The Latin Gelasian Sacramentary (or Liber Sacramentorum Romanae Ecclesiae), probably compiled around 750 near Paris using earlier material from Rome records prayers to saints on their feast days in January.
E06540
Liturgical texts - Sacramentaries
Sacramentarium Gelasianum
Gelasian Sacramentary 2.2-7
Below are the entries from the Sacramentary that relate to the feasts of saints; other entries, to feasts of the Christian year that were not for saints, are not included in our database.
XVIII Kal. Febr. in natali sancti Felicis confessoris.
'15 January on the feast of Saint Felix the Confessor.'
[*Felix of Nola, priest and confessor of Nola, S00000]
Three prayers listed
XVII Kal. Febr. in natali sancti Marcelli confessoris.
'16 January on the feast of Saint Marcellus the Confessor.'
[*Marcellus, bishop and martyr of Rome, S00529]
Four prayers listed
XIII Kal. Febr. in natali sanctorum martyrum Sebastiani, Mariae, Martae, Audifax et Abacuc.
'20 January on the feast of the saints and martyrs Sebastianus, Maria [sic], Martha, Audifax and Abacuc.'
[*Sebastianus, martyr of Rome, S00400; *Marius, Martha, Audifax and Abacuc, Persian martyrs of Rome, S01163]
Three prayers listed
XIII Kal. Febr. in natali sancti Fabiani.
'20 January on the feast of Saint Fabianus.'
[*Fabianus, bishop and martyr of Rome, S00147]
Three prayers listed
XII Kal. Febr. in natali sanctae Agnetis virginis de passione sua.
'21 January on the feast of Saint Agnes for her martyrdom.'
[*Agnes, virgin and martyr of Rome, S00097]
Four prayers listed
V Kal. Febr. item in natali eiusdem de nativitate.
'28 January likewise on the feast of Saint Agnes for her birth.'
[*Agnes, virgin and martyr of Rome, S00097]
Three prayers listed
Edition: Wilson 1894.
Translation: P. Polcar.
Service for the saint
Eucharist associated with cult
Liturgical invocation
FestivalsSaint’s feast
Source
The 'Gelasian Sacramentary' (Sacramentarium Gelasianum) is a compilation of liturgical texts, mostly prayers, for use in church celebrations such as the Eucharist, the administration of sacraments, or other liturgical events. It is the second oldest extant liturgical book in the West, the oldest being the 'Verona Sacramentary' (Sacramentarium Veronense). It has been preserved in one manuscript, now divided into two parts: the Codex Vaticanus Reginensis Latinus 316, and the Codex Latinus 7193 of the Bibliothèque Nationale in Paris.The Gelasian Sacramentary is preserved in a Frankish version, copied in c. 750; it must have been used in contemporary Francia (for nobody would copy liturgy if they did not intend to put it to use). The core of the Sacramentary is, however, undoubtedly of Roman origin for use in the area of Rome, as is evident from the inclusion of so many saints from the city and from the regions around it (some of them not particularly well known). The composition of these core texts can be dated between 628 and 715 (Vogel 1986, 69). This substratum is also a mixture of various sources. At some point before the pontificate of Gregory II (715-731), this early version of the sacramentary was brought to Gaul, where prayers were added for certain celebrations, such as for the consecration of virgins, the dedication of churches, and the blessing of holy water.
Discussion
The saints commemorated in January are all saints of Rome and its wider region; a copyist (probably in Francia) was, however, unfamiliar with Marius and Martha, martyrs of Rome, and turned them into the biblical sisters Maria/Mary and Martha.Bibliography
Edition:Wilson, H.A., Liber Sacramentorum Romanae Ecclesiae, (Oxford, 1894).
Further Reading:
Vogel, C., Medieval Liturgy: An Introduction to the Sources, (Washington, 1986), 61-76.
Philip Polcar
17/09/2018
| ID | Name | Name in Source | Identity | S00000 | Felix, priest and confessor of Nola | Felix | Certain | S00097 | Agnes, virgin and martyr of Rome | Agnes | Certain | S00147 | Fabianus, bishop and martyr of Rome | Fabianus | Certain | S00400 | Sebastianus, martyr of Rome | Sebastianus | Certain | S00529 | Marcellus, bishop and martyr of Rome | Marcellus | Certain | S01163 | Marius, Martha, Audifax and Abacuc, husband, wife and two sons from Persia, martyrs of the via Cornelia near Rome | Maria [sic], Marta, Audifax, Abacuc | Certain | S01326 | Mary and Martha of Bethany, followers of Jesus and sisters of Lazarus | Maria Marta | Uncertain |
|---|
Please quote this record referring to its author, database name, number, and, if possible, stable URL:
Philip Polcar, Cult of Saints, E06540 - http://csla.history.ox.ac.uk/record.php?recid=E06540