‘Performance of the Passion: The Enactment of Devotion in the Later Middle Ages.’ In Visualizing Medieval Performance: Perspectives, Histories, Contexts. Edited by Elina Gertsman, (Ashgate, 2008), pp. 129–42. (original) (raw)
The following article approaches a historical phenomenon in an interdisciplinary manner.l We see our approach as critical because it questions the narrow methods of single disciplines that, for example, explain music solely on the basis of other pieces of music, or visual images as if they were engendered by previous "works of art". Further we hope to make a contribution to the "rewriting of the history of the Christian arts" by writing in those whom the various disciplines have often written out: women, ethnic or religious minorities, wide popular audiences that include participants who were neither affluent nor educated. 2 We propose an infinitely critical methodology that probes the motivations of our historical protagonists, of our disciplinary forbears, and of ourselves. Consequently we are cautious of simplistic overarching theories, and persistently sceptical of even our own doing. Did the Holy Lance signify only or primarily the Passion of Christ? Did restricted and controlled access serve mainly to protect the objects from theft or abuse? Did the ordering of the participants in the rituals serve solely to legitimate Nuremberg's oligarchy and stabilize its internal social structure, or did it also incorporate vehicles for change and challenge? By performing ideological criticism on the Middle Ages are we setting ourselves apart and colonizing medieval Christianity for the sake of our own (historically chauvinistic) scholarship?
The New Alexandria Library & London: Art and Book Company and Leamington, 1896
This hidden/lost text/book is a deeply meditative and historically detailed work that guides readers through the Passion of Christ using the contemplative method of St. Ignatius of Loyola. This text, structured in two main parts, provides an immersive spiritual and scholarly exploration of the final days of Christ’s earthly life, beginning with the raising of Lazarus and culminating in the night of His betrayal and arrest. Part I reconstructs the geographical, social, and theological landscape of the Passion, while Part II meticulously examines each segment of Christ’s suffering, structured into four "night watches" following ancient Roman timekeeping. This work contributes to biblical scholarship, historical theology, and Ignatian spirituality by offering a synthesis of Gospel accounts, historical context, and meditative reflections that invite readers into a vivid and transformative contemplation of the Passion. Chapter Summaries PART I: The Events Leading to the Passion Chapter I: Preliminary This introductory chapter explains the method of contemplation developed by St. Ignatius of Loyola, emphasizing the importance of placing oneself within the Gospel narrative to experience the Passion more intimately. It introduces the structure of the book, divided into temporal "watches" corresponding to Christ’s suffering. Chapter II: The Evening of Our Lord’s Life on Earth – The Raising of Lazarus • Scene I – Lazarus Sick at Bethany: Introduces Lazarus, his illness, and the concern of his sisters, Martha and Mary. • Scene II – Beyond the Jordan: Describes Jesus’ teachings as He is informed of Lazarus’ condition. • Scene III – Bethany, The Stone of Conference: The setting where Jesus declares Himself "the Resurrection and the Life." • Scene IV – The Tomb of Lazarus: Jesus performs the miraculous resurrection, foreshadowing His own. • Scene V-VII – The Growing Opposition: The reaction of Jewish authorities to the miracle, increasing their resolve to eliminate Jesus. Chapter III: Passion Week • Chronicles Jesus’ journey from Ephrem to Jericho, interactions with Zacchaeus, and His arrival in Jerusalem, setting the stage for the Passion. Chapter IV: Palm Sunday to Holy Thursday • Scenes I-III: The triumphal entry into Jerusalem, cleansing of the Temple, and early confrontations with religious leaders. • Scenes IV-XV: The teachings and parables leading up to the Last Supper, including Christ’s final public discourse and the mounting tension among the religious elite. Chapter V: Holy Thursday • Scenes I-IV: Jesus’ movements from Bethany to Jerusalem, the preparation for the Passover meal in the Upper Room (Cenaculum), and the gathering of the Apostles for the final supper before His Passion begins. PART II: The Watches of the Sacred Passion Chapter VI: The First Night Watch (6 p.m. – 9 p.m.) • Scenes I-XII: A detailed account of the Last Supper, including the institution of the Eucharist, the washing of the disciples’ feet, Jesus’ farewell discourse, and His departure for Gethsemane. Chapter VII: The Second Night Watch (9 p.m. – Midnight) • Scenes I-VII: The journey to Gethsemane, Christ’s agony in the garden, His prayers, the disciples’ failure to stay awake, and the Roman cohort’s approach to arrest Him. Chapter VIII: The Third Night Watch (Midnight – 3 a.m.) • Scenes I-IX: Judas’ betrayal, Jesus’ arrest, Peter’s denial, and the transition from Gethsemane to His trial before Annas and Caiaphas. Chapter IX: The Fourth Night Watch (3 a.m. – 6 a.m.) • Scenes I-IV: Jesus is held in the dungeon, subjected to interrogations and abuse, leading to the morning trial that will condemn Him to crucifixion. Conclusion This first volume of The Watches of the Sacred Passion meticulously details the final days of Christ’s life through historical, theological, and meditative lenses. Father Gallwey integrates Gospel harmonization, Ignatian contemplation, and historical contextualization, making this work a crucial resource for those engaged in biblical studies, theological reflection, and Christian spirituality. Tags P. Gallwey, Sacred Passion, Christian devotion, Passion of Christ, spiritual meditations, Catholic spirituality, Jesuit writings, religious practices, crucifixion, suffering of Christ, Passion narratives, Holy Week, devotional prayers, Catholic meditation, Catholic doctrine, spiritual exercises, Jesuit spirituality, religious reflection, sacred rites, Passion of the Lord, Good Friday, Stations of the Cross, spiritual contemplation, spiritual devotion, Jesus Christ, suffering and sacrifice, Catholic tradition, religious meditation, Passion account, Christian life, theological reflection, prayer life, spiritual depth, Catholic faith, sacred moments, atonement, Eucharist, Passion of Jesus, Christ's suffering, liturgical devotion, Holy Saturday, devotion to Christ, meditative prayer, spiritual growth, Catholic mysticism, Christ's agony, meditation on Christ, Passion theology, cross of Christ, Jesus' sacrifice, spiritual healing, devotion to the cross, sacred moments in prayer, cross 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life of Christ, passion in the Gospels, suffering as redemption, cross as symbol, Passionate prayers, Christ’s crucifixion, Christ's sorrow, meditation on Jesus' life, scriptural devotion, faith reflection, Christ’s love for humanity, Passionate heart, theology of suffering, Catholic theological reflections, Passionate love of Christ, prayers for Good Friday, contemplation on the cross, Christ’s endurance, spiritual devotion to Christ, Lenten journey, Catholic religious devotions, spiritual transformation, Christ’s life and death, sorrowful mysteries, sacred passion reflection, meditation in Catholicism, Passionate faith, Passionate life of Christ, historical Jesus, passion narrative analysis, suffering and salvation, spiritual solitude, Catholic teachings on suffering, Christ as Savior, Passion-focused devotion, Easter devotions, spiritual disciplines, contemplative prayers, Christ-centered life, religious themes in Catholicism, spiritual solitude reflections, Good Friday meditations, Passion-focused prayers, prayers for the soul, religious contemplation on the cross, Lenten meditations, devotion for Good Friday, Passionate meditation practices, spiritual purification, Catholic prayers of the Passion, Christ’s Passion in theology, deep Christian meditation, Jesuit prayer practices, Christ's crucifixion and resurrection, devotional heart, Passion reflections in Christianity, theology of redemption, scriptural accounts of the Passion, sacred moments of suffering, Passionate Christian life, Catholic penitential meditations, spiritual healing from suffering, deep religious reflection, Passionate scripture study, meditative reflections on the Passion, Passion-centered devotion, Christ’s love for the world, suffering in Catholic spirituality, sacred devotion to Christ’s sacrifice, the way of the cross, personal devotion to Christ’s Passion, reflection on Christ’s wounds, Catholic meditative practices, understanding the cross in Christian faith, Passionate prayer 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Tracing Local Theological, Devotional, and Social Influences in Medieval Passion Cycles of Spiš and Gemer, 2024
Between the late 14th and early 15th centuries, many village and parish churches from the Spiš and Gemer counties of the Kingdom of Hungary (now Slovakia) were decorated with wall paintings depicting the Passion of Christ. These Passion cycles provide a valuable visual record for examining how theological, social, and local devotional influences impacted the planning, depiction, and arrangement of scenes. Using select churches as case studies, this paper explores how these frescoes drew upon devotional writings—such as the Meditationes Vitae Christi and Legenda Aurea—while incorporating popular practices like the veneration of the Virgin Mary and Corpus Christi. By analysing the iconography and arrangement of the scenes in the churches of Žehra, Ochtiná, Podolínec an Slatvina, I investigate how these cycles were intentionally designed to evoke emotional engagement, inspire piety, and reflect societal attitudes, including anti-Jewish sentiment and the promotion of humility. I also examine the impact of contemporary Passion Plays and liturgical practices on the structure and content of these visual narratives. This study offers new insights into how the Passion cycles of Spiš and Gemer served not only as theological tools but also as reflections of local devotional and cultural dynamics, enhancing our understanding of medieval religious art in the region.
Performing the Passion: Music, Ritual, and the Eastertide Labyrinth
… Music Review= Revista Transcultural de Música, 2009
un juego litúrgico realizado en un laberinto eclesiástico el lunes de Semana Santa y del cual se tiene documentación desde el siglo XIV. En este rito festivo, miembros del clero bailaban mientras se lanzaban una pelota unos a otros y cantaban la secuencia Victimae paschali laudes. Este tipo de chorea circa daedalum sincronizaba lo temporal y lo sublunar en un ritual corporal que al mismo tiempo retomaba paradigmas neoplatónicos multivalentes dentro de la música y la danza. Esta cultura encarnada reunía lo secular con lo eclesiástico en su evocación concomitante de la armonía de las esferas, la Pasión de Cristo y las míticas trayectorias de Teseo y Orfeo. El artículo cuestiona las implicaciones socioculturales y comunales de este legado y el papel constitutivo de la música en esta práctica colectiva. Palabras clave: Laberinto-danza-ritual-Victimae paschali laudes-performatividad-ludus-juego de pelota-Medioevo-Semana Santa.
Drama, Performance and Touch in the Medieval Convent and Beyond
Touching, Devotional Practices, and Visionary Experience in the Late Middle Ages
We begin by evoking an image that is almost certainly familiar: a depiction of Mary Magdalene encountering the risen Christ, at the moment at which he tells her noli me tangere-conventionally translated today as 'touch me not'. 1 Throughout the Middle Ages this moment was repeatedly portrayed, 1 Reimund Bieringer explores the resonances of the Greek and Latin versions of this utterance, and the interpretative difficulties manifested within its long tradition of translation, 'Noli me tangere and the New Testament: