Trivia Thread

[ladybug01]

Feburary 1

(http://www.eskimo.com/~lhowell/bcp1662/info/tables/almanac.html)

 

[Paul S]

Feburary 1

(http://www.eskimo.com/~lhowell/bcp1662/info/tables/almanac.html)

Ooo... great site! It looks like the Book of Common Prayer has some different tables than the Missale Romanum, but they work.

And you're right. This will occur in 2026.

 

[Paul S]

Here's another question about the dates of Easter.

What are the earliest and latest possible dates for Easter, and when is the next time each will occur?

Also, what is the latest possible date for Septuagesima Sunday?

 

[Ann M]

Here's another question about the dates of Easter.

What are the earliest and latest possible dates for Easter, and when is the next time each will occur?

March 22, 2285

April 25, 2038

Also, what is the latest possible date for Septuagesima Sunday?

February 21

 

[Paul S]

March 22, 2285

Correct.

April 25, 2038

Correct.

February 21

Nope.

 

[Ann M]

What


The one on the left of the Easter column shall be the Septuagesima column. Septuagesima Sunday is always nine weeks or sixty-three days before Easter Sunday. As then there are thirty-five days on which Easter Sunday may fall, so there are thirty-five days on which Septuagesima Sunday may fall. The first of these, counting back nine weeks from Easter Day, March 22 (and taking no account of leap year), is January 18; and the last, counting back from Easter Day, April 25, is February 21. {390} This is the Septuagesima range of days, on the left of the Easter column.

Look here

 

[Ann M]

Apparently if I read futrher on it explains to me the relationship between Easter, Septuagesima and Pentecost 23rd. And if I keep reading it tells me that the earliest it can be is January 18. You win again

 

[Paul S]

Apparently if I read futrher on it explains to me the relationship between Easter, Septuagesima and Pentecost 23rd. And if I keep reading it tells me that the earliest it can be is January 18. You win again

You're very close. But it's possible for Easter to fall on April 25 in leap year.

 

[Paul S]

And as soon as you figure that one out:

Which Pope revised the hymns of the Roman Breviary and why?

 

[Ann M]

You're very close. But it's possible for Easter to fall on April 25 in leap year.

In a leap year, Septuagesima Sunday would be February 22 ?

 

[Ann M]

And as soon as you figure that one out:

Which Pope revised the hymns of the Roman Breviary and why?

Pope Urban VIII was an excellent classical Latinist and felt that the hymns of the Roman Breviary needed to be reshaped into classical models. He was by no means the first to feel this way, but he has the distinction of being the Pope who actually carried out such an extensive revision of the hymns of the Roman Breviary into classical models. While a committee was appointed for the task, it is clear that the Pope personally oversaw the revision. Urban VIII was not content to leave alone the works of such great Latin Hymnists such as Prudentius, Fortunatus, or even Ambrose, but instead molded their works and the works of others into classical forms. The revision of the hymn texts was approved by the Congregation of Rites on March 29, 1629 and on January 25, 1631, the revised Roman Breviary was authorized for publication.

Urban VIII was elevated to the throne of Peter only about a half-century after the publication of Pius' breviary, but he soon decided that the hymns of the breviary needed revision, being of the opinion, which was widely held among the humanists of the time, that the old hymns were rather
tasteless and inelegant and could be improved with a reworking of the Latin
texts.

 

[Paul S]

Correct on both questions.

Pope Urban's hymns remained in the Office until 1969, when the Liturgy of the Hours reverted to using the originals.

 

[Paul S]

What Church in Rome has the dedication of its anniversary tomorrow, May 13, and what did the building used to be?

 

[Ann M]

At Rome, in the time of Emperor Phocas, the dedication of the church of St. Mary of the Martyrs, formerly a temple of all the gods, called the Pantheon, which was purified and dedicated by the blessed Pope Bonface IV to the honour of the Blessed Mary ever Virgin, and of all the martyrs. The solemn anniversary of this dedication was later ordered to be kept by Pope Gregory IV as the Feast of All Saints on the 1st of November.

 

[Paul S]

Correct again.

What saint was called the "hammer of heretics" by Pope Benedict XIV, on what day did this saint die, when is the feast day, and who declared this saint a Doctor?

 

[Tawny]

St Anthony of Padua, Died June 13th 1231. Proclaimed a Doctor of the church 16th January 1946 but I don't know who by

Feast day is June 13th

Hows that?

 

[Paul S]

St Anthony of Padua, Died June 13th 1231. Proclaimed a Doctor of the church 16th January 1946 but I don't know who by

Feast day is June 13th

Hows that?

There's actually several saints with the nickname, but I don't think St. Anthony received it from Pope Benedict XIV. But good find, anyway.

 

[Ann M]

Saint Leo the Great



Defender of Rome and Codifier of Orthodoxy


The twelvth Doctor in this chronological series on the Doctors of the Church was the first of two Sovereign Pontiffs to be elevated to the noble and dogmatic structure of Doctor and be called "Great." The first, whom we feature today, was Leo the Great, better known in his time as Pope Leo I who became the 45th in the line of Peter as Pope Leo I when he was chosen to succeed Pope Sixtus III on September 29, 440.

Born in Tuscany, Italy near the very end of the 4th Century, Leo came up through the ranks of the Deaconate and was in France attempting to reconcile the warring factions there when he was elected Pope. Though, like most pontiffs, he did not feel worthy, he nevertheless accepted the privileged and august duties of leading God's people through the middle of a most turbulent century.

Because of the alarming times and because of his position as head of the Church, the people looked to him for leadership and to save them from the plights that would afflict them, yet Leo, as a humble but effective deacon knew he couldn't do it by and of himself. He placed everything in God's hands and constantly sought the guidance of the Holy Ghost. Thus, in the hands of God, Leo became a powerful instrument to protect and honor the Church during the decay of the Roman Empire, the assaults of Arians, and the invasions of heathens.

Three years into his papacy Leo convened an assembly to rebuke and endorse Pope Innocent I's condemnation of Manicheanism as well as exposing Nestorianism, Priscillianism, and Arianism. Just as the eleven Doctors of the Church who preceded him fought with every fiber of their being the heresies prevalent in their time, so also Leo was a champion 'hammer of heretics.'

In 451 Leo called the Fourth General or Ecumenical Council at Chalcedon where he staunchly defended the Incarnation, defining in his Tome the revealed teaching of faith that in Christ there are two distinct natures, the divine and the human, hypostatically united in one person. He also condemned the heresy of Eutyches. But the Byzantine Court did not convey his words to the people and the heresy grew stronger among the Eastern monks and bishops. This made it necessary for Leo to convene the Fifth Ecumenical Council, this time at Constantinople where he condemned in no uncertain terms the Three Chapters or heresies running rampant. He thus became the only Pontiff to call two ecumenical councils. He garnered the signatures of all the Bishops, proclaiming "Peter has spoken by Leo." He admonished his bishops to know their faith and to assure that their priests in each diocese were knowledgable in Dogma and Doctrine so that the people would not fall into the heresies that had assaulted the Church during the Third, Fourth and Fifth Centuries.

Leo not only assured unity within ecclesiastical ranks, but re-established harmony among the faithful. He is called "great" because of his energetic work in maintaining unity, his involvement in the liturgy, politics, preaching and writings, which have been cherished and passed on through the ages. He never compromised, never catered to worldly issues, but kept always before the people the Truths and Traditions of Holy Mother Church as the guiding light for all society. If ever we needed a Pope Leo it is in these times at the dawn of the third millennium.

To many historians his greatest accomplishment came in 451. The year before a barbaric horde known as the Huns had overrun the Empire, pillaging and plundering Gaul and moving rapidly from the north through Italy to the gates of Rome. Fearing no man, Leo chose to meet their ferocious leader Attila face to face at the gates. Many felt it was suicide and that Rome's fall was a fait accomplis, but Leo knew God would protect him and so he bravely confronted the pagan king at the gates of Rome, pursuading Attila to abandon his plans to sack the city. To everyone's astonishment the man known as the "Scourge of God" rounded up his horde and turned away from Rome. It was another in the many encounters down through the centuries where, through the grace of God, a superior force is turned away, evidence David slaying Goliath, the victory at Lepanto, Saint Clare holding aloft the Blessed Sacrament in the monstrance to protect the city, and many more such cases where the power of God was manifested. Leo took very seriously his charge handed down from St. Peter to rule Christ's Church as Christ instructed. Leo knew it was not him who convinced Attila to forego his attempts on Rome, but the miraculous vision God allowed Attila to behold of Saints Peter and Paul standing behind Leo. The "Scourge of God" knew that any power this great was not to be messed with or he would be scourged by God, and so, totally overcome mentally by the vision he had seen, he retreated. It was the end of the threat so feared throughout Europe as the Hun king died two years later while Leo ruled another ten years, 21 in all, receiving his Heavenly reward on September 10, 461.

In 1754 St. Leo was declared a Doctor of the Church by Pope Benedict XIV, honoring this great Pope for his great writings and wisdom at a pivotal time in Church and world history. He had shown great courage and his skills at governing the Church and emphasizing spirituality while juggling the political footballs of his time. His actions strengthened the Vatican's position in the world while bringing the people to a closer understanding of what Jesus meant in His words to Peter in Matthew 16: 18-19, "Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build My Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give thee the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven; and whatever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in Heaven, and whatever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in Heaven."

Leo's feast day in the universal Church was established as April 11 until the revised liturgy relegated his feast day to November 10th. His commemoration has always been celebrated in the eastern Church on February 18th.

 

[Ann M]

St. Robert Bellarmine

Bishop, Confessor and Doctor of the Church

Feast Day - May 13

Robert, a native of Montepulciáno and of the noble family of Bellarmine, had for his mother the most pious Cynthia Cervini, sister of Pope Marcellus II. From the first he was conspicuous for exemplary piety and most chaste manners, earnestly desiring this one thing, to please God alone and to win souls to Christ. He attended the college of the Society of Jesus in his native town where he was highly commended for his intelligence and modesty. At the age of eighteen he entered the same Society at Rome, and was a model of all religious virtues. Having passed through the course of philosophy at the Roman College, he was sent first to Florence, then to Monreale, later to Padua to teach sacred theology, and afterwards to Louvain where, not yet a priest, he ably discharged the office of preacher. After ordination at Louvain, he taught theology with such success that he brought back many heretics to the unity of the Church, and was regarded throughout Europe as a most brilliant theologian ; and St. Charles, Bishop of Milan, and others keenly sought after him.

Recalled to Rome at the wish of Pope Gregory XIII, he taught the science of controversial theology at the Roman College, and there, as spiritual diréctor he guided the angelic youth Aloysius in the paths of holiness. He governed the Roman College and then the Neapolitan province of the Society of Jesus in accordance with the spirit of St. Ignatius. Again summoned to Rome, he was employed by Clement VIII in the most important affairs of the Church, with the greatest advantage to the Christian state ; then against his will and in spite of opposition, he was admitted among the number of the cardinals, because, as the Pontiff publicly declared, he did not have his equal among theologians in the Church of God at the time. He was consecrated bishop by the same Pope, and administered the archdiocese of Capua in a most saintly manner for three years : having resigned this office, he lived in Rome until his death, as a most impartial and trusty counsellor to the Supreme Pontiff. He wrote much, and in an admirable manner. His principal merit lieth in his complete victory in the struggle against the new errors, during which he distinguished himself as a strenuous and outstanding víndicator of Catholic tradition and the rights of the Roman See. He gained this victory by following St. Thomas as his guide and teacher, by a prudent consideration of the needs of his times, by his irrefragable teaching, and by a most abundant wealth of testimony well-chosen from the sacred writings and from the very rich fountain of the Fathers of the Church. He is eminently noted for very numerous short works for fostering piety, and especially for that golden Catechism, which he never failed to explain to the young and ignorant both at Capua and at Rome, although preoccupied with other very important affairs. A contemporary cardinal declared that Robert was sent by God the instruction of Catholics, for the guidance of the good, and for the confusion of heretics ; St. Francis de Sales regarded him as a fountain of learning ; the Supreme Pontiff Benedict XIV called him the hammer of heretics ; and Benedict XV proclaimed him the model of promoters and defenders of the Catholic religion.

He was most zealous in the religious life and he maintained that manner of life after having been chosen as one of the empurpled cardinals. He did not want to any wealth beyond what was necessary ; he was satisfied with a móderate household, and scanty fare and clothing. He did not strive to enrich his relatives, and he could scarcely be induced to relieve their poverty even occasionally. He had the lowest opinion of himself, and was of wonderful simplicity of soul. He had an extraordinary love for the Mother of God ; he spent many hours daily in prayer. He ate very sparingly, and fasted three times a week. Uniformly austere with himself, he burned with charity towards his neighbour, and was often called the father of the poor. He earnestly strove that he might not stain his baptismal innocence to even the slightest fault. Almost eighty years old, he fell into his last illness at St. Andrew's on the Quirinal hill, and in it he shewed his usual radiant virtue. Pope Gregory XV and many cardinals visited him on his deathbed, lamenting the loss of such a great pillar of the Church. He fell asleep in the Lord in the year 1621, on the day of the sacred Stigmáta of St. Francis, the memory of which he had been instrumental in having celebrated everywhere. The whole city mourned his death, unanimously proclaiming him a Saint. The Supreme Pontiff Pius XI inscribed his name, first, in the number of the Blessed, and then in that of the Saints, and shortly afterwards, by a decree of the Sacred Congregation of Rites, he declared him a Doctor of the universal Church. His body is honoured with pious veneration at Rome in the church of St. Ignatius, near the tomb of St. Aloysius, as he himself had desired.

 

[Paul S]

St. Robert Bellarmine was the one I was looking for.

But Pope St. Leo is a great saint, too.