Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1895-05-16
LENT or T4g MIDDLE AGES
Il Differed IA Kfad sad D-<r-~ From ra~E
Of the Present. Day


From t1rtv hours Constantine me
Great made the Lenren period last
seven weeks, although fasting was not
compulsory on Thursdays and SundarS
n Tie Latin church M n Thu-@iar.
SATURDAY ami >uniav IN the Gre~k
church There were Various aucsua-.
tons IN the length Of time after tbs
until the council IF Toledo IN 65a de-
creed that n 1.-THE OF each year
thIrty=x t1v-shouId be dedicated
- God thus gong back - the Blhie
regulation How ami whv the four
days were added which I'll out oar
forty days 5 question. >ome writers
ascribe L Gregory II and some - his
predecessor Gregory the Great l. vas
81 this time that dry food beeame
The proper Learen Diet and the eighth
council Of Toledo strictly forbade the
uss Of aesh meat n on In the Greek
church Il was expressly stated that no
vine oil or animal food should BE
Used. and i n The western church ia the
eleventh century the guod fathers
went still further and prohibited the
use Of eggs. cheese. flesh and wine
Afrerwa-d flesh WIS exempted from
the list. but only for a time did the
mouks enjoy this most generous fare.
some old manuscripts Of the thIr-
ueenth century state parheticaIy that
on fast days during Lent il was de-
creed hat a cold luncheon might Be
served a. midday. but even hat was
denied them later.
By the modern law Of the Roman
Catholic church one meal = allowed On
fast days and N addition only two
ounces can be eaten IN the morning
and eight ounces n the evening
During the time Of the erusades
against the Moors. the spanish kings.
IN order 10 encourage the wars. A.
lowed al crusaders the privilege Of
eating any food on FAST DAYS. The
prerugarIve was called ~cruzada. and
II was ~afterxa-d sold 70 anyone who
paid the triAing SUM OF money re-
quired
The old books Of the middle ages are
filed with quaint references 70 lentsn
fare In one Of them. which Is called
~0uadrigesimals >pIrituale.- occurs
the following passage After the
sailed we eat fried beanes by WHICH
we understand confession. When We
would have beanes well sooden- we
Lay them IN steep. for otherwise they
VII never see the kindly Therefore.
Il We propose 70 mend our faults It Is
ct Sufficient barely q confess them at
AL adventure. but we must let our
confession be n steepe IN the water Of
meditation that was written BY a
godlF French priest IN I56a
That the English did uOt take 50
kindly 70 -beznes is shown BY a few
lines from Skeletons Colin Cout--
In holy Lenrsn season
Te VII neither beaass or 1-asuu.
But &c iooS 20 be let loose
To a piEEe or a xuuse-
The name OF the Lenten season n
the Latin church OF early times wa
ieiunium quadrigesimaIe. meauin
forty days fast Ash Wednesday was
called caput iejunL beginning Of fast
The word IN use to-day comes from An
Angio->axou word. lencten- German.
<nzznd, spring
The Lent Of cur time differs n kind
as well as IN degree from the same
period N uediaeval times Thea Tiers
NGE1 o % -4e sAEA1r> OF 4A1
tsrSnE saints. and psniteuts were ex
pecteG % fast with exceeding
rigor. At ons period when Theo'
dosias the Great ruled corporal pun
ishmeut and imprisonment were for
hidden by royal edict. and later tbs
council Of Oermont. At the close OF ths
eleventh century, decreed that th@rs
. should De observed a peace Of God from
/ Ash Wednesday 10 Whi-suntide Sons
Of b uoblest .passages Of the utsra
rur q the middle ages describe n.
? Pdgriuages and p<nitential p~roesssioz
" ks1eR t12e, AID Gce Of tAe t2Eorss