FASTS AND PENANCES--How observed--Indulgences--Spain is privileged by the
Bull of the Holy Crusade--Description of that bull--Prices of
copies--Commissary-General of Crusades--His Revenues--Their shameful
application--Copy of that bull--Other acts of penance--The _Disciplina_
or whipping--_Cilicios_.
The Roman Catholic Church prescribes two kinds of mortification with
respect to food, viz., fasting and abstinence from meat. Fasting is
obligatory during the whole period of Lent, and on the eve of each
principal feast-day in the year. To comply with this obligation, it is
enough to eat a mere formal meal on these days, consisting of some light
vegetable diet in the morning, and again in the evening. This
observance, however, admits of some indulgence, and confessors are wont
to absolve many of their penitents from its severity, under pretext of
their having to do hard work, or to contend with physical infirmity. The
clergy, besides the fasting common to all the devout, are bound also,
during the holy week, to abstain from eggs, milk, and all sorts of food
which come under the denomination of _lacticinio_, or any thing of which
milk or eggs form a component part. Friars and nuns fast, also, during
the whole of the period called advent; and when those obligations are
truly performed, there is no doubt that they have a considerable
influence on the physical constitution. Medical men are authorised to
consent to its infraction by their patients. In some religious
communities of both sexes, but especially in those of the Capuchines, the
fast-days are multiplied to such an extent, that they compose the greater
number of days in the year.
Abstinence from meat varies in the different bishoprics, according to the
established custom or the bishop's will. In France, for example, in some
dioceses they never eat animal food on Fridays or Saturdays; in others,
Friday only is a fast-day, but in all of them abstinence from meat is
obligatory during the whole of Lent, Sundays excepted.
Spain is a country privileged in this respect. By virtue of a
contribution paid to the government, and which the latter divides with
the Pope, Spaniards are absolved from the greater part of all those
duties. The origin of this privilege dates from the time of the
crusades, when the popes, in order to meet the expenses of those
expeditions, imposed this tribute on Spaniards, in exchange for the
dispensation. In course of time, however, this usage was abolished; but
Charles III. solicited of the Pope its renovation, with a view of
depriving the English of the vast sums of money which they received in
Spain from the produce of the stockfish (_bacalao_) of Terranova. This
singular institution, called the Holy Crusade, occupies a great number of
public officials, and had produced immense sums previous to the general
change of ideas brought about in Spain by the war of invasion by the
French. In every year, at the beginning of January, the Commissary of
the Holy Crusade, who is generally a high personage among the clergy, and
his attendants, set out in carriages, with a procession consisting of his
subalterns and the municipal body-guard of the city. In one of the
carriages is unfurled and exposed to view the standard of the Holy
Crusade. From that day the sale of the bull is opened, and several
thousands of copies of this bull are printed. The price of each copy is
about sevenpence. The printing is executed in a very inferior manner,
and the paper used for the occasion is of the most inferior quality. The
bull in substance states that the contributor, having paid the money
required for it, is authorised for a year to enjoy all the prerogatives
which it concedes to him. By its influence, the days of abstinence from
meat are reduced to Ash-Wednesday and the Fridays in Lent, the last three
days of the holy week, and the eve of the great festivals.
The Commissary-General of Crusades, the absolute master of this enormous
public revenue, is bound to deliver a part of the profits to the
treasury, and to lay out the rest in works of benevolence in such manner
as he, in the exercise of his charity, may think fit. This important
office is usually conferred on some one of the clergy who may happen to
be a favourite of the court; and almost every person who has attained
this distinction has been notorious for his luxuriousness and
prodigality. It is related of some of them in the time of Ferdinand
VII., that having exhausted all inventions in the culinary art, in the
splendid banquets given by them frequently to the chief persons of the
court, they have even placed upon their tables live sardines, brought
from a distance of three hundred miles through a country in which there
were no regular roads, swimming in sea water, in large glass bowls, and
after gratifying the guests with the amusement which such a spectacle
afforded, the little finned creatures were then sent to the kitchen, and
served up as a dish of the greatest delicacy.
It is a public thing in Madrid, and one which is spoken of without the
least disguise, that a large portion of those funds is set apart as
pensions of considerable amounts to the mistresses of grandees, and
persons in high offices of the state, and also in order to political and
other purposes, far alien to the objects of the institution. The Roman
Catholics of other countries are scarcely able to credit that so
monstrous an abuse of the pontifical authority really exists, it not
being possible to conceive that, for a paltry sum of money, Christians
can remain exempt from an obligation considered sacred by Catholicism.
We have alluded to the small sum paid to obtain that exemption; but the
tariff of the Holy Crusade exacts a larger sum from the nobility and
persons of high dignity. To those a bull is sold, which is called _Bula
de ilustres_, which costs from eight to twelve shillings; and in order to
leave the door open for the augmentation of those revenues, there is a
clause which says that every person purchasing them is bound, as a matter
of conscience, to contribute according to his ability.
In order that the reader may have a right idea of these bulls, we insert
a translation of one of them, which doubtless will be interesting:--
The Bull published and sold every year in Spain, and by which Spaniards,
and all Catholics resident in Spain, are authorised (provided they
purchase a copy of it) to eat meat on certain days of the week and
throughout Lent, when Catholics in all other parts of the world are bound
to abstain from eating meat.
M.DCCC.LII.
Summary of Faculties, Indulgences, and Graces, which our Most Holy
Father Pius IX. (who now governs the church), deigns to concede, by
the Bull of the Holy Crusade, to all the faithful who, being in the
kingdoms of Spain and other the dominions subjected to his Catholic
Majesty, or coming to them, shall take it, giving the alms {174}
assessed by us for the same, expedited for the year 1852.
A long time ago, when infidel people made a cruel war against the
Catholic nations, and by their arms placed divers regions of Europe
in great danger, with risk to the faith and to souls, our Catholic
kings obtained apostolical letters from the Holy See, by which were
conceded many spiritual and temporal graces, during some years, to
those who might leave the Spanish dominions to fight against the
infidels, or who might assist those military expeditions with special
aid, contributing, to some extent, towards the expenses of such
necessary purposes. The same indulgence, with some additions or
declarations, was repeated many times afterwards by the Roman
pontiffs, and the necessity for continuing that war having ceased on
account of a change in the times, the last prorogations of this
indulgence were upon condition that the alms collected should be laid
out and employed in other pious objects. H. M. has recently
obtained, by entreaty of the Holy See, a further prorogation of the
said indulgence, with a view of applying the alms collected in
respect thereof towards the expenses of divine worship, in aid of
necessitous churches, or in the endowment of priestly seminaries, in
order, by this means, to repair the damages caused by the public
calamities which have afflicted us. Our most holy father,
benignantly hearkening to the entreaties of H. M., has not hesitated
to make this ample concession in favour of the objects indicated, and
for the benefit of our queen and of all Spaniards. In order,
therefore, to have temples worthy of God, to whom they are
consecrated, and to form a clergy capable of fulfilling their high
and divine mission, our most holy father, Pius IX., listening
benignantly to the supplications of H. M., did, by the bull issued at
Gaeta on the 8th of May 1849, give us the privileges, indulgences,
and graces, contained in the bull of the Holy Crusade, the execution
of which is committed to us. Therefore we, Don Manuel Lopez
Santaella, priest, Knight Grand Cross of the royal and distinguished
Spanish order of Charles III., archdeacon of Huete, dignitary of the
holy church of Cuenca, president of its illustrious chapter, preacher
to H. M., member on his own right (_individuo nato_) of the royal
junta of the Immaculate Conception, and of various literary
societies, only judge of the new liturgy, president of the
apostolical commission of the subsidy of the clergy, of the tribunal
of the grace of the _Excusado_, and of that of the general treasury
of _Espolios y Vacantes_, {176} senator of the kingdom, and
apostolical commissary-general of the Holy Crusade, and other
pontifical graces in all the dominions of H. M., with a view of
making them known to the faithful, and that they may be able to avail
themselves of so precious a treasure, reduce them into a summary in
the form following:--
In the first place,--To our lady the queen, who with constant care
and diligence watches over the propagation of our holy Catholic
faith, the splendour of the worship, and the decorum of the temples;
and to all the faithful Christians who are on the Spanish territory,
or who may come to it within the year, reckoning from the day of the
publication of this bull, and who shall contribute to such holy ends
with their alms, taking this summary, and having our authority to
enjoy the graces in it contained, his holiness concedes the same
plenary indulgence which has been accustomed to be conceded to those
who went to the conquest of the Holy Land, and in the year of
Jubilee; if contrite for their sins they shall confess them with the
mouth and receive the holy sacrament of the eucharist, or, not being
able to confess, desire truly to do so.
Item,--To those above said, his holiness concedes that even in time
of interdict (provided they have not given cause for it, nor been an
obstacle to its being raised), and having permission for it from the
commissary-general, even one hour before daybreak, and another after
noon, can within the same year celebrate, if they are presbyters, or
cause masses to be celebrated and other divine offices in their
presence, and in the presence of their familiar friends, domestics,
and relatives, and receive the eucharist and other sacraments (except
on Easter-day), as well as in churches where, on the other hand, it
is permitted in any mode of celebration whatever of the divine
offices during such interdict, as in a private oratory set apart
solely for divine worship, and that it may be visited and appointed
by the ordinary; and that they may assist at the divine offices in
time of interdict, it being their duty, provided they use it for the
said purpose, always to pray to God for the prosperity of the Roman
Catholic apostolic Church, for the peace and concord of Christian
princes, and for the other pious ends already expressed. In like
manner, it is conceded to them that their bodies may be buried in the
said time of interdict with moderate funeral pomp, as if they had not
died excommunicated.
Item,--That during the said year of publication, they being in the
said Spanish territory (but not out of it), may eat meat, by the
advice both of their spiritual and corporal physicians, in all times
of fasting throughout the year, even those in Lent, and in the same
way, at their own free will, eat eggs and _lacticinios_ (any thing
made up with milk), so that it is understood the obligation to fast
will be satisfied by those who eat meat, as much as it will be by
those who strictly observe the form of fasting. In which pardon are
comprehended the religious persons of all military orders, but
excepting from it all patriarchs, archbishops, bishops, inferior
prelates, regular ecclesiastics, and secular presbyters, who may not
have attained sixty years of age, and, out of Lent, all of them may
have recourse to such pardon in respect of eating eggs and
_lacticinios_.
Item,--As to the faithful who contribute their alms in form
aforesaid, and who, in order to implore the divine aid for the ends
above expressed, shall fast voluntarily on days not appointed as
fast-days, or, being lawfully hindered from fasting, shall do some
other pious work at the free-will of their confessor or parish
priest, and pray to God for those ends; as often as they shall do so,
so often shall they be released and freed mercifully by the Lord for
fifteen years and fifteen times forty days from the penance imposed
on them owing to whatever cause, and shall, besides, be made
partakers of all the prayers, alms, pilgrimages (even those to
Jerusalem), and of all other good works done in the church militant,
and by every one of its members.
Item,--Those who devoutly visit, on each one of the days of the
_Estaciones_ of Rome, five churches or altars, or in default of such
five, five times the same altar, and pray to God for the expressed
ends, shall obtain a plenary indulgence, as well for themselves as
also, by way of suffrage, for the deceased persons in whose favour
they make such visit and prayer.
Item,--In order that all those, and each one of those before-named,
may pray to God with more facility, and more efficaciously implore
his divine aid, it is conceded to them that they shall be at liberty
to choose a secular or regular confession from those approved by the
ordinary, and to obtain from him plenary indulgence, and remission of
whatever sins and censures, even those reserved to the apostolical
see (except the crime of mixed heresy, and, as to ecclesiastics, the
censure treated of in the constitution of Benedict XIV., _sacramentum
Poenitentiae_), once in their lives, and again in the article of
death; imposing on themselves salutary penance, according to what the
crimes demand, and so that if satisfaction may be necessary they may
give it of themselves, or by their heirs or others in case of
impediment. All vows also, excepting those of ultramarine, chastity,
and religion, may be commutated by the same confessor for the
performance of some other good work, and some contribution towards
the said ends.
Item,--If death shall occur within the said year without confession,
in consequence of the death being sudden, or for want of confessors,
still the same plenary indulgence shall be extended as if they had
died contrite, and as though they had been confessed at the proper
time determined by the church, and had not been negligent in doing so
through confidence in this concession.
And it is declared that in each year it shall be competent to take
two summaries of the said bull, and thus enjoy, twice within that
period, all the indulgences, graces, and privileges, which are above
expressed.
And to us, the said apostolical commissary-general, his holiness
concedes that we may be able to dispense and compound for any
irregularity whatsoever, provided it shall not arise out of any
wilful homicide, simony, apostasy from the faith, heresy, or bad
inception of orders; and in like manner to absolve those who shall
have contracted matrimony, there being impediment of secret affinity,
arising from previous illicit copulation, one of the contracting
parties being ignorant of it at the time of the contract, in order
that they may be able to celebrate it anew between themselves
(although it be secretly) for conscience' sake; and also, in order
that they may, after celebrating the matrimony, and contracting a
similar impediment, demand their conjugal rights; and we, earnestly
desiring the good of souls, authorise the confessors, in order that
(in the article of death, only and without the obligation of giving
account to us) they may use these our faculties, and apply the
privileges and indulgences contained in this summary, to those who,
being extremely poor, are not able to pay for it; and those who,
truly penitent, desire to obtain these graces, imposing upon them the
obligation of afterwards taking them if they have an exit out of
danger in the case for which they have recourse to it.
* * * * *
And inasmuch as, besides the other faculties, his holiness concedes
to us power to suspend, during the year of the publication of this
bull, all indulgences and graces, similar and dissimilar, conceded by
apostolical authority to any churches, monasteries, hospitals, pious
places, universities, brotherhoods, and private persons, in the said
kingdoms and dominions, although they may be in favour of the fabric
of the chapel of St Peter at Rome, or of any other similar crusade,
even containing clauses contrary to such suspension, as also that we
may re-validate in favour of those who participate in the indulgences
and graces of this bull what we may have suspended:
From henceforth, therefore, using the said apostolical authority, we
suspend, during the year of publication of this bull, the said
indulgences and graces, which, as aforesaid, we have power to
suspend, so that no person whosoever is able to publish, preach to,
or profit, any one in common or in particular, except he takes and
has this said bull, in whose favour only we re-validate them, in
order that they may be enjoyed by those who may have them, supposing
that our pass and examination shall have been previously obtained;
provided, that neither at the time of publishing or making them known
to the faithful, or in distributing the summaries of them, nor
before, nor afterwards, on any occasion or pretext, shall they ask
alms of any kind for the churches, sanctuaries, hospitals,
congregations, or other pious communities, at whose instance they may
have been conceded; for if such are asked, it is not our will to make
the said re-validation; on the contrary, we desire that the said
suspension shall remain in force, in order that not even those who
have the bull of the Holy Crusade shall be able to gain the
indulgences which, in manner aforesaid, are published, circulated, or
distributed.
On the other hand, by virtue of the same apostolical authority, which
also has been to us conceded, we suspend the interdict, if such there
be, in whatsoever place wherein this bull shall be preached or
published, for eight days before and eight days afterwards.
And we declare, that those who wish to enjoy its indulgences and
graces must take (purchase) and retain this summary of them, printed,
sealed, and signed with our seal and name, in order that no one can
err touching the graces to them conceded, nor any one usurp them, and
that every one may be able to show by what faculty he uses them.
_And_ inasmuch as you, _John Doe_, contribute the alms of three
_reales de vellon_ (about 7.5d.), being the amount which, in virtue
of apostolical authority, we have assessed, and take this summary
(which you must take care to have written out in your own name), we
declare that power is conceded to you to use and enjoy all the said
indulgences, faculties, and graces, in form aforesaid. Given in
Madrid the seventh of January 1851.
* * * * *
_Summary_ of the days of the _Estaciones_ of Rome, on which, by
concession of his holiness, plenary indulgences may be gained by
those who, having taken this bull, devoutly visit five churches or
altars, or, for want of these, one five times, praying to God for
union and concord between Christian princes, and for the ends of the
church; and also, on each day of making the same visit, they may draw
a soul out of purgatory by virtue of such plenary indulgence.
Days on which a plenary indulgence may be gained.
On each of the four Sundays in Advent.
On the Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, of the four _Temporas_ in
the year (the beginning of each of the four seasons of the year).
On the three Rogation days in May.
On the eve of the Nativity of our Lord, and at each of its three
masses.
On the days of St Stephen, St John the Evangelist, and the Holy
Innocents.
On the day of our Lord's Circumcision, and on that of the Epiphany.
On the Sundays of Septuagesima, Sexagesima, and Quinquagesima.
On all the days in Lent.
On the first eight days after the Resurrection.
On the Feast of St Mark.
On the day of our Lord's Ascension.
On the eve of the day of Pentecost.
On the six days following Pentecost.
Days on which a soul may be drawn out of Purgatory,
+ On Septuagesima Sunday.
+ On the Tuesday after the first Sunday in Lent.
+ On the Saturday after the second Sunday in Lent.
+ On the third and fourth Sundays in Lent.
+ On the Friday and Saturday before the fifth Sunday in Lent.
+ On the Wednesday of the octave of the Resurrection.
+ On the Tuesday and Saturday of the octave of Pentecost.
(Signed) * D. MANUEL LOPEZ SANTAELLA. [SEAL.] Madrid: Press of the
Holy Crusade.
In numerous families the tax of those bulls is very heavy, for the master
or mistress is bound to purchase a copy for each member residing under
the roof, including all the servants.
Within the last three years, the office of commissary-general of the
Crusade has been abolished, and the collection of the funds arising from
this source has devolved on the bishops of the respective dioceses.
Besides fasting, there are other acts of penance and mortification
practised by the truly devout, and some of these have already been
noticed in former chapters. The _disciplina_ (whipping) was the most in
use when Roman Catholicism flourished in Spain without a rival. It was
very common, in the processions of Holy Week, to see penitents with their
shoulders naked, whipping themselves in public with so much severity as
to cause them to be literally covered with blood. We know a town in
Andalusia in which this is encouraged by the clergy; but in that place
the penitents receive money in exchange for the floggings which they
inflict on themselves, and which sometimes have laid the foundation of
bodily complaints that have terminated in the death of the victims.
Some penitents make a vow to go, with naked feet, and even on their
knees, from their houses to a certain sanctuary; others wear _cilicios_
(hair-shirts) or girdles around their bodies; these practices, however,
are now almost entirely abolished, and are observed only in some of the
few convents of the religious orders remaining in the present day.
In times of great calamities, such as earthquakes and epidemics, this
spirit of penance is resuscitated and exercised with great fervour;
public prayers are offered up, and sermons are preached, which inspire
terror and increase the natural fear and alarm attending the catastrophe.
On these occasions the churches are filled, and nothing is heard in them
but shrieks of grief and expressions of repentance. But the misfortune
overpast, all those external signs of religious sentiment disappear, and
society at large once more returns to the usual routine of business and
pleasure.