Heortology : $b A history of the Christian festivals from their origin to the present dayKellner, K. A. Heinrich (Karl Adam Heinrich)
Religion
Heortology : $b A history of the Christian festivals from their origin to the present day
Kellner, K. A. Heinrich (Karl Adam Heinrich)
Church year; Fasts and feasts
Russia. Easter, Pentecost, Christmas, the Circumcision, Epiphany,
Ascension, Transfiguration, Candlemas, Annunciation, our Lady’s
Presentation and Assumption, and the Exaltation of the Cross (14th
Sept). All these are, of course, kept according to the Julian calendar.
To these are added the following feasts peculiar to Russia: the three
feasts of the Jordan so-called, _i.e._ the Blessing of the Water, and the
thirteen so-called Gala-feasts, _i.e._ the commemoration of the reigning
dynasty (see _Kirchenlexikon_, X., 2nd ed. 1399). The schismatics in
Austria-Hungary keep their festivals according to the Julian calendar, so
that where the population is mixed, each feast is as a rule kept twice.
IV
(p. 71)
For many centuries the liturgical vestments were exclusively white, like
the ordinary dress of classic times. The writers of the Carolingian
period in their desire to find parallels between the enactments of the
Old and New Testaments, were the first to remember that different colours
were used in the vestments of the Jewish high priest. In addition to the
white under garment which he wore in common with the simple priests, he
wore an upper garment of blue, and a particoloured shoulder-garment, the
ephod, of blue, purple, scarlet, and fine linen, interwoven with gold
thread. The repeated references to these vestments gradually led to the
adoption of coloured vestments for the mass.[836]
Their introduction was at first tentative. Neither Rupert of Deutz,
Honorius of Autun, Beleth, nor Hugh of St Victor mention the liturgical
colours in their writings, or, if they do, only with reference to the Old
Testament; Sicard of Cremona, a contemporary of Innocent III., clearly
alludes to them, although he only mentions two—white and red.[837]
Innocent III. was the first to speak of all the liturgical colours, and
to regulate their use in the Roman Church, but always with reference to
the regulations of the Old Testament. According to him, white was to be
used on the feasts of Confessors, Virgins, and Angels, and on Christmas,
Epiphany, Candlemas, Maundy Thursday, and the Ascension; it was used as a
matter of course on all other days where it was not otherwise specified,
since until then white had been the universal liturgical colour. Red
vestments were to be worn on feasts of Apostles and Martyrs. On feasts
of the Holy Cross a choice between white and red was allowed. Red was to
be used on Pentecost in memory of the fiery tongues, and on the feast
of SS. Peter and Paul. On the Conversion of St Paul and on the feast of
St Peter’s Chair, white was to be used. White was the colour for the
Nativity of St John the Baptist, red for his Beheading. On All Saints
many used red vestments, but the Roman Church used white, because it is
said in the Apocalypse that the saints stand before the Lamb in white
garments, with palms in their hands.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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