Chapter v21 History of Devotions
For an explanation of the divisions of the History Grid, see Chapter d21 Overview of the History of Liturgy
For an explanation of the divisions of the History Grid, see Chapter d21 Overview of the History of Liturgy
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Prayer and devotions centers on the person of Christ
Liturgy was not yet "fixed" and consequently there was no distinction between liturgical prayer and devotional prayer.
Communal prayer was spontaneous and participatory.
Many elements taken from Jewish rituals performed in temple and synagogues are incorporated into the Christian community's prayer.
Communal prayer incorporates many elements from local cultures (e.g. vestments, etc.).
The cult of the martyrs begins a this time. (e.g. "Pray for John" becomes "John, pray for us").
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c. 400 Liturgical families or Rites develop around the great cities. Synchronization between culture and prayer. Liturgy incorporates cultural elements from the people living in that area.
The liturgy became fixed, organized, and established. Liturgical texts become fixed.
Sacredness of "time" and "place" emerge. Beginning of the liturgical calendar. Celebration of Easter and Christmas. Epiphany. "dies natalis" of the martyrs.
"Norms" (rubrics) for organized religion were being established by bishops and regional synods.
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Eastern Church struggles with iconoclastic heresy.
Cistercian monasticism flourished along with its practice, especially St. Bernard's affective spirituality.
Origins of "Hail Mary" as popular prayer (First "half" of our current prayer)
The Catholic Encyclopedia concludes that "there is little or no trace of the Hail Mary as an accepted devotional formula before about 1050".
Rosary (with Our Father) becomes the "Psalter" (150 psalms / 150 Our Fathers) of the illiterate (i.e. = non-clerics)
[Pater's and Ave's common "timing devices" for recipes etc. before clocks become widespread.]
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Scholastic philosophers emphasize the intellect (the "rational" understanding of the liturgy). The will (loving) and the religious "affect" are satisfied by devotional prayer.
"Schools" of spirituality begin to develop.
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1337 to 1453 Hundred Year War -- thousands lose their lives.
1347 to 1350 The Black Plague
People turned to the saints for hope and prayer. They needed to hear miraculous stories and developed a strong sense of mysticism. There was an urgent need for hope in a time of death and destruction.
Mendicants promote the rosary (especially Dominicans). Rosary becomes a lay version of the Liturgy of the Hours. Note: St. Thomas Aquinas, St. Francis of Assisi, St. Bonaventure, etc. know only what we would call the first half of the "Hail Mary", (the part found in Scripture).
Rise of "spiritual movements" and associations.
Rise of the Devotio Moderna. (e.g. The Imitation of Christ).
Franciscans spread devotion to the humanity of Jesus: the Crib; the Holy Land; Jesus' suffering on the cross; Crucifix; stations of the Cross. [We have no record of Francis preaching a crusade.]
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"Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen", was added to the "Hail Mary". The petition first appeared in print in 1495 in Girolamo Savonarola's "Esposizione sopra I'Ave Maria". http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hail_Mary
"Discovery" of the "New World" brings new challenges to Liturgy and popular piety.Selling indulgences.
The split between Liturgy and popular piety is codified by the publishing of the Liturgical books of Trent.
Luther retained devotion to Mary (e.g.. Hail Mary) for a time. But he wished to purify the liturgy by returning to the public prayer of the Apostolic and Patristic periods.
Catholics continued their devotional life and these devotions now become marks of "Catholic Identity."
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Because of the rigidity of the Liturgy, popular piety enters a period of extraordinary development but it is controlled through the imprimatur and nihil obstat .
Rise of the Enlightenment. Liturgy becomes the religion of the learned and popular piety becomes the religion for the common folk who "don't know any better." The gap between the wealthy and the poor had widened, and the more educated wealthy viewed the pious expressions as superstitious.
Individualism leads to a loss of the communal aspect of liturgy.
The Protestant Reformation gave rise to more rigid liturgies, a purification of ritual and teaching. There was an even stronger phenomenon of clericalism. As the liturgy is ever more clericalized and removed from the people (e.g.: in Latin; deputed by Holy Orders; private Mass with only priests present, etc.) people turn to devotions to nourish their faith (e.g. Benediction becomes more popular and more festive than Mass.)
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At the beginning of the Twentieth Century the Holy Spirit inspired scholars in various countries to a renewed interest in the history, rituals, and meaning of the Eucharist. Manuscripts and records which had been neglected or lost for centuries were re-discovered and studied. A "Liturgical Movement" was born in the great monasteries of Solesmes (France), Mont Caesar (Belgium), Maria-Laach (Germany) and other centers of prayer and research. These studies uncovered many new "facts" which made possible the liturgical renewal embodied in the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, the first document promulgated by the Second Vatican Council, December 4, 1963.
Miracles, apparitions, and pilgrimages became popular forms of piety. Fatima (Portugal) and Lourdes (France) become popular pilgrimage places and centers of devotions to Mary.
Pius X emphasized the superiority of the liturgy and attempted to bring the liturgy closer to the people.
Pius XII issues the encyclical Mediator Dei; while it is the first encyclical on the Liturgy, it also defends pious exercises.
1949 the national directors of the association of Benedictine Oblates held their first conference and discussed at length the role of the family in Church and state.
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Eastern religious practices expanded into the West: Yoga, Taoism, Zen meditation, centering prayer, Enneagram, etc.
Many "new" devotions arise and become popular: lectio divina, Meditation, Yoga. Enneagram, Labyrinth, retreats, Marriage Encounter, Emmaus Walk, Christian Family Movement
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Relaxation of communion fast makes evening Mass possible. Evening Mass is preferred by many Catholics to evening devotions.
Eucharist becomes the "new devotion".
Restoration of the lectionary gives variety and substance to liturgical prayer.
Re-emergence of Catholic devotional life.
Struggle between authentic expressions of popular religiosity and oversight by the Sacred Congregations.
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What is the relationship between culture and religious expression? Specifically, what brought about the demise of popular devotion among Catholics in the years following the council? Was it due to the liturgical reforms of the council or was this decline due to the relation between the devotions and the culture? (If a devotion is culturally dependent, and the culture changes, perhaps the devotion in question will no longer be pertinent?)
What do you see as the future of "pious devotions" in the United States during the time of your ministry in the Church?
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