Works Saint Osmund

saint osmond

osmund s work threefold — first, building of cathedral @ old sarum, consecrated on 5 april 1092. 5 days afterwards thunderstorm entirely destroyed roof , damaged whole fabric.

second constitution of cathedral body. framed on usual norman model, dean, precentor, chancellor, , treasurer, duties defined, thirty-two canons, subdean, , succentor. save last 2 bound residence. these canons secular, each living in own house. duties special companions , advisers of bishop, carry out fitting solemnity full round of liturgical services , missionary work in surrounding districts. there formed school clergy of chancellor head. cathedral thoroughly constituted mother church of diocese, city set on hill . osmund s canons renowned musical talent , zeal learning, , had great influence on foundation of other cathedral bodies.

third formation of sarum use. in osmund s day there many other uses (those of york, hereford, bangor, , lincoln remained) , other customs peculiar local churches, , number increased influx of normans under william. osmund invented or introduced little himself, though sarum rite had peculiarities distinct of other churches. made selections of practices saw round him , arranged offices , services. intended own diocese, ordinal of osmund, regulating divine office, mass, , calendar, used, within hundred years, throughout england, wales, , ireland, , introduced scotland 1250. unifying influence of norman conquest made spread more easy. held general approval until in mary s reign many clergy obtained particular licences cardinal pole roman breviary became universally received. register of st. osmund collection of documents without chronological arrangement, gathered after time, divided 2 parts: consuetudinary (rolls series, 1-185, , in rock, vol. iii, 1-110), styled de officiis ecclesiasticis , , series of documents , charters, more or less bearing on construction of cathedral @ old sarum, foundation of cathedral body, treasures belonging it, , history of dependent churches. existing consuetudinary taken older copy, re-arranged additions , modifications , ready when richard poore consecrated cathedral @ new salisbury in 1225. copy, verbatim same this, taken older book use of st. patrick s, dublin, erected cathedral , modelled on church @ sarum henry de loundres bishop 1213-28.

william of malmesbury in summing osmund s character says eminent chastity common fame blush speak otherwise truthfully concerning virtue. stern might appear penitents, not more severe them himself. free ambition, neither imprudently wasted own substance, nor sought wealth of others .

osmund gathered library canons. late-medieval source notes, disdainfully, bishop scribe, illuminate , bind books himself; period eccentric behaviour, not in 11th-century england. @ 1 time osmund thought archbishop anselm unyielding , needlessly scrupulous in dispute concerning investitures , in 1095 @ council of rockingham favoured king. after lateran council in 1099, boldly sided archbishop , beautiful anecdote related, showing simple sincerity, how when anselm on way windsor, osmund knelt before him , received forgiveness. had great reverence st. aldhelm 300 years before bishop of sherborne had been osmund s predecessor. officiated @ saint s translation more fitting shrine @ malmesbury , helped lanfranc obtain canonization. abbot warin gave him bone of left arm of st. aldhelm kept @ sarum miracles wrought. in 1228 bishop of sarum , canons applied gregory ix osmund s canonization not until 200 years afterwards on 1 january 1457, bull issued callistus iii. in 1472 special indulgence granted sixtus iv visit cathedral on festival , convocation held in st. paul s in 1481 fixed 4 december day commemorate him. house @ bishop wordsworth s school named him. commemorated statue in niche 178 on west front of salisbury cathedral.

osmund s canonization took 230 years, papal proceedings started in 1228 not concluding until 1457.