oflǣte, f.n: an oblation, offering; a sacramental wafer. [OH-vlæt-eh]
Louis IX of France receiving communion. Guillaume de Saint-Pathus’s Vie et miracles de saint Louis (1330-1340). Bibliothèque nationale de France, Français 5716, f. 62. [zh.wikipedia.org]
amel, m.n: a vessel for holy water. [AH-mell]
Book of Hours, ram, with situla, sprinkling holy water with an aspergillum. Walters Art Museum, MS. W.102, f. 80r. [flickr.com]
ūht-sang, m.n: one of the services of the church, nocturns or matins. (“oo-ht-sahng”)
hālig-dōm, m.n: holiness, sanctity; holy things, relics, holy work, a sacrament; a holy place, sanctuary. (“ha-lee-dom”)
ealra sancta symbel: the Feast of All Saints, All Saints’ Day. (“ay-al-rah sahnk-tah sum-bell”)
Further information from Kazutomo Karasawa’s The Old English Metrical Calendar (Menologium) (Cambridge, 2015):
And þy ylcan dæge ealra we healdað / sancta symbel þara þe sið oððe ær / worhtan in worulde willan drihtnes.
—The Old English Metrical Calendar (Menologium), lines 199-201
And on the same day, we hold the feast of all saints who ever worked God’s will in the world.
—translation by K. Karasawa
The Forerunners of Christ with Saints and Martyrs, by Fra Angelico (c. 1423-1424). National Gallery, London. [Wikipedia]
hrægel-hūs, n.n: a vestry (lit. garment-house). (“hra-yell-hoos”)
See also hrægel.
Things that happen in a vestry. This CartoonChurch.com cartoon by Dave Walker originally appeared in the Church Times. [cartoonchurch.com]
bædzere, m.n: a baptist, baptizer. For example, “Iohannes se bædzere” is John the Baptist. (“bad-zeh-reh”)
Meister des Benedictionale des Heiligen Aethelwold (975-980). [Wikipedia]
hēah-engel, m.n: an archangel. (“heh-ah-en-gell”)
Today is the Feast of Michael the Archangel.
Hwæt we weorðiað wide geond eorðan / heahengles tiid on hærfeste, / Michaheles, swa þæt menigo wat, / fif nihtum ufor þæs þe folcum byð, / eorlum geywed emnihtes dæg.
– Old English Metrical Calendar (Menologium), lines 176-80
How widely throughout the earth we celebrate the feast of the Archangel, of Michael, in autumn, as a multitude (of people) know, five nights after the day of equinox is revealed to people, to men!
– translation by Kazutomo Karasawa
Karasawa says in his book on the Menologium:
The name of the Archangel appears nowhere else in the extant Old English poems. The veneration of the saint, which is said to have been originated in Phrygia*, was quite widespread and there was a variety of dates for his feast. (p. 118).
*Present-day Turkey.
Kazutomo Karasawa, The Old English Metrical Calendar (Menologium)(Cambridge: D. S. Brewer, 2015)
Initial Q: Saint Michael and the Dragon. Germany (Würzburg), c. 1240-1250. The J. Paul Getty Museum, MS. Ludwig VIII 2, fol. 61v. [discardingimages]
god-spell, n.n: gospel. (“god-spell”)
The gospel is the teaching or revelation of Christ. The gospels are the first four books of the New Testament (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John), which record Christ’s life and teaching.
Today is the feast of St Matthew the Apostle, one of the writers of the gospels.
…þegn unforcuð, / godspelles gleaw, gast onsende / Matheus his to metodsceafte / in ecne gefean.
– Old English Metrical Calendar (Menologium), lines 170b-73a
…the reputable thegn, skilled in (writing) the Gospel, Matthew, sent out his spirit, at the appointed destiny, into the eternal joy.
– translation by Kazutomo Karasawa
Kazutomo Karasawa, The Old English Metrical Calendar (Menologium) (Cambridge: D. S. Brewer, 2015)
St Matthew in the Gospels of Macdurnan. Ireland, 9th century. Lambeth Palace Library, MS 1370, fol. 4v. [Pinterest]
heofon-hrōf, m.n: the roof of heaven; heaven; a roof, ceiling. (“heh-oh-von-hrohf”)
