Probably I am going to say quite the same as Clifford, but I need some more words.
What has been called "liturgical drama" is just a name for (parts of) church offices.
Some of them, like the Palm Sunday procession were always "outdoors" events. Some of
them, like the Mandatum, are "indoors" even today. On the other hand fully fledged
Passion plays were staged in churches by the Jesuits and Piarists in the 16th-18th
centuries. But there actually were ceremonies which were part of the liturgy and were
being banished at different times from different churches, if necessary. It was the
Feast of Innocents with the famous Boy Bishop as celebrant. Like in the joke about
getting rid of smoking, every bishop could have said: Banishing theater from the
church? It is very simple, I did it many times!
Here I want to discuss two things.
(1) Let me recall first a nice specimen of "liturgical drama" - different from
the famous Quem quaeritis : without dialogue, but with excellent dramatic action. It
is quoted from Young (vol. 1, p. 107-8:
Post Primam quidam sacerdos dicit Missam Episcopelli ad altare Sancte
Crucis, et ibi a dextro latere altris preparatus est Episcopellus cum
pluuiali et mitra, et cum capellanis suis. Officium Ex ore infantium.
Epistola Vidi supra montem Syon.
Quam dicit quidam indutus quadam uili | stricta, et tenet in manu
quandam hastam ligneam, quam prohicit uersus populum. Et ibi sunt quidam
armati, qui secuntur dictam hastam, et circuiunt ecclesiam querendo
Infantem cum Matre sua, scilicet Christum cum Beata Uirgine (108) Maria. Et
est quidam indutus ad modum mulieris que sedet supra Asinam fugientem per
ecclesiam, ad significationem Uirginis fugientis cum puero Egypto secundum
quod angelus Domini in sompnis dixerat Ioseph.
Young is misinterpreting this as "sheer revelry and hilarity" (p.110) If anything, I
would say, fear and pity! I am discussing this question in my book* (pp. 517-520)
which you all cannot read.
(2) My second point is the oldest prohibition of "theater" in the church (I know of),
ordained by Innocent III in 1207 and concerning the head of the Polish church at the
time, the archbishop Henryk Kietlicz of the capital Gniezno. (For the full text see
** at the bottom of this mail. In my new book, in progress, I am preparing a
discussion of this document). The decree is pointing at corruption of the church
caused by married canons: if they unwisely allow their sons to the offices, soon
public games are being held in those churches; not only monsters in masques are
introduced, but on three annual feasts following Christmas [Innocents, Circumsision
and Epiphany], diacons, priests and subdiacons subsequently, showing their madness,
are corrupting the people:
...per insolentiam eorundem interdum ludi fiunt in eisdem ecclesiis
theatrales, et non solum ad ludibriorum spectacula introducuntur in eas
monstra larvarum, verum etiam in tribus anni festivitatibus que continue
Natalem Christi sequuntur, diaconi, presbyteri ac subdiaconi vicissim
insanie sue ludibria exercentes, per gesticulationum suarum debacchationes
obscenas in conspectu populi decus faciunt clericale vilescere...
The monstra larvarum are seemingly not as bad as the "madness" of priests - not the
spectacula as such are aimed at, but destroying clerical decorum by "obscene acting",
whatever it was.
With best regards,
Dr Andrzej Dabrówka
Polish Academy of Sciences
Institute of Literary Research
http://www.medianet.pl/~dab/and/teatr.htm
http://www.medianet.pl/~dab/and/
_______
*My book I am referring to - THEATRE AND THE SACRED IN THE MIDDLE AGES (2001);
has got an English summary: "http://www.medianet.pl/~dab/and/tis-e.htm"
____
**
Innocentius Pp III, 1207 Jan. 8, interdicit archiepiscopo Gneznensi et suffraganeis
eius, ne publice uxoratos admittant ad ecclesiasticas dignitates, simulque mandat,
ludibria publica in ecclesiis extirpent.
[Inc.] Cum decorem domus Domini et locum tabernaculi glorie sue
diligere vos oporteat, accurata vobis est sillicitudine precavendum, ne in commissis
vobis ecclesiis illatempere presumantur, que vel in eis lampadem religionis
extinguere, vel munditiam videantur ministrorum domini maculare. Ad nostram siquidem
noveritis audientiam pervenisse, quod quidam in vestris diocesibus constituti,
publice cum mulieribus contrahentes ecclesiasticas non verentur suscipere dignitates,
et nonnullarum ecclesiarum canonici, quorum lumbos iuxta verbum evangelice veritatis
deceret esse precinctos ac in eorum manibus lucernas bone operationis ardere, usque
adeo luxurie sordibus putruerunt, quod nec etiam ignominiam suam velint
turpitudinemque velare, quin se reddunt indignos, indignius secum trahunt; ac si non
satis in opprobrium ordinis clericalis eorum incontinentia foret cognita, nisi
natorum, in publicum deductorum loquentiumque testimonium, contra ipsos esset
ostensione sedula comprobata. Cumque in ecclesiis in quibus huiusmodi clerici locum
habent multa enormiter attententur, dum in eisdem fermentata patrum et filiorum,
nepotum etiam et affinium parentela inordinate ministrat, quia videlicet amore
predominante carnali reverentia spiritualis tepuit inter ipsos, unde nequaquam unus
quodlibet facere propter alium pretermittit: per insolentiam eorundem interdum ludi
fiunt in eisdem ecclesiis theatrales, et non solum ad ludibriorum spectacula
introducuntur in eas monstra larvarum, verum etiam in tribus anni festivitatibus que
continue Natalem Christi sequuntur, diaconi, presbyteri ac subdiaconi vicissim
insanie sue ludibria exercentes, per gesticulationum suarum debacchationes obscenas
in conspectu populi decus faciunt clericale vilescere, quem potius illo tempore verbi
Dei deberent predicatione mulcere. Quia igitur ex officio nobis iniuncto zelus domus
Dei nos comedit et opprobria exprobantium ei super nos cadere dignoscuntur,
fraternitati vestre per apostolica scripta mandamus, quatenus, ne per huiusmodi
turpitudinem Ecclesie inquinetur honestas, eos qui sunt publice uxorati non
admittatis de cetero ad ecclesiasticas dignitates, et admissos repellatis ab eis quas
non possunt sine pravo exemplo et gravi scandalo retinere. Filiis quoque canonicorum,
prebendas in eisdem conferri ecclesiis non sinatis quarum sunt canonici patres eorum:
cum indecorum sit, ut in altaris officio illegitimus filius impudico patri ministret,
in quo unigenitus Filius eterno Patri pro salute humani generis victimatur.
Prelibatam vero ludibriorum consuetudinem vel potius corruptelam, curetis ab
ecclesiis vestris taliter extirpare, quod vos divini cultus et sacri comprobetis
ordinis zelatores.
[quoted from the Kodeks Dyplomatyczny Wielkopolski, vol. 1, No. 55, pp. 57-580;
its source was: Breguigny et du Theil, Diplomata, chartae etc. II, p. 1037].
