Sick
Part 2 History
Chapter 23 Early Medieval Period [800-1199 CE]
Secular History |
Church History |
Ministry to the Sick and Dying |
Secular History
Europe's population doubled between 1000 and 1300. Life expectancies were probably not much higher than age 25 around 1000, but closer ti 35 by 1300.
hospitality - hotel - hospital
Church History
1150 CE Peter Lombard (c. 1100 – July 20, 1160 in Paris) was a scholastic theologian and bishop of the 12th century. In 1159, he was named bishop of Paris. Peter Lombard's most famous work was "Libri quatuor sententiarum, the "Book of Sentences." This served as the standard textbook of theology at the medieval universities, from the 1220s until the 16th century. There is no work of Christian literature, except for the Bible itself, that has been commented upon more frequently. All the major medieval thinkers, from Albert the Great and Thomas Aquinas to William of Ockham and Gabriel Biel, were influenced by it. Even the young Martin Luther still wrote glosses on the "Sentences." ["Peter Lombard." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. 9 Feb 2006, 08:49 UTC. 11 Feb 2006, 02:00.]
Origin of our Seven Sacraments Peter Lombard in the "Sentences" names Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist, Penance, Extreme Unction, Holy Orders, and Matrimony as sacraments. These seven are commented on by the scholastics (e.g. Thomas Aquinas) and are later accepted by Trent as THE seven sacraments.
Development of a theology of priesthood
Monastic chapter of faults develops into spiritual direction and Tariff Penance
Ministry to the Sick
Minister Anointing the sick becomes associated with the forgiveness of sins. As only a priest can forgive sins, the Church puts an end to lay anointing. Only a priest can anoint with the sacramental oil.
The sacrament is delayed until the person is at the point of death. Anointing of the Sick becomes Extreme Unction
ANGEL postings
Communal liturgy with chants and laying on of hands (Carolingian).
Anointing the five senses.
Abandonment of practice of lay anointing.
Became associated with rites for dying: deathbed penance and viaticum. Became
even more "extreme unction." Order of sacrament changed to penance, viaticum,
anointing. Once simple, anointing expanded into elaborate service – later
reaction to this by Benedictines and Franciscans leading to simplified rite.
Became liturgically organized. Remission of sins & alleviation of bodily
sickness. 'Penance, anointing, viaticum.' Elaborate ritual service. Peter
Lombard - 'extreme unction'. Hugh of St. Victor - 'anointing of the sick'.
Rite of sick to rite of dying, for baptized, not for public penitential
discipline, rubrics anointing, no lay anointing, Carolingian influence on
priestly ministry deathbed anointing preformed deathbed penance by presbyters
The emphasis on priestly ministry
by the Carolingians brought about new rituals. Growing out of the teachings of
Pope Innocent that anointing could not be administered to public penitents and
coupled with deathbed reconciliation, anointing of the sick gradually became a
priestly function done at or near the time of death.
Communal anointing. Water and salt rite added to rid demons. Anointed 5 senses.
Becoming more ritualistic. Beginning to
be associated with deathbed and penance.
In extremis; deeper wholeness; communal liturgy with song chants; 5 senses;
Presbyteral anointing; organized rites for dying; scholastics; remission of
sins; elaborate
A period of renewal of priests' ministry and the decline of lay ministry.
Anointing of the five senses is restricted to the ordained priests. The emphasis
becomes the remission of sins. The rite becomes liturgically organized.
Click here to go to the next chapter of this history Click here to return to the previous chapter
© Copyright: Tom Richstatter, Franciscan Province of St. John the Baptist, Cincinnati Ohio, Order of Friars Minor. All Rights Reserved. This page was created by Fr. Thomas Richstatter, O.F.M. Every effort has been, and is being made, to acknowledge sources when the ideas are not my own. Any failure to comply with the United States Copyright Act (Title 17, United States Code) will be corrected immediately should I become aware of it. This site was updated on 10/07/08 . Your comments on this site are welcome at tomrichs@psci.net.