are not borne into the church, lest the pavement be polluted with blood. But if anyone returning from any place of fornication be slain in the way, or be slain anywhere, where by unforeseen case, he hath tarried, he is not to be buried in the common cemetery; and this if it can be proved, by evidence sufficient for a court of law, that he had not confessed after the, act of fornication nor was contrite: otherwise he ought to be buried. 15. Again, a woman who dieth in child-birth ought not to be carried into the church, as some say, but her obsequies must be said without the church, to which I agree not otherwise it would be,as if she died in fault. Whence she may allowably be borne into the church. 16. But stillborn and unbaptised children are to be buried without the cemetery. Some say, however, that they should be buried with the mother as being a part of her body. 17. A man and wife are to be buried in the same sepulchre, after the example of Abraham and Sarah (unless a wish be specially expressed to the contrary). Whence also Tobias commanded his son, that when his mother had accomplished her days, he should bury her in the same grave with himself." Also everyone is to be buried in the sepulchre of his fathers, unless from a principle of devotion he hath chosen another sepulchre. But it was decreed in the Moguntine Council, that they who have paid the extreme penalty for their crimes, if they have confessed, or have desired to confess and have communicated, may be buried in the cemetery, and the Mass and oblations may be offered for them. How the human body is to be buried, shall be said under the section of the Office for the Dead. Tobit xiv, 10. CHAPTER VI OF THE DEDICATION OF A CHURCH Rise of the Dedication of Churches-By whom Performed— Particulars of Consecration-The Twelve Crosses-Banners -Dedication-Re-consecration Considered-Reconciliation -In what Cases-Of Scandals-Reconciliation of Cemeteries. 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 by each of the cercmonies observed therein. Of the offices for the festival of the dedication of a church we shall speak in the seventh book.' 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 show-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 command of the Lord, with sacred oil. For 2 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 Exodus xxx, 23-34. 1 Appendix H. 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 governors to the dedication of the golden image which he had made.‘ 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 manifestgrace and truth came by Jesus Christ'"-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 Baruh, the Jews had trampled under foot an image of the Crucified, 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 baptised, 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 3 1 Kings iii, 6. Book iii, ch. 1. Daniel iii, 2. 7. 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. 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.R 3. 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';" and the Psalm saith, 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 anyone of an inferior order. 4. 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 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. 5. Again, a church which hath been erected from the profit of avarice must not be consecrated; nor one for which a sufficient endowment hath not been assigned ; nor one in which 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 "The editors have not been able to find any other account of this legend. 10 Psalm cxxvii (Nisi Dominus), 1. S. John xvii, 5. 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 baptised. Although certain learned authors have written otherwise the church may also be consecrated on ordinary days as well as 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. 6. 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 relics 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 moved all to marvel. Which sign the Lord showed for this cause, that it might be manifest to all that the unclean inhabitant had gone forth from that place. But in the following night a great noise was made on the roof of the same church, as if someone were running confusedly about upon it. The second night the uproar was much greater. On the third night also so vast a noise was heard as if the whole church had been overthrown from its foundations: but it immediately ceased and no further inquietude of the old enemy hath appeared in it. Secondly, that those who fly for refuge to it may be saved, as we read in the Canons of Gregory. And with this view Joab fled into the tabernacle and laid hold of the horns of the altar. Thirdly, that prayers may be heard there. Whence in the prayer of the Mass of Dedication it is said, 'Grant that all who shall meet together here to pray may obtain, whatsoever be their trials, the benefits of the |