12 May 2020

Liturgical updating

SS Nereus, Achilleus, Domitilla, Pancras ... a year or two ago, rather ultra vires, I put a footnote about S Pancras into the ORDO I compile: "Double of the First Class in the Railway Station". It also occurs to me that he would make a good Patron for Steam Railways. It is important for us liturgists to keep up wth the Cutting Edge of Modern Technology.

And, talking about Cutting Edges, perhaps SS Nereus and Achilleus should be declared the Heavenly Patrons of all those who, deceived by the fads, fancies, fashions and fantasies of the Zeitgeist, have had themselves, poor poppets, castrated.

One of my top liturgical advisers has advised me that, on Thursday, taking a hint from the Martyrologium Romanum, I should say Mass of S Corona. But would this not be redolent of (h/t Sir J G Fraser) pre-Christian apotropaic magic?

Which reminds me: I ought really to have a copy of the latest edition of the Roman Martyrology. Would anybody care to ... er ... very generously ... er ... I never know how to put this ...

9 comments:

Titus said...

"latest edition of the Roman Martyrology"---that's something of a snipe hunt, no?

John Patrick said...

I was intrigued by St. Pancras after reading the Mass notes in today's Magnificat entry "When St. Augustine went to Canterbury in 597 he brought devotion to Pancras to the British Isles. Among the ancient churches devoted to the martyr was one North of London. A millennium after its foundation, persecuted English Catholics took refuge in its shadow."

I wonder if this church is or was located in the neighbourhood once known as "St. Pancras" after which the railway station was named. It is unclear to me exactly where this area is in today's London and whether this church still exists.

Prayerful said...

Rev. Alban Butler does not so much as mention her. Isn't she suspected of being legendary, and St Roch is anyhow a better fit for this supposed Corona plague?

frjustin said...

If I did not have a vow of poverty, I would order the Martyrologium Romanum Editio Typica Altera -2004 from the LEV Libreria Editrice Vaticana (Vatican Publishing House) with Code (SKU): 9788820972103 and Worldwide shipping at 75 euros, reduced to 67.50 euros if I were to order online at https://www.vaticanum.com/en/martyrologium-romanum-editio-typica-altera-2004

I might even consider a telephone order at (+39) 02 5830 5949

Availability: 3 days

Joshua said...

One should invoke Our Lady, above all, and also the plague saints, Sebastian, Roch and Rosalia, in this coronaviric crisis.

But it did strike me that Divine Providence directs all things, such that invoking the glorious martyrs, Victor and Corona, for victory over the coronavirus, would not be wholly superstitious.

Protasius said...

The latest typical edition of the Martyrology seems to be the edition of 1913, which can be found here, inter alia.

Michael H said...

In reply to John Patrick, yes, St Pancras Old Church does still exist in North London, having been heavily renovated by the Victorians after falling into disrepair. When they did so they found an altar stone dating to the 7th century.

Supposedly due to its decayed state at the time of the Reformation it was a refuge for Catholics.

It is a few hundred yards away from St Pancras railway station, with the tracks passing behind the churchyard.

Father Ambrose said...

Dear and Reverend Father,
I am a Canon of the Order of Premontre at St. Michael's Abbey in Southern California. I follow your blog closely, and I appreciate your observations tremendously.
Several years ago I completed an English translation of the entire new Roman Martyrology for our daily use here in our abbey. I would be delighted to share this with you if you would like. It has some additions from our own proper Premonstratensian calendar, but you would discern those accommodations easily enough.
If you are interested, please simply tell me how best to reach you.
In Domino,
Father Ambrose, a poor sinner

Ian said...

If it is a pity that Old St.Pancras Church is not in Catholic hands,it is at least some consolation that it is in full faith Anglo catholic hands, unlike the other St. Pancras church on the Euston Road which is so wet you could shoot snipe off it.