Virgines Christi: La virginité aux premiers siecles de l'Église

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a sort of abridged version of Vizmanos's [*Las Virgenes Cristianas de la Iglesia Primitiva*](https://isidore.co/calibre/#panel=book_details&book_id=6496)He accuses St. Gregory of Nyssa of being a Platonist on p. 51 ("Mais comme c’est platonicien!"), in the sense of being almost a Manichean dualist, but this is his only criticism of St. Greg's writings on virginity.He also makes the interesting point that consecrated virginity, like marriage, is a sign, too, but that it signifies more clearly and actually the union of Christ and His Church or of Christ and the soul in the Beatific Vision (for *viatoribus* , it is more than a sign of Christ's union with the soul, but the reality itself).He also quotes the beautiful preface of the [*De Benedictione et Consecratione Virginum*](https://isidore.co/calibre/#panel=book_details&book_id=6514), which compares marriage and virginity and discusses their "semiotics":> While no prohibition lessens the dignity of marriage and while the nuptial blessing resting on matrimony is safeguarded, nevertheless, there will be nobler souls who, spurning the carnal union entered into by man and wife, strive after the mystery it signifies. Without imitating what takes place in matrimony they devote their entire love to the mystery signified by marriage.> [cum honorem nuptiarum nulla interdicta minuisset, ac super sanctam conjugium nuptialis benedictio permaneret, exsisterent tamen sublimiores animæ, quae in viri, ac mulieris copula fastidirent connubium, concupiscerent Sacramentum, nec imitarentur, quod nuptiis agitur, sed diligerent quod nuptiis prænotatur.]He also mentions that virgins are the martyrs in times of peace. He (like +Sheen) uses the verb " *virginiser* " on p. 66.He also quotes from St. Thomas's fascinating question " *Utrum virginibus voventibus continentiam debeatur speciale velum prae aliis quae continentiam voverunt, et corruptae sunt* " ([ *Super Sent.* , lib. 4 d. 38 q. 1 a. 5](http://www.corpusthomisticum.org/snp4037.html#20530) [co.](http://www.corpusthomisticum.org/snp4037.html#20538))p. 17 (PDF p. 13) n. 1 cites: * Louvel, François, O.P. “[Mariage et virginité](https://isidore.co/misc/Physics%20papers%20and%20books/Zotero/storage/SGK9T5BV/Louvel%20-%201942%20-%20Mariage%20et%20virginit%C3%A9.pdf).” *Spiritualité de la famille. Rencontres* 8 (1942): 223–33.p. 18 (PDF p. 14) n. 1 cites: * “[La réalité chrétienne du mariage: un conflit vécu entre l’esprit et la vie](https://isidore.co/misc/Physics%20papers%20and%20books/Zotero/storage/KSZM48C8/1938%20-%20La%20r%C3%A9alit%C3%A9%20chr%C3%A9tienne%20du%20mariage.pdf).” *Études Carmélitaines* 33 (1938): 204–14. p. 22 (PDF p. 18) n. 1 cites, regarding Louvel p. 233's " *rapports entre virginité et mariage* ": * Dillersberger, J. “[Le mystère de la virginité](https://isidore.co/misc/Physics%20papers%20and%20books/Zotero/storage/6M4RZ9SD/Dillersberger%20-%20Le%20myst%C3%A8re%20de%20la%20virginit%C3%A9.pdf).” *Les cahiers de la Vierge* 9 (1935): 1–12 (esp. p. 4).pp. 75-82 (PDF pp. 71-78): excerpts of St. Athanasius's letters published in *Muséon*.