|
Bull "Cantate Dómino" of
Eugene IV and the Council of Florence
for the Syrian Jacobites, 4 February 1441 OS (1442 NS)
IMPORTANT REVISION:
15 August AD 2009
Feast of the Assumption
It was called to my attention by a visitor to this site
from Cambridgeshire in England that my quote from
Cantate Dómino was inaccurate in that it omitted the words "the mystery of
faith" from the form of the consecration of the wine. My error came
about by copying from an inaccurate English translation of the Bull. The
visitor supplied me with a URL for the correct translation as found in Denzinger's
Enchiridion (715), which agrees with my print copy, and with the English
translation by Roy Deferrari (Loreto
Publications). Wishing to be sure that the discrepancy was in the
English translation of the Bull and not in Denzinger, I found the Bull in
both Latin
and Spanish, from which
I quote below.
1 September AD 2009
Saint Giles, Abbot
Once again our visitor from Cambridgeshire in England has
offered some interesting observations about variations in the texts of our
paragraph from
Cantate Dómino--this time in various Latin texts. I made the three
different Latin paragraphs available side by
side in our biblical studies area, with the intention of offering a few remarks
on textual criticism, and included the variants in the single Latin paragraph
below. The visitor's comments on the variants are included in the page in
the biblical studies area (and below).
|
Latin
Documenta Catholica Omnia
|
English
Transcribed from Deferrari |
Spanish
Mercaba |
| Verum quia in suprascripto decreto Armenorum
non est explicata forma verborum quibus in consecratione corporis et
sanguinis domini sacrosancta Romana ecclesia a(A)postolorum (Petri et Pauli)
doctrina et auctoritate firmata semper uti consuevit (consueverat) illam
pr(æ)esentibus
duximus inserendam. In consecratione corporis (d(D)omini) hac utitur
forma verborum: (')(H)hoc est enim corpus meum.(') (S)sanguinis vero:
(')(H)hic est
enim calix sanguinis mei novi et (æ)eterni testamenti mi(y)sterium fidei qui
pro vobis et pro multis effundetur in remissionem peccatorum.(')
[Emphasis added] |
But since in the above written decree of the
Armenians the form of the words, which in the consecration of the body and
blood of the Lord the holy Roman Church confirmed by the teaching and
authority of the Apostles had always been accustomed to use, was not set
forth, we have thought that it ought to be inserted here. In the
consecration of the body the Church uses this form of the words: "For
this is my body"; but in the consecration of the blood, it uses the
following form of the words: "For this is the chalice of my blood,
the new and eternal testament, the mystery of faith, which will be
poured forth for you and many for the remission of sins."
[Emphasis added] |
Mas como en el antes citado Decreto para los
armenios no fue explicada la forma de las palabras de que la Iglesia
Romana, fundada en la autoridad y doctrina de los Apóstoles, acostumbró
a usar siempre en la consagración del cuerpo y de la sangre del Señor,
hemos creído conveniente insertarla en el presente. En la consagración
del cuerpo, usa de esta forma de palabras: Este es mi cuerpo; y en la de
la sangre: Porque éste es el cáliz de mi sangre, del nuevo y eterno
testamento, misterio de fe, que por vosotros y por muchos será
derramada en remisión de los pecados. [Emphasis added] |
| |
Just for the record, the translation I now believe to be
inaccurate insofar as it omits "the mystery of faith," is found at (at
least) the following three URLS, The typography is similar enough to
suggest that all three have a common source. www.dailycatholic.org/history/17ecum11.htm,
www.ewtn.com/library/COUNCILS/FLORENCE.HTM#5,
and www.piar.hu/councils/ecum17.htm
At the site http://catholicism.org/cantate-domino.html
several paragraphs are missing including the one in question--perhaps because
the Bull was being quoted only for its statement that "those not living
within the Catholic Church, not only pagans, but also Jews and heretics and
schismatics cannot become participants in eternal life...."
I make no claim that the omission was
deliberate. It is possible that the confusion was triggered by the fact
that the Copts, and Syrians
for whom the decree was written, do
not have the phrase "the mystery of faith" in their form.
Nonetheless it is clear that the Bull addresses "the form of words which
the holy Roman Church" employs.
The Three Latin Variants
|
Latin
Documenta Catholica Omnia
|
Latin
Denzinger_Enchiridion_Symbolorum
_LT.pdf
|
Latin
from Google Books photo reproduction of Denzinger' 1854 edition (page
156) |
Verum quia in suprascripto decreto Armenorum non est explicata forma
verborum quibus in consecratione corporis et sanguinis domini
sacrosancta Romana ecclesia apostolorum
Petri et Pauli doctrina et auctoritate
firmata semper uti consuevit illam presentibus
duximus inserendam. In consecratione corporis domini
hac utitur forma verborum: hoc est enim corpus meum. Sanguinis vero: hic
est enim calix sanguinis mei novi et eterni
testamenti misterium fidei qui pro
vobis et pro multis effundetur in remissionem peccatorum.
|
1352 715
Verum quia in suprascripto decreto Armenorum non est explicata forma
verborum, quibus in consecratione corporis et sanguinis Domini
sacrosancta Romana Ecclesia, Apostolorum
Petri et Pauli doctrina et auctoritate
firmata, semper uti consuevit, illam praesentibus
duximus inserendam. In consecratione corporis Domini
hac utitur forma verborum: 'Hoc est enim corpus meum'; sanguinis vero:
'Hic est enim calix sanguinis mei, novi et aeterni
testamenti, mysterium fidei, qui pro
vobis et pro multis effundetur in remissionem peccatorum'.
|
Verum quia in suprascripto decreto Armenorum non est explicata forma
verborum, quibus in consecratione corporis et sanguinis Domini
sacrosancta Romana ecclesia, Apostolorum
doctrina et auctoritate firmata, semper uti consueverat,
illam praesentibus duximus inserendam.
In consecratione corporis hac utitur forma verborum: Hoc est enim corpus
meum, sanguis vero: Hic est enim calix sanguinis mei, novi et aeterni
testamenti, mysterium fidei, qui pro
vobis et pro multis effundetur in remissionem peccatorum. |
| |
And here are the comments on the three by our visitor from Cambridgeshire in England:
With reference to (A), I query the following points:
- The lack of an initial capital letter for "domini"
and "apostolorum".
- The correct spelling of "presentibus",
"eterni" and "misterium".
- The insertion of "Petri et Pauli"
after "Apostolorum".
- The insertion of "domini"
after "In consecratione corporis".
- The correct tense of "consuevit".
- Reductions in punctuation.
Concerning item 3.
Its better to be specific, and have it confirmed that the
Roman custom derives from Peter and Paul, rather than from any other of the
Apostles. But could this be a gloss that has been added at some time to make
explicit what was implicit in the original text? It conflicts with Deferrari’s
translation.
Concerning item 4.
Is this also a gloss, and, indeed, a quite unnecessary one?
This insertion also conflicts with Deferrari’s translation.
Concerning itemn 5.
Consuevit = 3.sg perfect active indicative = has been
accustomed.
Consueverat = 3.sg pluperfect active indicative = had been
accustomed = Deferrari’s translation
"had been accustomed" suggests the cessation of a
former custom. Seemingly to correct this impression, Deferrari has added the
adverb "always".
There is a problem in deciding which is the definitive text. I would be more
inclined to trust the original Denzinger text, especially as it is the basis for
the familiar Deferrari translation.
|
