Preacher and prophet: intersecting voices of St John the Evangelist in late medieval ‘s-Hertogenbosch
CATHERINE SAUCIER
Abstract The church of Sint-Jan in the town ‘s-Hertogenbosch, on northern frontier medieval diocese Liège, cultivated unique local devotions to widely venerated apostle St John Evangelist. Most notable are five annual feasts, two which unknown elsewhere Western Christendom – John's Exile Island Patmos (27 September) and Return from (3 December). Although figured prominently iconography prophetic vision writing Apocalypse, this event was largely overlooked Johannine liturgy. Drawing an exhaustive study all extant service books, my comparative analysis office chants readings for examines how ‘s-Hertogenbosch clergy synthesised Eastern narratives evangelical activities Patmos. A previously ignored liturgical imprint sheds new light reception a fifth-century text Syrian origin Acts by Prochorus disseminated Byzantium but little known Latin West. Matins source contradict association imagining island as locus preaching Gospel, yet concluding versified responsories, call both preacher prophet attributes that merge musical form melodic embellishment these unstudied chants. More broadly, case demonstrates liturgy might conflate different hagiographic narratives.
Plainsong & Medieval Music