Meditation 70
The Ancient Icelandic Tetramorph
The Tetramorph has
always played a special role in the history of this island in the
Northern Atlantic which the Celtic papas made their Egyptian desert. [1] The Tetramorph played an
important part in the spirituality of the fathers of the Church in the
island as can best be seen on the Tetramorph of the four spiritual
fasts.
Our Father plays a important role as a continuous prayer in the Divine Office and the fathers repeat Abba Isaac’s words, that is, “we pray, when we renounce this world and . . . serve the Lord with full purpose of heart.” This is a true spiritual fast. This spiritual fast was divided into four phases or quarters in accordance with the Tetramorph. They named these fourfold seasonal days of fasting imbra (days of fasting) in winter, spring, summer and autumn. They were intended to cultivate the spiritual year in our hearts,”
The anonymous author continues and explains that imbra in winter is kept to make God able to warm the soil of the heart so the seed of His Word can grow in our hearts. It is beginning to grow when we desire to listen to spiritual teaching and avoid all evil deeds. Next he emphasizes the remembrance of God because “it is not profitable to listen if we forget what is proclaimed.” The second imbra is the time of growth when the harvest becomes visible “as our prayers are ointment appearing in good works.” The third imbra consist in the seeds of the harvest which is realized in good works guarded by humility until death. The fourth imbra is to guard the harvest by avoiding all arrogance regarding good works already accomplished,
The spring “refers to our youth,” in the spiritual life, the summer to “mature age,” the autumn to “old age” and winter to “high old age”. We see thus how utterly this pattern is based on the Tetramorph.
How closely knitted this spirituality was to the Our Father is best seen by how the Our Father was an integral part of the Liturgy of the Hours or Divine Office. At Matutin “not less than 12 Our Fathers shall be chanted . . . In order to consecrate the twelve hours of the day and night.” At Laudes “shall be chanted not less than 7 pater noster and thus ask for the seven gifts of the spirit.” At Prime “5 pater noster so God will protect our five senses.” At Terce “5 pater noster to remember the “five sufferings of our Lord God in the prison of this world, that is, sorrow, hard work, cold, hunger and insomnia.” At Sext “5 pater noster because of His “fetters, blows on the neck, knocks on His face, spits and bad treatment.” At None 5 pater noster because of “the five wounds of God;” at Vesper 7 pater noster because “both in the morning and evening it is necessary to ask for the seven gifts of the Spirit.” And at last at Compline 5 pater noster“ asking God to protect our senses during the night as at Prime during the day.” [4]
The Our Father was thus an integral part of the liturgy as continuous prayer in the Icelandic church in the eleventh and twelfth century and was still in use as such on the mainland of Europe at the same time and interwoven with the use of the rosary. Just as the Psalms of David are divided into three fifties (3 x 50) the rosary is divided into fifty beads of ten decades. In the eleventh century the beads were still called paternosters and the rosary the “office of the poor.” [5] Obviously the Our Father had been used in the same way as the Jesus Prayer in the Liturgy of Hours of the Orthodox Church where still today a certain number of Jesus prayers replace the Divine Office. [6]
Our Father plays a important role as a continuous prayer in the Divine Office and the fathers repeat Abba Isaac’s words, that is, “we pray, when we renounce this world and . . . serve the Lord with full purpose of heart.” This is a true spiritual fast. This spiritual fast was divided into four phases or quarters in accordance with the Tetramorph. They named these fourfold seasonal days of fasting imbra (days of fasting) in winter, spring, summer and autumn. They were intended to cultivate the spiritual year in our hearts,”
The four days of
imbra (fast) refers to the commandments of the four gospels. Three days
of imbra four times
(annually) refer to the Trinitarian faith revealed in the four gospels.
Altogether twelve days of imbra
refers to the teachings of the twelve apostles. A man who keeps
spiritual days of imbra
perseveres the Trinitarian faith and obeys the commandments of the four
gospels and the teaching of the apostles. But it is a spiritual fast
day and night to avoid all condemnable worldly greediness and being
perseverance in all trials. [2]
The anonymous author continues and explains that imbra in winter is kept to make God able to warm the soil of the heart so the seed of His Word can grow in our hearts. It is beginning to grow when we desire to listen to spiritual teaching and avoid all evil deeds. Next he emphasizes the remembrance of God because “it is not profitable to listen if we forget what is proclaimed.” The second imbra is the time of growth when the harvest becomes visible “as our prayers are ointment appearing in good works.” The third imbra consist in the seeds of the harvest which is realized in good works guarded by humility until death. The fourth imbra is to guard the harvest by avoiding all arrogance regarding good works already accomplished,
If we keep the days
of imbra in this way God will
give us prosperity and peace on earth and enter into eternal glory with
Him in heaven after Dooms day. [3]
The spring “refers to our youth,” in the spiritual life, the summer to “mature age,” the autumn to “old age” and winter to “high old age”. We see thus how utterly this pattern is based on the Tetramorph.
How closely knitted this spirituality was to the Our Father is best seen by how the Our Father was an integral part of the Liturgy of the Hours or Divine Office. At Matutin “not less than 12 Our Fathers shall be chanted . . . In order to consecrate the twelve hours of the day and night.” At Laudes “shall be chanted not less than 7 pater noster and thus ask for the seven gifts of the spirit.” At Prime “5 pater noster so God will protect our five senses.” At Terce “5 pater noster to remember the “five sufferings of our Lord God in the prison of this world, that is, sorrow, hard work, cold, hunger and insomnia.” At Sext “5 pater noster because of His “fetters, blows on the neck, knocks on His face, spits and bad treatment.” At None 5 pater noster because of “the five wounds of God;” at Vesper 7 pater noster because “both in the morning and evening it is necessary to ask for the seven gifts of the Spirit.” And at last at Compline 5 pater noster“ asking God to protect our senses during the night as at Prime during the day.” [4]
The Our Father was thus an integral part of the liturgy as continuous prayer in the Icelandic church in the eleventh and twelfth century and was still in use as such on the mainland of Europe at the same time and interwoven with the use of the rosary. Just as the Psalms of David are divided into three fifties (3 x 50) the rosary is divided into fifty beads of ten decades. In the eleventh century the beads were still called paternosters and the rosary the “office of the poor.” [5] Obviously the Our Father had been used in the same way as the Jesus Prayer in the Liturgy of Hours of the Orthodox Church where still today a certain number of Jesus prayers replace the Divine Office. [6]
[1]. See The
Celtic and Icelandic Tetramorphs and
The Tetramorph and its Peace
Message in Iceland.
[2]. Book of Homilies, p. 50.
[3]. Ibid, p. 51.
[4]. Ibid, p. 163.
[5]. Encyclopedia of Catholicism, p. 1138.
[6].This ancient tradition has been persevered in the Western Church when after confession the priests asks the confessor to recite certain number of Our Father.
[2]. Book of Homilies, p. 50.
[3]. Ibid, p. 51.
[4]. Ibid, p. 163.
[5]. Encyclopedia of Catholicism, p. 1138.
[6].This ancient tradition has been persevered in the Western Church when after confession the priests asks the confessor to recite certain number of Our Father.
