CONSECRATION
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CONSECRATION
ship iif (^lod may be traced to tlic remotest times. Wo
lind rites of conseeratimi mentioned in the early cult
of the Egyptians and utlur paaan nations. Among
the Semitic tribes it eonsi.sted in the threefold act of
separating, sanctifying, or purifying, and devoting or
ofTering to the Deity. In the Hebrew Law we find it
applied to tlie entire people whom Moses, by a solemn
act of consecration, designates as the People of God.
A.S described in the Book of Exodus (xxiv), the rite
u.sed on this occasion consisted (1) of the erection of an
altar and twelve memorial stones (to represent the
twelve tribes) ; (2) of the selection of twelve youths to
perform the burnt-offering of the holocaust ; (3) Moses
reatl the covenant, and the people made their profes-
sion of obedience ; (4) Moses sprinkled upon the peo-
ple the blootl reserved from the holocaust. Later on
we read of the consecration of the priests — .\aron and
his sons (Exod., .xxi.x) — who had been previously
elected (Exod., xxviii). Here we have the act of conse-
cration consisting of purifying, investing, and anoint-
ing (Lev., viii) as a preparation for their offering public
sacrifice. The placing of the meat in their hands
(Exod., xxix) was considered an essential part of the
ceremony of consecration, whence the expression fill-
ing the hand has been considered identical with con-
secrating. As to the oil used in this consecration, we
find the particulars in Exodus (xxx, 2.3, 24 ; xxxvii, 29).
Distinct from the priestly consecration is that of the Levites (Num., iii, 6) who represent the first-born of all the tribes. The rite of their consecration is de- scribed in Numbers, viii. Another kind of personal consecration among the Hebrews was that of the Naz- arites (Num., vi). It implied the voluntary separa- tion from certain things, dedication to God, and a vow of special sanctity. Similarly, the rites of consecra- tion of objects — such as temples, altars, firstfruits, spoils of war, etc. — are minutely described in the Old Testament. Among the Romans whatever was de- voted to the worship of their gods (fields, animals, etc. was said to be consecrated, and the objects which per- tained intimately to their worship (temples, altars, etc.) were said to be dedicated. These words were, however, often used indiscriminately, and in both cases it was understood that the object once conse- crated or dedicated remained sacred in perpctuum.
The Church distinguishes consecration from bless- ing, both in regard to persons and to things. Hence the Roman Pontifical treats of the consecration of a bi.shop and of the blessing of an abbot, of the blessing of a comer-stone and the consecration of a church or altar. In both, the persons or things pass from a com- mon, or profane, order to a new state, and become the subjects or the instruments of Divine protection. At a consecration the ceremonies are more solemn and elaborate than at a blessing. The ordinary minister "f a consecration is a bishop, whilst the ordinary min- ler of a blessing is a priest. At every consecration !ie holy oils are used; at a blessing customarily only lioly water. The new state to which consecration ele- vates persons or things is permanent, and the rite can never be repeated, which is not the case at a blessing; the graces attached to con.secration are more numer- ous and efficacious than those attached to a blessing; tlio profanation of a consecrated person or thing car- riis with it a new species of sin, namely sacrilege, which the profanation of a blessed person or thing does not alw.iys do.
Of consecrations proper the Roman Pontifical con- tains one of jyemon.'s. that is of a Ijishop, and four of thingn. that is. of a fixed altar, of an altar-stone, of a church, and of a chalice and paten. The consecration of a church is also called its dedication (q. v.), in ac- cordance with the distinction between consecration and dedication among the ancient Romans pointed out above. To these might be probably added con- firmation and Holy orders, for which, however, the Roman Pontifical, because they are distinct sacra-
ments, has retained their proper names. If we except
the consecration of a bishop, which is a sacrament —
although there is a question among theologians,
whether the sacrament and the character imprinted by
it are distinct from the sacrament and character of
the priesthood, or only a certain extension of the sacer-
dotal sacrament and character — all the other conse-
crations are sacramentals. These are inanimate
things which are not susceptible of Divine grace, but
are a medium of its communication, since by their con-
secration they acquire a certain spiritual power by
which they are rendered in perpetuum fit and suitable
for Divine worship. (St. Thomas Aquinas, Summa
Theol., Ill, Q. Ixxxiii, a. 3, ad 3 and 4.)
In the Eastern Churches the prayers at the conse- cration of altars and sacred vessels are of the same imjjort a.s those used in the Latin Church, and they are accompanied by the sign of the cross and the anointing with holy oils (Renaudot, "Liturgiarum Orient. Col- lectio", I, Ad benedictiones). At the eonsecr.ation of a bishop, the Orientals hold, with the Latins, that the essence consists in the laying-on of hands, and they entirely omit the anointing with holy oils (Morinus, De sacris Ecclesise ordinationibus, Pars III, Appen- dix).
When we speak of consecration without any special qualification, we ordinarily understand it as the act by which, in the celebration of Holy Mass, the bread and wine are changed into the body and blood of Christ. It is called iransubstantiation , for in the Sacrament of the Eucharist the substance of bread and wine do not remain, but the entire substance of bread is changed into the body of Christ, and the entire substance of wine is changed into His blood, the species or outward semblance of bread and wine alone remaining. This change is produced in virtue of the words: This is my body and This is my blood, or This is the chalice oj my blood, pronounced by the priest assuming the person of Christ and using the same ceremonies that Christ used at the Last Supper. That this is the essential form has been the constant belief and teaching of both the Eastern and Western Churches (Renaudot, " Li- turgiarum Orientalium CoUectio, I, i).
I. CoNSECR.\TioN OF A BisHOP. — The consecration of a bishop marks the plenitude of the priesthood, and it is probable that on this account the " Pontificate Romanum" places the ceremony of episcopal conse- cration immediately after that of the ordination of priests. Tit. XIII, " De consecratione electi in Episco- pum". Episcopal jurisdiction is acquired by the act of election and confirmation or by definite appoint- ment, whilst the fullness of the priestly power itself is obtained in consecration, as the completion of hierar- chical orders. Formerly the consecration of a suffra- gan bishop was performed jure eommuni by the metro- politan of the province, who could delegate another bishop. An archbishop was consecrated by one of his suffragans, the senior being usually selected. If the bishop-elect was not a suffragan of any ecclesiastical province, the nearest bishop perfoniied the ceremony. According to the present discipline of the Church the office of consecrator is reserved to the Roman pontiff", who perfomis the consecration in person or delegates it to another (Benedict XIV, Const. "In postremo", 10 Oct., 1756, 5 1"). If the con.secration takes place in Rome, and the bishop-elect receives the permission to choose the consecrator, he must select a cardinal who is a bishop, or one of the four titular Latin patri- archs residing in Rome. If they refuse to perfonn the ceremony, he may choose any archbishop or bishop. .\ suffragan, however, is obliged to select the metro- politan of his province, if the latter be in Rome ( ibidem). In Rome the consecration takes place in a consecrated church or in the papal chapel (Cong. Sac. Rit., Deer. V of latest edit., no date). If the consecration is to take place outside of Rome, an Apostolic commission is sent to the bishop-elect, in which the Roman pontiff
