Amalarius of Metz, (c. 780-c. 850AD)

Amalarius, Bishop of Metz was a leading spokesman for a 9th and 10th Century movement within the church that sought to exploit the rhetorical (and therefore didactic) advantages of theatrical methods to appeal to their parishioners. Around 811, Amalarius of Metz became Bishop of Trèves (Trier). Subsequently, he his career took him to Constantinople, Aix-la-Chapelle, Paris and Rome. He governed the Diocese of Lyons during the exile of Agobard during which time he attempted to introduce his new antiphonary into the worship there, but met with strong opposition from Florus, the deacon. When Agobard was restored to his see, he joined Florus in attacking the writings of Amalarius, which led to his censure at a synod at Kiersy in 838 for his opinion concerning the signification of the parts of the divided Host at Mass.

One of his most important works was the De ordine antiphonarii (On the arrangement of the antiphons) in which he explains the arrangement of the Divine Office and the variations for the different feasts, and considers in particular the origin and meaning of the antiphons and responses. In effect, it is a commentary on his own antiphonary compiled from the antiphonaries of Rome and Metz, and a defender of his method of composition.

He clearly used "more liberty in composing, changing, and transposing liturgical texts than ecclesiastical authority in later ages would permit, when the necessity of unity in the liturgy was more imperatively felt." Though his antiphonary is sadly lost, a few of his services have been preserved, like the ordo for the dedication of a church which follows. The "theatrical" qualities of the little ritual should be self-evident.

Amalarius' Service for the consecration of a church:

Incipit pontifex aquam aspargere consecratam a foris, sequendo feretro reliquiarum, cleroque canente antiphonam Asperges me, Domine, icum psalmo quinquagesimo, sed uno ex clericis in nova ecclesia clausis ostiis quasi latente. Nam pontifex circumit ecclesiam ab ostio in partem aquilonarem prima vice usque iterum ad idem ostium; et cum illic perventum fuerit, pulsat ostium tribus vicibus, dicendo:

Tollite portas, principes, vestras, et elevamini, portae aeternales, et introibit rex gloriae.

Ille deintus respondens dicat :

Quis est iste rex gloriae ?

Iterum circumienda est ecclesia secunda vice sicut prius, cum eadem antiphona et eodem psalmo, usquedum perveniatur ad ostium, atque iterm pulsetur sicut prius eisdem verbis et idem respondente deintus latente. Tunc tertio iterum circumienda est eodem modo cum eodem cantu usque iterum ad ostium. Tunc dicenti pontifici et pulsanti respondendum est ei sicut prius :

Quis est iste rex gloriae ?

Pontifex respondeat :

Dominus virtutum, ipse est rex gloriae.

Tunc aperientur ostia et canenda est antiphona Ambulate, sancti Dei, ingredimini in domum Domini, cum psalmo Laetus sum in his quae dicta sunt mihi,edt cetera. Et ille qui prius fuerat intus quasi fugiens dgrediatur ad illud ostium foras, iterum ingressurus per primum ostium vestitus vestimentis eccleiasticis.

Tr. WST :

The Bishop begins to sprinkle holy water from the place of assembly, followed by the bier of the relics, and the clergy singing the antiphon Sprinkle me, O Lord, with the fiftieth psalm, but one of the clergy, as if hiding, [stays] in the new church behind the closed doors. Now the Bishop circles around the church the first time from the door to the north until [he comes] again to the same door; and when he has reached it, he strikes the door three times, saying:

Lift up your gates, O princes, and be raised, you eternal doors, and the King of Glory will enter in.

The one within says in response:

Who is this King of Glory?

Again the church is circled a second time as the first, with the same antiphon and the same psalm, until again the door is reached and again the door is struck just as the first time with the same words and the same response from the one within. Then again the third circle in the same way with the same singing until the door is again reached. Then, replying to the Bishop as he speaks and knocks, as before, [the one within speaks]

Who is this King of Glory?

The Bishop responds:

The Lord of Hosts, the same is the King of Glory.

Then, the door is opened and the antiphon "Step forth, Holy God, enter into the house of the Lord" is sung with the psalm I am most joyful in these things that are said to me, etc. And let the one who was at first within, as if fleeing, go out at that door so that he may enter though the first door dressed in his ecclesiastical garb.