bell, book, and candle

bell, book, and candle

      in Roman Catholicism, a ceremony formerly used in pronouncing the “major excommunication” or “anathema” (see excommunication). Its origins are not clear, but it dates back certainly to the late 9th century. The bell represented the public character of the act, the book the authority of the words spoken by the presiding bishop. The candle was believed to symbolize the possibility that the ban might be lifted by the repentance and amendment of its victim. The ceremony was performed in some conspicuous place, and, upon its termination, letters were written to bishops of other sees to report the fact. When the assemblage had been convoked, a bishop appeared with 12 priests, and all 13 held lighted candles. The bishop, wearing violet vestments, then recited the formula, ending thus: “We separate him, together with his accomplices and abettors, from the precious body and blood of the Lord and from the society of all Christians; we exclude him from our holy mother the church in heaven and on earth; we declare him excommunicate and anathema; we judge him damned, with the devil and his angels and all the reprobate, to eternal fire until he shall recover himself from the toils of the devil and return to amendment and to penitence.” Those present answered, “So be it!” Then the bishop and the 12 priests extinguished their candles by dashing them to the ground, and (as a general rule) the ceremony then ended.

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужна курсовая?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Bell Book and Candle — Saltar a navegación, búsqueda Bell Book and Candle es una banda de origen alemán que se hizo famosa por su tema Rescue Me en 1997. El grupo está guiado por la vocalista Jana Gross y su tono de voz es muy similar a la cantante de la banda… …   Wikipedia Español

  • bell, book and candle — A phrase popularly used in reference to a form of excommunication ending, ‘Do to (ie shut) the book, quench the candle, ring the bell’ • • • Main Entry: ↑bell …   Useful english dictionary

  • Bell, Book and Candle — steht für: die Band Bell, Book Candle den Originaltitel des Films Meine Braut ist übersinnlich Diese Seite ist eine Begriffsklärung zur Unterscheidung mehrerer mit demselben Wort bezeichneter Begriffe …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Bell, book, and candle — The phrase Bell, book, and candle refers to an archaic method of excommunication for one who had committed a particularly grievous sin. Apparently introduced around the late 9th century, the practice was once used by the Roman Catholic Church.… …   Wikipedia

  • Bell, Book and Candle — L Adorable Voisine L Adorable Voisine ou Adorable Voisine (Bell Book and Candle) est un film américain de Richard Quine sorti en 1958. Sommaire 1 Synopsis 2 Fiche technique 3 Distribution 4 …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Bell Book and Candle — L Adorable Voisine L Adorable Voisine ou Adorable Voisine (Bell Book and Candle) est un film américain de Richard Quine sorti en 1958. Sommaire 1 Synopsis 2 Fiche technique 3 Distribution 4 …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Bell, Book and Candle (film) — Infobox Film name = Bell, Book and Candle imdb id = 0051406 writer = Daniel Taradash starring = James Stewart Kim Novak Jack Lemmon Janice Rule Elsa Lanchester Ernie Kovacs Hermione Gingold director = Richard Quine producer = Julian Blaustein… …   Wikipedia

  • To curse by bell book and candle — Candle Can dle, n. [OE. candel, candel, AS, candel, fr. L. candela a (white) light made of wax or tallow, fr. cand[ e]re to be white. See {Candid}, and cf. {Chandler}, {Cannel}, {Kindle}.] 1. A slender, cylindrical body of tallow, containing a… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • To curse by bell book and candle — Book Book (b[oo^]k), n. [OE. book, bok, AS. b[=o]c; akin to Goth. b[=o]ka a letter, in pl. book, writing, Icel. b[=o]k, Sw. bok, Dan. bog, OS. b[=o]k, D. boek, OHG. puoh, G. buch; and fr. AS. b[=o]c, b[=e]ce, beech; because the ancient Saxons and …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • To curse by bell book and candle — Curse Curse (k?rs), v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Cursed} (k?rst) or {Curst}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Cursing}.] [AS. cursian, corsian, perh. of Scand. origin; cf. Dan. korse to make the sign of the cross, Sw. korsa, fr. Dan. & Sw. kors cross, Icel kross, all… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”