Although death is an essential part of human experience, the Mass for the Dead—frequently known as the Requiem Mass—has not been fully examined in musicological literature. The Mass for the Dead as a liturgical genre arises, not with the first generation of propers in the early eighth century, but gradually and sporadically by the end of that century. As a consequence, rather than a stable body of propers like most of the early celebrations, the chants for the Mass for the Dead vary significantly from region to region according to local practice. Although a few of these variations have been noted, the degree of diversity exceeds expectation. Through the survey of over 180 manuscripts, the multiplicity of chant traditions are documented and placed in their historical, artistic and theological context. The predicates for this Mass derive from consistent attitudes that Christians held about death in their early history. These were communicated through a variety of media—prayers, artwork, and formal liturgy. Ultimately, after the architecture for liturgical practice had already been erected, a Mass for the Dead arose. The texts used in the chants drew from burial prayers, other liturgical celebrations with appropriate texts, or were newly composed for the occasion. Around the end of the eleventh century, certain historical and theological factors contributed towards a consensus on the Mass for the Dead. Specifically, the newly-founded Cluniac, Carthusian, and Cistercian orders were well respected in their liturgical reform and expressed specific theological opinions about the importance of the Mass for the Dead. The "All Souls' Day" celebration—a liturgy specifically designed to intercede with God on behalf of souls who seek to be admitted into heaven—originated in Cluniac circles and was promulgated amongst the other orders and, ultimately, across the entire body of the Church. In particular, the development of the doctrine of Purgatory fueled the interest in a coherent formulary for the Mass for the Dead, which led to decreased diversity amongst the chants used for that celebration.

Caring for Body and Soul: Burial and the Afterlife in the Merovingian World

A coalescence of liturgical consensus on the chants for the Mass for the Dead from its origins through the fourteenth century

Between the sixth and eighth centuries ad, the practice of furnished burial was widely abandoned in favour of a much more standardized, unfurnished rite. This article examines that transition by considering the personhood and agency of the corpse, the different ways bonds of possession can form between people and objects, and what happens to those bonds at death. By analysing changing grave good use across western Europe, combined with an in-depth analysis of the Alamannic cemetery of Pleidelsheim, and historical evidence for perceptions of the corpse, the author argues that the change in grave good use marks a fundamental change in the perception of corpses.

https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/E898C4DACD226AC3613F602DC6E70C25/S1461957120000030a.pdf/div-class-title-the-dead-and-their-possessions-the-declining-agency-of-the-cadaver-in-early-medieval-europe-div.pdf

The Dead and their Possessions: The Declining Agency of the Cadaver in Early Medieval Europe

This article contextualizes some one hundred mid- to late 5th century solidi and two hundred silver coins found in the grave of King Childeric in Tournai, Belgium. We argue that the coins in the gr ...

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The Coins in the Grave of King Childeric

In the seventh century a cluster of problems about death, agency, and accountability arose in conjunction with new ideas about the afterlife. Merovingian intellectuals challenged and adapted late antique theories of moral responsibility and eschatology in view of the increasingly attractive possibility that the soul’s destination after death could be influenced by earthly actions. These changes were informed by an increasingly social understanding of human choice and behavior, and that whole knot of related philosophical propositions surfaced in hagiography, when authors began to explain more fully how and why their protagonists died.

Autopsies and Philosophies of a Merovingian Life: Death, Responsibility, Salvation

Prone burials are among the most distinctive deviant burials during the Middle Ages and early modern period. Despite their worldwide distribution, the meaning of this burial practice is still a matter of debate. So far, a comprehensive analysis of prone burials is lacking for Central Europe. By compiling evidence from Germany, Switzerland and Austria, this study investigates how these findings fit into the scope of medieval funerary practices. 95 prone burials from 60 archaeological sites were analyzed regarding geographical distribution, dating, burial features, body position, age-at-death and sex. We applied descriptive statistics accompanied by multiple correspondence analysis in order to highlight possible multivariate patterns in the dataset. Prone burials occur in funerary and non-funerary contexts, with a predominance of single churchyard burials, followed by favored and exterior location and settlements. In terms of grave features, the majority of churchyard burials do not differ from regular graves. Multivariate patterns appear to reflect diachronic changes in normative burial practices. We found a significant correlation between burial location and dating, due to a higher frequency of high medieval males in favored locations. In these cases, prone position is interpreted as a sign of humility, while similar evidences from late and post-medieval times are seen as an expression of deviancy. Apparent lack of care during burial reveals disrespect and possible social exclusion, with inhumations outside consecrated ground being the ultimate punishment. In some regions, apotropaic practices suggest that corpses should be prevented from returning, as attested in contemporaneous sources and folk beliefs. We hypothesize that the increase of prone burials towards the late and post-medieval period is linked to such practices triggered by epidemic diseases. The multiplicity of meanings that prone position might have in different contexts demands for careful interpretations within the same regional and chronological frame.

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Caring for Body and Soul: Burial and the Afterlife in the Merovingian World

Citations

A coalescence of liturgical consensus on the chants for the Mass for the Dead from its origins through the fourteenth century

The Dead and their Possessions: The Declining Agency of the Cadaver in Early Medieval Europe

The Coins in the Grave of King Childeric

Autopsies and Philosophies of a Merovingian Life: Death, Responsibility, Salvation

Between belief and fear - Reinterpreting prone burials during the Middle Ages and early modern period in German-speaking Europe

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