Liturgical Theology

Issues in Medieval Liturgy

Convener: Daniel J. DiCenso (ddicenso@holycross.edu) did his doctoral studies at the University of Cambridge (Gates Scholar) and is Associate Professor of Music, College of the Holy Cross specializing in Medieval chant and liturgy.

Members in Attendance: Anne Yardley, Barbara Haggh-Huglo, Michael Witczak, Joanne Pierce, Walter Knowles, Jerome Weber, Margot Fassler, Elaine Hild, Paweł Figurski, Tyler Sampson, Andrew Irving, Rebecca Maloy, Donna Brussell, Christopher Hodkinson, Richard Rutherford.

Visitors in Attendance: Samantha Slaubaugh, Arsany Paul, Jenny Claire Smith , Pawel Figurski , Hilary Bogert-Winkler , Andrew Stoebig.

Description of Work: This year’s seminar involved a general update on research projects underway, a presentation and discussion of papers, works in progress, and projects on the horizon, and a lengthy discussion of the relative merits of online and in-person formats. This year only one member attended the conference in person, but we had one of the largest (and most robust) research discussions in recent memory. Though all members acknowledge the benefits of in-person meeting, many members of the seminar were in favor of keeping a hybrid option on the table going forward as a permanent fixture of the academy.

Papers and Presentations:

• Margot Fassler, “The Laments in Hildegard’s Liturgical Play.” The theological significance of the various laments in Hildegard’s play Ordo virtutum were explored in this presentation, including both texts and music. The last part of the work focused on the final chant of the play In principio. Much of the text was sung by Christ on the Cross and becomes an altar call deeply situated in the liturgical commentary on the Eucharist found in Hildegard’s treatise Scivias, written at the same time as the play. • Rebecca Maloy, “Singing Sanctity in Medieval Iberia.” This paper is based on the collaborative work in progress, Doctrine, Devotion, and Cultural Expression in the Cults of Medieval Iberian Saints. The paper gave an overview of the status of the project and illustrated how we approach the Old Hispanic liturgies for Iberian saints, from liturgical and musical perspectives, using as a case study the office and mass for St. Fructuosus, Augurius, and Eulogius. • Anne Yardley, “Commemorating the Virgin at Barking Abbey: Caumbridge

University Library Dd.12.56.” This paper examined the unusual commemo-

rative Office of the Virgin from Barking Abbey, found in a 15th century book of hours. Listings in the Barking Ordinal had already made clear that the nuns of Barking venerated Mary weekly with a full three-nocturn, twelve-lesson,

Matins service. Drawing on the material in this manuscript, recently attributed to Barking Abbey, and correlating the material with other Barking manuscripts, I argue that the Barking nuns compiled a unique series of readings and responsories to honor Mary, one of their patron saints. As they move through the three nocturns they articulate a Marian theology that ties in with their own self-understanding as nuns. They carefully craft the lesser hours to highlight the specific time of day in their respective antiphons and to tie in closely with the hymnody sung at Barking on Marian feasts. With this manuscript we can now learn much about how the Barking community created, collated, and curated materials that then steeped their minds and hearts in imaginative and rich ways. • Barbara Haggh-Huglo, “The Early Organ in the Medieval Church: New

Findings.” The letter of Pseudo-Jerome to Dardanus of ca. 800-850 and the treatise Rogatus a pluribus by Gerbert of Aurillac of ca. 990 both brought attention to the organ, the first by placing the organ as the first of eight early instruments there associated with Jerusalem and Christian symbolism, the second by proving that organ pipe measurements were commensurable with

Boethian numbers associated with strings and that the measurements of all pipes of the organ could be derived from the diameter. Both of Plato’s World-

Soul, were widely copied and followed by an increase in the documented presence of organs in psalters and in the church. • Joanne Pierce, “Medieval Liturgy and Public Scholarship: Comments and

Resources.” This presentation focused on the roles of medievalists, especially in medieval liturgy and ritual, in the increasingly important area of public scholarship. Topics included increasing awareness of the misuse of medieval themes and symbols in current culture and the need to trace the development of certain ideas and practices in contemporary society more fully to a national and global readership. Examples from the presenter’s own publications included: the meaning of the Christian cross; political oath-taking; and conceptions of hell/heaven. The session concluded with a brief discussion of how to compose an analytical essay for popular readership, and circulation (by email) of a list of links to sources offering further clarification on the “why” and “how” of writing these essays, some published examples, and reference to related sites of interest. • Andrew Irving, “Introduction to Medieval Latin Liturgy: A Resource Guide.”

In this introduction to a publication project entitled “Medieval Latin Liturgy:

A Research Guide,” the editors Daniel DiCenso and Andrew Irving described the genesis of the project and its development. More than ninety international contributors from across disciplines have agreed to contribute entries on all aspects of medieval liturgy. The volume is intended both to provide an orientation to scholars from diverse specialisms, and to bring the dynamic