21 July 2009

Praxidean query

As we celebrate S Praxedes, whose church in Rome, a superb example of the 'Carolingian Renaissance', which has among its mosaics the 'Theodora episcopa' who sends the advocates of women bishops (Google Santa Prassede; should I emulate Professor Tighe's term flaminica?) into such transports, I have a question for the really erudite among you.

Why did S Pius V in his revised Missal breach the Hermeneutic of Continuity by assigning the Station Mass of the Monday in Holy Week to her church (previously it had been at SS Nereus and Achilleus)?

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

My research reveals three possibilities.

1) The papal spittoon bearer, AKA "Phlegm-us schlep-ius," was in need of an immediate "greywater" station & S Praxedes was at hand.

2) This is yet another of the innumerable "Medieval accretions."

3) SS Nereus and Achilleus church had recently been shut down (ie condemned) by OSHA (Occupational Safety & Health Administration, USA) due to the senile incumbents (he had just turned 65!) failure to maintain the building's structure. NB "Peter's Pence," recently withdrawn by the Protestant English, was to have paid for needed restoration - it's all Queen Bess' fault. Damn her anyway!

Rubricarius said...

I have read that the station was moved to St. Praxedes in the XIII century, not by Pius V, because of the deteriorating structure of SS Nereus an Achilleus. Not however from a particularly reliable source.

Rev'd up's suggestions are more interesting!