Help Finding this Resource
  • I am doing a study on ancient rites of profession of vows. I was recently looking at some of the footnotes from Pius XII on his Encyclical "Sacra Virginitas".
    https://www.vatican.va/content/pius-xii/en/encyclicals/documents/hf_p-xii_enc_25031954_sacra-virginitas.html

    I found very interesting footnote n.26
    26. Cf. Sacramentarium Leonianum, XXX; PL LV, 129; Pontificale Romanum: De benedictione et consecratione virginum .

    n.17 of the encyclical states:
    17. Moreover the Fathers of the Church considered this obligation of perfect chastity as a kind of spiritual marriage, in which the soul is wedded to Christ; so that some go so far as to compare breaking the vow with adultery.[22] Thus, St. Athanasius writes that the Catholic Church has been accustomed to call those who have the virtue of virginity the spouses of Christ.[23] And St. Ambrose, writing succinctly of the consecrated virgin, says, "She is a virgin who is married to God."[24] In fact, as is clear from the writings of the same Doctor of Milan,[25] as early as the fourth century the rite of consecration of a virgin was very like the rite the Church uses in our own day in the marriage blessing.[26]

    Does anyone know how I can find the above rite and sacramentarium? I would be so grateful. I really would like to take a look at what this looks like, as well as, what the rite of marriage looked like at that time.
    Thanks for any help.
  • igneusigneus
    Posts: 380
    Cf. Sacramentarium Leonianum, XXX; PL LV, 129


    = Migne, Patrologia Latina, volume 55, column 129