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RELIGIOUS ENCYCLOPEDIA Symbolism, Ecclesiastical

(materia)-of these sacraments was not chosen arbitrarily by Christ. " It was becoming," again to quote Thomas Aquinas, " that there be

3. Sacra- a natural analogy between the matter mental of the sacrament and the grace oper-

Analogies. ated by it," e.g., What is the effect of baptism? To cleanse the soul of the stain of original sin. Therefore water, which cleanses the body, is the necessary matter of this sacrament. Oil softens and strength s, it perme ates and nourishes, serves as a dressing for wounds, it is a seasoning for food, and, combined with other liquids, rises to the top; it is used for the anointing of priests and kings. It is a symbol of youth and vigor of soul. Mixed with balm it is the symbol of good example, of the good odor which the Christian soul should everywhere exhale. All these many qualities of oil are symbolic of the many and great operations of the Holy Ghost upon the soul, hence its use in the sacraments of baptism, confirmation, holy orders, and extreme unction.

Bread and wine are the matter of the sacrament of the Eucharist, because, according to the Council of Trent, Holy Communion produces in the spiritual all the effects of bread and drink in the material order, it sustains, gives growth, repairs forces, and fills the soul with a holy joy.

In Le Symbolisme (see bibliography), Landriot, archbishop of Reims, says in effect: Every creature, however small, is a partial and material expression of the Infinite Intelligence. Besides 4. Essential its proper form, its individual charac-

Valuation ter, it contains within a divine thought,

of Sym- a divine ideal, it bears the indelible bolism. seal of the Word, of which it is an imperfect though in a sense a true expression. Just as on a page written by a man of literary genius one can distinguish in each letter its form, individuality, material direction, typographical beauty, yet underneath the dead letter-above all in the ensemble of these inanimate charactersthere is something else: there is the sublime, gracious, and varied thought of the master. So every object of creation corresponds to a divine ideal, it is a sign of a divine thought, a hieroglyphic of the language of heaven. Hence, Roman Catholic theology, the highest Roman Catholic philosophy, the great secret of art, consist first in knowing how to spell, then to read, then to understand this magnificent poem of the Creator, this sublime literature of God, this masterpiece of the greatest of creative artists. Thus to discover through the material element the divine side of things is to discern him who is at once the Great Unknown and supremely Intelligible Being. An activity could hardly be found more worthy than this of man's rational soul, made, as it is, after the image of its maker.

But such is the science and the philosophy of ecclesiastical symbolism, understood and applied by the Roman Catholic Church, " symbolism " in its most universal and therefore most Catholic mean ing and use. STUART CHAMBERS.

BIBLIOGRAPHY: On the general subject of symbolism the reader is referred to: Rupert of Deutz, De divinis ofciis

and De trinitate, in his Opera, in MPL, clxviii.-clxx.; Cabrol, Dictionnaire (the one great modern thesaurus of the facts); W. Durand. Rationale divinomm ofciorum,

Augsburg, 1470 and often, Eng. tranel. of first book, The Symbolism of Churches and Church Ornaments, 3d ed.,

London, 1906; Bingham, Origines, book VIII.; H. Alt, Die Heiligenbilder, Berlin, 1845; J. Dudley, Naology; a Treatise on the Origin, Progress, arid sacred Import of the sacred Structures . . o) the World, London, 1846; F. Piper, Mythologie and Symbolik der christlichen Runst, Weimar, 1847-51; W. Menzel, Chridliche Symbolik, 2 vole., Regensburg, 1854; W. and G. Audaley, Handbook of Christian Symbolism, London, 1865; C. Cahier, Lee Caract_riatiques den saints dans Z'art populaire, 2 vols., Paris, 1866-68; J. R. Thomsonoo Symbols of Christendom, London, 1867; R. St. J. Tyrwhitt, Art Teaching of the Primitive Church; London, 1873; C. A. Auber, Histoire et th&rie du symbolisme religieux, 4 vols., Paris, 1874; J. W. Legg, Notes on the Hist. of the Liturgical Colours, London, 1882; J. P. Lundy, Monumental Christianity; or, the Symbolism of the Primitive Church, New York, 1882; F. A. Philippi, Symbolik. Akademische Vorlesungen, Gatersloh, 1883; C. Auber, Hist. et theorie du symbolisme religieux avant et depuis le christianisme, 4 vols., Paris, 1884; T. Inman, Ancient Pagan and Modern Christian Symbolism, New York, 1884; H. C. W. Philipps, Domain of Symbolism in Religious Worship, London, 1884; J. R. Allen, Early Christian Symbolism in Great Britain and Ireland before the 13th Century, London, 1887; H. Schmidt, Handbuch der Symbolik, Berlin, 1890; J. F. A. T. Landriot, Le Symbolisme, Paris, 1891; W. R. Lethaby, Architecture, Mysticism, and Myth, London, 1892; W. Palmer, Early Christian Symbolism, London, 1895; W. F. Shaw, Chapters on Symbolism, London, 1897; E. C. Neff, An Anglican Study in Christian Symbolism, Cleveland, 1898; E. M Repulles y Vargas, El Symbolismo en la. arquitecdura cris_ tiana, Madrid, 1898; E. Geldart, Manual of Church Decoration and Symbolism, Oxford, 1899; J. H. Spencer, " As Old as Adam "; first Principles in religious geometrical Symbols and alphabetical Characters, London, 1899; F. W. Hackwood, Christ Lore; being the Legends, Traditions, Myths, Symbols, Customs, and Superstitions of the Christian Church, London, 1902; J. Sauer, Die Symbolik den Kirchengebaudes and seiner Ausslattung in der Aufassunp den Mittelalters, Freiburg, 1902; H. J. Smith, Illustrated Symbols and Emblems of the Jewish, Early Christian, Greek, Latin, and Modern Churches, London, 1900; H. D. M. Spence, White Robe of Churches, London, 1900; H. Leclereq, Manuel d'archlologie chrltienne, Paris, 1907; J. H. Blunt, The Annotated Book of Common Prayer, pp. 44-80, latest impression, New York, 1908; DCA, ii. 1944-47; KL, vi. 593-600; A. E. Waite, The Hidden Church of the Holy Graal: its Legends and Symbolism, London, 1909; M. C. Nieuwbam, Church Symbolism; a Treatise on the General Symbolism and Iconography of the Roman Catholic Church Edifice, ib. 1910; Mrs. H. Jenner, Christian Symbolism,. Chicago, 1910; and the literature under PARAMENTA.

On symbolism in relation to art forms in general consult: the works named under ART AND CHURCH by DidronHemans, Piper, Lubke, Tyrwhitt, Otte, Jameson, Stokes, Guns, Schultze, Kraus, and Michel; the literature under ARCHITECTURE, ECCLESIASTICAL; CEMETERIES; JESUS CHRIST, PICTURES AND IMAGES or. Books dealing with art in all periods are: F. E. Hulme, The Hist., Principles, and Practice of Symbolism in Christian Art, new ed., London, 1908; F. Piper, ut sup.; Louisa Twining, Symbols and Emblems of Early and Medimal Christian Art, London, 1860; C. Browne, A Lecture on Symbolism and its Connection with Church Art, New York, 1865; H. J. Grimouard de Saint Laurent, Guide de fart chr&ien, 6. vols., Paris, 1872-75; C. E. Clement, A Handbook of Legendary Art, Boston, 1881; idem, Heroines of the Bible in Art, London, 1900; E. P. Evans, Animal Symbolism in Ecclesiastical Architecture, London, 1896; A. B. Hinds, A Garner of Saints. Legends and Emblems usually.represented in Art, London, 1900; H. Kehrer, Die " Heiligen drei K6nipe " in der Legends and in der deutschen bildenden Kunst bin Darer, Strasburg, 1904.

For the early period read: W. D. Ward, Hist. of the Cross; the pagan Origin and idolatrous Adoption and Worship of the Image, London, 1871; C. Ludtke, Die Bilderverehrung and die bildenden Darstellung in den ereten christlichen Jahrhunderten, Freiburg, 1874; J. E. Wessely, Ikonopraphie Gotten uud der Heiligen, Leipsic, 1874; V. Schultze, Archdologische Studien aber allchristliche Monuments, Vienna, 1880; F. X. Kraus, Realencyklopddie der

c4riatlichen Altertamer, 2 vols., Frelbrrg, 1882-56; A.