hearga, m.n: a place sacred to a god, with an idol and an altar; a temple, fane; an idol. (HAY-ar-ga)
Antiochus IV, crowned, with joined hands raised, kneels with two men, partially visible, before draped altar on which sits horned idol. Abrégé des histoires divines. France (possibly Amiens), between 1300 and 1310. New York, Morgan Library, MS M.751, f. 29v. [ica.themorgan.org]
Cristes bōc, f.n: Christ’s book, the gospel (an account of Jesus’s life and teachings). [KRIST-ess BOAK]
Lindisfarne Gospels, the beginning of St Matthew’s Gospel. England (Lindisfarne), late 7th or early 8th century. British Library, Cotton Nero D. IV, f. 27r. [bl.uk]
Eāster-sunnandæg, m.n: Easter Sunday. [EH-ah-ster-SUN-nan-dæγ]
Happy Easter!
crīstel-mǣl, n.n: a cross; the sign of the cross. [KREE-stell-MÆL]
A carpet page from the Lindisfarne Gospels. England (Northumberland), c. 710-715. British Library, Cotton MS. Nero D.IV, fol. 2v. [bl.uk]
sunn-feld, m.n: Elysium (the abode of the blessed after death in classical mythology; paradise). [SUN-feld]
heofon-wōma, m.n: a heavenly sound, the sound heard at the day of judgment. [HAY-oh-von-WOH-ma]
The Escorial Beatus (Escorial, Biblioteca Monasterio, Cod. & II. 5, p. 20), a 10th-century illuminated manuscript of the Commentary on the Apocalypse by Beatus of Liébana. [arachne.uni-koeln.de]
cristenest, adj: the most Christian, pious, holy. [KRIS-ten-est]
Sweotolung-dæg, m.n: Epiphany (lit. ‘manifestation day’). [SWAY-oh-toh-lung-DÆγ]
Adoration of the Magi, with female saints in niches: the Virgin Mary crowned with a lily-sceptre; St Clare (?) with a book; St Catherine with her wheel; St Margaret with a long cross and a dragon; a female saint with no emblem; and St Mary Magdalene with her pot of ointment). The Queen Mary Psalter. England, 1310-1320. British Library, Royal MS 2 B VII, f. 112v. [bl.uk]
wuldor-gifu, f.n: a glorious gift, a gift of heaven. [WOOL-dor-YI-voo]
ymbren-dæg, m.n: an Ember-day (the Wednesday, Friday and Saturday between the third and fourth Sundays of Advent). There are four separate sets of Ember-days throughout the year on western Christian church calendars. These are days for fasting, abstinence and prayer. [IM-bren-DÆγ]
This week’s Wordhord Wednesday post is about the etymology of Ember-days. Read it on Patreon.
