DEOGRATIAS
737
DEPOSITION
883, at Wiirzburg. In 1831 his father, who was a
rofessor at the Liege University, took him to Wiirz-
urg, the original home of the family. Here he at-
snded the g>^nnasium and studied philosophy at the
niversity, where he received the Ph. D. degree. In
838 he entered the Wiirzburg seminary, went to the
lerman College at Rome in 1841, was ordained priest
1 1844, and the following year took a degree in theol-
gy. On his return home he was first curate at Hass-
irt-on-thc-Main, became professor extraordinary
f dogmatic theology at Wiirzburg in 1848, and ordi-
ary professor in 1854. He continued to occupy this
osition, in spite of ill-health, till his death. Den-
Inger was one of the pioneers of positive theology and
istorical dogmatic (Dogmengeschichte) in Catholic
ermany. In the generation after Johann Adam
[ohler (d. 1838) and Dollinger (1799-1890) he carried
n their methods and helped to establish what is the
jecial character of the German school, exact investi-
ition of the historical development of theology,
ither than philosophical speculation about the corol-
iries of dogma. Nearly all his important works are
1 the nature of historic theology. The best-known and
lost useful is his " Enchiridion Symbolorum et Defi-
itionum" (fir.st ed., Wiirzburg, 18.54), a handbook
intaining a collection of the chief decrees and defini-
ons of councils, list of condemned propositions, etc.,
eginning with the oldest forms of the Apostles' Creed.
t has often been republished, with considerable addi-
ons, of which the most important are part of the
ull defining the Immaculate Conception (Ineffabilis
•eus, 1854), the Syllabus of 1864, and the Vatican de-
rees. After Denzinger's death Professor Ignatius
tahl continued the work of re-editing the " Enchi-
dion" with additional decrees of Leo XIII. A
- vised and enlarged edition (10th ed., Freiburg,
i108), prepared by Clemens Bannwart, S. J., in- ludes decrees of Pius X. Other works are "Ritus 'rientalium, Coptorum, Syrorum et Armenorum" I vols., Wiirzburg, 1863-1864), a long treatise n Eastern rites ; " Vier Biicher von der relig- hsen Erkenntniss" (2 vols., Wiirzburg, 1856-1857), Lleber die Aechtheit des bisherigen Textes der Igna- ani.sphen Briefe" (Wiirzburg, 1849), "Die spekula- ve Theologie Giinthers" (Wiirzburg, 1853). He Iso wrote a number of shorter treatises, on Philo Ju- aeus (1840, his first work), on the Immaculate Con- jption (1855), and papal infallibility (1870). At the me of his death he was preparing a complete com- endium of dogmatic theology. He edited a nimiber f medieval theological works: Habert, "Theologia rra!corum Patrum vindicata circa materiam gratiie" 1853); De Rubeis, " De peccato originali", (18.57); P. larani, " Divinitas D. N. Jesu Christi" (1859). He as appointed a consultor of Propaganda for Eastern ites in 1866.
HcRTEH, NomenclaloT LilleT-arui.1, III, 1178-1179; Hettin- ER. Dreifachru I^hrami, Geddchtnisurede nuf H. J. D. Dcnzingrr Freiburg, 1883); Der Katholik (Mainz), 1S.S3, 11, 428.
Adrian Fortescue.
Deogratias, S.mnt. See Felix of Cantalice,
AINT.
Deo Gratias (Thanks be to God), an old liturgical 3rmula of the Latin Church to give thanks to God for races rcc'cived. It is found in Scripture, I Cor., xv, 7, and II Cor., ii, 14.
I. Deo Gratias occurs in the Mass: (a) as an answer if the .server to the Epistle or Prophecies; in High- lass this answer should not be sung by the choir. In he Mozarabic and Old Gallican Liturgy the Deo Jratias follows the title of the Epistle or the" Prophecy; it its end the Amen is said. The Greek and its laughter churches do not use this formula in con- lexion with the Epistle. In the Latin Church the 3eo Gratias is not said on Ember .Saturday after the ifth lesson, which Ls followed by the canticle of the IV. -47
Three Young Men in the furnace, in order not to inter-
rupt the sense; neither is it said after the lessons on
Good Friday or after the Prophecies on Holy Satur-
day and the eve of Pentecost; (b) in answer to the
Ite Missa est and the Benedicamus Domino, in thanks-
giving for the graces received at Ma.ss; (c) after the
last Gospel ; after the first Gospel the server answers
Laus tibi Christe. Quarti (Ruhr. Miss. Rom. Com-
ment, illustr., 2, 12, ad 4) says, that the finst Gospel
signifies the preaching of Christ, wherefore we praise
Christ by saying: Laus tibi Christe; the second
Gospel signifies the preaching of the Apostles, where-
fore only Deo Gratias is answered, but such inter-
pretations are artificial and arbitrary; (d) in the
Breviary the Deo Gratias is used more frequently; in
Matins (except the last three days of Holy Week and
the office of the Dead) after every lesson answering
to the invocation: Tu autem Domine miserere nobis;
also after the capitula, the short lesson in Prime and
Compline ; and in answer to the Benedicamus Domino
at the close of every Hour. The Mozarabic Breviary
puts the Deo Gratias after the title of the lesson, the
Amen to the end.
II. The formula Deo Gratias was used in extra- liturgical prayers and customs by the Christians of all ages. The rule of St. Benedict prescribes that the doorkeeper shall say Deo Gratias, as often as a stranger knocks at the door or a beggar asks for assistance. When St. Augustine announced to the people the elec- tion of his coadjutor and successor Evodius, they called out Deo Gratias thirty-six times (St. Aug., Ep. ccxiii al. ex, De Actis Eraclii). In Africa it was the salutation used by the Catholics to distinguish themselves from the Donatists who said: Deo laudes (St. Aug., In Ps. cxxxii). Therefore in Africa Deo Gratias occurs as a Catholic name, e. g. St. Deogratias, Bishop of Car- thage (453-456). The name of the deacon for whom St. Augustine wrote his treatise "De catechizandis rudibus", was Deogratias. St. Felix of Cantalizio (151.5-87) used this interjection so often, that the people called him Brother Deogratias.
Bern-^rd, Cours de tilurffie romaine 3. v. La Mcsse, II, 305 sqq.; Cabrol, Livre de la priere antique (Paris, 1900), 73; Hedser in Kirchenlex., HI, 1517 sqq.
F. G. HOLWECK.
Depositio Martyrum. See Mahtyks.
Deposition, an ecclesiastical vindictive penalty by which a cleric is forever deprived of his office or benefice and of the right of exercising the functions of his orders. Of its own nature this punishment is per- petual and irremissible in the sen.se that those on whom it is inflicted, even after having done full pen- ance, have no right to be released from it , though the superior may, if he wishes, reinstate them if truly amended. Deposition can be inflicted only on eccle- siastics, .secular or regular; it may be either total or partial, according as it deprives them of all powers of orders and jurisdiction or of only a portion of them. It differs from simple privation because in addit ion to the deprivation of benefices and offices it disqualifies an ecclesiastic from obtaining them in fut\ire; from suspension becau.se it is always a perpetual vindictive penalty, not a mere su-spension of the use of the powers of orders and jurisdiction, but an entire and perpetual withdrawal of them; from actual degradation in as much as it never deprives of the privileges of the ec- clesiastical state.
This ptmishment can be traced to the early cen- turies of the Church when ecclesiastics guilty of hei- nous crimes were expelled from their rank and removed to lay communion. Although preserving the charac- ter of their orders, they were then considered, for all purposes and in the eyes of the law, as ordinary lay- men, and were bound to appear with the ordinary faithful when receiving Holy Communion. The word ileposilion, it is alleged, was first used in the Synod of Agde (506, can . xxxv) to indicate such a penalty. Down
