E06592: 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 December.

online resource

posted on 2018-09-24, 00:00 authored by Philip

Gelasian Sacramentary 2.70-71

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.

VII Id. Decembres in octavas sancti Andreae apostoli.
'7 December on the octave of saint Andrew the apostle.'
[*Andrew, the Apostle, S00288]
Three prayers listed.

XII Kal. Ianuarias in natali sancti Thomae apostoli.
'21 December on the feast of saint Thomas the apostle.'
[*Thomas, the Apostle, S00199]
Three prayers listed.

Gelasian Sacramentary 1.6-8

VII Kal. Ianuarias in natali sancti Stephani Martyris.
'26 December on the feast of saint Stephen the martyr.'
[*Stephen, the First Martyr, S00030]
Four prayers listed.

VI Kal. Ianuarias in natali sancti Ioannis Evangelistae.
'27 December on the feast of saint John the Evangelist.'
[*John, the Apostle and Evangelist, S00042]
Four prayers listed.

V Kal. Ianuarias in natali Innocentium.
'28 December on the feast of the innocent.'
[*Innocents, children killed on the orders of Herod, S00268]
Four prayers listed.

Edition: Wilson 1894. Translation: P. Polcar.

History

Evidence ID

E06592

Saint Name

Andrew, the Apostle : S00288 Thomas, the Apostle : S00199 Stephen, the First Martyr : S00030 John, the Apostle and Evangelist : S00042 Innocents, children killed on the orders of Herod : S00268

Saint Name in Source

Andreas Thomas Stephanus Ioannes Innocentes

Related Saint Records

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.

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.