Las Virgenes Cristianas de la Iglesia Primitiva: Estudio Histórico-Ideológico Seguido de una Antología de Tratados Patrísticos Sobre la Virginidad

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Unger, O.F.M. Cap., cites this work as "of special indebtedness" to his [*Mystery of Love for the Single*](https://isidore.co/calibre#panel=book_details&book_id=5886)TXT & EPUB are a [DeepL](https://www.deepl.com/translator.html) Pro [NMT](https://www.deeplearningbook.org/contents/applications.html#pf1f) English translation.* * *heard about [here](https://sponsa-christi.blogspot.com/2012/12/good-books-for-consecrated-virgins-and.html)The bibliography [here](https://sponsa-christi.blogspot.com/p/church-fathers.html) (although links incomplete) is based off the bibliography on pp. xix-xx (DjVu pp. 17-18).* * *p. 30 (DjVu p. 52) n. 3: Clement of Alexandria (& perhaps St. Basil, too) thought all the apostles were married. Tertullian and St. Jerome thought only St. Peter was.* * *p. 66 (DjVu p. 88) cites Galen's description of Christians, which according to "[Galen on Jews and Christians](https://tertullian.org/rpearse/galen_on_jews_and_christians.htm)" (Tertullian.org) is "Πλατωνικῶν διαλογων συνόψεις ( *=Summary of Platonic dialogues* ), in 8 books; from part 3.", is from an Arabic translation, "[Ibn Abi Usaibiah (d.1270) quoting an earlier writer, `Ubayd Allāh ibn Jibrā`īl](https://tertullian.org/rpearse/galen_on_jews_and_christians.htm#FN26)":> Evidence that Christ lived quite some time before Galen is contained in the following passage of Galen's commentary on Plato's [*Republic*](https://isidore.co/calibre/#panel=book_details&book_id=4245):> "From this we may infer that the people called Christians derive their faith from signs and miracles. Also, sometimes, they show such behavior as is adopted by philosophers; for fearlessness of death and the hereafter is something we witness in them every day. The same is true of abstention from sexual intercourse. Some of them, both men and women, go their whole life without sexual intercourse. There are among them those who possess such a measure of self-control with regard to food and drink and who are so bent on justice, that they do not fall short of those who profess philosophy in truth."* * *Roman emperors outlawed idolatrous worship, which included the vestal virgins (p. 84n27, DjVu p. 106):> El primer golpe efectivo lo recibió el sacerdocio femenino de Vesta con la confiscación de los bienes religiosos idolátricos, decretada por el emperador Graciano en una constitución dada en 382, cuyo texto no se conserva, pero a la que hace alusión una ley de Honorio el año 415. (Cf. *Cod. Theodos.* , lib. XVI, tit. 10, lex 20.) El golpe de gracia le vino de manos del emperador Teodosio, que en una de sus varias leyes contra la idolatría mandó cerrar todos los templos paganos, quedando incluido el de Vesta en la ejecución del mandato imperial. > The first effective blow was received by the female priesthood of Vesta with the confiscation of idolatrous religious goods, decreed by the emperor Gratian in a constitution given in 382, the text of which is not preserved, but to which a law of Honorius in 415 alludes. (Cf. *Cod. Theodos.* , lib. XVI, tit. 10, lex 20.) The final blow came at the hands of the emperor Theodosius, who in one of his various laws against idolatry ordered the closing of all pagan temples, including that of Vesta in the execution of the imperial mandate. *Pace* [*Dignitatis Humanæ*](https://isidore.co/forum/index.php?topic=234.msg595#msg595), the State has the right and duty to outlaw public idolatrous worship.* * *St. Ambrose[p. 93](https://archive.org/details/lasvirgenescrist00vizm/page/93/mode/2up) (DjVu p. 115) notes St. Ambrose's combination of politics with virginity:> En efecto, el tacto diplomático y la habilidad política de lantiguo gobernador de Milán, al contacto del óleo de la consagración, se habían trocado mágicamente en una sensibilidad exquisita para percibir las sublimidades del Evangelio. Ni las vidriosas relaciones que en calidad de obispo tuvo que mantener con los emperadores Valentiniano y Teodosio, ni los negocios gravísimos, que le señalaron a veces como la personalidad más destacada del Imperio occidental, lograron desviar su atención de las vírgenes de Cristo ni hacerle olvidar el cargo que se había impuesto de heraldo mayor en la promulgación de la continencia.> In fact, the diplomatic tact and political skill of the former governor of Milan, in contact with the oil of consecration, had magically changed into an exquisite sensitivity to perceive the sublimities of the Gospel. Neither the glassy relations that as bishop he had to maintain with the emperors Valentinian and Theodosius, nor the very serious business, which sometimes marked him as the most prominent personality of the Western Empire, managed to divert his attention from the virgins of Christ or make him forget the charge he had imposed on himself as the chief herald in the promulgation of continence.[p. 96](https://archive.org/details/lasvirgenescrist00vizm/page/96/mode/2up) (DjVu p. 118) is on [*De lapsu virginis consecratæ*](https://isidore.co/calibre#panel=book_details&book_id=8428) (377 AD), a letter written to a fallen virgin named Susanna, urging her to repentance: > El estilo de esta alocución difiere notablemente del modo de hablar ambrosiano, más rico en ideas. Para salvar esta dificultad, se supuso fuera una improvisación del Santo Doctor, que, copiada por uno de los oyentes, hubiera sido lanzada al público con indiscreta ligereza. Las nuevas orientaciones de la critica, aludidas en el texto, resuelven mejor esta dificultad. Por lo que hace a la virgen caída, sólo sabemos de ella que se llamaba Susana y se había hecho rea, a lo que parece, de fornicación e infanticidio. [!]> The style of this allocution differs notably from the Ambrosian way of speaking, richer in ideas. To overcome this difficulty, it was supposed to be an improvisation of the Holy Doctor, which, copied by one of the listeners, had been cast to the public with indiscreet levity. The new orientations of the critics, alluded to in the text, resolve this difficulty better. As for the fallen virgin, we only know that her name was Susana and that she, so it seems, had committed fornication and infanticide. [!]St. Ambrose's advice is applicable today to any woman who has commited an abortion.[p. 97](https://archive.org/details/lasvirgenescrist00vizm/page/97/mode/2up) (DjVu p. 119), he upbraided politicians: forbade Valentinian of idolatrous worship (cf. his excommunication of the overly-severe Theodosius for his massacre of thousands of Christians participating in idolatry; [**St. Ambrose contra idolatrous worship**](https://isidore.co/forum/index.php?topic=234.msg735#msg735)):> Aun en sus cartas a los emperadores [[Epist.](https://isidore.co/calibre/#panel=book_details&book_id=8778) **[ref:7.33-34]** *18* , [*PL* 16](https://isidore.co/calibre/#panel=book_details&book_id=6501) DjVu pp. 512-16] aprovechaba San Ambrosio la coyuntura para ensalzar la virginidad, como lo hizo en la escrita a Valentiniano en 384, con ocasión de rebatir la propuesta hecha en nombre del Senado por el prefecto de Roma, Símaco, para que se respetase la estatua de la diosa Victoria, se protegiesen los antiguos ritos paganos y se defendiese la institución de las vestales. Con gran contento aprovecha el Obispo esta última circunstancia para poner ante los ojos del emperador la gloria de las vírgenes consagradas, cuya dignidad y sobrenatural belleza no admite parangón posible fuera del cristianismo.> Even in his letters to the emperors, St. Ambrose took advantage of the occasion to extol virginity, as he did in the one written to Valentinian in 384, on the occasion of refuting the proposal made in the name of the Senate by the prefect of Rome, Simmacus, to respect the statue of the goddess Victory, to protect the ancient pagan rites, and to defend the institution of the vestals. With great joy the Bishop took advantage of this latter circumstance to place before the eyes of the emperor the glory of the consecrated virgins, whose dignity and supernatural beauty is unparalleled outside of Christianity.* * *pp. 195-202 (DjVu pp. 217-224) " *Su formación intelectual afectiva y ascética* " is a sort of short treatise on St. Jerome's educational philosophy.* * *p. 268 (DjVu p. 290), describes how 3rd cen. Christian women wore their hair, based upon paintings on catacomb walls:> En las imágenes que cual involuntaria revista de modas nos han conservado las catacumbas, la forma más corriente del peinado durante el tercer siglo es la de mostrar el cabello dividido por una raya central en dos partes, que descienden por los lados, cubriendo las sienes y continuando por encima de las orejas hasta cerca del cuello, donde tuercen hacia arriba para formar un moño cogido con cintas junto a la coronilla o enroscarse en una trenza a manera de corona.> In the images that the catacombs have preserved for us like an involuntary fashion magazine, the most common form of hairstyle during the third century is to show the hair divided by a central parting into two parts, which descend on the sides, covering the temples and continuing above the ears until near the neck, where they twist upwards to form a bun tied with ribbons at the crown or twisted into a braid like a crown.> 42\. Wilpert, [*Die Malereien der Katacomben Roms* , Tafelband](https://isidore.co/calibre/#panel=book_details&book_id=8813), imágenes 58 [PDF p. 59] y 138 [PDF p. 139].> 43\. [*ibid.*](https://isidore.co/calibre/#panel=book_details&book_id=8813), imagen 79 [PDF p. 80: *Einkleidung einer Gottgeweihten Jungfrau* , Consecration of a Consecrated Virgin, in the Priscilla Catacomb, the oldest catacomb to also show veiled Christian women].* * *pp. 293-307 (DjVu pp. 315-29) are on *La vida familiar*p. 536 (DjVu p. 558) n. 16 mentions that St. Jerome wrote a commentary on Ps. 44 ( *Epist. 45 ad Principiam* , *PL* 22, 622-39), but he was unable to write one on the Song of Songs due to sickness (sickness/death also [prevented(?)](https://isidore.co/calibre/#panel=book_details&book_id=8944) St. Thomas Aquinas from writing one).* * *DjVu pp. 743ff. are some translations of St. Ambrose not available in English.DjVu pp. 1197ff. is [St. John Chrysostom's *De Virginitate*](https://isidore.co/calibre/browse/book/6549): excerpt, §47 "Cómo puede ayudar la mujer a su marido en las cosas espirituales" ([p. 1230](https://archive.org/details/lasvirgenescrist00vizm/page/1230/mode/2up), DjVu pp. 1252-4): > No es adornándose, ni mostrándose muelle, ni exigiendo grandes cantidades al marido, ni haciéndose gastadora o despilfarradora como logrará mejorar a su esposo, sino que únicamente conseguirá ganarlo cuando, remontándose por encima de todas las cosas presentes y copiando en sí la vida de los apóstoles, muestre gran probidad y gran modestia, absoluto desprecio de las riquezas y suma resignación; cuando diga: *Teniendo alimentos y vestido para cubrirnos, estaremos contentos* [1 Tim. 6:8]; cuando viva prácticamente esta filosofía ascética; cuando, burlándose de la muerte corporal, tenga en nada toda la vida presente; cuando repute la gloria humana, según el dicho del profeta, *como flor de heno* [Is. 40:7].PDF pp. 1111 ff. are St. Athanasius's [*De virginitate*](https://isidore.co/calibre/#panel=book_details&book_id=7162)DjVu pp. 1135ff. is [St. Gregory of Nyssa's *De Virginitate*](https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/2907.htm):Parte I. Excelencias de la virginidad1\. La virginidad supera todo encomio2\. La virginidad, atributo de la naturaleza divina e incorpórea3\. Recuento de los inconvenientes del matrimonio4\. Perturbaciones que origina el matrimonio y el no vencer los afectos terrenos5\. Conveniencia de la virginidad para la contemplación divina6\. Ejemplos de Elías y de Juan Bautista en esta materia7\. Males acarreados por la disipación de espíritu8\. Licitud del matrimonio y conveniente moderación el él9\. Fuerza e influjo de la costumbre10\. Dificultad de percibir la belleza increada11\. Camino para llegar al conocimiento de la belleza y la luz divinas12\. Origen culpable de nuestras pasiones y camino para recobrar la unión perdida con Dios13\. La virginidad triunfa sobre el poder de la muerteParte II. Cualidades y virtudes que debe encerrar en sí la virginidad14\. Es necesario que la virginidad abrace todo el cuerpo y toda el alma15\. Cualquier mancha es un peligro para la virginidad16\. Debe la virgen huir los extremos y juntar la sencillez con la prudencia17\. Todas las fuerzas del alma han de estar orientadas hacia la virtud18\. Virtudes principales propias de la virginidad19\. Principios, descendencia y matrimonio espiritual de la virginidad20\. No se puede servir al placer y a la sabiduría ni contraer juntamente el matrimonio corporal y el espiritual21\. Modo y uso que ha de guardarse en el placer22\. Armonía de las virtudes opuestas y moderación en la abstinencia23\. Necesidad de seguir a una director experimentado24\. Necesidad de un guía y de la imitación de Cristo crucificado | Part I. Excellencies of virginity1\. Virginity surpasses all praise2\. Virginity, an attribute of the divine and incorporeal nature3\. The disadvantages of marriage4\. Disturbances caused by marriage and not overcoming earthly affections5\. Fittingness of virginity for divine contemplation6\. Examples of Elijah and John the Baptist on this matter7\. Ills brought about by the dissipation of spirit8\. Lawfulness of marriage and proper moderation in it9\. Strength and influence of custom10\. Difficulty of perceiving uncreated beauty11\. The way to the knowledge of divine beauty and light12\. Guilty origin of our passions and way to recover the lost union with God13\. Virginity triumphs over the power of deathPart II. Qualities and virtues that virginity must enclose in itself14\. It is necessary that virginity embraces the whole body and the whole soul15\. Any stain is a danger to virginity16\. The virgin must flee the extremes and combine simplicity with prudence17\. All the forces of the soul must be oriented towards virtue18\. Main virtues of virginity19\. Principles, descendants and spiritual marriage of virginity20\. It is not possible to serve pleasure and wisdom or to contract bodily and spiritual marriage together21\. Custom and use to be kept at leisure22\. Harmony of opposing virtues and moderation in abstinence23\. Need for following an experienced director24\. Need for guidance and imitation of Christ crucified ---|---