RELG 330 - History of Christianity
Course Notes
Chapter 11
Page 140 - A short pamphlet describing a Pilgrimage Route from Bordeaux to Jerusalem in AD 333 - this refers to the "Itinerarium Burdigalense" or "Bordeaux Itinerary", written by the Pilgrim of Bordeaux. At that time, travelers used itineraria (the equivalent of road-maps) to show distances between stopping-places, towns, and other features on the Roman road system as a guide for traveling. The name of the Bordeaux Pilgrim is unknown; he tells us almost nothing about the places he passed through, the people he met, the things he saw, or what he thought of his travels. He recorded his journey overland from Bordeaux on the Atlantic cost of France, to Milan in Italy, then across northern Greece to Constantinople (which Constantine had re-founded only three years earlier), across the Bosphorus to Asia Minor, then to Tarsus, Syrian Antioch, Beirut, Sidon, Palestine, ending at Jerusalem. Most of this part of the Itinerarium is a mere list of places and the distances between them, with a note as to whether they stayed overnight or just changed mounts (not even telling us if he rode a horse or a mule, or who his companions were).
He did give mention briefly some of the sites he visited in Jerusalem, his visit to Jericho and the River Jordan, his visit to Bethlehem (where he noted that Constantine had built a basilica), and Hebron (where there was already a memorial building over the tombs of Abraham, Sarah and the other Patriarchs)
The pilgrim returned home by a different route, so that he could include a visit to Rome. He did not give many details of this part of the journey.
Page 140 - Good Friday, Maundy Thursday, and Palm Sunday - Good Friday is the Friday before Easter Sunday, and commemorates the betrayal, crucifixion and death of Jesus.
Maundy Thursday is the day immediately before Good Friday, and commemorates the Last Supper and Jesus' command to His disciples to "do this in memory of me"; "Maundy" has come from the Latin mandare (to command).
Palm Sunday is the Sunday immediately before Easter Sunday, and commemorates Jesus' entry into Jerusalem, when the crowds welcomed Him by waving branches of palms.
Page 141 - Egeria's Pilgrimage - Egeria, aka Etheria or Aetheria, was a Christian lady who made a pilgrimage to Holy Places of the East ca. AD 381-384. She wrote a letter to her friends back home, describing her travels and the places she visited. It is much more informative than the (earlier) Itinerarium Burdigalense. Egeria's letter, now known as the "Peregrinatio Egeriae" or the "Itinerarium Egeriae", was addressed to her "sisters" - which may indicate that she was a nun, or could just have been the customary way for Christian women to address one another.
Page 141 - Advent - the name is derived from the Latin advenire (to arrive, to be imminent). The season of Advent looks forward and prepares not only for Christ's coming to earth as the baby Jesus, but also to His second coming at the end of time
Page 142 - Cyril of Jerusalem (ca. AD 315-386) became Bishop of Jerusalem in AD 348. He wrote many catechetical books, and gives a description of the Mass (Eucharist) which is very similar to the present form of the service. He expressed the doctrine of the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist very clearly -
"Since He Himself has declared and said of the bread: This is My Body, who shall dare to doubt any more? And when He asserts and says: This is My Blood, who shall ever hesitate and say it is not His Blood? . . . In the type of bread is given thee the Body, in the type of wine the Blood is given thee . . . Do not think it mere bread and wine, for it is the Body and Blood of Christ, according to the Lord's declaration. . . Having learned this and being assured of it, that appears to be bread is not bread, though perceived by the taste, but the Body of Christ, and what appears to be wine is not wine, though the taste says so, but the Blood of Christ . . . strengthen thy heart, partaking of it as spiritual (food), and rejoice the face of thy soul."
Page 142 - Egeria - see Page 141 and notes
Page 143 - St. John's Day, December 27 - this is the feast of St. John the Apostle, as celebrated in the West. In the Eastern Church John the Apostle has two feast days : September 26 and May 8.
Page 143 - the Holy Innocents were the children of Bethlehem who were killed on Herod's orders - see Matt. 2:16-18
Page 144 - Martin of Tours - see Page 142
Copyright © 2005 Shirley J. Rollinson, all Rights Reserved
