using earlier material from Rome records prayers to saints on their feast days in January.

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posted on 2018-09-19, 00:00 authored by Philip
Gelasian Sacramentary 2.2-7

Below are the entries from the Sacramentary that relate to the feasts of saints; other entries, to feasts of the Christian year that were not for saints, are not included in our database.


XVIII Kal. Febr. in natali sancti Felicis confessoris.
'15 January on the feast of Saint Felix the Confessor.'
[*Felix of Nola, priest and confessor of Nola, S00000]
Three prayers listed

XVII Kal. Febr. in natali sancti Marcelli confessoris.
'16 January on the feast of Saint Marcellus the Confessor.'
[*Marcellus, bishop and martyr of Rome, S00529]
Four prayers listed

XIII Kal. Febr. in natali sanctorum martyrum Sebastiani, Mariae, Martae, Audifax et Abacuc.
'20 January on the feast of the saints and martyrs Sebastianus, Maria [sic], Martha, Audifax and Abacuc.'
[*Sebastianus, martyr of Rome, S00400; *Marius, Martha, Audifax and Abacuc, Persian martyrs of Rome, S01163]
Three prayers listed

XIII Kal. Febr. in natali sancti Fabiani.
'20 January on the feast of Saint Fabianus.'
[*Fabianus, bishop and martyr of Rome, S00147]
Three prayers listed

XII Kal. Febr. in natali sanctae Agnetis virginis de passione sua.
'21 January on the feast of Saint Agnes for her martyrdom.'
[*Agnes, virgin and martyr of Rome, S00097]
Four prayers listed

V Kal. Febr. item in natali eiusdem de nativitate.
'28 January likewise on the feast of Saint Agnes for her birth.'
[*Agnes, virgin and martyr of Rome, S00097]
Three prayers listed

Edition: Wilson 1894. Translation: P. Polcar.

History

Evidence ID

E06540

Saint Name

Fabianus, bishop and martyr of Rome : S00147 Agnes, virgin and martyr of Rome : S00097 Felix, priest and confessor of Nola : S00000 Marcellus, bishop and martyr of Rome : S00529 Sebastianus, martyr of Rome : S00400 Maria and Martha of Bethany, s

Saint Name in Source

Fabianus Agnes Felix Marcellus Sebastianus Maria Marta Maria [sic], Marta, Audifax, Abacuc

Type of Evidence

Liturgical texts - Sacramentaries

Language

  • Latin

Evidence not before

628

Evidence not after

750

Activity not before

628

Activity not after

750

Place of Evidence - Region

Gaul and Frankish kingdoms Rome and region

Place of Evidence - City, village, etc

Paris Rome

Place of evidence - City name in other Language(s)

Paris Tours Tours Toronica urbs Prisciniacensim vicus Pressigny Turonorum civitas Ceratensis vicus Céré Rome Rome Rome Roma Ῥώμη Rhōmē

Major author/Major anonymous work

Sacramentarium Gelasianum

Cult activities - Liturgical Activity

  • Service for the Saint

Cult activities - Festivals

  • Saint’s feast

Source

The 'Gelasian Sacramentary' (Sacramentarium Gelasianum) is a compilation of liturgical texts, mostly prayers, for use in church celebrations such as the Eucharist, the administration of sacraments, or other liturgical events. It is the second oldest extant liturgical book in the West, the oldest being the 'Verona Sacramentary' (Sacramentarium Veronense). It has been preserved in one manuscript, now divided into two parts: the Codex Vaticanus Reginensis Latinus 316, and the Codex Latinus 7193 of the Bibliotèque Nationale in Paris. The Gelasian Sacramentary is preserved in a Frankish version, copied in c. 750; it must have been used in contemporary Francia (for nobody would copy liturgy if they did not intend to put it to use). The core of the Sacramentary is, however, undoubtedly of Roman origin for use in the area of Rome, as is evident from the inclusion of so many saints from the city and from the regions around it (some of them not particularly well known). The composition of these core texts can be dated between 628 and 715 (Vogel 1986, 69). This substratum is also a mixture of various sources. At some point before the pontificate of Gregory II (715-731), this early version of the sacramentary was brought to Gaul, where prayers were added for certain celebrations, such as for the consecration of virgins, the dedication of churches, and the blessing of holy water.

Discussion

The saints commemorated in January are all saints of Rome and its wider region; a copyist (probably in Francia) was, however, unfamiliar with Marius and Martha, martyrs of Rome, and turned them into the biblical sisters Maria/Mary and Martha.

Bibliography

Edition: Wilson, H.A., Liber Sacramentorum Romanae Ecclesiae, (Oxford, 1894). Further Reading: Vogel, C., Medieval Liturgy: An Introduction to the Sources, (Washington, 1986), 61-76.

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    Evidence -  The Cult of Saints in Late Antiquity

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