Cap. XV
QUIBUS TEMPORIBUS DICATUR ALLELUJA

[Ms P, fol. 80r – Paulus Diaconus – 
Ps.-Basil: Ms K¹, fol. 3v; Ms E¹, fol. 91v; Ms. E2, fol. 138r]

Ch. 15
AT WHAT TIMES THE ALLELUIA SHOULD BE SAID

Translated by: Zachary Guiliano

₁A sancto Pascha usque ad Pentecosten sine intermissione dicatur Alleluja tam in psalmis, quam in responsoriis.

₁From Holy Pascha [Easter] until Pentecost the Alleluia is said without pause both in Psalms and in responsories.

De Alleluja jam superius dictum est, cujus linguae sit et quid interpretetur, et quare translatores illud noluerunt interpretari in latinum in ipsis libris, in quibus invenitur, sicut alia verba interpretari studuerunt.

Concerning the Alleluia it was already mentioned above concerning its language and how it is translated, and why translators did not wish to translate it into Latin in those books in which it is found as they diligently translated other words.

Nunc videndum est, qua ratione dicit a sancto Pascha usque ad Pentecosten, cum Pascha dicitur totis illis quinquaginta diebus? Sed cum dicit a sancto Pascha usque ad Pentecosten, quasi diceret: ab initio Paschae usque ad finem Paschae.

Now it must be seen, for what reason he [St Benedict] says from Holy Pascha [Easter] until Pentecost, when Pascha is the name for the whole fifty days? But when he says from Holy Pascha until Pentecost, it is as if it said: from the beginning of Pascha until the end of Pascha.

Ideo enim dicit sine intermissione, quia in omnibus psalmis praeter de completoriis, et in omnibus versibus et in omnibus responsoriis vult dici Alleluja.

Therefore he says without pause, because in all Psalms except at Compline and in all verses and in all responsories he wishes the Alleluia to be said.

Notandum est enim, quia, cum dicit usque Pentecosten, intelligitur, usque ad octavam Pentecosten Alleluja cantari debere. In hoc etiam loco videndum est, quare alii dimittunt Alleluja a septuagesima, cum S. Benedictus usque ad caput quadragesimae dicit canendum esse Alleluja. Ideo dimittunt in capite septuagesimae, quia mos fuit apud antiquos, a septuagesima incipere initium quadragesimae et sic dimittebatur Alleluja. Nam antiquis usus fuit, antequam septuagesima celebraretur, in capite quadragesimae dimitti Alleluja, sicut initium quadragesimae incipiebatur, sicut etiam nunc multae ecclesiae [page 304] faciunt.

For it must be noted that when he says until Pentecost, it is understood to mean that the Alleluia ought to be chanted until the Octave of Pentecost. In this place also it must be seen why others omit the Alleluia from Septuagesima, because St Benedict says the Alleluia must be changed until the beginning of Lent. Therefore, they omit it at the beginning of Septuagesima because it was the custom among the ancients to start the beginning of Lent from Septuagesima and thus the Alleluia was omitted. For the ancient custom was, before Septuagesima was celebrated, the Alleluia was omitted at the beginning of Lent, as the beginning of Lent had started, as now many churches also [page 304] do.

Deinde, sicut diximus, quia crevit consuetudo, ut in capite septuagesimae inciperetur initium quadragesimae, [et] propterea in ipso die dimittebatur Alleluja. Sed quia recessit consuetudo incipiendi jejunium, ut non in septuagesima, sed [quamvis] in quadragesima incipiatur jejunium, tamen de Alleluja dimittendo non recessit, sed praevaluit usus, ut in septuagesima dimitteretur.

Then, as we said, because the custom increased, that the beginning of Lent started at the beginning of Septuagesima, therefore in the Alleluia was omitted on that same day. But [although] the custom of fasting begins in Lent, still St Benedict does not draw away from omitting the Alleluia, but the custom that it is omitted in Lent prevails.

Sequitur: ₂A Pentecosten autem usque in caput quadragesimae omnibus noctibus cum sex posterioribus psalmis tantum ad nocturnas dicatur.

It follows: ₂Moreover, every night from Pentecost until the beginning of Lent it [the Alleluia] must be said with the six last psalms at the Night Office.

Initium sane et causa festivitatis pentecosten paulo latius repetenda est. Pentecosten enim dies hinc coepit exordium [omitted in ed. Mittermüller, inserted from CCSL 103:] quando dei vox in Sina monte desuper intonatntis audita est et lex data est Moysi. In novo autem testamento pentecosten coepit quando adventum sancti spiritus quem Christus promisit, exhibuit. Quem ait non esse venturum nisi ipse ascendisset in caelum. Denique dum portam caeli Christus intrasset, decem diebus interpositis, intremuit subito orantibus apostolis locus et discendente spiritu sancto super eos inflammati sunt ita ut linguis omnium gentium dei magnalia loquerentur [cf. Acts 2:1-11]. Adventus itaque spiritus sancti de caelo super apostolos in varietate linguarum diffusa solemnitatem transmisit in posteros, eaque de causa pentecosten celebratur et dies ipse proinde insignis habetur.

Clearly the beginning and cause of the feast of Pentecost must be recalled a little more broadly. For day of Pentecost begins the exhortation: When the voice of God was heard intoning upon Mt Sinai, and the law was given to Moses. However in the New Testament, Pentecost begins when Christ showed the coming of the Holy Spirit, which he promised. Which he said would not come unless he had ascended into heaven. Then, when Christ had entered the gate of heaven, with ten days passed, the place shook suddenly with the Apostles’ prayers and, when the Holy Spirit descended upon them, they were set aflame, such that they spoke of the mighty deeds of God in the tongues of all nations [cf. Acts 2:1-11]. Therefore, the coming of the Holy Spirit from heaven upon the Apostles in a diffuse variety of tongues transmitted the solemnity to posterity, and for that reason Pentecost is celebrated and the same day is hence held to be distinguished.

Concordat autem haec festivitas evangelii cum festivitate legis, illuc enim posteaquam agnis immolatus est, interpositis quinquaginta diebus, data est lex Moysi scripta digito dei: Hic postquam occisus est Christus qui tamquam ovis ad immolandum ductus est [cf. Is 53:7], celebratur verum pascha et, interpositis quinquaginta diebus, datur spiritus sanctus qui est digitus dei super centum viginti discipulos Moysaicae aetatis numero constitutos.

However, this feast of the Gospel is in harmony with the feast of the Law, for there, after the lamb was sacrificed and fifty days had passed, the Law of Moses was given, written by the finger of God: here, after Christ was killed, who was led as a sheep to be sacrificed [cf. Is 53:7], the true Pascha [Easter] is celebrated and, with fifty days in between, the Holy Spirit was given, who was the finger of God upon the one hundred and twenty disciples, ordered to the number of the Mosaic age.

Siquidem et haec festivitas aliud obtinet sacramentum. Constat enim ex septimana septimanarum. Sed dierum quidem septimanae generant eandem pentecosten, in quo fit peccati remissio per spiritum sanctum; annorum vero septimanae quinquagestimum annum faciunt qui apud Hebreos iubeleus nominatur, in quo similiter terrae fit remissio et servorum libertas et possessionum restitutio quae pretio fuerant conparatae. Septum etenim septies multiplicati quinquagenarium ex se generant numerum, adsumpta monde quam ex futuri saeculi figura presumptam esse maiorum auctoritas tradit. Fit enim ipsa et octaava semper et prima, immo ipsa est semper una quae est omnis dies.

Indeed, this feast also possesses another sacrament. For it was ordered from the seventh set of weeks. But the sevens of the days gives birth to the same Pentecost, in which was the remission of sin through the Holy Spirit; but from the seventh years they make the fiftieth year which was named among the Hebrews ‘Jubilee’, in which there should likewise be remission of the earth and the freeing of slaves and the restitution of possessions which were bought for a price. The sevens multiplied seven times produce the number fifty from themselves, once unity is assumed, which the authority of our forebears tells is presumed from the future shape of the world. This is also always the first octave; indeed it is always the one which is every day.

Necesse est enim sabbatismum animarum populi dei illuc occurrere atque ibi conpleri ubi datur pars his qui octo, sicut quidam disserens Salomonis dicta spienter exposuit. Idcorco autem totius qunquagesimae dies post domini resurectionem, resolute abstinentia, in sola laetitia celebrantur propter figuram futurae resurrectionis ubi iam non labor sed requis erit laetititae. Ideoque his diebus nec genua in oratione flectuntur quia, sicutquidam sapientium ait, inflexio genuum paenitentiae et luctus indicium est. Unde etiam per omnia eandem in illis solemnitatem quam die dominico custodmus, inqua maoires nostri nec ieiunium agendum nec genua esse flectenda ob reverantiam resurrectionis dominicae] tradiderunt [Isidore of Seville, De Officiis Ecclesiasticis I, c. 34.1-6, CCSL].

For it was necessary for the the Sabbath observation of the souls of God’s people to recur there and also to be fulfilled in that place, where the part was given to those who were eight, as indeed one examining the sayings of Solomon explained wisely. Therefore, for that reason every day of Quinquagesima after the resurrection of the Lord should be celebrated with resolute abstinence in sole joy for the sake of the shape of future resurrection where there will be no labor but the rest of joy. And therefore on those days, the knees are not bent in prayer because as a certain wise man said, the bending of the knees is the sign of penitence and grief. Whence also in every way we keep the same solemnity among those things which are [done] on the Lord’s Day, on which our forebears passed on that neither fasting should be done nor should the knee be bent for the sake of reverence for the Lord’s resurrection [Isidore of Seville, De Officiis Ecclesiasticis I, c. 34.1-6].

Pentecosten sicut et Pascha, ut idem Isidorus dicit, apud Hebraeos celebris dies erat, quod post quinque decadas Paschae celebrabatur, unde et vocabulum sumpsit; pente enim graece, latine quinque dicitur. In quo die secundum legem panes propositionis de novis frugibus offerebantur. Cujus figuram annus jubilaeus in testamento veteri gessit, quae nunc iterum per figuram repromissionis aeternam requiem praefigurat [Isidore of Seville, Etymologiae VI, c. 18.4-5].

Pentecost, just like Pascha [Easter], as the same Isidore said, was a day of celebration among the Hebrews, which was celebrated after the five decades of Pascha, from whence it even takes its name; for what is called ‘pente’ in Greek is ‘quinque’ in Latin. On which day, according to the law, the offertory loaves were offered from the first fruits. The Jubilee year had worn the same figure in the Old Testament, which now again prefigures eternal rest in the form of a promise [Isidore of Seville, Etymologiae VI, c. 18.4-5].

Et hoc intuendum est, quia intentio S. Benedicti est: [ut] sive sit festivitas sanctorum in Pentecosten, semper vult, ut et responsoria et psalmi et versus cum Alleluja dicantur. Similiter etiam intentio est S. Benedicti ut post Pentecosten numquam dicatur responsorium cum Alleluja, sive sit festivitas sanctorum sive non festivitas sanctorum, unde nos ipsum responsorium, quod in Epiphania canitur cum Alleluja, ob hoc dimisimus illud, quia regula praecipit, ut nunquam dicantur responsoria cum Alleluja, et rel.

And this must be understood because it was the intention of St Benedict: whether [or not] it is the feast of the saints in Pentecost, he always wished that both responsory and psalms and verse should be said with the Alleluia. Similarly, it was also the intention of St Benedict that after Pentecost the responsory would never be said with the Alleluia, whether it was a feast of the saints or not, which is why we omit the same responsory which is chanted in Epiphany with the Alleluia, because the Rule prescribes that the responsory should never be said with the Alelluia, etc.

Et hoc notandum est, quia definitum est in synodo, ut dominica Septuagesimae, quando Alleluja [page 305] dimittitur, debeant responsoria etiam cum Alleluja cantari, et, quia ibi dimittitur, ideo debent cantari. Sed sunt alii monachi studiosiores, quam illi, qui consenserunt, et dicunt: ‘Nolumus in illa dominica cantare, ut si in aliis dominicis regulam observamus, quare debeamus uno die transgredi regulam?’ Nos autem in nostro monasterio similiter non cantamus responsorium cum Alleluja in Septuagesima, sed de psalmis canimus responsoria, quae in septimana cantantur, eo quod regula dicit: ₄Nunquam vero responsoria dicantur cum Alleluja nisi a Pascha usque ad Pentecosten.

And this must be noted because it was decreed in synod, that on the Lord’s Day in Septuagesima when the Alleluia [page 305] is omitted, the responsories also ought to be chanted with the Alleluia, and, because it is omitted there, therefore they ought to be chanted. But there are other more studious monks than those who consented [at the synod] and they say: ‘We do not wish to chant on that Lord’s Day, because, if we observe the Rule on all the Lord’s Days, why should we transgress the Rule on that one day?’ Moreover, we in our monastery likewise do not chant the responsory with the Alleluia in Septuagesima, but we chant the responsories from the Psalms, which are chanted in the seventh one, because the Rule says: ₄But the responsories should never be said with the Alleluia except from Pascha until Pentecost.

Sequitur: ₃Omni vero dominica extra Quadragesimam cantica, matutini, prima, tertia, sexta, nonaque cum Alleluja dicantur, vespera vero jam cum antiphonis dicatur et rel.

It follows: ₃But on every Lord’s day outside Quadragesima, the canticles, Matins, Prime, Terce, Sext, and Nones should be chanted with the Alleluia, but Vespers should be said with antiphons and so on.

Sunt autem multae regulae, quae habent ‘cantica ad matutinos,’ sed non potest stare talis locutio, quia subsequitur: prima, tertia, sexta, nona. Melius est enim dicere: cantica, matutini.

There are many copies of the Rule which have ‘canticles at Matins,’ but such a statement is not able to stand because it continues: Prime, Terce, Sext, None. For it is better to say the canticles, Matins.

Sunt qui intelligunt, matutini genitivi casum esse, ut sit sensus: cantica in matutino, quia cantica pro psalmis esse dicta intelligunt et dicunt: illa vero cantica, quae ad vigilias jussit dici in dominica, nil impediunt, eo quod jam dixerat superius. Sed melius est, ut cantica sit nominativus, similiter etiam sit nominativus matutini, ut sit sensus: cantica, quae ad vigilias canuntur. Matutini vero attinent ad psalmos matutinales.

There are those who understand Matins to be in the genitive so that the sense is ‘canticles of Matins’ because they think ‘canticles’ is said in place of ‘psalms,’ and they say that those canticles which [Benedict] ordered to be said at Vigils on the Lord’s Day, impedes nothing because it was discussed before. But it is better that cantica be nominative and likewise matutini be nominative so that the sense is the canticles which are chanted at Vigils. But Matins pertains to the Psalms at Matins.

Nunc autem videndum est, quare consuetudo est sanctae ecclesiae, dimittendi Alleluja in capite Quadragesimae, cum Alleluja interpretatur Laus Christi, et nos quotidie Deum laudamus dicentes: Laudate Dominum de coelis [Ps 148:1].

But now it must be seen why there is the custom of the Holy Church of omitting the Alleluia at the beginning of Lent, since Alleluia is interpreted as ‘Praise of Christ,’ and we daily praise God, saying: ‘Praise the Lord from the heavens [Ps 148:1].’

Sciendum est enim, quia propter vocem et sonum ipsius Alleluja, eo quod vox illius laetitiae est et gaudii, non propter sensum, tempus autem Quadragesimae est luctus et poenitentiae; et ideo non sibi conveniunt illa duo, i. e. vox Alleluja, quae significat laetitiam et gaudium, cum tempore Quadragesimae, ubi luctus et poenitentia est.

For it must be known that it is for the sake of the expression and the sound of the same Alleluia, because this is the expression of happiness and joy, not for the sake of the sense. The time of Lent, moreover, is for grief and penitence; and therefore those two do not fit together, that is, the expression Alleluia which signifies happiness and joy and the time of Lent, when there is grief and penitence.

Ac per hoc sancti Patres constituerunt, ut sicut ea, quae ad laetitiam et gaudium attinent, i. e. vestimenta et alia delectabilia, tempore Quadragesimae [page 306] propter poenitentiam et luctum sint dimittenda, ita etiam Alleluja propter vocem, quae gaudium significat, dimittendum esse constituerunt. Unde etiam post resurrectionem, quia illi dies gaudii et laetitiae sunt, censuerunt, sine intermissione esse canendum, eo quod ipsius vox gaudium et laetitiam demonstrat.

Also in this matter the Holy Fathers ordered that, just as those things which pertain to happiness and joy (i.e. vestments and other delights), should be left off for the sake of penitence and grief in the time of Quadragesima [page 306], so also they ordered that the Alleluia be omitted for the sake of the expression, which signifies joy. Whence also they resolved that, after the Resurrection, because those days are days of joy and happiness, the Alleluia should be chanted without pause because the sound of it shows joy and happiness.