Holy Year 349and Claude Ross (London: Oxford University Press for
the British Academy, 1974).
Holy Spirit In Christian thought in the Middle Ages, as
has generally remained the case now, the Holy Spirit was
the third person of the Trinity. Also considered the active
spirit of GODin the world, the Holy Spirit has usually been
thought of as consubstantial, coequal with the Father and
the Son or Christ. In comparison with CHRISTOLOGY,
reflection on the Holy Spirit developed late among the
FATHERS OF THE CHURCH. Begun by Tertullian (fl. 200) and
ORIGEN, it reached a full expression in the East with BASIL,
GREGORY NAZIANZOS, and GREGORY OFNYSSA, whose views
triumphed at the Council of Constantinople (380–381)
and were introduced to the West by AUGUSTINE OFHIPPO.
During the Middle Ages, concepts changed and there was a
strong appreciation of the special role of the Holy Spirit in
PRAYER, as an inspiration for innovation in the organization
and structure of the church, and in the sacramental liturgy
and underlying theological concepts of Baptism, confirma-
tion, the Eucharist, priestly ordination, and Christian life
more generally.
However, a question about the nature of this Trini-
tarian relationship contributed to a divide between the
Eastern and Western Churches. It was about whether the
Spirit proceeded from the Father alone or from the
Father and the Son. This was at the heart of the problem
of the FILIOQUECLAUSE, which was a major aspect in an
early and continuing break between the two religious
traditions.
See also PALAMAS,GREGORY;PENTECOST; SEVEN
SACRAMENTS;TRINITARIAN DOCTRINE.
Further reading:Stanley M. Burgess, The Holy Spirit:
Medieval Roman Catholic and Reformation Traditions
(Sixth-Sixteenth Centuries)(Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
Publishers, 1997); Eugene Egert, The Holy Spirit in Ger-
man Literature until the End of the Twelfth Century(The
Hague: Mouton, 1973).Holy Week During the Middle Ages the week before
EASTERwas the holiest week of the Christian year. Each of
its days, including Monday, was called a “holy day.” In
early Christianity, the three days of the death and Resur-
rection, from Friday to Sunday, were identified with
Christ’s Passion and resurrection on Easter. In the Middle
Ages, the three days evolved include Holy Thursday,
when holy oils were consecrated, public penitents recon-
ciled, and the Last Supper commemorated. Friday was for
Christ’s Passion, the adoration of the cross, and a fast,
and Saturday recalled the time when Christ was in the
tomb leading up to his Resurrection.
See alsoCRUCIFIX ANDCRUCIFIXION.
Further reading:J. G. Davies, Holy Week: A Short
History(Richmond, Va.: John Knox Press, 1963); O. B.
Hardison, Christian Rite and Christian Drama in the Mid-
dle Ages: Essays in the Origin and Early History of Modern
Drama (Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press, 1965);
Andrew Hughes, Medieval Manuscripts for Mass and
Office: A Guide to Their Organization and Terminology
(Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1982), 245–271;
Richard William Pfaff, Medieval Latin Liturgy: A Select
Bibliography (Toronto: University of Toronto Press,
1982).Holy Year This was a year proclaimed by the pope
when he granted a special INDULGENCE, called a Jubilee,
to any pilgrims who traveled to ROME. It was a plenary
indulgence for the remission of temporal penalties for
SIN. It was instituted by BONIFACEVIII in 1300 to demon-
strate the importance of the PAPACYto the faithful, so that
he might gain support in his political struggles. He
decreed its celebration once every 100 years. In the 14th
century, however, this interval was changed to 50 and
then to 33 years, and, in 1470, Paul II (r. 1464–71) fixed
it at once every 25 years. One of its major features was
the opening ceremony of breaking open the Holy Door by
the pope at Saint Peter’s. Its benefits included a plenaryThe main door of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in
Jerusalem, 1860–90(Courtesy Library of Congress)