CHAPTER VI.

OF THE DEDICATION OF A CHURCH.

1. TWICE in the former part of this Treatise we have described the Material church and the Altar; it followeth that we must add something about their Dedication: stating,

I. Whence the consecration of churches hath its origin. II. At whose hands a church is consecrated.

III. For what reason.

IV. In what form; and what is signified, as well by the Dedication itself, as of by each of the ceremonies observed therein.

Of the Offices for the Festival of the Dedication of a church we shall speak in the Seventh Book.1

2. We have first to state whence the Dedication of churches hath had its rise. Upon which, note that under the teaching of the LORD Moses made the Tabernacle, and consecrated it together with its Table of Shew-bread, and Altar, and brazen vessels, and utensils for performing the Divine Worship. And these he not only consecrated with prayers to GOD, but also anointed, at the 1 Appendix.

command of the LORD, with sacred oil. For2 we read that the LORD taught Moses to prepare a chrism, with which to anoint the Tabernacle and the Ark of the Testimony at the time of their Dedication. Solomon also the Son of David, at the command of the LORD, completed the Temple and its Altar, and consecrated what was still necessary for the performance of the Divine Worship; as it is written in the Third Book of Kings. Nebuchadnezzar the king also summoned all his satraps, chief men, and governours to the dedication of the golden image which he had made.3 The Jews therefore, as we read in Burchardus, used to have the places in which they sacrificed to the LORD consecrated by divine petitions, nor used they to offer gifts to God in any places but such as were dedicated unto Him. If then they who were in bondage to the shadow of the Law used to do this, how much the more ought we, to whom the truth hath been made manifest-GRACE AND TRUTH CAME BY JESUS CHRIST 5 -to build temples to the LORD, and adorn them as best we may, and devoutly and solemnly consecrate (according to the institution of Pope Felix III) by divine prayers and holy unctions both them and their Altars and vessels, and vestments also, and other utensils for fulfilling the Divine Service?

Again, when once in Syria, in the city of Baruth, the Jews had trampled underfoot an image of THE CRUCIFIED, 2 EXODUS xxx, 23-34. 2 I KINGS iii, 6. 3 DANIEL iii, 2. 4 Book iii, ch. 1. 5 S. JOHN i, 17.

6 "The solemnities of the consecration of churches and of Priests ought to be celebrated year by year, after the example of our LORD Himself, Who at the feast of the Dedication of the Temple did set us a pattern of this in that He celebrated this Festival with the rest of the people as it is written in S. John, AND IT WAS AT JERUSALEM THE FEAST OF THE DEDICATION, AND IT WAS WINTER, and JESUS WALKED IN THE TEMPLE IN SOLOMON'S PORCH. Felix Papa in Epist. ad Episc. per divers. provincias. Cap. I.

and had pierced its side, there soon came forth therefrom Blood and Water. But the Jews marvelled at this spectacle, and their sick when anointed with this Blood were freed from all their infirmities: by reason of which all, having received the faith of CHRIST, were baptized, and proceeded to consecrate their synagogues into churches. And hence hath grown the custom that churches should be consecrated, whereas before this Altars alone used to be consecrated. On account of this miracle also the Church ordained that a memorial of the LORD's Passion should be made on the fifth day before the Calends of December and for the same reason the church was consecrated to the honour of the SAVIOUR, in which a vessel containing some of the Blood is preserved, and a solemn festival is celebrated on that day."

2. Secondly, it is to be noted that a Bishop alone can dedicate churches and Altars: since he beareth the image and figure of the Chief Bishop, CHRIST, dedicating spiritually, without Whom we can do nothing stable in the Church: whence He hath Himself said, WITHOUT ME YE CAN DO NOTHING;9 and the Psalm saith, UNLESS THE LORD BUILD THE HOUSE THEIR LABOUR IS BUT LOST THAT BUILD IT: 10 hence the Council of Carthage, prohibiteth a Priest from doing this, nor can this office be deputed to any one of an inferior order.

3. Further, as the Sacred Canons instruct us, a church must not be dedicated, unless it be first endowed, and that from goods lawfully acquired. For we read how, when a certain Bishop was consecrating a church built out of the fruits of usury and pillage, he saw behind the Altar

7 The Editors have not been able to find any other account of this legend.

9 S. JOHN xvii, 5.

10 PSALM CXXvii, (Nisi Dominus) 1.

the Devil in a pontifical vestment, standing in the Bishop's throne: who said unto the Bishop, Cease from consecrating the church: for it pertaineth to my jurisdiction, since it is built from the fruits of usuries and robberies. Then the Bishop and the Clergy having fled thence in fear, immediately the Devil destroyed that church, with a great noise.

4. Again, a church which hath been erected for the profit of avarice, must not be consecrated; nor one for which a sufficient endowment hath not been assigned; nor one in which in a paynim or an infidel hath been buried, until he shall have been cast forth thence, and the church reconciled, the walls and timbers having been first scraped. The case is the same also with respect to an excommunicate person. But if a woman with child be buried there, though she be not removed, the church may be consecrated, even if the child hath not been baptized.

Although certain learned authors have written otherwise the church may also be consecrated on ordinary days as well as on Sundays: and more Bishops than one and more Altars than one may be consecrated at the same time by the same person in one church.

5. Thirdly we have to say for what reason a church is dedicated and indeed there be five reasons. First, that the devil and his power may be entirely expelled from it. Gregory relateth in a dialogue, in his third Book, that when a certain church of the Arians having been restored to the Orthodox was being consecrated, and reliques of S. Sebastian and the Blessed Agatha had been conveyed thither, the people there assembled of a sudden perceived a swine to be running to and fro among their feet; the which regaining the doors of the church could be seen of none, and moved all to marvel. Which sign

the LORD shewed for this cause, that it might be manifest