Just a Little Advert

About six years ago (wow - seriously, I'm surprised at how time flies!) I wrote this blog post where I pretty much nitpicked some of the quotes which supposedly show how Catholics believe the Pope to be God in the flesh or something along those lines. It ain't really much, but I just added a little something to the post - specifically, to the quote attributed to Cardinal Sarto (Pope St. Pius X) about the pope "being Jesus Christ hidden under the veil of the flesh." Otherwise it's still the same old post, full of sharp nitpicking from a six-years-younger-me. Click on the link to find out.

(P.S. No, I can't really make any more promises to be active on this blog; the only thing I can say with certainty is, I'm not letting this blog die down. Yet. But who knows what tomorrow will bring?)

(P.P.S. So I'm advising readers, y'all better keep what you're reading here in whatever way you can - no need to ask me. Save it, print it, copy it, torrent it, whatever. Nothing is totally permanent, not even on the Internet. So if you feel something interests you - go ahead, feel free. This is probably one of the few instances where stealing is allowed - hey, maybe even a good thing. ;))

Matthew's Infancy Narrative, 03: From Solomon to the Exile

(Part 01, Part 02)

Σολομὼν δὲ ἐγέννησεν τὸν Ῥοβοάμ,
Ῥοβοὰμ δὲ ἐγέννησεν τὸν Ἀβιά,
Ἀβιὰ δὲ ἐγέννησεν τὸν Ἀσάφ,
Ἀσὰφ δὲ ἐγέννησεν τὸν Ἰωσαφάτ,
Ἰωσαφὰτ δὲ ἐγέννησεν τὸν Ἰωράμ,
Ἰωρὰμ δὲ ἐγέννησεν τὸν Ὀζίαν,
Ὀζίας δὲ ἐγέννησεν τὸν Ἰωαθάμ,
Ἰωαθὰμ δὲ ἐγέννησεν τὸν Ἀχάζ,
Ἀχὰζ δὲ ἐγέννησεν τὸν Ἑζεκίαν,
Ἑζεκίας δὲ ἐγέννησεν τὸν Μανασσῆ,
Μανασσῆς δὲ ἐγέννησεν τὸν Ἀμώς,
Ἀμὼς δὲ ἐγέννησεν τὸν Ἰωσίαν,
Ἰωσίας δὲ ἐγέννησεν τὸν Ἰεχονίαν καὶ τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τῆς μετοικεσίας Βαβυλῶνος.


And Solomōn fathered Roboam,
and Roboam fathered Abia,
and Abia fathered Asaph,
and Asaph fathered Iōsaphat,
and Iōsaphat fathered Iōram,
and Iōram fathered Ozias,
and Ozias fathered Iōatham,
and Iōatham fathered Achas,
and Achas fathered Hezekias,
and Hezekias fathered Manassēs,
and Manassēs fathered Amōs,
and Amōs fathered Iōsias,
and Iōsias fathered Iechonias and his brothers at the deportation to Babylon.

Matthew's Infancy Narrative, 02: From Abraham to David

(Part 01 here)

Βίβλος γενέσεως Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ υἱοῦ Δαυὶδ υἱοῦ Ἀβραάμ.

Ἀβραὰμ ἐγέννησεν τὸν Ἰσαάκ,
Ἰσαὰκ δὲ ἐγέννησεν τὸν Ἰακώβ,
Ἰακὼβ δὲ ἐγέννησεν τὸν Ἰούδαν καὶ τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς αὐτοῦ,
Ἰούδας δὲ ἐγέννησεν τὸν Φάρες καὶ τὸν Ζάρα ἐκ τῆς Θαμάρ,
Φάρες δὲ ἐγέννησεν τὸν Ἑσρώμ,
Ἑσρὼμ δὲ ἐγέννησεν τὸν Ἀράμ,
Ἀρὰμ δὲ ἐγέννησεν τὸν Ἀμιναδάβ,
Ἀμιναδὰβ δὲ ἐγέννησεν τὸν Ναασσών,
Ναασσὼν δὲ ἐγέννησεν τὸν Σαλμών,
Σαλμὼν δὲ ἐγέννησεν τὸν Βόες ἐκ τῆς Ῥαχάβ,
Βόες δὲ ἐγέννησεν τὸν Ἰωβὴδ ἐκ τῆς Ῥούθ,
Ἰωβὴδ δὲ ἐγέννησεν τὸν Ἰεσσαί,
Ἰεσσαὶ δὲ ἐγέννησεν τὸν Δαυὶδ τὸν βασιλέα.
Δαυὶδ δὲ ἐγέννησεν τὸν Σολομῶνα ἐκ τῆς τοῦ Οὐρίου,


The scroll of the genesis of Iēsous Anointed son of Dauid son of Abraam.

Abraam fathered Isaak,
and Isaak fathered Iakōb,
and Iakōb fathered Ioudas and his brothers,
and Ioudas fathered Phares and Zara by Thamar,
and Phares fathered Hesrōm,
and Hesrōm fathered Aram,
and Aram fathered Aminadab,
and Aminadab fathered Naasōn,
and Naasōn fathered Salmōn,
and Salmōn fathered Boes by Rachab,
and Boes fathered Iōbēd by Routh,
and Iōbēd fathered Iessai,
and Iessai fathered Dauid the king,
and Dauid the king fathered Solomōn by the wife of Ourias:

Matthew's Infancy Narrative, 01: "Jesus Christ, Son of David"

Since it's Christmas, why don't we have something a bit more timely? This time I'm gonna look at Matthew's infancy narrative.

(NOTE: This is a rehash of something I once did over at Catholic Answers Forums. I never got to finish the - admittedly one-man - discussion there as in many of my other threads, but at least I'd like to see this one get a proper closure.)

Just how many versions of Tobit are there? Part 02

(Part 01 here)

To recap: the book of Tobit (one of the Deuterocanonicals/'Apocrypha') exists in different versions in different languages. Which really accounts for the differences in the text between, say, the Douai-Rheims, the RSV and the NAB translations of the book. ;)

Just how many versions of Tobit are there? Part 01

Here's a topic I've found very fascinating ever since I first encountered it.

A History of Veronica, 02: Abgar and the Image of Jesus, Part 01

(Part 01 here)

Picking up where I left off:

It is in the 8th century that in the West we begin to see Berenice/Veronica connected with an image of Jesus on a piece of cloth. But, before we get to that, let's first talk about the earlier story of King Abgar and the image of Jesus he received known as the Mandylion.

Ordo Romanus I (Cod. Sang. 614)

Just a minor announcement.

I've put up a transcription of the earliest manuscript of the first Ordo Romanus on the pages section (Cod. Sang. 614, ca. AD 850). Folks who can read Latin will notice that the text is in some ways different from the 'longer' version E.G. Atchley used in his 1905 Ordo Romanus Primus, which is a combined version of the texts of Jean Mabillon (Museum italicum, vol. 2, 1689) and George Cassander (Ordo Romanus de officio missae, 1561). I've written out the abbreviated words in full and added Atchley's paragraph numbering for easier reference. Enjoy.

A History of Veronica, 01: The Woman

Been a long time since I posted here, ain't it? :p

If you're Catholic, chances are you've probably heard of Veronica and her veil by which she wiped Jesus' face as He carried His cross to Golgotha. Despite her not being found in the New Testament, she is commemorated in the sixth Station of the Cross, and in addition, some Jesus films choose to include her in some form or another - examples of this would include Jesus of Nazareth or The Passion of the Christ (the clip below). The story is popular, methinks, because it epitomizes compassion: a woman helping the Lord in the smallest way she could in His hour of need and being rewarded for it in the form of an image on her veil.

But here's the thing. What do we really know about the woman we call 'Veronica'? And how did her story develop over time? And what does the so-called 'veil' of Veronica have to do with it?

The Minor, Trivial Biblical Stuff, Part 12: Bread

Bread, the so-called "staff of life," has a long history - it is one of the oldest foods mankind has prepared, dating back to the Neolithic era. The first bread produced was probably cooked versions of a grain-paste, made from roasted and ground cereal grains and water, and may have been developed by accidental cooking or deliberate experimentation with water and grain flour. Descendants of this early bread are still commonly made from various grains in many parts of the world today.

Treatise on the Mass (from the Stowe Missal), Part 02

Tocbál incailich iarnalándiurug quando canitur oblata isforaithmet gene Crist insin tre airde aindocbale [cor.: insin áindocbale tre airde] et [=ocus] firto · Quando canitur accipit Iesus panem · Tanaurnat insacart fathri duaithrigi dia pecthaib atnopuir deo [not in MS: ocus canaid in salmso Miserere mei deus] & slechthith inpopul & nitaet guth isson arnatarmasca insacardd ar issed athechte arnarascra amenme contra deum céne canas inliachtso isde ispericulosa oratio á nomen · Na · iii · chemmen ciṅges infergraith foracúlu & tociṅg afrithisi ised atrede inimruimdethar cachduine id est himbrethir hicocell hiṅgnim & ised ·iii· tresanaith nuigther iterum & trisatoscigther dochorp Crist :~

Tocbal in cailich iarn a landiurug, quando canitur Oblata, is foraithmet gene Crist insin [ocus] tre airde a indocbale (/ a indocbale tre airde) ocus firto.
Quando canitur: Accepit Iesus panem, tanaurnat in sacart fat(h)ri du aithrigi dia pecthaib; atnopuir Deo; ocus slecthith in popul: ocus ni taet guth isson, ar na tar masca in sacardd; ar issed a thechta ar na rascra a menme contra Deum, cene canas in liachtso. Is de is Periculosa Oratio a nomen.
Na tri chemmen cinges in fergraith for a culu, ocus tocing afrithisi, ised a trede in imruimdethar cach duine, idon, himbrethir, hi cocell, hingnim; ocus ised trede tressanaithnuigther iterum, ocus trisatoseigther do Chorp Crist.

The elevation of the chalice, after the full uncovering thereof, quando canitur Oblata (when Oblata is chanted), that is a memorial of the birth of Christ and of His exaltation through signs and miracles.
Quando canitur: Accepit Iesus panem (When is chanted: 'Jesus took bread'), the priest bows himself down thrice to repent of his sins. He offers them [i.e. the bread and chalice] to God, and the people prostrates: and there comes not a sound then, that it disturb not the priest, for it is his duty that his mind separate not contra Deum ('against', i.e. from, God) whist he chants this Lection. It is from this that Periculosa Oratio (the Most Dangerous Prayer) is its nomen (name).
The three steps which the ordained man stepps backwards and which he steps in return, that is the triad wherein sins any person, to wit, in word, in thought, in deed; and that is the triad through which he is renewed iterum (again) and by which he is moved to the Body of Christ.

Remember when I actually posted something?

...Neither do I. ;)

For all those wondering, no, I'm not dead. It's just that real life is a very harsh taskmaster and has been giving me quite a load to do. To be honest, I can't promise to be able to write another blog post these days - that does not mean however that I've quit this blog. Who knows? I might be able to churn out something quick if I have adequate time and motivation.

For the record, E.G. Atchley's translation of the liturgy of Ordo Romanus I is now up. Well, it's the very least I could do to nominally keep this blog up and running.

Treatise on the Mass (from the Stowe Missal), Part 01

According to Wikipedia:

The Stowe Missal is a missal written in Latin and Gaelic which was transcribed at Lorrha Monastery in the ninth century. Also known as the Lorrha Missal, it is known as the 'Stowe' Missal due to its acquisition by one of the Dukes of Buckingham for the Stowe manuscripts collection. Stowe House was sold in 1849 to the Earl of Ashburnham. In 1883 the missal was purchased by the British Government and deposited in the Royal Irish Academy.

The form of the liturgy and the services of baptism and unction reflect a Celtic usage dating from before 650 AD. Whether this is the usage brought by St. Patrick in the early fifth century, or a later revision is not certain. Used during an era in which Christianity was neither universal nor fully understood, it asserts in detail the redemptive nature of Jesus Christ's birth, death and resurrection. The writer(s) assumes that those participating in the Eucharist must have every detail repeated clearly.

Here we are going to look upon a tract on the Mass (folios 65-67) written in Old Irish. I would first provide the original Gaelic and Latin text (as it appears in the Missal), a more 'tidied up' version (with proper spacings and punctuations), and an English translation.

From Youtube: Beneventan Chant

Beneventan chant is a liturgical plainchant repertory of the Catholic Church, used primarily in the orbit of the southern Italian ecclesiastical centers of Benevento and Montecassino, distinct from Gregorian chant and related to Ambrosian chant. It was officially supplanted by Gregorian chant in the 11th century, although a few chants of local interest remained in use.

Here is a sample of Beneventan Chant from Youtube: Otin to Stauron - O Quando in Cruce, sung by Ensemble Organum in Greek and Latin, from their album, Chants de la Cathédrale de Benevento: Semaine Sainte & Pâque.

What is interesting is that three bilingual (Greek and Latin) antiphons, of this is but one, were sung in Benevento and some other Italian centres as part of the Adoration of the Cross service in Holy Week. Some of these chants seem to have Eastern origins: this particular sample for instance, found in sources from places such as Benevento and Ravenna, is actually a version of a Byzantine troparion which can be followed back to the rite of Jerusalem in the 7th century. Its presence in Ravenna should mean that it was already used in the liturgy there before the fall of the Exarchate of Ravenna to the Lombards in 752.

The Pre-Conciliar Ambrosian Rite Mass now up!

The Latin text of the pre-Conciliar Mass according to the Ambrosian Rite now has its own page.

From Youtube: Ambrosian Rite Mass at Rome's Santa Maria Sopra Minerva

A little something I just wanted to introduce.

The video shows the chanting of the Gospel. Note the Ambrosian form of the thurible (no top cover), the manner of censing (clockwise), and the cappino worn by the priest around the neck (derived from the apparelled amice).

The Minor, Trivial Biblical Stuff, Part 11: Ancient Writers on the Cross

A Roman citizen of no obscure station, having ordered one of his slaves to be put to death, delivered him to his fellow-slaves to be led away, and in order that his punishment might be witnessed by all, directed them to drag him through the Forum and every other conspicuous part of the city as they whipped him, and that he should go ahead of the procession which the Romans were at that time conducting in honour of the god. The men ordered to lead the slave to his punishment, having stretched out both his arms and fastened them to a piece of wood which extended across his breast and shoulders as far as his wrists, followed him, tearing his naked body with whips.

-Dionysius of Halicarnassus (ca. 60 BC-after 7 BC), Roman Antiquities, VII, 69:1-2

I see crosses there, not just of one kind but made in many different ways: some have their victims with head down to the ground; some impale their private parts; others stretch out their arms on the gibbet (patibulum).

-Seneca the Younger (ca. 1 BC-AD 65), To Marcia on Consolation, 20.3

Such are his verbal offences against man; his offences in deed remain. Men weep, and bewail their lot, and curse Cadmus with many curses for introducing Tau (Τ) into the family of letters; they say it was his body that tyrants took for a model, his shape that they imitated, when they set up the erections on which men are crucified. Σταυρός (stauros) the vile engine is called, and it derives its vile name from him. Now, with all these crimes upon him, does he not deserve death, nay, many deaths? For my part I know none bad enough but that supplied by his own shape--that shape which he gave to the gibbet named σταυρός after him by men.

-Pseudo-Lucian (ca. 125-after 180), Trial in the Court of Vowels

The Minor, Trivial Biblical Stuff, Part 10: Joseph Caiaphas

Joseph Caiaphas, the Jewish high priest between AD 18-37, best known for his role during the trial of Jesus of Nazareth. Nothing is known about his early career, but we can assume that he was a member of a wealthy family, because he married a daughter of the high priest who is called Annas (or Ananus) son of Seth, high priest from AD 6-15 (John 18:13). Even when he was no longer in function, he was apparently extremely influential. According to Josephus, five of Ananus' sons became high priest (Antiquities 20.198); to this we may add Caiaphas, his son-in-law.

Ἔλεον εἰρήνης, Sacrificium Laudis

As you can see, I've slightly retitled my blog to Ἔλεον Εἰρήνης, Sacrificium Laudis. This is a slight reference to the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, where before the Anaphora proper begins there is the usual dialogue between the deacon (or priest) and the congregation common in all liturgies. One of the responses happen to be (in Greek) Ἔλεον εἰρήνης, θυσίαν αἰνέσεως. That is, "mercy of peace, sacrifice of praise."

The term 'sacrifice of praise' which is used in Psalm 49/50:14 and also in Hebrews 13:15 ("Through [Jesus] then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name"), has since from early on apparently been applied to the Eucharist. To quote the Catechism, paragraph 1359: "The Eucharist, the sacrament of our salvation accomplished by Christ on the cross, is also a sacrifice of praise in thanksgiving for the work of creation. In the Eucharistic sacrifice the whole of creation loved by God is presented to the Father through the death and the Resurrection of Christ. Through Christ the Church can offer the sacrifice of praise in thanksgiving for all that God has made good, beautiful, and just in creation and in humanity."

Aside from the Byzantine liturgy, we can see it referenced within the Roman Canon at the commemoration of the living - which is what I was also thinking of when trying to come up with a title for this blog:

Memento, Domine, famulorum, famularumque tuarum N. et N. et omnium circumstantium, quorum tibi fides cognita est, et nota devotio, pro quibus tibi offerimus: vel qui tibi offerunt hoc sacrificium laudis, pro se, suisque omnibus: pro redemptione animarum suarum, pro spe salutis et incolumitatis suae: tibique reddunt vota sua aeterno Deo, vivo et vero.

Remember, Lord, your servant men and women (Names) and all here present. You are aware of their faith and know their devotedness. We offer for them, or they offer, this sacrifice of praise for themselves and all who are theirs, for the redemption of their souls, for the hope of their health/salvation and safety; and they present their prayers to you, the eternal, living, and true God.

We go to Ἔλεον εἰρήνης. As we have noted, this phrase literally translates to "mercy of peace," which admittedly does not make much sense, to the point that some who use an English translation of the Divine Liturgy soften it into more comprehensible forms like "Offering of peace" or "mercy and peace". There have been various attempts to explain what the original wording could have been (there are have apparently quite a number of variants throughout history). For all intents and purposes, I chose to preserve the textus receptus version here. After all, εἰρήνης (pronounced as irinis in Byzantine Greek) is a good rhyme to laudis. ;)

Old Roman Chant

Ever heard the claim: "Pope Gregory the Great came up with Gregorian chant"?

For centuries, it has become common wisdom that the venerable pope was the source of what we now know of as Gregorian chant, and the assumption that it was the chant tradition of the Roman Church - apparently the sole one - was a given. Many - scholars and laymen alike - repeat this attribution, often without question. However, certain discoveries in the 19th century (which were not given proper attention until the 20th century!) has shook the foundations of centuries of pious retelling.