‎M. C. Comte;‎
‎reliquaires du Proche-Orient et de Chypre a la periode protobyzantine (IVe -VIIIe siecle) Types, emplacements, fonctions et cultes,‎

‎Turnhout, Brepols, 2012 Paperback, approx. 520 p., 582 b/w ill., 220 x 280 mm. ISBN 9782503542126.‎

Reference : 34527

‎After the Peace of the Church, the cult of martyrs, which had previously been forbidden and observed only clandestinely in cemeteries, was officially recognised and practised in churches. The first reliquaries of Palestine and Syria became particularly abundant in the 5th and 6th centuries, both in these provinces and in the province of Arabia. Numerous discoveries during the last forty years have increased our knowledge of these liturgical objects, during a period in which the Christian cult was being established, and provide confirmation of well-known texts and literary sources. They shed new light on the purpose of reliquaries and on the different phases of development of the cult of martyrs in the patriarchates of Jerusalem and Antioch. The book is divided into two parts: an Overview (first part) and a Catalogue (second part). Drawing on examples from the catalogue, the author discusses the physical appearance of reliquaries and their location in the church, and the changes that are believed to have occurred in the veneration of saints. Notable differences exist between provinces and bishoprics. The location and installation of mobile reliquaries, which vary within the three provinces of Palestine, are often repeated with minor differences in the liturgical practices of the province of Arabia; there are similarities also in the form of the reliquaries and the method of veneration. The mountains of northern Syria are a special case, because the reliquaries are large, many have been found in the same room, and they are never found in the apse, but always in a small room attached to the church (the martyrion). 'Flowing Oil' is always a feature. Syrian influence can also be found in the neighbouring provinces of Euphratesia and Cyprus. The Catalogue comprises examples of more than 250 reliquaries from the Near East and Cyprus. Where possible, entries are classified by Roman province, and include a description of the reliquary and details of its origin; some of these are still located in ancient Christian monuments. In addition, some examples which are now in museums are described, a few of them never having been classified, and not all of them having a known origin. C'est a partir de la Paix de l'Eglise que le culte des martyrs jusqu'alors interdit et cache, limite aux cimetieres, s'est developpe de facon officielle, prenant place dans les eglises. Les premiers reliquaires apparus en Palestine et en Syrie connurent un grand essor aux Ve et VIe siecles dans ces provinces ainsi qu'en Arabie. Les nombreuses decouvertes effectuees au cours des quarante dernieres annees ont considerablement augmente notre connaissance de ces objets liturgiques, pendant cette periode de mise en place du culte chretien, confirmant ainsi les textes, et sources litteraires connues et ajoutant des informations complementaires, sur leur fonctionnement et sur les phases d?evolution du culte des martyrs dans les patriarcats de Jerusalem et d'Antioche. L'ouvrage se compose de deux parties : un texte de synthese (premiere partie) et un inventaire sous forme de catalogue (deuxieme partie). Se fondant sur les exemples du catalogue, l'auteur a procede a l'etude des reliquaires en fonction de leur forme, de leur emplacement dans l'eglise et des modifications supposees etre intervenues dans le culte des saints. Selon les provinces et les eveches de rattachement, des variations notables sont en effet decelables. La position variable des reliquaires mobiles dans les trois provinces de Palestine et les installations qui les accompagnent se retrouvent avec quelques differences dans certains des arrangements liturgiques de la province d'Arabie. Les formes adoptees et les modes de veneration sont proches egalement. La region des jebels de Syrie du Nord constitue un monde a part, a la fois par la taille considerable des reliquaires et leur nombre important dans la meme piece, ainsi que le systeme de ? circulation d'huile ? , unanimement adopte pour la veneration. L'influence de cette region est sensible dans les provinces voisines : Euphratesie, Phenicie II et a Chypre. Le catalogue est constitue d'un corpus de plus de 250 reliquaires provenant du Proche-orient et de Chypre, classe par provinces romaines, donnant le detail des lieux de trouvaille et de la variete des objets parfois encore en place dans les monuments chretiens. S'y ajoutent des exemples conserves dans les musees, certains inedits, dont la provenance est plus incertaine. Languages: French.‎