TheRoman Martyrology (Latin:Martyrologium Romanum) is the officialmartyrology of theCatholic Church. Its use is obligatory in matters regarding theRoman Riteliturgy, but dioceses, countries andreligious institutes may add duly approved appendices to it.[1] It provides an extensive but not exhaustive list of thesaints recognized by the Church.[2]
In 1582,Pope Gregory XIII decreed a revision of theJulian calendar, creating a new system, now called, after him, theGregorian calendar. TheRoman Martyrology was first published in 1583. A second edition was published in the same year. The third edition, in 1584, was made obligatory wherever the Roman Rite was in use.[3]
The main source was theMartyrology of Usuard, completed by theDialogues ofPope Gregory I and the works of some of the Fathers, and for the Greek saints by the catalogue known as theMenologion of Sirlet.[3][4] Its origins can be traced back to theMartyrologium Hieronymianum, which was originally based on calendars of Roman, African and Syrian provenance, but to which were gradually added names of many saints from other areas, resulting in a number of duplications, fusions of different saints into one, and other mistakes.[5]
Very soon, in 1586 and again in 1589, revised editions were published with corrections byCaesar Baronius along with indications of the sources on which he drew, and in 1630Pope Urban VIII issued a new edition.[3] 1748 saw the appearance of a revised edition byPope Benedict XIV, who personally worked on the corrections: he suppressed some names, such as those ofClement of Alexandria andSulpicius Severus, but kept others that had been objected to, such as that ofPope Siricius. Subsequent changes until the edition of 2001 were minor, involving some corrections, but mainly the addition of the names of newlycanonized saints.
TheSecond Vatican Council decreed: "The accounts of martyrdom or the lives of the saints are to accord with the facts of history."[6] This required years of study, after which a fully revised edition of theRoman Martyrology was issued in Latin (entitledMartyrologium Romanum) in 2001, followed in 2004 by a revision that corrected some typographical errors in the 2001 edition and added 117 people canonized or beatified between 2001 and 2004, as well as a considerable number of ancient saints not included in the previous edition. "The updated Martyrology contains 7,000 saints and blesseds currently venerated by the Church, and whose cult is officially recognized and proposed to the faithful as models worthy of imitation."[7][8]
As an official list of recognised saints and beati, inclusion in theRoman Martyrology authorises the recognition of saints in the following ways:
Such commemorations in honour of a person who has only been beatified are only permitted in the diocese or religious order where the cult of that person is authorised, unless special permission is obtained from theHoly See.[11]
The entry for each date in the Martyrology is to be read on the previous day.[12] Reading in choir is recommended, but the reading may also be done otherwise:[13] inseminaries and similar institutes, it has been traditional to read it after the main meal of the day.
Prior to theSecond Vatican Council, and where the 1962 liturgical books are used as authorised bySummorum Pontificum, the Martyrology is read at the canonicalHour ofPrime. If the Martyrology is read in the post-Vatican II form, this is usually done after the concluding prayer ofLauds, the Hour that preceded Prime.
If the Martyrology is read outside of the Liturgy of the Hours, as for instance in therefectory, the reading begins with the mention of the date, followed, optionally, by mention of thephase of the moon. Then the actual text of the Martyrology entry is read, ending with theversicle taken fromPsalm 116:Pretiosa in conspectu Domini – Mors Sanctorum eius ("Precious in the sight of the Lord – Is the death of his Saints"). A short Scripture reading may follow, which the reader concludes withVerbum Domini ("The word of the Lord"), to which those present respond:Deo gratias ("Thanks be to God"). A prayer, for which texts are given in the Martyrology, is recited, followed by a blessing and dismissal.[14]
If the Martyrology is read within the Liturgy of the Hours, the same form is used, but without the optional scripture reading.[15]
Reading of the Martyrology is completely omitted during thePaschal Triduum:Holy Thursday,Good Friday, andHoly Saturday (in which no saints of Good Friday, Holy Saturday and Easter Sunday are commemorated).[16]
On certain dates of the liturgical year, the Martyrology prescribes special announcements to be made before or after the commemoration of saints:[17]
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