Der St. Albans Psalter und seine liturgische Verwendung

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BERNHARD GALLISTL: Der St. Albans Psalter und seine liturgische Verwendung
English abstract
The St Albans Psalter was not intended for the purpose of private usage but
for the abbey and its church service. Against this background the texts from
the beginning become comprehensible within their context. The liturgical
basis of the legends of Alexius and Secundinus, both of which concern the
tradition of the post-paschal image of Jesus Christ, lies in the shroud, which
was presented in the Gospel of the Easter morning (Joh 20,7). Those legends
were reported in the vernacular speech and could pass on the message of
resurrection in a vivid manner. The subsequent tale of the disciples’
peregrination to Emmaus is an elaborated version of the Gospel of the Easter
evening. The prayers of the psalms, which represent the main part, are
introduced by a marginal text. The origin of the book coincides with a time of
recovery and reforms of the abbey which reached its apex with the transfer of
St Alban’s remains on August 2, 1129. Since in the monastery the psalm
prayer underwent a major extension at this festival, this date is likely for the
endowment of the psalter.
The hermit Alexius was an icon of the spirit of reform which arose at this
point. At this time (probably 1114), a chapel was consecrated to him in the
south of the choir. As a consequence of the changes in the liturgical usage of
the fourth Lateran council (1215), the saint became less important.
However, the chapel did not lose its importance for the church service, the
monastary’s Office of the Dead and the memory of men of worth, which are
partly already mentioned in the calendar of the psalter. After the art history
finding that some artists were involved in the illustration of all parts, now a
liturgical point of origin was able to establish a connection with regards to
content. This may give a new impulse to the codicological discussion on the
unity of the whole book.
Dr. Bernhard Gallistl
Dombibliothek Hildesheim
Domhof 30
31134 Hildesheim