Sick
Part 2 History
Chapter 25 Late Medieval Period [1300-1499 CE]
Secular History |
Church History |
Ministry to the Sick and Dying |
Secular History
1. The Black Death was a devastating
pandemic
that first struck
Europe in the mid-14th century (1347–50),
killing about a third of
Europe's population, an estimated 34 million people. A series of
contemporaneous
plague
epidemics
also occurred across large portions of
Asia and the
Middle
East, indicating that the European outbreak was actually part of a worldwide
pandemic. The same disease is thought to have returned to Europe every
generation with varying degrees of intensity and fatality until the 1700s.
Notable late outbreaks include the
Italian Plague of 1629-1631, the
Great Plague of London (1665–66), and the
Great Plague of Vienna (1679). A significant outbreak of the bubonic plague,
the
Great Plague of Marseille, occurred in France in 1720 - 1722. As the source
of this infection was directly from the Middle East, this outbreak is probably
not a continuation of the Black Death. ("Black Death." Wikipedia,
The Free Encyclopedia. 11 Feb 2006, 00:23 UTC. 11 Feb 2006, 02:06)
Church History
Ministry All ministries are amalgamated into the ministry of the presbyter. This one ministry does it all. (Bishops are the policemen who watch that the priests do it right. Deacons disappear. The laity pray, pay, and obey.)
Ministry to the Sick
Lex Orandi The text of the prayer (i.e. what came to be called the "form" or essential words of the sacrament) understand the sacrament to be about the forgiveness of sins. "May the lord forgive you by this holy anointing and his most loving mercy whatever sins you have committed by the use of your sight. Amen" -- This is repeated for each of the senses (by which one could commit sins).
ANGEL postings
Reinforced as "extreme unction." Anointing on five senses (+ loins). Effect
is healing of mind, body, and soul. (Reunion Council of Florence – Decree for
the Armenians)
'Extreme unction.' Matter - Olive oil blessed by bishop. Minister - priest.
Anointed - eyes, ears, nostrils, mouth, hands, feet, loins. Reunion Council of
Florence (1439).
5th sacrament is Extreme Unction, given if danger of death is imminent, rite
changed from rite for sick to sacrament of dying, recipients unable to sin
further and cannot negate the effect of the sacrament
This period further strengthened anointing as a sacrament of the dying and named
the priest as the minister of the sacrament. Anointing of the senses - eyes,
ears, nose, mouth, hands, feet, and loins - developed.
Extreme Unction, con't. Principal effect to remit sins (applied to 5 senses and
loins); 2 Schools regarding effect: (1) Dominicans = remnant of sin; (2)
Franciscans = venial sins
Olive oil blessed by bishop; sick person-life is feared for; eyes, ears,
nostrils, mouth, hands, feet,l oins; priest-the minister; for
soul and body
Further restricts the sacrament to priests, deathbed occasions, olive oil
blessed by a bishop. The effect becomes
healing of the mind, body, and soul. James 5:12-20 is interpreted to be
priests as presbyters.
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© 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.