Martin of Braga: De Pascha

[1] Plerique mysterium Paschae enarrare voluerunt simulque digerere ex ratione suppulationis in mense et luna et die; sed sive scientiae sive sermonis impossibilitate obscurius id relinquerunt, quasi nihil inde dixissent. Scio enim multos scrupulosius interrogare solitos, quare secundum morem Iudaeorum ad lunae computationem diversis generibus Pascha celebremus, dicentes rectius sibi videri si Dominicae passionis commemoratio agatur, ut unum anniversarium natalis diem observemus, sicuti et a plerisque Gallicanis episcopis usque ante non multum tempus custoditum est, ut semper VIII Kal. Apr.

[1] Many have wished to expound the mystery of Easter and at the same time to arrange it from the reason of the celebration into month and moon and day; but either through inability of knowledge or of speech they left it more obscure, as if they had said nothing. For I know that many are wont to ask more scrupulously why, according to the custom of the Jews, we celebrate Easter by the computation of the moon in diverse ways, saying that it seems more right to them if the commemoration of the Lord’s Passion is held on the Lord’s Day, so that we observe one annual natal day, just as it was kept by most Gallican bishops until not long ago, namely always on 8 Kal. Apr.

die Pascha celebrarent, in quo facta Christi resurrectio traditur. Placuit autem et mihi inquirenti curiose quid maiores nostri secuti essent aperte exponere.

to celebrate Pascha on the day in which Christ’s resurrection is handed down. It also pleased me, when curiously inquiring, to explain openly why our ancestors had followed it.

[2] Passio Christi redemptio est creaturae, de qua Apostolus ait quodsubiecta fuerit servituti non sua sponte sed propter eum qui eam subiecit in spem; quia et ipsa liberabitur a servitute interitus cum libertate filiorum Dei. Haec creatura est spiritus vitae quae creavit omnia terrenae corporaturae, subiectus in eam spem ut de corruptelae interitu cum libertate filiorum gloriae liberetur, quae utique in eo die subiecta est servituti in quo mundus effectus est quam cum Christus per passionem suam liberare venisset servavit, ut in eo tempore pateretur in quo creatura subiecta fuerat servituti, ut qui dies ille tristitiae fuerat, idem laetitiae redderetur. Quoniam vero agni huius sacramenta tanta essent ut veritatis ipsius etiam umbra proficeret ad salutem liberandis Iudaeis de servitute Pharaonis, quasi iam liberatio creaturae de servitute corruptelae figuraretur, futurae passionis Christi imago in adventum salutis operata est, et ideo dictum est a Deo ut in primo mense anni quarta decima luna agnus immaculatus anniculus immolaretur, de cuius sanguine domos suas super limina obsignarent, ne a vastatore angelo terrerentur, atque in ipsa nocte comesto per domos agno, quod esset Paschae celebratio, liberationem per figuram servitutis acciperent. Non obscura est figura agnum immaculatum esse Christum, huius immolationem ad servitutem nostri interitus liberandam.

[2] The passion of Christ is the redemption of creation, about which the Apostle said thatit was subjected to servitude not of its own will but because of him who subjected it, in hope; for even it will be liberated from the bondage of corruption into the liberty of the sons of God. This creature is the spirit of life which made all earthly corporature, subjected to that hope so that from the death of corruption it might be freed into the liberty of the glory of the sons, which indeed was subjected to servitude on the day in which the world was made — a servitude which, when Christ came to free by his passion, he observed, so that it should suffer in the time in which the creature had been subjected to servitude, and that that day which had been one of sadness might be restored to joy. Since moreover the sacraments of this lamb were so great that even the shadow of the truth profited for the salvation of the Jews, freeing them from the servitude of Pharaoh — as if already the liberation of creation from the servitude of corruption were being prefigured — the image of the future passion of Christ worked in the advent of salvation; and therefore it was said by God that in the first month of the year on the fourteenth day of the moon an unblemished yearling lamb should be sacrificed, whose blood they should mark upon their houses over the thresholds, lest they be terrified by the destroying angel, and in that very night, the lamb eaten through the houses (which was the celebration of the Pasch), they should receive liberation by a figure of servitude. It is not an obscure figure that the unblemished lamb is Christ, his immolation to free us from the servitude of our ruin.

Nam signo crucis eius quasi sanguinis asparsione signati usque ad consummationem mundi a vastatoribus angelis vindicabimur. Hoc breviter et strictim dixisse sufficiat, ut id quod quaerere propositum est, rationem observationis et Paschae et mensis et lunae et diei, sine molestia multiloquii aperiamus.

For by the sign of the cross, as though sprinkled with the sprinkling of his blood, we shall be safeguarded from the destroying angels until the consummation of the world. Let it suffice that this has been said briefly and strictly, so that I may open, without the burden of much discourse, the reason for the observance of Pascha and of the month and of the moon and of the day, which it was my purpose to inquire into.

[3] Quaesitum est ergo a maioribus nostris secundum id quod scriptum erat quis esset primus mensis et quis esset primus dies et in quo die quarta decima luna efficeretur cum mandaretur Pascha celebrari. In illo enim tempore in quo Iudaeis facta traditio est necdum mensis ad lunae cursum significantia nominum computabatur. Dedit autem illis argumentum, iam calculo computationis invento, tempus et dies passionis Dominicae et resurrectionis, ut ex eo intellegerent quem primum mensem anni et quem primum eiusdem diem et quando quartam decimam lunam fuisse susciperent et quare hoc mysterium Paschae secundum lunam et diem observare deberent.

[3] Therefore it was asked of our elders, according to what was written, which was the first month and which was the first day, and on what day the fourteenth day of the moon would be made when it was commanded that Pascha be celebrated. For in that time in which the tradition was given to the Jews, months bearing names to signify the course of the moon were not yet computed. But the computation — the calculus of reckoning now discovered — gave them the argument, the time and the days of the Lord’s passion and resurrection, so that from it they might discern which month of the year was first and which day of that same month was first, and when they should receive the fourteenth moon-day, and why they ought to observe this mystery of Pascha according to moon and day.

Hoc autem in primis iudicaverunt, cum per singulos annos Paschae tempus non conveniret ad lunam et ad diem melius esse tempus extendere quam non lunam diemque retinere: primum quia duae res iustius praeberentur, deinde quia haec viderentur in observatione potiora; quod suo loco quatenus iudicaverunt aperiemus.

But they judged this above all: when, in successive years, the time of Pascha did not coincide with the moon and the day, it was better to extend the time than not to retain the moon and the day; first, because two matters would be afforded more justly, secondly, because these would appear the more important in observance; which, in its proper place, we will open up as far as they judged.

[4] Definiamus igitur quis primus mensis in mensibus anni, deinde quis primus eius dies. Dicimus ergo argumentum habuisse maiores nostros ex tempore passionis et resurrectionis Domini. Resurrexisse enim traditur Dominus VIII Kal.

[4] Let us therefore define which is the first month among the months of the year, and then which is its first day. We say, then, that our ancestors had an argument from the time of the Lord’s passion and resurrection. For it is handed down that the Lord rose on the 8th day before the Kalends.

Apr. Dominica die, quinta feria autem praecedente Pascha cum discipulis comedisse, quod fuit XI Kal. Apr.

On a Sunday in April; but on the Thursday preceding Easter he ate with the disciples, which was 11 Kal. Apr.

Rationem autem hanc temporis huius habuerunt, quod creatura quam liberabat in sanguine suo in eodem tempore servituti fuerat subiugata. Probandum itaque nobis est in hoc tempore mundi initium constitisse.

They had moreover this reason for that time, that the creatura whom he was freeing by his sanguine had at the same time been subjected to servitude. It must therefore be proved by us that in this time the mundi initium was constituted.

[5] Inchoasse mundum veris tempore Genesis docet. Cum primum appareret arida quam vocavit Deus terram, dictum est:Germinet terra omnem foenum et omne pabulum et omne viride ligni, quod ferat semen secundum genus suum. In quo germinare omnia videmus, atque ita in eo esse principium mundi non dubitamus. Sed cum tres menses vernum tempus habeat, horum trium medius est qui initium mundo dedit, nec solum mensis medius, sed etiam dies mensuum medii.

[5] Genesis teaches that the world began in the season of spring. When first the dry land appeared, which God called earth, it was said:Let the earth sprout every herb and every pasture and every green thing of the tree that bears seed according to its kind. In which we see all things germinate, and thus we do not doubt that the beginning of the world is in it. But since springtime has three months, the middle of these three is that which gave the beginning to the world — not only the middle month, but also the middle day of that month.

Ex V enim Id. Febr. (veris est inchoatio) in V Id. Mart. unus est mensis.

From the 5th day before the Ides of February (spring is the beginning) to the 5th day before the Ides of March is one month.

Ex V Id. autem Mart. in VIII Kal. Apr.

From the 5th day before the Ides of March to the 8th day before the Kalends of April.

quindecim dies sunt, id est, medietas mensis. Ita unus et dimidius mensis ex hoc antecedit et unus et dimidius mensis subsequitur. VIII autem Kal.

There are 15 days, that is, the half of the month. Thus one and a half months precede this and one and a half months follow. 8 Kal.

Apr. aequalis est nox et dies, sicuti factum mundi initium Genesis docet, dicens: Divisit Deus inter lucem et tenebras et vocavit lucem diem et tenebras vocavit noctem. Omnis enim divisio aequalitatem habet. Ita in quo aequalitatem noctis et diei invenimus, in eo initium mundi constitutum intellegamus.

Apr. night and day are equal, just as the beginning of the world’s making teaches in Genesis, saying: God separated the light from the darkness and called the light Day and the darkness He called Night. For every division has equality. Thus, in that in which we find the equality of night and day, in that let us understand the beginning of the world to have been established.

Sed non sine causa maiores nostri super VIII Kal. Apr. tres dies addiderunt, ut primum diem mundi invenirent.

But not without cause our ancestors added three days to 8 Kal. Apr., so that they might discover the first day of the world.

XI enim Kal. Apr. primum mensem mundi et diem maiores nostri existimaverunt, quia antequam sol in principatum mundi conderetur triduum ante praecesserat.

For on 11 Kalends of April our ancestors reckoned the first month of the world and its first day, because three days had already gone by before the sun was established in the principate of the world.

Refert enim Genesis quarta die facta luminaria solis et luna. Propterea invenimus Christum VIII Kal. Apr.

For Genesis reports that on the fourth day the luminaria of the sun and moon were made. Therefore we find Christ on 8 Kal. Apr.

resurrexisse, verum XI Kal. die Pascha cum discipulis inchoasse, quo die primum subiecta fuerat creatura servituti suae, quam per passionem suam venerat liberare.

that he had risen, but that on 11 Kal. on the day of Pascha he began with the disciples; on that day the creature had first been subjected to its servitude, which he had come to free by his passion.

[6] Diem autem Dominicam primam diem esse mundi dubitari non potest, quia dicit Scripturasex diebus factum esse mundum et septima die requievisse Deum, quam septimam diem Sabbatum appellavit. Unde et manifestum est primam diem mundi Dominicam fuisse, et plenam lunam factam intellegimus, quia facta est in inchoatione noctis et principatus. Sed hoc, sicuti computatio ostendit, percurrere sibi per singulos annos non potest, ut scilicet XI Kal.

[6] But it cannot be doubted that the Lord’s Day was the first day of the world, because Scripture saysthat the world was made in six days and God rested on the seventh, which seventh day he called the Sabbath. Whence it is also manifest that the first day of the world was the Lord’s Day, and we understand it to have been made full moon, because it was made at the inchoation of night and of the principate. But this, as calculation shows, cannot run through the years in single succession, so that, namely, 11 Kal.

Apr. die semper et luna XIV die Dominica inveniatur. Sequenti autem anno XI Kal.

Let the day of April always and the moon be found on the 14th day, on Sunday. In the following year, however, on the 11th day before the Kalends.

Apr. invenitur luna XXV et feria secunda. Itaque cum duae res, et luna et dies, commutatae inveniantur, recte XI Kal.

Apr. the moon is found 25 and the weekday Monday. Therefore, when two things, both moon and day, are found exchanged, 11 Kal. is correct.

Apr. natalis mundi observari visus est.

Apr. the world's natal day was thought to be observed.

[7] Itaque maiores nostri iudicaverunt mensem integrum ad natalem esse mundi observandum et Pascha celebrandum in quacumque parte eius et dies et luna concurrerent. Neque enim hoc sine Scripturae auctoritate. Ait enim Moyses:mensis hic vobis initium mensuum, primus erit in mensibus anni. Quo verbo totum mensem ad natalis mundi diem consecravit.

[7] Therefore our ancestors judged that the entire month should be observed for the natal day of the world and that Pascha should be celebrated whenever in any part of it both the day and the moon concurred. For this is not without the authority of Scripture. For Moses says:mensis hic vobis initium mensuum, primus erit in mensibus anni — “this month shall be for you the beginning of months, it shall be the first of the months of the year.” By that word he consecrated the whole month to the day of the world’s birth.

Ita maiores nostri, qui XI Kal. Apr. die natalem mundi invenerunt, mensem primum constituentes in XI Kal.

Thus our ancestors, who fixed the birthday of the world on the day 11 Kal. Apr., constituting the first month at 11 Kal.

Mai. definierunt. Sic Pascha nec ante XI Kal.

They fixed it in May. Thus Easter is not to fall before the 11th day before the Kalends.

Apr. nec post XI Kal. Mai.

Apr. not after the 11th day before the Kalends of May.

celebrare licebit. Sed cum in hoc mense et luna et dies convenissent, luna scilicet XIV et dies Dominica, tunc Pascha celebraretur. Sane quia rursus frequenter luna XIV cum Dominica die non concurreret, extendi lunam in septem dies maluerunt, dummodo diem Dominicam in resurrectionis laetitia retinerent.

it would be permitted to celebrate. But when in that month both the moon and the day coincided, the moon namely the 14th and the Lord’s Day, then Pascha would be celebrated. Certainly, because again frequently the 14th moon did not concur with the Lord’s Day, they preferred to extend the moon by seven days, provided that they retained the Lord’s Day in the joy of the Resurrection.

Ita quando sic dies venerit usque ad vicesimam primam lunam propter Dominicam diem Pascha differimus semper, ut neque ante XI Kal. Apr. neque post XI Kal.

Thus when such a day shall come, we always delay Easter on account of the Lord’s Day up to the twenty-first moon, so that it be neither before 11 Kal. Apr. nor after 11 Kal.

Mai. celebretur. Sic inventum est ut mensis et dies et luna in celebratione Paschae retinerentur.

May be celebrated. Thus it was found that the month and the day and the moon should be retained in the celebration of Pascha.

[8] Prudenter autem magis ad lunam et diem quam ad XI Kal. Apr. ad natalem mundi redigimur.

[8] But more prudently we are referred to the moon and the day rather than to 11 Kal. Apr. for the nativity (birth) of the world.

Luna enim plena totas noctis illuminat tenebras, et Dominica dies resurrectio est dierum; ad initium enim redit et finem dierum renovat. Haec magis erunt in natalis laetitia et in creaturae liberatione servanda, maxime cum intra primi mensis terminos retinentur. Rursus maiorem diei religionem quam lunae dicarunt.

For the full Moon illuminates the whole darkness of the night, and Dominica is the day of resurrection of days; for it returns to the beginning and renews the end of days. These things are to be kept more in the joy of the nativity and in the creature’s liberation, especially when they are retained within the limits of the first month. Again, they say the religion (observance) of the day is greater than that of the moon.

XIV enim lunam egredimur, diem autem numquam egredimur, quia tota salus est in resurrectione diei. Dies autem Dominica et initium dierum habet et resurrectionem, propter quod in ipsa Dominus resurrexit. Luna vero, licet usque ad vicesimam primam partem extensa non totam compleat noctem, plurimum tamen noctis illuminat, et post se quidem relinquit tenebras, sed eas quae inante sunt superat.

14. for on the 14th we leave the moon, but we never leave the day, because all salvation is in the resurrection of the day. The Lord’s Day moreover has both the beginning of days and the resurrection, wherefore in it the Lord rose. The moon, however, although when extended to the 21st part it does not complete the whole night, yet it illuminates very much of the night, and indeed it leaves behind darkness, but overcomes those that are before it.

In quo maiores nostri maluerunt usque ad vicesimam primam extendi quam ante quartam decimam Pascha celebrari, quia relinquere tenebras postergum melius est quam antecedentes non posse superare.

In which our ancestors preferred that it be extended even to the twenty-first rather than that Pascha be celebrated before the fourteenth, because leaving the darkness later is better than not being able to overcome it when earlier.

[9] Itaque hac summa et hac conclusione in pinace a maioribus constitutum est Pascha neque ante XI Kal. Apr. neque post XI Kal.

[9] Therefore, by this sum and this conclusion, in the pinax it was established by the ancestors that Pascha be neither before 11 Kal. Apr. nor after 11 Kal.

Mai. posse celebrari. Cuius pinacis constituendi quae fuerit ratio, in quo mediocritas potuit, ediximus per gratiam Salvatoris nostri Iesu Christi, cui est honor et gloria in saeculis et in saecula saeculorum.

That it may be possible to be celebrated in May. Of what the rationale was for constituting that pinax, in which moderation could prevail, we have declared by the grace of our Savior Jesus Christ, to whom is honor and glory in the ages and in the ages of ages.

Amen.