Bellarmine · De Controversiis · On the Church Triumphant, Book III: On Churches, Vows, Pilgrimages and Feasts
Chapter 5: On the Dedication and Consecration of Churches
Our translation, from the Latin of the Opera Omnia (Paris: Vivès, 1870–74), vol. II, De Ecclesia quae Triumphat in Coelis, the fourth general controversy. The Latin source text is public domain; this English rendering is released with the site. Scripture quotations follow Bellarmine's Vulgate citations, rendered in Douay-Rheims wording where he quotes exactly. Click “Show the Latin” for the original (raw OCR of the scan; scanning errors remain — the scan itself is the authority).
The Magdeburgers, Century 4, chapter 6, column 407 and following, find fault with three things in dedications. First, that churches are dedicated by us with great gladness and solemnity; which they say arose from the kakozēlia, the misguided zeal, of Judaism, and is to bring Judaism back into the Church.
Second, that we use so many ceremonies in the consecration of churches. For besides others, there are some which do not seem able to be excused from superstition and magic. For first twelve crosses are painted, and before each a lamp is lit; then the church is knocked at and opened. Then the Greek alphabet is written with the pastoral staff on the pavement, over ashes scattered for this, from one corner to the other, and again the Latin alphabet from the other corner to the other, so that a cross is made from it. Then a mixture is made of water, wine, salt and ashes, and the church is sprinkled with it; and lastly the church and the altar are anointed with chrism.
Third, they accuse us of thinking that churches are places holier than others; which Calvin too finds fault with, book 3 of the Institutes, chapter 20, section 30. We then, following their faultfindings, will set down three opinions.
Let the first be: The churches of God are rightly dedicated with great gladness and solemnity. It is proved, first, from the Old Testament, where we read of a most solemn dedication of the tabernacle and of the altar, Numbers 7. Likewise we read three times of a dedication of the temple made with great gladness and solemnity: first by Solomon, book 2 of Paralipomenon, chapter 7; second by Esdras, book 1 of Esdras, chapter 6; third by the Machabees, when after its profanation it had been renewed and sanctified again, book 1 of the Machabees, chapter 4; to which solemnity, which was kept again every year, John writes that Christ too came, chapter 10.
But the adversaries think this argument is rather against us, because we seem to Judaize when we do what they did, as regards ceremonies of this kind. But in truth the argument is for us. For the ceremonies proper to the Jews, which have ceased and cannot be kept without sin, are those which were instituted to signify something to come in Christ or in the Church. For if those were kept now, they would have a false meaning, and so would be declarations of a false faith; as, because the paschal lamb signified the passion of Christ to come, if anyone now sacrificed a lamb with that rite, he would profess that Christ had not yet suffered, which is against the true faith. But ceremonies which are founded on natural reason, as bending the knees, beating the breast and the like, are not proper to the Jews, even if they were used by them too; nor do they seem to belong to the ceremonial law, but to the moral.
And that the dedication of churches is such is plain, first, because God is not read to have instituted this ceremony; but Solomon, Esdras and the Machabees, with nature as guide, thought it fitting to give thanks to God for the finished temple, and to begin the use of the temple with public gladness.
Second, because nature truly teaches this, that at the end of great works men rejoice and give thanks to God; and likewise that when they begin to use some new thing they call upon God, and set about the work with gladness. And this is done in the dedication of a church; for we exult and give thanks to God that we see the building of the church completed, and again with gladness and good wishes we set about the use of the church itself.
Third, because nature teaches that the birthdays of great men are to be celebrated; for even the heathens did this; and among us the creation of the supreme pontiff is celebrated every year. From this come certain sermons of blessed Leo on the anniversary of his elevation. Why, then, may the birthday of a church not be celebrated, which is a public thing, and holy, and the house of the whole Church?
Add lastly that God himself seems to have given an example of dedications, when, having finished his work, as a sign of gladness he marked out the seventh day and sanctified it, and willed it to be kept as a festival.
Second, it is proved from the use of the Church and the tradition of the ancients. Eusebius, book 10 of the History, chapter 3: “Feast days,” he says, “and gatherings were held most frequently; with all gladness and exultation dedications of churches were celebrated through cities and places. Priests gathered together into one; for no one then could stay in his own place, because no space seemed long for charity.” Likewise book 4 of the Life of Constantine he says that Constantine, for the consecration and dedication of the church which he had built at Jerusalem to the martyrs, in the thirtieth year of his reign called together the whole synod which had met at Tyre, and so on.
Athanasius, in the Apology to Constantius: “This,” he says, “was done too by Alexander of blessed memory and the other Fathers, who held gatherings for the people, and, the work being wholly finished, celebrated its dedication with thanks to God. Of this dedication, then, O most godly one, you ought to be the author; for that place, built up, asks the presence of your piety; for this alone is lacking to it for its full adornment. That you may fulfil this, then, and render your vows to the Lord, to whom you have built this house, the wishes of all desire and sigh,” and so on. In the same place he brings for the dedication of a church the example of Esdras from the Old Testament.
Basil, on Psalm 114, at the beginning, gives the cause why he came late to the church to be dedicated, where the people had waited from midnight until midday: “If indeed,” he says, “we must render account for the delay of our absence, we give as cause that we spent this time of the day in caring by our ministry for another church of God, equal to this, at no small distance from you.” This place, which might perhaps seem ambiguous, the Magdeburgers admit, Century 4, chapter 6, column 408, is to be understood of the dedication of a church.
Gregory Nazianzen begins the oration on the New Sunday thus: “It is an old law, and nobly established, that the Encaenia be honoured.” Chrysostom too gave a sermon at the Encaenia, volume 3. Sozomen, book 4, chapter [13?], writes that Basil of Ancyra invited very many bishops to the dedication of a church. Ambrose, book 1, letter 5, to Felix, says that he and Felix himself had been invited by Bassianus to the dedication of a basilica. And in the letter to his sister, which is had among the sermons, number 92: “When I had dedicated the basilica,” he says, “many as with one mouth began to address me, saying: Dedicate it as you did the Roman basilica. I answered: I will, if I find relics of martyrs,” and so on.
Gaudentius, in the treatise on the dedication, says that many bishops came together for the solemnity of the dedication of the church which had been built at Brescia in honour of the relics of John the Baptist, Andrew, Thomas, Luke, Gervasius, Protasius and other martyrs. Augustine too gave sermons to the people at the solemnity of the dedication of a church, which are among the sermons on the Season, [251?] and [252?].
Pope Gelasius, letter 1 to the bishops of Lucania and Apulia, chapter 6: “Basilicas newly founded,” he says, “are not to be dedicated without the requested precepts” of the Apostolic See. Likewise in chapter 27 he gives another rule to be kept in the dedication of churches. Felix IV, who too sat more than a thousand years ago, in his decretal letter discourses at length on this matter, and among other things speaks thus: “The solemnities of the dedication of churches are to be celebrated every year,” and so on.
Prosper, part 3, chapter 38, On the Promises of God, testifies that he was present when a notable church at Carthage was dedicated, which had once been of the heathens, on whose front they found written in great bronze letters: AURELIUS PONTIFEX DEDICAVIT; which omen all wondered at, when they saw it done by Aurelius, bishop of Carthage, which had been foretold so long before.
Gregory, book 3 of the Dialogues, chapter 30, writes that in his time a basilica was dedicated not without divine miracles, by which it was shown that the dedication pleased God. Bernard gave six sermons on the dedication of a church. Rupert, on chapter 28 of Genesis, proves that festal dedications are rightly made. Hugh of St. Victor, book 2 On the Sacraments, part 5, chapters 2 and 3; Isidore, book 1 On Offices, chapter 35; Rabanus, book 2, chapter 45, On the Institution of Clerics; Amalarius in the book On the Order of the Antiphonary; blessed Ivo in the sermon on the consecration of a church; and Walafrid On Church Matters, chapter 9; all treat of the dedication of a church as of a most ancient thing, though they themselves are ancient authors.
The second proposition: Churches are rightly consecrated by the Church with various prayers and ceremonies. It is proved, first, by the testimony of Scripture. For from Scripture we have the consecration of a temple or altar in the state of nature, of the law and of grace. In the state of nature Jacob, Genesis 28, set up a stone to sacrifice there, and consecrated it, pouring oil on it; and from this called that place Bethel, that is, the house of God. And in chapter 35, warned by God to make an altar, he again set up a stone in the same place, and consecrated it by anointing, and poured out drink offerings upon it. Surely this does not belong to magic, since this deed is praised by all, and it is certain that it pleased God. Nor again does it belong to the ceremonies of the law, which had not yet been given. Why then should it not be lawful for us to do the same?
Then in the state of the law we see that Moses consecrated with holy oil and other ceremonies the tabernacle, the altar and all its vessels, Exodus, chapter 40, and Numbers 7; which ceremonies too it is certain were not magical. And although they were ceremonies of the old law, yet because they were not proper to it, since they are founded on reason, nothing hinders them from being taken up by us too.
In the state of the Gospel we do not have such express testimonies of Scripture; yet meanwhile, from this, that Paul, in the first epistle to the Corinthians, chapter 11, rebukes the Corinthians as despisers of the church because they ate in the church, it is hinted well enough that even then the church was in some way consecrated. For why is he said to despise the church who does in it an action lawful elsewhere, unless because of some consecration of that place? And it is confirmed from Dionysius the Areopagite, who lived in the time of the apostles, and in the book On the Church Hierarchy, chapter 4, part 1, openly teaches that altars ought to be anointed with holy oil and consecrated by the bishop.
Second, it is proved from the decrees of the ancient councils. For the fifth Council of Carthage, canon 6, has thus: “Likewise of churches, as often as there is doubt about their consecration, it is to be done,” that is, that they be consecrated without any hesitation. Likewise the Council of Agde, chapter 14: “It is resolved that altars be consecrated not only with the anointing of chrism but also with the priestly blessing.” The same is plain from the second Council of Braga, canon 6. Likewise from the decrees of Popes Gelasius and Felix IV cited above, and of John I in the letter to the bishops of Italy. See other decrees in Gratian, On Consecration, distinction 1, where too a canon of the Nicene council is brought, and another of the Council of Hippo, which Augustine testifies was a plenary council of all Africa, book 1 of the Retractations, chapter 17; though those canons do not now exist except in Gratian.
Third, it is proved from the Fathers cited in the former conclusion; for the greater part of them mention also the consecration and the ceremonies which we are wont to use in the consecration of a church and altar.
Fourth, it is proved by a reason taken from the end of those ceremonies. For the chief end is to signify that that church is dedicated to God and to sacred actions, and is not a profane house but a sacred one. For although this dedication consists essentially in the will and intention of dedicating, yet it is necessary that this intention and will be made known to other men by outward signs; as human contracts too consist in the intention and will of those contracting, yet, that the will may be known and that they may be firm and settled, not only are words uttered, but many ceremonies also are used, as is plain in weddings, in the crowning of kings, in military service and so on.
Since then the church is dedicated to Christ, to signify this his sign, that is, the cross, is painted. And twelve crosses are painted, so far apart from one another that they take up the whole church; and before each a single lamp is lit, to signify that the twelve apostles carried this standard of Christ through the whole world and lit up the world by their preaching.
And because the church ought not to be a profane and common house, but sacred, to signify this it is anointed. For oil is the most common and most evident symbol of consecration. For because it is a most noble liquid, since it rises above all, and penetrates most of all, and heals and strengthens, and lastly makes things bright, therefore it pleased all nations, and God himself too, to use it to signify consecration.
Because again the church is destined for divine sacrifices and prayers and other holy and pure actions, not for the filth and darkness of worldly business, therefore to signify this cleanness and brightness water is sprinkled, incense burned, candles lit.
Because the church is also consecrated for preaching and teaching the faith, which is the foundation of all justice, therefore the alphabet is written on the pavement. And it is written in Greek and Latin, because in those tongues the faith was preached, and almost the whole Church used those tongues at the time when these ceremonies were instituted.
And because in the church men are not only taught but also moved and set on fire for virtue and newness of life, therefore that mixture of water, ashes, salt and wine is made, as we shall say below.
Because lastly the devil is cast out of the church and not allowed to dwell there, but on the contrary God is prayed to, and the angels and other saints called upon, that they may deign to dwell in that place, therefore the door is knocked at, and the devil is ordered to depart, and the relics of the saints are brought in.
Another end of these ceremonies is to signify Christ and the Church. For the material church marks out the spiritual Church, and the altar signifies Christ. Hence the altar is made of stone, and anointed, and set in the highest place, and under it relics are hidden: because Christ is called the rock, 1 Corinthians 10; and was anointed with the Holy Spirit above his fellows, Psalm 44; and is the head of the whole Church, Colossians 1; and in him the life and glory of the saints is hidden, Colossians 3. Hence too John saw in heaven the souls of the saints under the altar, Apocalypse 6.
Further, the ceremonies which are done in the consecration itself show the whole progress of the faithful. For in the first place the church is knocked at and opened by the bishop with the pastoral staff, because preachers, with power received from Christ, knock at the hearts of unbelievers and open them to receive the faith.
Second, the bishop, having entered, with the same staff writes the alphabet on the pavement sprinkled with ashes, because preachers, with the same power, write in the hearts of penitents the first elements of the faith, and make them catechumens.
Third, the church is sprinkled with water and candles are lit, because after catechism follows baptism, which is the sacrament of enlightenment.
Fourth, crosses are painted and anointed on the walls (for although the crosses were made before the beginning of the consecration, yet they should have been made at this time; but they were made before for convenience, for it would take too long if they were painted in the consecration itself), to signify confirmation, which after baptism is accomplished with the cross and chrism.
Fifth, a certain mixture of water, ashes, salt and wine is made, because the whole life of the faithful ought to be spent in mortifying vices and in seeking and keeping newness of life. For water signifies man as he is of himself after sin; for he is cold and without savour. Ashes signify penance and the mortification of vices; salt, savour; and wine, the gladness and fervour of the new life.
Sixth, a feast day is kept with gladness when the consecration is finished, because after the end of this life the faithful go into the joy of their Lord, where they will be glad for ever. See these and like things in Augustine and Bernard in the sermons on the dedication, and in Hugh, Ivo and Rabanus cited above, who expound one by one the meanings of these ceremonies.
The third proposition: A consecrated church is rightly held to be holy and venerable, and endowed with a certain divine power. It is proved, first, from its relation to God. The church is dedicated to God; therefore it is a thing of God; therefore it is holy. For every thing given to God is by that very fact holy, Leviticus, the last chapter: “A beast that may be sacrificed to the Lord, if any one shall vow, shall be holy.” And below: “Whatsoever is once consecrated to the Lord, shall be holy of holies.” Matthew 23: “Woe to you blind guides, that say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but he that shall swear by the gold of the temple, is a debtor. Ye foolish and blind; for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold?” There the Lord would have the stone temple nobler than the gold itself, because, namely, it communicated holiness to the gold; for although stones are absolutely lower than gold, yet by reason of their relation to God those stones which make the temple are far nobler and holier than gold. Hence Augustine, book 4 against Cresconius, chapter [40?]: “He believed,” he says, “that the walls consecrated to God almighty, the venerable church, were to be held as by a kind of siege.”
Second, it is proved from the prayers and blessing of the bishop. For, as the Apostle says, 1 Timothy 4, “Nothing is to be rejected that is received with thanksgiving: for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.” Now if foods are sanctified by the word of God and prayer, why will not churches too be sanctified, which are consecrated by sacred persons with public prayers and blessing? Besides, when Solomon sanctified the temple, God also sanctified it, as he himself says, 3 Kings 9: “I have heard thy prayer, and I have sanctified this house, which thou hast built.” And the prayers of the Church are not less effective than Solomon's.
Third, it is proved from the things which are in the church. For the place of holy things must also be holy, as is plain from that of Exodus 3: “The place whereon thou standest is holy ground.”
Now in churches there are many holy things. First, the cross and the images of Christ and the saints. Second, the relics of the saints. Third, the presence of the body of the Lord in the Eucharist. Fourth, the presence of the angels; for it is credible that angels are present in churches either always or very often. Wherefore Josephus, book 7 of the Jewish War, chapter 12, writes that in the temple of Solomon, a little before it was overthrown, voices were heard, “Let us go hence”; which the common opinion holds were of angels leaving that place. And blessed Chrysostom, homily 1 on those words of Isaias, “I saw the Lord sitting,” and so on, says that the sacred table in churches is walled round by a multitude of angels. Fifth, lastly, God himself is present by a certain singular protection and power; as a sign of which, when the tabernacle was dedicated by Moses, Exodus, the last chapter, at once a darkness, or a certain cloud, the glory of the Lord, covered the tabernacle. The same happened when the temple was dedicated by Solomon: “For the glory of the Lord had filled the house of the Lord,” 3 Kings 8. And Gregory, book 3 of the Dialogues, chapter 30, writes that the same happened in his own time in a certain consecration: “In the calm of the sky,” he says, “a cloud came down over the altar of the church, and covered it with its veil, and filled the church with such terror and sweetness of fragrance that, the doors standing open, no one presumed to enter there.” In book 2 of the Machabees too, chapter 3, we read that Heliodorus said: “There is undoubtedly in that place a certain power of God. For he that hath his dwelling in the heavens, is the visitor, and protector of that place.”
Fourth, it is proved from the absence of the demons. For as the temples of the heathens are defiled and unclean, because they are houses of demons, as is plain from Gregory, book 3 of the Dialogues, chapter 7, so on the contrary the temples of God are holy because they lack demons. For the same Gregory, book 3, chapter 30, of the Dialogues, writes that after the consecration of a church which had before been the Arians', the devil went out from there perceptibly, in the form of swine, with a very great noise raised. And as the houses of princes are places of refuge, and no lictors dare lay hands on anyone there, so too in the temple of God the demons are not allowed to rage in the way they do in other places.
Show the Latin (Vives edition, OCR)
CAPUT V.
De dedicatione el consecrationn
ecclesiarum.
Magdcburgensos Cent. 4. cap. 0. col. 407. et
sequentibus. tria iu dedicationibus reprehendnnl.
Primo, quod templa a nol)is cum ingcnti laetilia.
et celebrilalo dciticentur, quod ortum esse diciint
ex /.axoi^rjXta judaismi, cl csse rursum iniroducr-
re judaismum in Ecclesiam.
Secuudo, quod uiamur lot caeremoniis in con-
secralione templorum; I\'am praelcr alias.quaedam.
sunt qua<; non videntiir posse ex(;usari a supcrslio-
ne et magia. ,Aain pnmo pinguntur dundccira
cruces,ct ante singulas accenduntur singulae lam-
pades: deinde pulsatur templum et aperitur. Tum
descrihilur in pavimento supcr cineres ad hoc
sparsos. baculo paslorali alphabethum graccum
ab uno angulo ad alium; et rursus alphabelum la-
liuum ab alio angulo ad alium, ita ut inde crux fi-
at. Tum nt mixlura ox aipia, vino, salc et cineri-
hus, et indc aspcrgilur lcmplnm; ac demura tem-
pltim et ara chrismalc inunguntur.
Tertio arguunl, quod pntomus, tempta osse lo-
ca sancliora caetcris: quod etinm reprehendit Cal-
vinus lib. 3. Instit. cap. 20. § ,'iO. Nos ergo juxla
corum reprehensiones, tres sentcnlias snbjicie-
mus.
1'rima sil, Merito templa Dei cim ingenli laeti-
tia ct solcmnitate dedicaniur. Probatur primo ex
tcstamenlo veteri, ubi legimus celeberrimam de-
dicationem tabernaculi ot allaris, Niira, 7. Item ler
legimus factam loinpli diidicationem cum ingenli
laetilia et celcbrilale. Priino a Salomone lib. 2.Pa-
ralipomen. cap. 7. Secundo ab Esdra, lib. 1. Es-
drae cap. 6. Tertio a Machabaeis. ciim post profa-
nationem iteriim essct renovatnm et samtificalurn
lib. 1. Machab. cap. 4. ad quaru solomnitalem,
(]uae annis singulis iierum agebalur Chrisium el-
iam accossisse scrihit Joannes cap. 10.
Sed hoc argumenlum adversarii puianl esse po-
lius conira nos, qnia videmur judaizaro, cum id
facimus quod illi faciebant, quanlnm ad ojusmodi
caorcinonias altinet. .\t revera pro nobis est argu-
menluin, siquidem caercmoniae propriae Judaeo-
rum. ot quac cessaverunt, nec servari possunt si-
10! poccato, sunt illao. qiiae instilulae crant ad a-
li(iuid significanduiu tulurum in Christo.vcl in Ec-
clesia. Illae enim si nunc servarenlnr, falsam ha-
berciil significalionem, et proinde 1'alsae fidei pro-
tcstaliones esseut. Ut quia agnus paschalis signifi-
cabat Chrisli passioncm fuluram. si quis nuiic a-
gnum eo rilu iminolaret, proflterelur Christuin
nondum cssc passum, quod cst conlra veram 11-
dcm. At caeremoniae, quae fundantur in ratione
nalurali, ut lleclere genua. tunderc peclus. ct si-
miles, non suiit propriae Judeorum, eliiimsi ab ii-
lis qunque adhiberenlur; nec ad legem caeremo-
nialem, sed ad moralem perlinere videatur.
Porro talem esso, lemplorum dedicationem, pa-
lot primo, quia non legilur Deus insliluisse hanc
caeremoniam: sed Salomon, Esdras et Machabaei
Hiitura duce, pulaverunt convenire. ut de perfecto
templo gralias Dco refcrrent. ct cum publica Iii(.*ti-
lia auspicarenlur usum templi.
Secundo, quia vere natura hoc docet, ut ad fi-
nem magnorum oporum homines gaudeanl.el Deo
gralias aganl; etsimiiiler quando incipiunt re ali-
qna nova uti. Deum invoccnt. el cum lactitia opiis
aggrediantur. IIoc autem fit in dodicalione lem-
pli: Nam exultamus, et Dco gralias agimus, quod
tctnpli fabricam completam videamus, ct rursum
oum laetitia ct fauslis imprccationibus aggredimur
usum ipsiiis templi.
Tertio, quia natura docet celebrandos csse dies
natalos magnorum virorum; id cnim eliam cthnici
faciebant: et apud nos celobratur singiilis annfs
orealio ponlificis maximi. lude sunl scrmones ali-
I.ll.l.li ll.liillii
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ti's. iiii|iiil. (t iiiislri l'ri'iiiu'iilissiiin' iirrrhtintiir:
cHin (iinni liivtitiu i't r.vuUiitiimo, jirr iirlic.t ol /o
cn siiiiiiild ('('clrsidriiin dcilicdtiiniihiis cclchni
lin. (idiiijrriiiihiinliir in iinnin sdrcnlotcs. nrr
pificliiit r'iiiin Idiiiic pnsilds cdnrciiirc. ijiiia mil-
Inin Idiiiitnn vidchnlur spdtiiiin rhdritnli. Iilciii
lili. I. ilc vil:i (litiisl.inliiii. Miiliil, <'.itiisl:itiliiiiiiii
iul ('(tiis(>cr;iliiiiiciii cl liciliciliniiciii iicilis. i|ii,iiii
llierdSdlyinis iniirtynltns c\lni\cr:il iiiiiin iiii|iciii
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li ('(tiivcncriil clc.
.Vlliiiiiiisiiis in ))|)(t|o^iii iid (loiisliintiiititn: /////(/,
iii{|iiil. ('/ (f />(•(//(/(' inciiwriac Alcxdndrd, aliis-
(/(/(' l*alrihiis dciiiin csl.ijiii jininili cdnvcnlns ha-
Inicrc. ct dhsdhild dficrc diiciulis lico nniliis dc-
dicatiancin cclchrarcrunl. lliiius cnjo dcdicatio-
•nis tc. iiniicnildr. aucliircin cssc oiidrlcl. J.oriis
cnini illc cxacdilicdlus iirdcscntidin tuac pictdtis
rcquirit: lioc cniin cisoluin dccsl ad plcnuni or-
iialuin. Iloc ifiilur ut adiniplcas. nt vola lun Ih-
inino. cui lionc doininn conslru.v.isli, rcddas. o-
viniuin rota oplanl cl suspinnil clc. Ihiilciii pro
•lcdiciilioiu^ ('('(^losiac aillerl exciiipiiiiii Esdruo ex
Teslimicnlo vclcri.
I):isiliiis m \)^a\. Ili. iiiitio rciKlil cau-^s;!!!!, ciir
scrius veiioril ad occlesiam (lc(ii(^aii(laiii, ubi po-
puliis a mc(1i;i iiocle usi"|iie ;id mcridioiii cxspoclii-
veriil: Sivcro, iiniuil. oporlct.cliain nos pro nohis
i}isisrnlioncin rcddcrcinoracac lonijioris noslrac
ahscnliac, caussdni adfcriinus.quod allcram liuic
acqualcni Dci Ecclcsiainnon niodico intcrvaUo a
vohis distanlcin. minislcrio noslro curanlcs, lcm-
pus lioc dici c.onsumpsimus. Iluiic lociim. qui lor-
le iMiiltiguus po>scl vidcri. I':ilenlur .ll:ig(lcburi,n'n-
scs Ceiilur. 1. ea|). (i. col. -iOS. de lempli dodica-
liitnc inlelli{:;ondum.
Croixorius iiazianzen. oral. iii iiovam dominicam
sieincipil: De cncocnii^ honorandis lexvclus est,
caiiue pracclarc co/ts///«/tJ.CIirysosloiius quo(]uo
sorinonem liabuil in encoeiiiis , lom. 3. Sozomc-
iins lib. 4. c. 115. scribil. l>:isilium aiuyriinum ad
lem|)li dodicalioiiem plurimos C|)iscopos iiivilasse»
Ambrosius lib. 1. cpisl. 5. ad Felicom, dicil.se
cl ipsum Fcliccm ad basilicae dedicationcm a Biis-
siniio invilatum. El in episl. ad Sororem, quao Iia-
belur iiilcr sermones. num. 92. Cauu. inquil. basi-
licani dedicassem. inuUi tamquam mio ore inter-
pcllare coeperant. diccnles: Sic in romana hasi-
licadediccs. liespondi. faciam.simarliirum reii-
quias mvenero etc.
Gaudeuiius Iraclalu dc dedicalione , dicil. con-
veiiisse mullos cpiscopos ad cclcbrilalcm dedica-
Uonis ecclcsiac, quac Bri.\iae orecla lueral in lio-
norem reliquiaruui Joanuis Daplislae , Andreac ,
riMitn.ic, l.iiciio, (icrt.i.ii i'rf lliirtii rrl I. cl (pin.
UniKiiili) imiilyrtiiii
Alt^llSlllllls ipilllipiC sfnDOIICH ild pOpUlUIII ll.f
liinl III ('clcbnliile ilciliciiiiuiiiH lciniili, (|iii nuiil iii-
(cr scrinoiics (1(< ((uiiporc 2.11. ml 2.'i<*
(icliiHiiis Piip.1 cpiMl, 1.11(1 epiK(-ii|ioH l.uniiii.iQ
cl ,\pi iilii, ciip. (» lldniliciiH. liiipiil. iinvitor tiihli'
tiilan, non pctitin c.v ninrc pracrr^,tiiindtn>* driU-
cari^ n<iiinudi'iit. Itcin ciip. 27.ali.i (|iMcii.iiii r.oii>
sjitiiii III dediciilioiK! ccclcsiiiniiti si;rviiii(l.-i. Kcltx
IV. i|iii cli.im iiiiic iiiillc iiiiiios scdii . 111 ('|)istii|,i
sini dccrciiili proli\(< di; luic rc ili.sserit , nc iiilcr
iiliii sic iiil: SnlcinnildtcH vcro dcdiralioncm c.c-
clctiidruin ]irr siiiiiiilns annos ctdchraudac hriiil
clc.
{'rosper p;ir. ',\. cap. ',\H. de proiiiissioiiilius Uei,
tCsliilur sc iiilci ritissc ciiiii iipiid ('.:irlli:i^'iuciii dc-
diciirctiir iiisi^iK; (piiMli|:iiii li'iii|)limi , (pio:l oliiti
(icntiliuiii rucriil:iii ('iiiusrroiilisptcto diviiiilus .scri-
pliim itivcucniiil tn;i'^'iiis ;ilipic iUMieis lilcris: Au-
itij.iis i'o.\Tin.\ iu i»i(;vvir.(Jiiod prjicsiii^iuiti omti(;s
miriibiintur, ( iiiu vidcrcni iib Aiirclio cpiscopo Ciir-
lliii^iuonsi licri, quod liiiilo iiiilcii pracdicliiin Tuc-
ral.
(irej,'oriiis lib. '.). (Iiiil(t^'nrum, (•:)[). .30. scribil .
tempore sno ilcdic^dain liiisiliciiiu noii sim; diviiiis
miriiciilis. (|uiltii.s indiciirotiir. Dco pliicuisst; oiiiti
(IcdiciitiomMii. llcriiiirdits sc\ scrinoiics biibuit dc.
dcdicaliouo toinpli. Kupcrlus iii cap. 2K. Gemjs.
prcdtiit. re('tc lieri 1'osliviis dcdii^ationes. Hufjo de.
s. \ iclore. lib. 2. di; siicriimetttis. piirl..">.cap. 2.cl
^. Isidorus lib.l.de olliciis. cnp. !{.'>. Habanus lib.2.
c. {.">. de instilulione cloricor. Amaliinus iti lib.do
ordinc iiutiolioiiiirii. b. Ivo in scnii. dc cousccral.
Iciiipli, (!l Wiiiriidus dc rebus ecclcsiasticis. ciip.
\). i]\u oinnes dc dcdicalioiic occlesiac Iracliiiil .
laiinpiiim de rc imliquissima,cuin taineii eliani ipsi
anliqiii siiil iiuclorcs.
Se(iind:i proposilio: Mcrilo ab Ecclesia variis
precibus ct cacrcmoniis lcinpla consecrantur.Vro-
batiir Primo Scriplurac lcstimonio. Siquidcm ev
Scriptura biibemus consecralionein lcmpli, vel iil-
laris, in slalu naturae,legis el graliae. In slatu na-
lurae .lai^ob cap. 28. Gonoseos, orcxil laiiidom. ut
ibi sacriiiciircUeumquc consocriivil fundcns oloum
desuper.el indc euin locum appelliivit /jc//ic/.idest,
domiini Dei; et c. 3."». monilus a Deo. ul facerel al-
lare. rursus ibidem crexit bipidem. eumque inuu-
gendo consecravit, ct libavil su|)cr cuin libiiniinii.
Cerle hoc non pertinel ad magiam . cuni laudelur
boc facliim iib omnibus, et conslel pbicuisse Dco.
INec cliam pcrliiicl ad (•acremonias logis quac ad-
huc dala non fueral. Cur ergo non liceal nobis
idem f':iccre?
Deindc in slalu legis videmus Moysem conse-
crassc olco sacro, aliisque ciiereinoniis tabernacu-
Iiim, altiu'e. el omnia ejus vasa. Exodi cap. 40. ct
iVum. 7. qiias eliam caeremonias cerluin est non
fuisse magicas.El licel ciicremoniiie fucriut YClens
legis, lamen quia non eranl propriae ejus. quippe
quae in oralione fundanlur, niliil obslat, quo mi-
nus a nobis eliam assumi possint.
In stalu evangolii nou babemus lam expressa tfl-
slimonia Scriplurae , inlerim lamtn ex co, quod
B2S
DK CILTU SAiNCTORUM
Pnulus in priori epislola ad Coiinlhios cap. 11. Co-
rinlliios arguil lauKiuani Ecclcsiao conlcinplores,
quia in ecclcsia coinodcbanl, salis innuilur, lunc
eliani ecclesiani aliquo niodo sacralam fuisse.Cur
cniin Ecclcsiaui conlemnere dicilur , qui in ea a-
cliouom alil)i licilam exercct, nisi propler aliquam
cjus luci cousecralioncm? El confiiinalur cx Dio-
nysio areopagila, qui lempore aposlolorum vixil ;
el lib. dc ecclesiaslica bierarcliia, cap. o. par. 1.
apcrte docel, allaria sacro oleo inungi, el consc-
crari ab episcupo debere.
Secundo, probalurex dccrelis conciliorum anli-
quorum. Nam cou::ilium carlliagincnse V. can. (>.
sic babct: Similiter el de ccdesiis, quoltes su})er
earum consccralionc haesitatur, agendum est ,
'idest.ut sino ulla trepidatione consecreniur.Wem
agalhense concilium cap. li. Allaria ylacuit non
solum iinctionc chrismatis, sed etiam sacerdotali
benediclionc sacrari. Idcm palet ex concilio !i.
bracarensi can. (>. llcin cx ilccrclis ponliiicum Gc-
]asii el Felicis IV. sii|>ra cilatorum, ol Joannis I. in
cpisl. ad episcopos llidiac. Alia (iccrcla vide apud
Gralianum dc consccr. disl. 1. ul)i eliani adfcrtur
canon nicacni concilii; el alius concilii Idpponcn-
sis, quod phuiarium tolius Africae fuisse leslalur
Aui>uslinus lib. l.Retractal. c. i7. quamquam isti
canones modo non exstant,nisi apud Gralianum.
Tertio.probalur ex Palribus cilatis in priore con-
clusione; nam major pars eorum meminil ctiam
consecralionis el cacrcmoniarum , quibus uti so-
lemus in consccralione lempli cl aliaris.
Quarlo probatur ralione dcsumpla ex (ine illa-
rum cacremoniarum. Finis cnim f)raecipuus est
ad sii^nificanilum lcmplum illud Deo el sacris a-
clionibus dedicari, neque essedomura profanam ,
scd sacram. l\am cti.imsi isla dedicatio esscnliali-
ter consistal in volunlate et intenlione dedicatio-
iiis: lamcn necesse est, ul iiaec inlenlio el volun-
tas sign-s exlernis prodatur aliis hominibus. Quo-
raodo eliam humani conlraclus consistunl in in-
tenlione elvoluntale contrahentium: lamcn ul in-
notescal volnnlas, et ut lirma et rata sinl, non so-
ium profcruntnr verba, sed ctiara muilae adhiben-
tur caeremoniac. ul palet in nuptlis, in coronalio-
ue reguin, in militia etc.
Qnoniam crgo tcmplum dcdicatur Christo, ideo
ad boc significandura pingilur signura ejus, idcsl,
crux. Pingunlur antcni cruces nuin. 12.ita inlcr sc
distantcs,ut totum templura occupeul; et ad singu-
]as, lampades singulae acccndunlur, ad significan-
dum, quod apostoii '12.hoc vcxillum Christi per to-
tum orbera lcrraruin portaverunl, el sua praedica-
lione inundum illuslraruul.
El quia lera[)Ium nou dcbct csse profana et com-
munis doraus, sed sacra; ideo ad boc significan-
durn inungitur. Olcura cnira est coinmunissimum
el evidcntissiraura syml)olum consccrationis. Quia
enim eslliquor nobiiissimus. quippe qui onnnbus
supereminel, et ma:<ime oinniiim pcnetral, elsa-
nal ac roborat. Ac dcmuni res illuslres facit: idco
placuil omnibus gcnlibus, el ipsi eliam Dco, illo
uti ad consecratioucm significandam.
(juia rursus lcmplum dcslinalur divinis sacrifi-
ciis cl oraliouibus, aliisque sauclis el puris aclio-
nibus, non aulem sordibus el tencbris negolio-
rum saecnlarium, ideo ad hanc mundiliera el cla-
ritatcm signilicaiidain asporgitur aqua, thus ado-
lelur, ccrci accciuluntur.
Quia sacraiur eliani templum ad concionandum,
cl doccndam fidcm, quae esl fundamentum tolius
justitiac; idco describitur alphabelum in pavimcn-
to. Discribilur autcra graece el laline, quia illis
linguis praedicata esl fidcs, cl illis linguis uteba-
tur lota fcre Ecclcsia co tempore, quobae caere-
nmniae sunl inslilntae.
El quia in tcmplo non solura docenlurhomines,
sed etiam movenlur et inflaramantur ad virtulcm,
el vitac novilatem; idcirco Ct illa mixtio aquae, ci-
nefis, salis et vini, ul infra dicemus.
Quia deniquc ex leraplo diabolus ejicilur,neque
ihi bahitare sinilur, sed e contrario oratur Deus,
advocanlur angeli, aliique sancti, ul in eo loco
liabitare digneiilur; ideo pulsalur ostium, el jube-
tur diabolus reccdere, et reliquiae sanctoruin in-
Iroducuniur.
Alius finis harura cacrcmoniarum esl, ad signi-
ficandum Christum cl Ecclesiam. Ecclesia enim
malcriiilis, Ecclesiam spirilualem dcsignal: altare
vero significat Clirislum; hinc igitur altare Ut ex
lapidc, el inungitiir, et summo loco ponitur, et
sub ipso absconduiilur reliquiac: quia Chrislus di-
citur pelra, 1. Corinth. 10. el unclus fuit Spiritu
saiiclo, prae consortibus suis, psal. 44. Et caput
est totius Ecclesiae, Coloss. 1. Et in ipso abscon-
dita est vita et gloria sanctorum, Coloss. 3. Un-
de eliam in coelo vidil Joannes animas sanctorum
sub altari, Apocal. 6.
Porro caercmoniae, quae liunl in ipsa consecra-
tione, totum progressum fidelium demonstrant,
Nam priino loco pulsatur, et aperitur templum ba-
culo paslorali ab episcopo, quia pracclicalorcs po-
testate a Christo accepla,cor la infidcliura pulsant,
et ad fidem suscipiendam aperiunt.
Sectmdo, ingrcssus episcopus eodem baculo
describit in pavimento cinere consperso alpbabe-
lum. quia praedicalores eadem potestate in cordi-
bus pocnilcnlium inscribunl rudimenta fidci, eos-
quc catechuinenos faciunl.
T(!rtio, aspergitur lemplum aqua.et cerei accen-
duiitur, quia posl catcchismum scquitur baptis-
inus, quod csl sacramcnlum illuminationis.
Quarto, in parictibus pinguntur el inungunlur
cruces ( nain cliamsi cruces anle initium conse-
crationis factae sunt. lamen hoc tempore fieri dc-
buisscnt; scd anlea faclae sunt proptcr coramodi-
laleni. nimis enim diu exspectarelur,si inipsacon-
secratione pingcrcntur ) ad significandam confir-
mationcra, quac post baptisncura cruce et chris-
mate perficitur.
Quinto, fil mixtio qnaedam aquae, cineris, salis
et vini, quia lota vita fideliuin consumi dcbet in
mortificandis vitiis, etvilae novilate (]uaerenda et
rclincnda. Nam aqua significal homiucm. (lualis
cst cx S(; post peccalum; csl cnim frigidus ct insi-
pidus. Cinis significal pocnilenliam ct mortificati-
oncra vitiorum. Sal saporera. Et vinum laeliliam
el fervorem novae vitac.
Sexlo, agitur dies feslus cum laelilia, Gnila con--
I itiKii ii:iirii s
SM
scrriilioiii*, (|iilii |i(ist liiiciii Iuijiih viliio liilrlrs iii-
litiliiiiil iii ^iiiiiliiiiii hiiiiiini, iilii |ii'i'|ii!lii(> liirlii-
liiiiiliii'. Iliic» ol siiiilliii viilo ii|Miil Aii(;iisliiiiiin rl
lti'ni;ir(liiiii in simiiioiiiImis i|i< il(!ilii-iiiiiiiii>; i>i ii|mi(I
lliij^Miiiciii, IviMicin cl ll.iliiiiiiiin mi|m.i ('iliilds, (|iii
M^illaliiii ('N|iii(-iiiil t.ilKMics liiiriiiii ciicrunioiiin-
niiii.
'rerliii proposilio: 7V;H/i/;n/» (•(msf-nitum, t»ic-
rito sanctuin rl mifrdliiU', nr. divinn (inntlmn
rirlnlc priwililiini fxisliinnri ilrlirt. Pinli.ilnr;
iMiiiio. c\ rcliiiioiii> :iil IMmiiii; 'rcinpliiiii csl dcili-
caliiin Dco, ("r^-o csl rcs I)(M. ( r;,M> saiir.liiin csl;
iiaiii oniiiis rcs Dco di^Mitii, oo ipso rsl sanctii, l.iv
\il. nll. .1mi;;m// (/imm/ iinnntlnri piitrsl l)nniinn,$i
ijuis vovcril, sanrluin vril. I.l iiiliii: (Jiiiiliiniil sr-
mvl lurrH ruiisrcrnhrni Ihmiino, snnctnm snn-
ctornin crit, iMiiUli. 'l'.\. Vnc vohis ilnccs corci,(iiii
ilicitis: Qaicniiiiine jurnrcril pcr tciniilnni, niliil
rst:<iuiiiutcinjuravrrilin auro triniili: drlirt.
StiUti cl cncci (/!</(/ c;i/;;i nuijns csl, nuruin. nn
lcini>luin, <iuod snnclilical nunun? Ibi Doiiiiniis
Mill lciiipluiii lapiiiciiin noliiiius essc ipso nuro,
(|uo(l vidclirol auro rominniiircl sunclitaliMir. niiin
lircl lapidcs sinl ;il>solii!c iiir(»riorcs aiiro, laincn
r.ilioiic rcialioiiis iul Dcmn. lapidos illi, (pii Iimu-
idnin clliriunl, sunl lun^c nohiliorcs ot sanrliorcs
aiiro. Indc Auguslinus lih. i. conl. Crcsroniuni,
c.ip. id. Dco, inquii, oinnipotcnli, parictrs con-
srcratos, ecclcsinin vcucrandam, <iuasi quadam
obscssione crcdidil rrtincndani.
Sccuiulo. probalur ex prcribus cl luMicdicliono
episropali: iiam ul ail aposlolus, 1. Tiiii. i. MhiL
abjiciendum est, quod cuin ijrntiaruin aclione
pcrcipilur: sandificalur cnim pcr vcrbuni Dci rt
oralioncin. Jaiu si cibi saiirlilicanlur pcr vcrbum
Dei el oralioncm, cur non cliam lcmpln sanclili-
cabunlur. qiiae pcr sacras pcrsonas ])ublicis prc-
cibus cl bcnciliclione ronsccranlur? Praclcrca san-
clilicanlc Salomone leniplum. Dcus cliam sanclili-
cavit, ul ipsc dicit, 3. Rcgum 9. fJa-nut/iut.inquit,
orationrni tuam, cl sanctificavi doniuin hanc,
quani acdi(icasti.\[ r.oa niimis clliciircs sunl pre-
ccs Ecclesiae. quam Salomonis.
Tcrlio. probaUir cx iis, quac sunt in tcmplo;
iiam locus rerum sauclarum, sanclus quoquc sil
iiccessc est, ul patct cx illo. Exod. 3. Locus, in
quo stas, tcrra sancla es/.
Jam voro in tcmplis sunl muUac rcs sanctae.
Primo, crux cl imagines Clirisli ct sanclornm. Sc-
cundo, reliquiac sanctorum. Tcrlio.pracsenlia cor-
poris Domini in cucharislia. Quarto , praescnlia
angelorum; crcdibile cnim cst, aul semper,aut frc-
quenlissimc in templis aniiclos adessc. Quare Jo-
scplius lib. 7. de bcllo jullaico, cap. 12. scribil,
in lemplo Salomonis paulo anlc, quam evcrtcretur,
nudilas voccs: Migrenius hinc, quas angelorum
luisse, descrcntium eum locum, communis opinio
cst. El b. Chrysostomus homil. \. super illa verba
Isaiae: yidi Dominum sedcntcin etc. dicit: Ange-
lorum multiludine vallari sacram mensam in ec-
clesiis. Quinto denique, adcst Deus ipse per siu-
sularem quandam proleclionem cl virlulem, in cu-
jiis rei signum quando labcrnaculum a Moysc dc-
Uicalum est,txod. ult. mox caiigo,seu nubcs quae-
(l.iiii ({luriuA lioiniiii liibcriiiiciiluin tctil. Siiiiilil>r
riicit.ciliii lciiipliiiii u .SiiloiiioiM! ilodiraliiiii chI: i\c-
Imla rniin iilunnr, ihi/i/iti/ (ttmnim Ihnnint, '.\.
Itcj;. H. Idcin cliaiii mio liiiiporc inii'' ■<■'!'
^iiic «Miiiscrniliiii M-riliil Crc^oriiiK lili. •
ciip. 30. In VKKjnn, iui\n\\,itrrenitatf arnn unprr
iiltiirc rrili-Hiar nuhcH nirlilUH ilrHn-tiilit.HHOntiur
illnd vrtaiinnr oprniit , iminrnuiiir m IrHtain
ttinto trrrore nc HuavitaliH uilorr rrplcvii, uIjki.-
Irntihns jnnnis uullnn illnc prarhiimrrrt inlritrr.
In lil). ipioquc 2. .Mii(-liiil). ra|). '.\. Ic^lliiiis, dixiH-
sc llcliodoninr. In /oco illo chI vrrc Dri virlu»
(luardiLin; nnm ipsr <ini hnbital in coclis, vi»ilii-
lor rt adjutor rst lori HlinH.
(Juirlo, probiitiir i-v iihsciitia (liicmotii.s; nnni si-
ciit tcnipla ifcntiliiim polliila siiiil cl iintnuinlii,
ipiiii siinl domiiMlij d.iciiionnm, ut p.il(;t cx Crcpo-
rio Iib. 3. diaio^Mir. rap. 7. ita c coiitriirio, liMiiplii
Di>is!iiictii siint. (]uin dacnionilMis ciircnt.ldiMii oiiitii
(ircgoriiis lib. '.\. c,\\). ilO. dialo^or. scnbil, posl
conscrrationcin lciiipli, (piod anlcii Ariaiioriiin ruc-
r<it, diiiholuiu iiidc cgrcs.suin sciisibilitcr iii s|)0-
cic suis,inaximu strc|iitu cxcitntio. El sicul dotiiiis
prinripmn asyla siiiil. iicc ibi liclorcs iilli iiianns
injiccre audcnt. ila ctiaiii iii tiMii|)lo I>ci, daciiio-
nes non sinuntur grassari co modo , «luo iii aliis
locis.