The Lichfield Angel

 Stone relief carving of an Angel, made originally in the 8th or 9th century for the new coffin in which the relics of the 7th century Anglo-Saxon Bishop, St. Chad of Lichfield, were to be borne.  Some of the original colour can be seen, since there were all painted.  This is often known as the "Lichfield Angel."

From the Anglo-Saxon Pentiential

From the Old English Handbook for Confessors:

"Concerning the priest's discretion

He who is the physician of men's souls and the counsellor of their deeds must consider that distinction and that difference: how he shall assign penance to men for their deeds, and yet not condemn them or cause them to despair. When one wishes to confess his misdeeds to him, first listen to him patiently (and learn) how his condition might be advised. If he wishes and knows how to confess his deeds humbly, and you perceive that his sins cause him sorrow, instruct him kindly and compassionately. If he does not know how to confess his deeds and to consider his offenses, ask him about his condition, and wrest the offenses from him, and search out his deeds, and be mindful yourself that you must never pass judgment in the same way on the powerful and the lowly, the free and the enslaved, the old and the young, the well and the sickly, the humble and the proud; the strong and the weak, those in orders and lay people. In every act a prudent judge must distinguish wisely how it was done, and where and when. At no time is wrongdoing allowed, and nevertheless one must also most earnestly be on guard against it during festival seasons and in times of fasting and in festival places. And always, as one is mightier or greater of rank, so must he repent wrongdoing more deeply before God and before the world. For the powerful and the weak are not able to lift up a similar burden, nor the one who is well. And therefore one must take the measure of and discreetly distinguish between after After this let him arise humbly to his confession and then say, first:"I believe in God the great Father, Ruler of all things, and in the Son, and in the Holy Spirit; and I believe in life after death; and I believe that I will arise on Doomsday, and all this I believe will come to pass through God's power and mercy."And then, with contrite mind and humbly, let him say his confession to his confessor, bending humbly; and say thus "I confess to Almighty God and to my confessor, the spiritual physician, all the sins that ever through cursed spirits, have happened to me in defilement, in deed or in thought, with men or with women or with any creature, natural or unnatural sins of the body. "I confess greediness in eating both before and after time." "I confess all covetousness and envy, and calumnies and deceits, lies and evil boasts, and idle words and wrongful choices, and every ornament that has ever contributed to the injury of my body. "I confess that I was too often a worker of sins, and a helper of sins, and an accomplice of sins, and a teacher of sins. "I confess the mortal sins of my mind, and false oaths, and strife, and pride, and disregard of God's commandments. "I confess all that I have ever seen with my eyes in covetousness or calumny, or heard with my ears to ill use, or said to ill use with my mouth. "I confess to you all the sins of my body, for skin, for flesh, for bone, for sinews, for veins, for gristle, for tongue, for lips, for gums, and for teeth, for hair, and for marrow, for everything soft or hard, wet or dry. "I confess that I have kept to my baptism worse than I promised to my Lord, and my rank, which I ought to have kept in praise of God and his holy ones and for my own eternal salvation, I have held unworthily. "I confess that I have often neglected my canonical hours and sworn false oaths on my Lord's life, and taken my Lord's name in vain. "For all that I ask for my Lord's forgiveness, that the devil may never charge me with fault, so that I (might be) without confession and repentance of my sins. "So today I confess all my sins before the Lord Savior Christ, who rules heaven and earth, and before this holy altar, and this reliquary, and before my confessor and the Lord's masspriest, and am in pure and true confession, and with good will for the repenting of all my sins, and afterwards to desist from those that ever I might commit. "And you, Christ the Savior, be merciful to my soul and forgiving and blot out my sins and my offenses that ever I did, late or early, and lead me to your high kingdom so that I might dwell there with your holy and chosen ones in eternity ever without end. "Now I ask you humbly, priest of the Lord, that you be my witness on Doomsday, so that the devil might not obtain power over me, and so that you be my intercessor with the Lord, so that I might be able to repent all my sins and offenses, and cease from such things. For that may the Lord, he who lives and reigns ever without end in eternity, sustain me. Amen.

And if anyone does something wrong unintentionally, that is not like the one who does wrong wilfully and intentionally; and also he who is the involuntary agent of that in which he does wrong, he is always deserving of protection and the milder judgment, because he was the unwilling agent of that which he did. Let each one distinguish each deed truly before God and before the world.

http://www.anglo-saxon.net/penance/index.php?p=TOEH201_115

 "It is fitting that the priest should ponder the repentance of sinful men, according to the bishop's judgment; and he should never hesitate, neither for the rich nor for the poor, to prescribe correctly for them as the book teaches him. For the Savior says that if the priest does not wish to prescribe penance for the sinful one for his sins, that he (the Savior) would afterwards ask him (the priest) about the soul. That is, the Savior will hold the priest responsible for the lost soul. [Ezekiel 3:18: If, when I say to the wicked, Thou shalt surely die: thou declare it not to him, nor speak to him, that he may be converted from his wicked way, and live: the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity, but I will require his blood at thy hand.] St. Isidore said that it was his opinion that a man's true confession and conversion on his last day would be acceptable to God, for the Savior said, "On whatever day of life a man turns to a good life, he shall live and shall not die." [see Ezekiel] On that account genuine conversion is not to be shunned in whatever time that it might be; for God sees every man's mind and knows the secrets of every man's heart."

[Old English Penitential]
http://www.anglo-saxon.net/penance/index.php?p=TOEP482_1b

Greek Credo in 11th Anglo-Saxon Pontifical

I have mentioned previously the 11th century Anglo-Saxon Pontifical known as CCCC Ms. 163.  It is Pontifical of a Continental type, and such, but, had some usage in 11th century England; associated with Abp. Ealdred of York. 

For our purposes, we have our attention turned to the section that deals with the Making of Catechumens, as it contains the singing of the Credo in Greek, and then, again, in Latin.   Go to page 46 [which is listed as page 43 in the actual manuscript]. 

What is interesting is that the Credo in Greek not only has musical notation, but, it simply reads in the following Latin transliteration of the Greek:

"Ke is to Penumato Agion tu Kyrion kezoopion to ek tu Patros ekporeugomenon ton si Patri ke Io sin proskynumenon ke in doxa, zomenon tolalisan diaton profiton."

That is:

"And in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Life-Giver, Who from the Father Proceedeth, Who with the Father and the Son togenther is worshipped and glorified, Who spake by the Prophets." 

Now, in the next page, we have the Credo in Latin, and, unfortunately, the Credo is recited with the notorious interpolation in Latin with the well-known "qui ex Patre Filioque Procedit..." 

Of course, that the Credo was sung in Greek without the Filioque should tell us something.  The simple explanation that they copied a text and had no idea what it says doesn't seem satisfying, seeing that there ARE, in fact, 11th century Western books that have the Greek transliterated Credo but add a "ke Io" right after "ek tu Patros..."  While Greek may have not been as well-known as it should have been, this didn't mean there weren't Greek grammar books, and some individuals who understood the basics of the language.  

If some in the 11th century knew enough Greek to add the Filioque in Greek to a Latin transliterated Credo in some cases, then they could tell when they were looking at an untampered Greek Credo in Latin transliterated.  There are various speculative explanations for why they would keep the Greek Credo untampered with even in the second half of the 11th century in England; but, all we can say is that it was recited as such still in some places. 

Holy Martyr-King Edmund of East Anglia (+869)

 

"If I die, I live." -- St. King Edmund the Martyr (+869)

Today is the Feast of the Holy Martyr and King, Edmund of East Anglia. 

As the heathen army of the Danes invaded his Kingdom, and approached where the Holy King resided, few options seemed open to the King.  Either he submit his Kingdom to slavery in order to preserve himself, or he flee.  Abbot Aelfric of Eynsham, translated in a brief and paraphrastic form the longer "Passion of St. Edmund" (composed by Abbo of Fleury in the late 10th century, in concord with St. Dunstan of Canterbury); in which we find the following:

"Then King Edmund summoned a certain Bishop with whom he was most intimate, and deliberated with him how he should answer the fierce Ivar.  The Bishop was afraid because of this emergency, and he feared for the King's life, and counselled him that he thought that Edmund should submit to what Ivar asked of him.  Then the King became silent, and looked at the ground, and then said to him at last:  'Alas, Bishop, the poor people of this country are already shamefully afflicted.  I would rather died fighting so that my people might continue to possess their native land.'  The Bishop said: 'Alas, beloved King, thy people lie slain.  You do not have the troops that you may fight, and the pirates come and kidnap the living.  Save your life by flight, or save yourself by submitting to him.'  Then said King Edmund, since he was completely brave: 'This I heartily wish and desire, that I not be the only survivor after my beloved thegns are slain in their beds with their children and wives by these pirates.  It was never my way to flee.  I would rather die for my country if I need to.  Almighty God knows that I will not ever turn from worship of Him, nor from love of His truth.  If I die, I live." 

Friends, the Holy Martyr speaks as a true Christian; who is not reminded of St. Paul's words: "For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain." (Phil. 1:21) 

As well as the same Holy Apostle's words to the Romans: "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?  Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?  As it is written, 'For Thy Sake we are killed all the day long; we are account as sheep for the slaughter.'  Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us.  For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus Our Lord." (Rom. 8:35-39)

To read Abbot Aelfric of Eynsham's edition of the Martyrdom of St. Edmund in full, one may go here:

https://sourcebooks.fordham.edu/source/870abbo-edmund.asp

To read the longer version, from which Abbot Aelfric took his account, that is Abbot of Fleury's, one may go here:

https://torrencia.org/edmund/lattrans.html

"Romano-German" Pontifical in Anglo-Saxon England

 

A digitized edition of the so-called "Romano-German Pontifical" that was used in 11th century England can be found here.  This specific Pontifical is generally considered of a type that was formed in 10th century Mainz, but, which, gradually, acquired a wider usage alongside other Pontificals [a 'Pontifical' in this context meaning a Book that contains services which a Bishop performs].  The description on the Cambridge website is as thus: 

"CCCC MS 163 contains a Pontifical of the Romano-Germanic type.  It was written in the second half of the eleventh century, probably at Worcester, although the Old Minster and the Nunnaminster at Winchester have both also been suggested.  In text it is closely related to London, BL MS Cotton Vitellius E. XII, and may even have been directly copied from it.  The Romano-Germanic Pontifical originated in the tenth century and spread rapidly because it brought together a comprehensive set of texts for performing the duties of a bishop.  These two English copies seem to descend from a Cologne manuscript, and it has been suggested that the line of transmission was Bishop Ealdred's visit to Cologne in 1054.  Ealdred, Bishop of Worcester and later Archbishop of Canterbury, was sent by Edward the Confessor on a diplomatic mission to Henry II, probably leading to the return to England of Edward the Exile in 1057, and it seems likely that he acquired a text of the Romano-Germanic Pontifical on this occasion.  MS 163 contains four ordines for the consecration of women while omitting all those for abbots and monks, and may therefore have some connection with the nunnery." 

There is a minor correction that must be made to the above; Ealdred became Archbishop of York, not Archbishop of Canterbury.  That it may have a connection with the Nunnaminster, or womens' convent of St. Mary's is interesting; as it says, it contains text for the 'consecration of women' [i.e. consecration / sanctification / making of nuns], but not the consecration of monks.  

10th Century Anglo-Saxon Reliquary Cross

 A Cross with Saints Relics originally contained it; made in the 10th Century in England.   Additional photos can be found in the above link.  Notice that the older form of depicting the Crucifixion was with both Feet of Our Lord nailed separately, and not together. 

"Filioque" in the Canterbury Professions?

 In 2020 (or 2019?) I received my used copy of Dr. Michael Richter's "Canterbury Professions," published by the Canterbury and York Society.  I believe the work was originally published in 1978. 

So, what exactly is this book?  It is a printed text edition of various Pre- and Post-Schism Professions of Faith that Bishops in England made on the occasions of their Consecrations.  That is, these were formulas that a Bishop-Elect would proffer to the Metropolitan (in this case, the Archbishop of Canterbury) before Consecration to the Episcopate. 

For our purposes, we are mainly concerning with the first section, specifically the 31 Professions, since they are during the Pre-Conquest period.  However, as Dr. Richter notes in the introduction, there is a problem here, that is not so strongly felt in other Anglo-Saxon liturgical and other material.  The problem is that we must rely upon mid-12th century scribe; you see, these Professions are extent only in a work made in the mid-12th century, which work copies earlier Anglo-Saxon texts.  Although large numbers of manuscripts survived, many were destroyed, especially in the aftermath of the Norman Conquest, such as the large amount of documents destroyed in the Canterbury Library fire in 1067. 

Dr. Richter admits that this poses a problem with establishing authenticity.  In order to do this we would have to find another source from the purported period to compare texts with; at least one of the Professions is repeated nearly word for word in the late 9th and early 10th century Ratoldus Sacramentary.  However, there is nothing controversial and extraordinary in that text.  However, two Professions do draw mine attention. 

    Of the 30 Anglo-Saxon Episcopal Professions, two of them contain reference to the Procession of the Holy Ghost as either 'a Patre et Filio' or 'ex Patre et Filio'.  The rest simply assert Faith in the Trinity in more general terms, or do not cover this issue.  This immediately raises suspicions in my mind that hte 12th century copies may have had interpolation in this area; we have certainly seen this tendency before, i.e., to try to 'clean up' earlier material if it does not conform to later controveries, etc.

    However, seeing that much ado about nothing has been made about the supposedly 'extreme Filioquist' position of the Anglo-Saxon Church by some quarter [!], it would seem this is an area to be addressed: 

1.     The Professions are not the original manuscripts, but copies made by scribes, who would indeed have reasons to either insert such terminology, or, perhaps, simply copy the old manuscripts which themselves had interlinear interpolations, and thus obscuring the true textual history; 
2.      Simple assertion of 'ex Patre et Filio' or 'a Patre et Filio' procedentem must be examined in the context of the intent and understanding of the author; simply state, such text d not prove much nor they necessary vindicate the much later developed dogmatized Papist heresy, anymore than finding references in some early Fathers to 'mixture' or 'combination' of natures in Christ can be used to justify Eutychianism; terminology can always be vague, unhelpful, and obscure in some cases prior to it sharpening during a controversy.  This is not, of course, an exoneration of an interpolation in the Symbol of Faith, or vindication of Double-Processionist Hypostatic Subsistent Originationism.  St. Maximus' Letter to Marinus more than clears that up. 
3.     These expressions occur in only two texts copied in the mid 12th century; certainly not an abundance;

The argument will always be in favour of NOT using an interpolated Symbol of Faith, as well as affirming the Father as the Sole Eternal Source for the Persons of the Son and the Holy Ghost, because this is the consistent and universal position of earliest times. 

St. Aethelwold's Prayer

 

The “Chronicle of Abingdon” preserves some old material, most notably, a Prayer composed by St. Aethelwold of Winchester [+984], for the protection fo Abingdom Abbey, before going to Winchester in 963. It is as follows:

“O Eternal God, before Whose Sight the Angels are present, and through Whose Command all things are governed, do Thou protect, O Lord, I beseech Thee, this place which was built in Thy Name and of Blessed Mary, and through the Virtue of Thy Name may the force of enemies nad the shadow of phantoms and the assaults of winds, the bolt of lighting, the damaging clap of thunder, the disaster of tempests and every blast of storms – may these all pass us by. Moreover, O Lord, I beseech Thee that fire not consume this house, nor a spiteful man destroy it through arrogance; but, rather, O Merciful God, protect and govern it; and may it grow fat in the manifold abundance of its fruits, so that all those dwelling in it may hymn Thee in voice and heart, and may magnify Thy Name in sweet harmony; and may Thy Blessing descend upon them and upon this place and remain there forever. Through Our Lord Jesus Christ Thy Son, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee, in the Unity of the Holy Ghost, God, through all the ages of ages. Amen.”

Prayer to the Mother of God from 9th Century Winchester Prayer Book

 "For thou, after God, art the right way for the erring, the life of the dying, the hope of those in danger, the haven of the storm-tossed, rest for the toiling, a spring for the thirsty, the consolation of the sad, the mediatress between God and man, the most blessed Virgin and the most fruitful Mother and safest support of Christians, guardian and mainstay of those who have recourse to thee, readiest and soundest defence of Christians. For I know and I truly know that in thee is the true medicine of the infirm, the recovery of the despairing, O deliverer of men, Most Blessed Mother of my Lord, most pious consoler of the afflicted and most prompt support of the failing, who alone wast made the door of Life, alone swept away the dangers of life, alone suckled the Price of life. In thee is our refuge, in thee our consolation, thou art the restoration of our life. Receive, I implore, my prayer and offer it to the Lord my God, because thy prayer is more powerful than every prayer, thy prayer is more acceptable than every prayer, thy request is more pleasing that all sacrifice." [Prayer to the Mother of God from Anglo-Saxon Winchester Prayer Book]

Prayer for Protection of Soul at Death

"O Only-Begotten Son of God, Who Art Ever to me an Impregnable Protection, my Guard that never sleeps, my Defence that never fails: O Christ, Who in Heaven Art the Stay of the Angels, be now and for ever my Propitiator with the Father. O Mediator between God and man, I beseech Thee, through Thy Passion and the Redemption of Thy Life-Giving Cross, that when Thou shalt please to call me from this world, Thou wilt send the Angels of Peace to guard my soul and conduct it to the place of rest, and enable it to pass unscathed through the ranks of the rulers and powers of darkness. And, O Jesus Christ my Lord, may all who in that hour pray and plead for me find the ears of Thy Mercy open to their cries." [8th Century Royal Mercian Prayer Book; Prayer 14 of the Series of 23 Prayers]

https://www.bl.uk/eblj/2004articles/pdf/article1.pdf

http://www.bl.uk/manuscripts/FullDisplay.aspx?ref=Royal_MS_2_A_XX

Archbishop Jaenberht Against Uncanonical Roman Encroachment

 

The 785 Synod of Caelchythe in England is sometime called the "Legatine Synod" because legates of Pope St. Adrian were called to preside [specifically Bishop Gregory of Ostia, and another Bishop, Theophylact]. The Archbishop of Canterbury, Jaenberht, and other Bishops, were, of course, present.

One issue that arose was what happened if the Church of Old Rome were to grant privileges to churches or sees which ran contrary to the Canons? The Fathers of Caelchythe stated the following in Canon 8:

"That ancient privileges conferred on churches by the holy Roman see be preserved. BUT if any have been granted contrary to the canonical institutes, in compliance with wicked men, LET THEM BE CANCELLED."
https://books.google.com/books?id=pdQGAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA270&dq=That+ancient+privileges+conferred+on+churches+by+the+holy+Roman&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwipo7XTuvjWAhVBbiYKHRrOC0wQ6AEIMTAC#v=onepage&q=That%20ancient%20privileges%20conferred%20on%20churches%20by%20the%20holy%20Roman&f=false

From the Book of Cerne

 From the Book of Cerne [i.e. the personal prayer book of Bishop Aedeluald, in the early 9th century]

The Holy Prayer
O Lord God of Virtues, Possessor of Heaven and Earth, Master and Creator. O King of kings, and Lord of lords, Thou Who Art Exalted above all nations and Thy Glory above the Heavens; I commend my soul into the Hand of Thy Power, that Thou mightest guard it in days, nights, hours, and moments! O Angels, Archangels, Virtues, Powers, Principalities, Dominations, Thrones, Cherubim, and Seraphim! Intercede ye for me that I might be worthy to have eternal life! I beseech that I may come through words, through thoughts, through deed, O Lord Jesus Christ, hear Thou me, and have mercy on me, Thou Who Reignest unto the ages of ages. Amen.
https://books.google.com/books?id=rfU_AAAAYAAJ&pg=PA139#v=onepage&q&f=false

Prayer to St. Michael the Archangel

 

O Holy Michael, Archangel of Our Lord Jesus Christ, thou who dost come unto the aid of the people of God! Assist me a sinner in the presence of the Highest Judge, that He may give me the forgiveness of my sins on account of His Great Mercy, and of His Great Loving-Kindnesses. Do thou hear me, O Holy Michael, calling upon thee, and help me, adoring the Majesty of God, and do thou cause to cease my weeping; by thy graces and intercessions make me pure from all my sins. Furthermore I beg thee, the bright and beautiful servant of the Highest Divinity, that on the last day thou mayest kindly receive my soul unto thy most holy bosom, and mayest thou lead it unto the place of refreshment, light, and peace; where the souls of the saints, with rejoicing and ineffable glory, look for the Future Judgment and the Joy of the Blessed Resurrection. Amen.

[MS. Arundel 155, fol. 188, "Eadui Psalter", circa 1012 AD; cf. Nunnaminster Winchester Prayerbook 8th / 9th Century]

Earliest Fragment from Anglo-Saxon Liturgical Book

 Some of the earliest fragments preserved from Anglo-Saxon liturgical books are contained in BNF LAt. 9488.

These are preserved in manuscripts from Echternach circa 700 AD; the Anglo-Saxon St. Wilibrord founded the Abbey in the late 698, and brought with him the liturgical books from England. So, there were either used by St. Wilibrord himself in celebrating Mass, or by some of his priests who were also monks.

The existing fragments conform to what is commonly called the "Old Gelasian" type Sacramentary [such as the Gellone text of 750 AD which is fully complete]. The text did not come from the Abbey, but are in an Insular handwriting style of the late 600s / early 700s.

They contain things like variable Prefaces, Secrets, Benedictiones, etc. The same type of variable order you see in the late Italian Leonine Sacramentary circa 650 [though, it can possibly be dated to the 500s].