Publisher Description

An examination of the liturgical rituals of the high festivals of the year and their reflection in the secular church.This volume presents an examination of the liturgical rituals of the high festivals from Christmas to Ascension in late Anglo-Saxon England, particularly in the secular church. It expands the current knowledge of liturgical practice in a period where there is little direct evidence, using vernacular homilies and sermons - important but neglected sources of information - to explore the extent to which monastic practices were extended to the secular church.The performative nature of litury and its spiritual, emotional and educative value receive particular attention; the author argues that preachers were often unconsciously influenced by the liturgical experience of an episode rather than by the biblical narrative which they were ostensibly retelling.M. BRADFORD BEDINGFIELD gained his D.Phil. at Oxford University.

Author Biography

M. Bradford received his Ph.D. at Oxford University.

Table of Contents

List of plates; Acknowledgements; Abbreviations; 1 Introduction; Ritual and representation; Sources; Continental influence and native practice; Monastic v lay; 2 Christmas and Epiphany; The Christmas octave; Epiphany; 3 Candlemas; 4 Ash Wednesday and Lent; 5 Palm Sunday; 6 Holy Week and Easter; Maundy Thursday; Good Friday: Adoratio Crucis; The Harrowing of Hell and the Easter Vigil; Easter morning and the Visitatio; 7 Baptism in Anglo-Saxon England; 8 Rogationtide and the Ascension; 9 The end and the beginning; Pentecost; Advent; The Anglo-Saxon dramatic aesthetic; Bibliography; Index

Review

This book constitutes an important step towards a better understanding of the late Anglo-Saxon liturgy and the context in which it developed. * ENGLISH HISTORICAL REVIEW *
An intelligent and interesting examination.... A welcome contribution. * ALBION *

Review Text

This book constitutes an important step towards a better understanding of the late Anglo-Saxon liturgy and the context in which it developed. ENGLISH HISTORICAL REVIEW An intelligent and interesting examination.... A welcome contribution. ALBION

Review Quote

This book constitutes an important step towards a better understanding of the late Anglo-Saxon liturgy and the context in which it developed. ENGLISH HISTORICAL REVIEW An intelligent and interesting examination.... A welcome contribution. ALBION

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