Frank Henderson's Page on Liturgy and Medieval Women

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Sacraments and Burial

The following outline suggests a plan for studying the visibility and participation of women in the medieval liturgy. The documents that I actually prepare may or may not correspond exactly to this outline, however.

Mass (Eucharist)

	Basic Shape, Nature, Names
	The Variety of Women’s Experiences of Mass
		The communities that celebrated
			Parish, cathedral, women’s monasteries
		The spaces in which they celebrated
		The texts and rites used
			Gallican, Celtic, Old Spanish, Beneventan
			Ambrosian
			Roman
				Development
				Sunday, weekday
	Liturgical Books for Mass
	Language
	Audibility
	Liturgical Speech-forms
		Dialogues and responses; scripture readings; liturgical prayers
	Music
	Space and Furnishings for Mass
	Art and Decoration
		Altarpieces
	General
		Women who did not attend Sunday mass
		Disruption of the liturgy by women
		Advice to girls
	Gathering / Entrance
		Women as bell ringers
		Participation in the procession with blessed water
		Biblical women/saints in the Confiteor
		NT women who finds lost coins and Gloria: expositions of the mass
		Women in collects`
	Liturgy of the Word
		Women in the scripture readings
		Women as readers
		Bidding prayers
			References to women
			Inclusive language
		Preaching
			Inclusive language
			Stories about women
	Offertory
		Participation in the procession
		Inclusive language
		NT women going to the tomb: expositions of the mass
	Canon
		Biblical women / saints in the canon
		Iinclusive language in the mementos
	Communion
		Biblical women / saints in the Libera me
		Special blessings for women
		Baker of altar bread
		Minister of holy communion
		Communion veils
		Adaptation of the communion rite for women
		Frequency of communion
	Closing
		Baking of holy bread
		Refusal to do so
	Ministry
		Women vesting and standing at the altar
		Altar server
		Clerks
	Communion Outside Mass
		Newly consecrated virgins
		In communities of women
			Abbesses
		[see also communion for the sick]
	Spirituality
	top

Baptism

	Basic Shape; Nature; Names
	The Varieties of Women’s Experiences of Baptism
		The communities
		The space
		The texts and rites
	Baptisteries and Fonts
		Names
		Art and decoration
		Influence of liturgical readings for Lent, Easter
			Samaritan woman, Women at the tomb
	The Catechumenate
		Female catechumens and candidates
		Female sponsors and parents
		Liturgical texts
			Susanna
	The Liturgy of Baptism
		Litany of saints
		Images of mother and of womb
	Baptism in Monastic Communities
		Of women, of men
	Baptism of Infants and Children
		The mother
		The godmother
		The midwife
	Clinical (emergency) Baptism
		Role of the midwife
	Communion at Baptism

Confirmation

	Basic shape, etc.
	Varieties of Women’s Experiences of Confirmation
		Combined with baptism, separately, for adults
		Separately, for children
	In the church. At the roadside
	top

Penance

	Basic Shapes
	Varieties of Women’s Experiences of Penance
		The community
		The space
		The texts and rites
	Public Penance
		During Lent
		Outside Lent
		Liturgical texts
			Mary Magdalene
			The women who anointed Jesus
	Communal Penance: Lenten Discipline
	Private Penance
	Confession and Penance in Monastic Communities
		Role of the abbess
		Role of priest-confessors

Liturgies for the Sick and Dying

	Varieties of Women’s Experiences
		Communities
		Spaces
		Texts and rites
	Visitation and Anointing of the Sick
		Communion for the sick
		Litany of the saints
		Adaptations of the anointing for women
		Biblical women in liturgical prayers
			Sarah-T, Peter’s mother-in-law, Tabitha
	Commendation of the Dying: Libera Domine
		Biblical women and women saints:
			Susanna, Mary Magdalene, Tecla, Judith, Esther
	Viaticum
	Women Lepers and the Rite of Separation
	Bidding Prayers in Crusader Hospitals
	Sunday Bidding Prayers
	top

Death, Burial and Remembrance after Death

	Basic Shape, etc.
	Varieties of Women’s Experiences of Funeral and Related Liturgies
		Community
		Spaces
		Texts and rites
	Preparing the Body for Burial
	Women at Funerals
		Guild members
		Poor women
		Role for girls
		Mourning and sitting on the grave
	The Funeral Liturgies
		Hours, Mass, Processions
		Role of women in planning the liturgy
	Prayers and Liturgies After Burial
		Prayers for dead women
		For women familiars
		For a dead women / women
		For sisters of the community
		For parents / mothers
		Bidding prayer
		Month’s mind, obits, anniversaries
	Women Who Pray for the Dead
	Women in Books of Life and Necrologies
		In books of life
		In necrologies for the liturgy of the chapter house

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J. Frank Henderson