The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1914-01-31

Wisdom existed in each of them. So
is the wax Of the candle visible, and
the wick within invisible, and the fire
is in both. Therefore," continues the
homily, every Christian man ought
to have in his hand today in Church a
light burning, as our Lady st. Mary
and her holy company had AS a
general rule, the candles which had
been carried by the faithful during
the procession used to be left as offer
ings to the Church, in order that they
might be used during the year; and
the old laws make frequent reference
to this tribute.
In Early Middle Ages.
St. Fortunatus, who died in the year
500, was Bishop of Poitiers in Gaul
He has left an immense number of
poems filed with most interesting de-.
tails of the civil and ecclesiastical
life of his day: and in one of these he
speaks of the daylight having been
shut up perpetually in a church dedi-
Gated to our Lady, from the number
of lamps kept burning at night, just
as the Divine Light had been enclosed
in Mary, that true House of Cold
wherein God Incarnate deigned to
dwell.
1t may be remarked here that in
the Ages of Faith not only were the
churches kept open all day for private
prayer, and in order to enable the
people to be present at the public
psalmody, or Divine Office, but that
Office was performed at fixed hours
during the night also, for which rea-
son lamps and tapers must of nee
essity have been kept burning. st.
Gregory Of Tours sometimes calls
the night Office "Vigils," at other
times, Mathis" A bell was rung to
announce this service to the people;
and history proves that they were ac-
customed to assist at it, at least be-
fore great festivals, such as Christ
mas. Easter, Pentecost and the thigh
feast of the Assumption of Our
Lady," and so forth.
In very early times we have an
anecdote of two little boys who rose
Of their own accord to go to the
church at the sound of the bell for the
night Office And it would seem to
have been usual for the faithful, on
the eve of solemn feasts, to repair in
great numbers to cities and large
towns in order to be present at the
chanting of the Divine Offices in the
cathedral churches and splendid Alb
beys, where, as a writer of our owr
day has truly said, "the wonderful
drama of Gods dealings with mel
in former ages was ever being acted
before the nation.
Medieval Customs.
In medieval times, several taper
were frequently arranged on beam
near the high altar; and in the yea
1896, Edward l., endowed the mon
astery of Durham with 40 pounds
year, on condition that ION each o
the two feasts of st. Cuthbert tn
monks should have an extra pittance
at the cost of pounds, 10 shillings
and give to 5000 poor a penny each
in all 25 pounds" On both of thes
feasts, moreover, two great tapers,
each containing twenty pounds
wax, we're to burn before the altar
and there were smaller ones on othe
feasts. A monk was also to celebrat
the sacred mysteries daily, in tn
"Galilee," for the king.
"FirstIines CT the Flock"
AS the supply of beeswax We
limited and the demand very grea
the price paid for wax in the Mi
die Ages was, when compared wit
other articles, simply enormous. r.
example, a large candle in those DAY.
cost as much as fat sheep. b
quests, therefore, of cattle were otte
made by pious persons; and the ar
mails thus left were fed and sold
the church wardens, in order to mai
tain certain lights in the church.
Agnes Complyn, of Wyke, near Wi
chester, by her will dated 1909 b
queathed to the light before the cruz
fix in that church twenty pence;
the light of the Blessed Mary, thr
eve sheep, and to st. christopher
light, six eve sheep. At Chevingt'
and Felsham, cows were left for t
support of our Lady's light; whilst
1894, Godfrey Gilbert leaves 20
skeppe of bees" for the same purpo:
Lands given for this object were ca