E07562: In two sermons, Sermons 13 and 55, Caesarius bishop of Arles (southern Gaul) inveighs against those who attend the feasts of saints only in order to drink, sing and dance. Written in Latin at Arles, 503/542.
Creators: name: Bryan
Publisher: name: University of Oxford
Year: 2019
Subjects: History

description: Caesarius of Arles, Sermon 55, Sermo castigatorius contra eos qui in festivitatibus per ebrietatem multa inhonesta committunt ….<br><br>2. Sunt et alii, qui pro hoc solo desiderant ad natalicia martyrum convenire, ut inebriando, ballando, verba turpia decantando, choros ducendo et diabolico more saltanto, et se subvertant, et alios perdant; et qui deberent exercere opus Christi, ministerium conantur implere diaboli. Istos tales non amor dei sed amor luxuriae ad festivitatem consuevit adducere: quia se non ad exemplum bonorum operum, non ad fidei medicamentum, sed ad venenum vel ad laqueum diaboli praeparare contendunt; et dum istos tales aliqui aut exspectare volunt aut imitari, animas suas in perpeua poena condemnant.<br><br>‘There are others who come to the feast days of the martyrs for this sole purpose, that they may destroy themselves and ruin others by getting drunk, dancing, singing shameful songs, leading the choral dance, and leaping about in a devilish fashion. While they should be doing the work of Christ, they are attempting to fulfil the service of the Devil. Not love of God but love of pleasure brings such people to the festival, because they do not prepare themselves to give a good example of good works or for the remedy of faith, but for the poison and snares of the Devil. If anyone wants to seek out and imitate these men, they condemn themselves to eternal punishment.’<br><br>Caesarius then also criticises those who pursue their lawsuits on festival days, when they ought to be in church. <br><br><br>Text: Morin, vol. 1, 242. Translation: Mueller, vol. 1, 271-2, modified.<br><br><br><br><br>Sermon 13, Sermo in parochiis necessarius:<br><br>4. sed magis vicinos et proximos vestros iugiter admonete, ut semper quod bonum est et honestum loqui studeant; ne forte detrahendo, male loquendo, et in sanctis festivitatibus choros ducendo, cantica luxuriosa et turpia proferendo, de lingua sua, unde deberent deum laudare, inde sibi vulnera videantur infligere. Isti enim infelices et miseri, qui ballatores et saltationes ante ipsas basilicas sanctorum exercere nec metuunt nec erubescunt, et si christiani ad ecclesiam veniunt, pagani de ecclesia revertuntur; quia ista consuetudo ballandi de paganorum observatione remansit.’ <br><br>4. ‘Rather, continually admonish your neighbours and friends to endeavour to say what is good and honourable. Otherwise, perhaps, by calumny, evil speech, leading the chorus on the holy festivals, or singing dissolute and disgraceful songs, they may be seen to inflict wounds upon themselves with their own tongue which should be praising God. The unfortunate and miserable people who neither fear nor blush to dance and jig before the very churches of the saints, even if they come to church as Christians, return from it as pagans, because that kind of dancing has carried over from pagan practice.’<br><br>Text: Morin, vol.1, 67. Translation: Mueller vol. 2, 77-78, modified. <br><br><br>