FERETORY Meaning and
Definition
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A feretory is a term derived from medieval Latin and refers to a portable shrine or a small receptacle used for housing and displaying religious relics or important remains of saints or martyrs. It typically took the form of a small casket or box adorned with intricate metalwork, jewels, or other ornamental materials, designed to showcase and venerate the relics contained within.
Historically, feretories played a vital role in religious rituals and processions as they were carried by priests or members of the clergy, with the intention of granting the faithful a glimpse or an opportunity to pay homage to holy remnants. These portable shrines were often paraded through towns or displayed in churches, allowing devotees to come forward, offer prayers, and seek intercession from the saint whose relics were enshrined.
The term "feretory" can also be used more broadly to describe any designated area or chapel within a church or cathedral set aside exclusively for storing and exhibiting relics. These larger feretories would often feature elaborate artwork and sculptural elements dedicated to the veneration of the saints and their associated relics.
In contemporary usage, the term "feretory" is less common but can still be encountered in historical or ecclesiastical contexts as a reference to these specialized containers or areas that were once integral to medieval Catholic religious practices and the interplay between faith and material culture.
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The bier or shrine containing the relies of saints, borne in processions; the place in a church where the bier is set.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
Common Misspellings for FERETORY
Etymology of FERETORY
The word "feretory" is derived from the Latin term "feretrum", which means a "portable bier" or "funeral procession". The Latin word "fero" means "to carry" or "to bear". Over time, "feretrum" evolved into "feretorie" in Old French and then into "feretory" in Middle English. In its original sense, a feretory referred to a portable shrine or casket containing the relics of a saint and was often used in religious processions. Nowadays, the term can also be used to describe a chapel or a designated place within a church where relics are kept or displayed.
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