Relics and the Altar in the Ordo dedicationis ecclesiae e

427 Pages·2016·1.94 MB·English

THE CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY OF AMERICA

Christ and the Triumphant Victims:
Relics and the Altar in the Ordo dedicationis ecclesiae et altaris

A DISSERTATION

Submitted to the Faculty of the
School of Theology and Religious Studies
Of The Catholic University of America
In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements
For the Degree
Doctor of Philosophy
©
Copyright

All Rights Reserved
By
Suzanne Sarah Herold

Washington, DC
2016
Christ and the Triumphant Victims:
Relics and the Altar in the Ordo dedicationis ecclesiae et altaris

Suzanne Sarah Herold, Ph.D.

Director: Michael G. Witczak, S.L.D.

This dissertation examines the use of relics in the Ordo dedicationis ecclesiae et altaris in
light of the Second Vatican Council’s liturgical theology. The dissertation utilizes the method
described by Kevin Irwin in Context and Text.
The dissertation begins with a historical study of the extant rites of dedication of a
church. It studies how the rite of dedication developed and how relics became a required element
of the ritual, including the translation, vigil and deposition of relics. The work looks at the
meanings associated with relics as well as the perceived relationship between relics and the altar.
Beginning with the Medieval period, relics were understood to be necessary for dedication, with
the celebration of Mass a festive completion of the rite. Rites of dedication include the deposition
of relics as a central ritual moment from the fourth century through the middle of the twentieth
century.
Through historical study, the use of Conciliar documents, and the examination of the role
of relics in the schemata of the Consilium, this dissertation presents an analysis of the shifts in
the understanding regarding the dedication of a church. The Ordo dedicationis ecclesiae et
altaris is then examined in light of the Council’s teaching that the liturgy is the source and
summit of Christian life. Renewed attention to the importance of the Eucharistic celebration led
to the situation of the revised rite of dedication within the Mass and to relics becoming an
optional element. The sacrifice of saints and martyrs are once again viewed in light of the
Paschal Mystery. This dissertation presents the liturgical and theological implications of
including relics in the Rite of Dedication of a Church and an Altar.
This dissertation presents a new study of the liturgical role of relics in the rite of
dedication of a church in light of the reforms of the Second Vatican Council. It aims to
contribute an understanding of the liturgical theology expressed by the use of relics in the Ordo
dedicationis ecclesiae et altaris.
This dissertation by Suzanne Sarah Herold fulfills the dissertation requirement for the doctoral
degree in Liturgical Studies approved by Michael G. Witczak, S.L.D., as Director, and by
Margaret Mary Kelleher, Ph.D., and David Dawson Vasquez, Ph.D. as Readers.

_______________________________________
Michael G. Witczak, S.L.D., Director

_______________________________________
Margaret Mary Kelleher, Ph.D., Reader

_______________________________________
David Dawson Vasquez, Ph.D., Reader

ii
Table of Contents
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
 ..........................................................................................................................
 v

GENERAL
 INTRODUCTION
 .................................................................................................................
 1

Method
 ................................................................................................................................................................
 1

The
 Dissertation
 ..............................................................................................................................................
 8

Chapter
 One:
 History
 of
 the
 Rite
 of
 Dedication
 from
 the
 Peace
 of
 the
 Church
 through

the
 Seventeenth
 Century
 .................................................................................................................
 10

Third
 Century
 Beginnings:
 Eusebius
 of
 Caesarea
 and
 Ambrose
 of
 Milan
 ..................................
 10

The
 Liturgical
 Articulation
 of
 the
 Dedication
 of
 a
 Church,
 500-­‐950
 ...........................................
 19

The
 Liturgical
 Developments
 of
 the
 Rite
 of
 Dedication
 in
 the
 Pontificals
 of
 the
 Middle
 Ages,

950-­‐1300
 .........................................................................................................................................................
 38

Developments
 in
 the
 Pontifical
 Tradition
 from
 the
 Council
 of
 Trent
 through
 the

Seventeenth
 Century
 ...................................................................................................................................
 66

Conclusions
 .....................................................................................................................................................
 68

Chapter
 Two:
 The
 Cult
 of
 Saints
 and
 Relics
 ...............................................................................
 70

Christian
 Antiquity
 .......................................................................................................................................
 70

The
 Cult
 of
 Saints
 and
 Relics
 in
 the
 Medieval
 Period
 ........................................................................
 85

Sixteenth
 Century
 Through
 the
 Early
 Twentieth
 Century
 ...........................................................
 105

Conclusions
 ..................................................................................................................................................
 112

Chapter
 Three:
 Context
 of
 Reform
 and
 the
 Rite
 in
 the
 Pontificale
 Romanum
 1961/2

 ...............................................................................................................................................................
 114

Liturgical
 Movement
 .................................................................................................................................
 115

The
 Pian
 Commission
 ...............................................................................................................................
 126

Pontificale
 Romanum
 1961/2
 ...............................................................................................................
 127

Conclusion
 ....................................................................................................................................................
 137

Chapter
 Four:
 Vatican
 II
 and
 Post
 Conciliar
 Reform
 ...........................................................
 138

Second
 Vatican
 Council
 ............................................................................................................................
 139

Schemata
 on
 the
 Rite
 of
 Dedication
 of
 a
 Church
 ..............................................................................
 151

Conclusion
 ....................................................................................................................................................
 184

Chapter
 Five:
 Decree
 and
 Praenotanda
 of
 the
 Ordo
 dedicationis
 ecclesiae
 et
 altaris

 ...............................................................................................................................................................
 186

Structure
 of
 the
 1977
 Ordo
 .....................................................................................................................
 187

Decree
 of
 Promulgation
 ...........................................................................................................................
 188

Praenotanda
 of
 Chapter
 2:
 Understanding
 the
 Rite
 of
 Dedication
 of
 a
 Church
 ....................
 189

Conclusion
 ....................................................................................................................................................
 205

Chapter
 Six:
 Ordo
 Dedicationis
 Ecclesiae
 ...............................................................................
 209

Rite
 of
 Dedication
 of
 a
 Church
 ...............................................................................................................
 210

An
 Excursus
 on
 Relics
 as
 Sign
 and
 Symbol
 ........................................................................................
 235

The
 Rite
 of
 Dedication
 of
 a
 Church
 in
 the
 1989
 Ceremonial
 of
 Bishops
 ..................................
 237

Conclusion
 ....................................................................................................................................................
 238

iii
Chapter
 Seven:
 Altars
 after
 the
 Second
 Vatican
 Council
 ....................................................
 243

Conciliar
 and
 Post-­‐Conciliar
 Documents
 ...........................................................................................
 243

Altars
 and
 Relics
 in
 the
 1983
 Code
 of
 Canon
 Law
 ...........................................................................
 248

Altars
 in
 the
 Ordo
 dedicationis
 altaris
 ...............................................................................................
 255

Ceremonial
 of
 Bishops
 .............................................................................................................................
 262

Particular
 Guidelines
 for
 the
 United
 States
 ......................................................................................
 264

Conclusion
 ....................................................................................................................................................
 270

Chapter
 Eight:
 Changes
 in
 the
 Understandings
 of
 Saints
 and
 Relics
 ..............................
 272

From
 the
 Rise
 of
 the
 Cult
 of
 Relics
 through
 the
 Medieval
 Period
 ..............................................
 273

Papal
 Oversight
 of
 Liturgy
 and
 Relics
 .................................................................................................
 282

Relics
 and
 Saints
 in
 the
 Twentieth
 and
 Twenty
 First
 Centuries
 ................................................
 284

Marching
 Forward:
 Continuing
 the
 Role
 of
 Saints
 and
 Relics
 in
 the
 Church
 .........................
 293

Conclusion
 ....................................................................................................................................................
 296

Chapter
 Nine:
 The
 Influence
 of
 Relics
 on
 the
 Liturgical
 Theology
 of
 the
 Ordo

dedicationis
 ecclesiae
 et
 altaris
 .................................................................................................
 298

Structure
 of
 the
 Rite
 of
 Dedication
 of
 a
 Church
 ...............................................................................
 299

Part
 One:
 Introductory
 Rites:
 The
 Body
 of
 Christ
 as
 Church
 .......................................................
 299

Part
 Two:
 Liturgy
 of
 the
 Word:
 Christ
 is
 the
 Cornerstone,
 the
 Faithful
 are
 Living
 Stones
 of

the
 Church
 ....................................................................................................................................................
 306

Part
 Three:
 Prayer
 of
 Dedication
 and
 the
 Anointings:
 Church
 as
 Holy
 City
 ...........................
 320

Part
 Four:
 Liturgy
 of
 the
 Eucharist:
 Christ,
 Altar,
 Priest
 and
 Victim
 of
 His
 Sacrifice
 ..........
 343

Conclusion:
 Celebration
 as
 Construction
 of
 the
 Church
 ...............................................................
 350

Chapter
 Ten:
 Context
 and
 Text
 of
 the
 Ordo
 dedicationis
 ecclesiae
 et
 altaris
 .............
 353

Context
 and
 Text
 ........................................................................................................................................
 353

The
 Historical
 Evolution
 of
 Relics
 in
 Rites
 of
 Dedication:
 Texts
 as
 Context
 ..........................
 356

A
 New
 Ritual
 Context:
 Vatican
 II,
 Altars,
 and
 the
 Celebration
 of
 the
 Eucharist
 ....................
 362

Text
 of
 the
 Ordo
 dedicationis
 ecclesiae
 et
 altaris
 ...........................................................................
 364

Theological
 and
 Spiritual
 Implications:
 Texts
 Shape
 Context
 ....................................................
 370

Conclusion
 ....................................................................................................................................................
 371

Appendix
 A
 ........................................................................................................................................
 374

Appendix
 B
 ........................................................................................................................................
 375

Appendix
 C
 .........................................................................................................................................
 380

Appendix
 D
 ........................................................................................................................................
 400

Bibliography
 .....................................................................................................................................
 406

iv
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This dissertation would not have been possible without the love and support of my
family. My deepest thanks go to my husband, Dallas, for understanding my interest in liturgical
architecture, and for his love, patience, and assistance throughout this process. I give thanks to
my parents, Linda and Joseph Guerin, for always encouraging my studies and for their unfailing
confidence in me. Thank you, too, to my brother, Joe Guerin, for his continuous support. My
sincere gratitude to my grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends, who are always
encouraging me.
Sincere thanks go to Joan Hipp, Donna Nafie, and the staff of the Florham Park Free
Public Library who acquired a plethora of books from libraries around the world to assist me in
my research. Their efforts made more resources than I ever thought possible available to me and
greatly facilitated my research. Thank you.
I am thankful to the Director of this dissertation, Rev. Michael G. Witczak, for his
kindness, guidance, patience, wisdom, and support without which this dissertation would not
have been possible. I also give thanks to the Readers, Sr. Margaret Mary Kelleher and Dr. David
Dawson Vasquez, for their guidance and scholarly example throughout this project. I am deeply
appreciative of all of the ways in which you helped me to clarify and strengthen my research.
Thanks, as well, to Msgr. Kevin W. Irwin for serving as a Reader. My thanks also go to Rev.
George E. Stuart, J.C.D., for his assistance. Thank you, too, to all of faculty in the Liturgical
Studies area of the School of Theology and Religious Studies at The Catholic University of
America.
v
Finally, thank you to all of those people who have offered me support, prayers, and good
thoughts along the way. From Florham Park to LaSalle University to The Catholic University of
America, I am grateful to each person who has encouraged my interest in the liturgy and
liturgical architecture. Thank you.
vi
GENERAL INTRODUCTION
This dissertation is a study of the Ordo dedicationis ecclesiae et altaris, the post-Second
Vatican Council Roman Catholic ritual for dedicating churches, and the particular role that relics
play within it. The Ordo, promulgated in 1977, has historical origins dating back to the fourth
century. Simple historical roots developed into ornate liturgical celebrations. Rites of dedication
which preceded the 1977 Ordo included the deposition of relics as a central ritual element. In
contrast, the post-Second Vatican Council rite states that the deposition of relics is an optional
element of the liturgical celebration. This dissertation will examine the history of the rites of
dedication of a church in the Roman Catholic tradition, relics, and the documents of the Second
Vatican Council and the Consilium in order to more fully understand the decision to make the
deposition of relics optional in the Ordo dedicationis ecclesiae et altaris. A broad study of the
history of the dedication celebration is needed to appreciate the newly optional character of relics
in the contemporary rite. Examination of the role of relics in the Rite of Dedication of a Church
and an Altar will also allow for a more fully developed understanding of how relics influence the
liturgical theology expressed by the celebration.
Method

In order to understand the role of relics in the Rite of Dedication of a Church and an
Altar, it is necessary to examine the liturgical theology expressed by the celebrated rite. Kevin
Irwin’s Context and Text provides a method for liturgical theology which builds on the concept
of context as text. The contexts, including the historical tradition of the rite and the principles of
reform, shape the liturgical theology which the celebration of the rite expresses. Irwin’s method
highlights the connections between past, present and future celebrations of the liturgy. It
1
2
incorporates the historical development of the rite along with a study of the ritual elements
themselves and the spirituality carried from the rite. Irwin’s method will be used in this
dissertation to demonstrate how the optional role of relics influences the liturgical theology
expressed by the Ordo dedicationis ecclesiae et altaris.

Context and Text

Liturgical theology has three main components: a description of what happens in the act
of worship; the theology drawn from the liturgy; and, the moral and spiritual implications
derived from engaging in the liturgy.1 The role of relics in the Ordo dedicationis ecclesiae et
altaris influences all three of these components of liturgical theology.
Relating Liturgy and Theology

Kevin Irwin’s first chapter, “Historical Perspectives”, introduces the phrase “the law of
prayer grounds the law of belief,” which is often used in liturgical theology and ascribed to
Prosper of Aquitaine.2 Irwin concludes “…Prosper’s dictum ut legem credendi lex statuat
supplicandi in its original setting means that the liturgy manifests the Church’s faith. The
statement’s reference to the apostolicity of liturgy means that liturgy is a theological source to
the degree that it is founded on Scripture and is the expression of a praying Church.”3 This
statement is the foundation for Irwin’s contemporary method for liturgical theology. Irwin
emphasizes that liturgy is more than texts. It is “an enacted communal symbolic event with a

1. Kevin Irwin, Context and Text: Method in Liturgical Theology (Collegeville: Liturgical Press, 1994), x.

2. Ibid., 3.

3. Ibid., 6.