Girard, Peter M.

About the author: The Reverend Peter M. Girard, OP, holds a Masters in Communication from American University, The Masters of Divinity and License in Theology (STL) from the Pontifical Faculty of The Immaculate Conception, Washington DC and a doctorate in Theology (STD) from the Pontifical University of St. Thomas (Angelicum) in Rome.

Textual History and Theological Reflection on the Inscription of the Paschal Candle

2004 0-7734-6453-0
This work details the textual and history of the inscriptions on the Paschal Candle, carved into wax on only one night of the year within Christian liturgies. A meticulous study of texts and various Latin words brings the reader from ninth century France and Spain to the Lateran basilica of the 13th century. Along with a credible textual history for the inscriptions, this work outlines various schools of liturgical reform evident in the evolution of practice and proposes some theological implications associated with the inscribing of the Paschal Candle. It disproves two earlier misconceptions concerning the inscription’s origins and establishes an original theory concerning the sources and evolution of the practice. Pertinent Medieval manuscripts and associated Latin terminology are competently analyzed to produce a genuine contribution to the field of liturgical history within the Western Christian tradition.