Fælsian and the Purification of Sacred Space in the Advent Lyrics

Abstract

A number of Anglo-Saxon authors in both Old English and Latin demonstrate a strikingly unified conception of sacred space and ritual purification. By weaving together elements from sources as diverse as Roman paganism, Mosaic Law, and the rite of church dedication, these writers formulated an understanding of sacred space that had clear influence poetically. Much of the Anglo-Saxon conception of sacred space centers on the meaning of a particular Old English word ( fælsian ) and its relationship to a similar Latin term ( lustrare ). While neither of these words is common, they appear in a small number of important works in startling similar contexts. It is possible that this view of the sacred also affected the actual process of Christianization, though this is more speculative.

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