Trivia Thread

[Ann M]

The Roman Breviary lists St Catharine of Sienna here

 

[Ann M]

Page 4 I better get back to work on this.....

Maybe I better find that last question again

 

[Ann M]

 

[Ann M]

Now what does it mean to do?

It means that I have to give you puppy dog eyes and suck up really badly, cause I can't work out what the 'little verse' is that we seem to be talking about.

 

[Paul S]

I assume that this is relevant?

To the mtv question? Not particularly.

I'll give you a hint - it's an instruction to do something with a particular hymn.

 

[Paul S]

Hmmm.... there are 2 options that I can see. One each from the Roman Bevriary (Paul's Favourite) and Catholic Online.

The Feast of St. Catherine of Siena, Virgin was yesterday.

On the calendar for the new Mass, it was the Feast of St. Pius V, Pope.

I'll celebrate St. Pius V, Pope and Confessor on May 5.

It means that I have to give you puppy dog eyes and suck up really badly, cause I can't work out what the 'little verse' is that we seem to be talking about.

 

[Paul S]

this thread is wayyyy too difficult for me. How about some nice easy trivia like 'Where did Saint Nicholas use to be a bishop' or 'which animals are traditionally depicted in a nativity scene. *G*

There were some easy questions about the saints a while back. And the Advent question isn't too hard - you just have to figure out where to look.

 

[Ann M]

I'll give you a hint - it's an instruction to do something with a particular hymn.

Please tell me that I can find that hymn over at Roman Breviary

 

[Ann M]

The Lord, the King of Confessors, * O come, let us worship, alleluia.?

as opposed to O come, let us worship.?

 

[Paul S]

Please tell me that I can find that hymn over at Roman Breviary

Of course.

The Lord, the King of Confessors, * O come, let us worship, alleluia.?

as opposed to O come, let us worship.?

Nope. That's not a hymn, but the Invitatory for Psalm 94 at Matins (it's basically a Responsorial Psalm, and it still exists in the LotH).

The added "alleluja" is because it's Easter, and during Eastertide, "alleluja" gets sprinkled all over the Missal and Breviary where it normally isn't.

But you're close.

And while you're at it, what's a Confessor?

 

[BillH]

And while you're at it, what's a Confessor?

Isn't it someone who was outstanding at proclaiming and expounding on the faith through their public activity?

 

[Ann M]

But you're close.

And while you're at it, what's a Confessor?

 

[Ann M]

Confessor

(1) Etymology and primitive meaning

The word confessor is derived from the Latin confiteri, to confess, to profess, but it is not found in writers of the classical period, having been first used by the Christians. With them it was a title of honour to designate those brave champions of the Faith who had confessed Christ publicly in time of persecution and had been punished with imprisonment, torture, exile, or labour in the mines, remaining faithful in their confession until the end of their lives. The title thus distinguished them from the martyrs, who were so called because they underwent death for the Faith. The first clear evidence of the distinction just spoken of is found in an epitaph which is recorded by De Rossi (Bullettino di archeologia cristiana, 1864, p. 30): "A Domino coronati sunt beati confessores comites martyrum Aurelius Diogenes confessor et Valeria Felicissima vivi in Deo fecerunt" [The blessed confessors, companions of the martyrs, have been crowned by the Lord. Aurelius Diogenes, confessor, and Valeria Felicissima, put up (this monument) during their lifetime]. Among writers St. Cyprian is the first in whose works it occurs (Ep. xxxxvii): "Is demum confessor illustris et verus est de quo post-modum non erubescit Ecclesia sed gloriatur" (That confessor, indeed, is illustrious and true for whom the Church does not afterwards blush, but of whom she boasts); he shows in the passage that suffering alone for the Faith did not merit the title of confessor unless perseverance to the end had followed. In this meaning the title is of more frequent occurrence in the Christian writers of the fourth century. Sidonius Apollinaris (Carmen, xvii), to quote one instance, writes, "Sed confessorem virtutum signa sequuntur" (But signs of power follow the confessor). A similar use may be verified in Lactantius, "De morte persecut.", xxxv; St. Jerome, Ep. Ixxxii, 7; Prudentius, Peri steph., 55, etc.

(2) Later meaning

After the middle of the fourth century we find confessor used to designate those men of remarkable virtue and knowledge who confessed the Faith of Christ before the world by the practice of the most heroic virtue, by their writings and preachings, and in consequence began to be objects of veneration, had chapels (martyria) erected in their honour, which in the previous centuries had been the especial privilege of the martyrs. In the Eastern Church the first confessors who received a public cultus were the abbots St. Anthony and St. Hilarion, also St. Philogonus and St. Athanasius. In the West Pope St. Silvester was so venerated even before St. Martin of Tours, as can be shown from the "Kalendarium" published by Fouteau--a document which is certainly of the time of Pope Liberius (cf. "Praenotata" in the aforesaid "Kalendarium", iv).

(3) Modern meaning

Since the time when the Roman pontiffs reserved to themselves definite decision in causes of canonization and beatification, the title of confessor (pontiff, non-pontiff, doctor) belongs only to those men who have distinguished themselves by heroic virtue which God has approved by miracles, and who have been solemnly adjudged this title by the Church and proposed by her to the faithful as objects of their veneration. (See MARTYRS; PERSECUTIONS; BEATIFICATION AND CANONIZATION. For the office of confessor in the Sacrament of Penance see PENANCE, SACRAMENT OF.)


Thank you New Advent

Isn't it someone who was outstanding at proclaiming and expounding on the faith through their public activity?

I like your answer Bill

 

[BillH]

I like your answer Bill

Well, I did check with New Advent before posting it.

 

[Ann M]

Hymnus

Iste Confessor Dómini coléntes,
Quem pie laudant pópuli per orbem,
[ Hac die lætus meruit beátas,
Scandere sedes.]

Si non est dies obitus (quod índicat in Proprio litteræ mtv), dicátur :
[ Hac die lætus meruit supremos
Laudis honores.]

Qui pius, prudens, humilis, pudicus,
Sobriam duxit sine labe vitam,
Donec humanos animávit auræ
Spíritus artus.

Cujus ob præstans meritum, frequenter,
Ægra quæ passim jacuere membra,
Viribus morbi domitis, salúti
Restituúntur.

Noster hinc illi chorus obsequentem
Concinit laudem celebresque palmas,
Ut piis ejus precibus juvemur
Omne per ævum.

Sit salus illi, decus atque virtus,
Qui, super cæli solio coruscans,
Totius mundi seriem gubernat,
Trinus et unus. Amen.


The Hymn

This the Confessor of the Lord, whose triumph
Now through the wide world celebrate the faithful,
At his departure entered with rejoicing
Heavenly mansions.

Fervent and holy, prudent in his converse,
Humbly and chastely here on earth he sojourned,
Curbing all passions, and in peace and meekness,
Constant abiding.

What though the grave now hold his hallowed relicks?
He, ever living, ever interceding,
Reigns with the Blessed, nor from us his brethren
Is he divided.

Whence we in chorus gladly do him honour,
Chanting his praises with devout affection,
That in his merits we may have our portion,
Ever and ever.

Glory and virtue, honour and salvation,
Be unto him that, sitting in the highest,
Governeth all things, Lord and God Almighty,
Trinity blessed. Amen.

 

[Ann M]

My latin translator does not make sense either....

That To confess Dómini coléntes , Whom piously laudant pópuli very orbem , [ This side day lætus meruit beátas , Quarrelsome residence. ^) If you wish not is day obitus ( and índicat upon Exclusively letter mtv dicátur : [ This side day lætus meruit above Laudis official dignity. ^)

 

[Paul S]

Very good, both of you.

Basically, it's any male saint who isn't a martyr or Apostle. In the Breviary and Missal, they're divided into Confessor Bishops and Comfessors not Bishops, with separate readings and prayers for Doctors and, since 1942, Popes (to distinguish them from other Bishops).

Female saints are either Virgins or non-Virgins (sometimes referred to as Holy Women). There's a few different prayers for martyrs and non-martyrs. Our Lady has her own Common prayers.

 

[BillH]

Speaking of categories of saints... Does "Apostle" only refer to the original twelve for canonization purposes? For example, I've heard St. Patrick referred to as the "Apostle of Ireland," but I'm not sure if this counts as an official title recognized by the Church.

 

[Paul S]

That's the hymn.

The Latin rubric says "If it is not the day of death (which the letters m.t.v. indicate in the Proper), is said [the following]:"

The first verse is, roughly,
This Confessor of the Lord,
whom piously the honouring people throughout the world praise,
[on this day merited with joy to ascend to blessed homes]
[on this day merited with joy supreme honours of praise].

Since the first version refers to him going to heaven, it doesn't work if the feast is moved.

 

[Ann M]

Thank you. Now please wait whilst I go find the panadol