The Homilies of the Anglo-Saxon Church
The First Part Containing the Sermones Catholici, or Homilies of Aelfric in the Original Anglo-Saxon, with an English Version

This two-volume collection, published 1844–6, contains transcriptions and translations of the Sermones Catholici by Ælfric of Eynsham (c.950–c.1010).

Ælfric Abbot of Eynsham (Author), Benjamin Thorpe (Edited and translated by)

9781108061117, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 22 August 2013

628 pages
21.6 x 14 x 3.5 cm, 0.79 kg

The writings of Ælfric of Eynsham (c.950–c.1010) are among the most important to survive from Anglo-Saxon England. He was shaped by tenth-century monastic reform, and his promotion of Old English was highly influential. His earliest known works, the Sermones Catholici (c.990–5), are adaptations of Latin texts rendered in Old English. The homilies draw on the gospels, saints' lives and other doctrinal themes. They were intended to be delivered over two years. This two-volume collection, first published between 1844 and 1846, contains transcriptions of the Old English texts with facing-page translations by Benjamin Thorpe (1781/2–1870). A well-respected scholar with a strong interest in promoting the study of Old English, Thorpe produced an important edition of the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle for the Rolls Series (also reissued in this series). Volume 2 of the present work contains the sermons for the second year, focusing on doctrine and church history.

Preface
1. The nativity of the Lord
2. The nativity of St Stephen protomartyr
3. Sermon on the Lord's epiphany
4. The second Sunday after the Lord's epiphany
5. Septuagesima Sunday
6. Sexagesima Sunday
7. The first Sunday in Lent
8. The second Sunday in Lent
9. St Gregory the Great
10. The deposition of St Cuthberht
11. St Benedict, abbot
12. Midlent Sunday
13. The fifth Sunday in Lent
14. Palm Sunday
15. A sermon on the sacrifice on Easter-day
16. Another sermon on Easter-day
17. Wednesday in Easter week
18. The apostles Philip and James
19. The invention of the holy cross
20. The saints Alexander, Eventius and Theodulus
21. Monday
22. On the greater litany
23. Another vision
24. A hortatory sermon on the efficacy of holy mass
25. On the greater litany
26. The third Sunday after Pentecost
27. Another narrative on the text of the gospel
28. On the festival of St Peter the apostle
29. The fifth Sunday after Pentecost
30. The ninth Sunday after Pentecost
31. The nativity of St James the apostle
32. The seven holy sleepers
33. The twelfth Sunday after Pentecost
34. The assumption of the holy virgin Mary
35. The first Sunday in September
36. The sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost
37. The nativity of St Matthew
38. The passion of the holy apostles Simon and Jude
39. The deposition of St Martin
40. On the nativity of one apostle
41. On the nativity of several apostles
42. On the nativity of holy martyrs
43. On the nativity of one confessor
44. On the nativity of holy virgins
45. On the dedication of a church.

Subject Areas: Theology [HRLB]