A dictionary of miracles : imitative, realistic, and dogmatic ... / by the Rev. E. Cobham Brewer.

  • E. Cobham Brewer
Date:
1884
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A dictionary of miracles : imitative, realistic, and dogmatic ... / by the Rev. E. Cobham Brewer. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    29/668
    “ Records of Her Majesty’s Commis- sioners for Causes Ecclesiastical,” and all still extant. This odd little volume cost me £3. Goi.dex Legexd (The), by James of Yoragine, or Varagine, archbishop of Genova (1230-1298), compiled from the Epitomy of the Lives of the Saints by Bartholomew of Braganza, in 1270 ; the Speculum Historiale of Vincent of Beauvais, in 1264; the Legendary of Peter of Chiozza; the Bible of the Poor by James of Hanapes ; and the Historical Summary of Antony of Florence. Father Bollandus says, “I cannot approve of all that is written ^n the Golden Legend, but much of it is undoubtedly taken from sources of unexceptionable authority; and it is most unjust to condemn the book wholesale.” As this book is only cited to furnish parallel examples or to supply some striking allegory, its authority is only supplementary, and the extracts taken from it have been made for the purposes above stated. As the Apocrypha may serve to confirm when it runs parallel with canonical Scriptures,, but has no authority of itself, so the Golden Legend is excellent in corrobora- tion of standard Lives, but has no weight in deciding points sub judice. The 101 other works consulted in Greek, Latin, French, and English, from Alban Butler to Baring-Gould, and from Gregory the Great to cardinal Wiseman, I forbear to mention. I had prepared a1 list, but have suppressed its publication' at the last minute, fearing it might savour of vanity. This, however, I will dare to add : I have always gone to the. best sources, and have endeavoured to represent every case honestly and with- out exaggeration. Without doubt I have much abbreviated, but I have never • mutilated or misrepresented, to the best of my knowledge. ECCLESIASTICAL SYMBOLS EXPLAINED. (i.) Crosses on Tombs (seven crosses, five crosses, one cross). Seven crosses mark the tomb of a bishop, five of a priest, and one of an ordinary Christian. There are seven sacraments, each of which derives its value from the cross of Christ. Only a bishop can administer all the seven sacra- ments, nnd only a bishop can impart to the faithful the graces which proceed from the seven virtues of the cross. A priest can impart to the faithful five sa- craments, and his tomb bears five crosses. An ordinary Christian has but one cross on his tomb, to indicate his faith and hope in the cross of Christ. Ecclesiastical Crosses— t The Latin cross. 4- The Greek cross. 44 The Maltese cross. X St. Andrew’s cross. 4- The Lorrainese cross. T The Tau or Egyptian cross. Ter- tullian says, “Hiec est litera Graicorum t, nostra autem T, species crucis.” tfe Constantine’s cross : XP Chr[istos], I.H.S. orl.H.S. The Church anagram. IGk. Invou; 'lljicrepos Sarijp. Lat. Jesus, Hominum Salvator. Eng. Jesus, Heavenly Saviour. Ger. Jesus, Heiland Seligmacber. The sign of the cross is made by carry- ing the right hand to the forehead, the stomach, the left shoulder, and the right shoulder, thus forming a Latin cross, v (ii.) Crowns. Any virtue or merit of supereminont degree is supposed to be re- warded with a crown. Some saints have only one crown; others have two, three, or more. Two of the most exalted crowns arc Martyrdom and Virginity ; but Humility, Learning, Glory, etc., are also crowns. Thus we are told that St. Peter of Ravenna received at death the “triple crown of Virginity, Doctorate, and Martyrdom ” (de la Virginitd, du Doctorat, et du Martyre).—Lcs Petits Bollandistes, vol. v. p. 83. St. Cecilia, we are told, received the two crowns of Virginity and Martyrdom. Others received the three crowns of Martrydom, Virginity, and Glory; or Virginity, Humility, and Glory. St. Angelus (1225) received the three crowns of Virginity, Preaching, and Martyrdom.—Lcs Petits Bollandistes, vol. v. p. 344. (jib) The Three Theological Virtues. Faith, hope, and charity. (iv.) The Four Attributes of Glorified Bodies. Subtility, agility, luminosity, and immortality.—Mgr. Guerin, Vies des Saints, vol. ix. p. 559. (v.) The Four Cardinal Virtues. Forti- tude, justice, prudence, and. temperance.