The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1911-10-07
THE HOLY EUCHARIST
THE INSPIRATION OF MAGNlFl-
cENcE IN CHURCH ARcHITEc-
TURE AND ORNAMENTAL
TION.
An Address delivered by the Right
Reverend Bishop LawIer at the
National Eucharistic Congress
at Cincinnati, O., Septem-
Der 20, 1911.

In the time at my disposal I desire
to direct your attention to certain wit
nesses that silently yet eloquently at
test the faith of the Catholics of Pre-
Reformation times in their Eucharis-
tic Lord and their enthusiastic love
| for the beauty of His house
| Of the many effects of the doctrine
of the Holy Eucharist on the life of
those ages | shall emphasize but one.
wish to show in broad outline how
this great truth contributed to exter-
nal worship. | refer you to the monu-
mental evidence of it's influence fur
nished by the most magnificent, build
| ings ever raised by the hand of man.
! Would you realize to some extent the
strength of the faith of our forefathers
in this vital doctrine and the inten-
sity of their love for Jesus in the
adorable sacrifice and sacrament of
the altar you have but to consider
the cathedrals, churches and chapels
which arose throughout Christendom
during those ages and which were
rich in beauty, style, ornament and
symbolism almost beyond the dreams
of human fancy They were so many
public acts of faith in the Real Pres
ence, so many credos carved in stone,
so many visible embodiments of 10y
atty and of piety.
To the Catholics of those ages we
may well apply the test: "By their
fruits you shall know them" BY their
manifestations of deepest reverence
for everything concerning the Holy
Eucharist you may judge of their
faith and of their devotion.
| Though other proofs of the attitude
of our Catholic ancestors toward the
Holy Eucharist should perish the beau
tiful homes which they built and fur
nished for it, some of which still re-
main, are stone records from which
we can learn the faith, the love, the
generosity, the magnanimity, the ar
tistic feeling, the heroic spirit of self
sacrifice that animated them. Every
page of history tells of the stupendous
sacrifices made by them for the honor
and worship of Jesus Christ in the
Holy Eucharist Then as now this
great Mystery was the center of reli-
gious worship. Then as now the faith
full adored their Redeemer under the
sacramental species.
The House of God in Early Ages.
From the beginning Christians es-
teeming the greatness of the treasure
they possessed in the Holy Eucharist
sought to fill their houses of God with
something of the glory of paradise.
We find the same principle in opera
tion in every age since then.
Though the Christians of the early
ages had but humble and hidden plac-
es Of worship, yet in spite of the dan
gers and terrors of persecution they
surrounded the sacred mysteries and
sacraments with as much decorum
and splendor as their prosecutors
would permit. That their meeting
places were decorated we may infer
| from the sneers of Lucian at the
golden ceilings of the rooms used
for Christian services. Even the ca
tacombs were not without adornment
and symbolic emblems. In the early
part of the third century Pope st.
Urban ordered that the sacred ves-
sells of the altar should be of sill
yer ,and though the conditions
existing during persecution prevented
the general observance of the law the
assertion of the principle Of respect
for the Body and Blood of Christ bore
abundant fruit. The fact that chal-
ices of gold and of silver were found
in Christian places of worship during
+ha xaion of tho pomon Eronnr0r n;n-
cletian by the pagan prosecutors
proves that sacred vessels of such
costly materials existed even in those
troublous times st. John Chrysos-
tom speaks of a golden chalice set
with gems and st. Augustine makes
mention of silver and golden chalices
that were found at Cirta in Africa.
The freedom secured to the Chris
tian religion by the conversion OF Con-
stantine was the signal for erecting
beautiful churches in all parts of the
empire. Constantine himself gave the
example by building many splendid
houses of God and by embellishing
them with surprising magnifcence.
The churches Of Rome before the
invasion Of the barbarians from the
north were resplendent with earth's
richest and rarest treasures. When
Julian the Apostate confiscated the
Eucharistic vessels OF gold and or sill
yer In the church or Antioch he was
offended at their richness and remark
ed ironically: EN- ejusmodi vasis Fl
| lilo Mariae ministratur," Behold what
fine vessels they use in the worship
of the Son of Mary"
Continued on Page 3l