Handwritten pre-Tridentine Pontificals

Abstract

The article presents the history of pontificals, which are a bishop's liturgical books, beginning with their creation in the 9th century till the 16th century. The following pontificals are analysed in detail: Roman-Germanic Pontifical of the 10th century, Roman Pontifical of the 12th century, Roman Curia Pontifical of the 13th century and William Durand's Pontifical of the 13th century. In the article the process of geographical spreading of pontificals was also demonstrated. The history of pontificals shows how liturgical traditions were spreading and mixing with each other: Roman tradition came into contact with the tradition from the Frankish countries, and from the Frankish countries it was transferred to Rhenish countries. There the pontifical was modified and came back to Rome. In this form, thanks to the invention of printing, it spread in the whole Church.