1827 Rituale Romanum, Roman Catholic Ritual, Exorcisms, Venice, Bound in Vellum

Overview:

Rituale Romanum, Pauli V. Pontificis Maximi Jussu Editum, Nunc Vero... Benedicto XIV Auctum et Castigatum.
Venice: Heirs of Balleoni (Apud Haeredes Balleonios), 1827.

An attractive early 19th-century Venetian edition of the Rituale Romanum, the official Roman Catholic ritual containing the rites and ceremonies used by parish priests in the administration of the sacraments, blessings, exorcisms and other ecclesiastical duties.

Printed throughout in red and black and preserved in a period full vellum binding.

The Rituale Romanum

First formally issued under Pope Paul V in 1614, the Rituale Romanum standardised many of the ceremonies performed by Roman Catholic priests outside the celebration of Mass. The present edition incorporates the revisions associated with Pope Benedict XIV, whose name appears prominently on the title page.

Unlike a Bible or Missal, this was fundamentally a working priest's manual, providing both the words to be spoken and instructions for carrying out the rites.

The volume includes material relating to baptism, penance and confession, Communion, the sick, marriage, funerary rites, blessings, prayers and other ceremonies.

Exorcisms & Conjurations

Of particular interest is the inclusion of traditional Catholic exorcistic and adjuration formulas.

Several exorcisms appear within the baptismal rites, including formulas addressed directly to the "unclean spirit" and Satan. The volume also contains rites involving the exorcism and blessing of water.

These should be understood in their historical liturgical context: exorcistic prayers formed part of Catholic baptismal and blessing rituals and were not exclusively associated with cases of alleged demonic possession.

The title page itself specifically advertises the inclusion of:

"Benedictiones, & Conjurationes"

or "Blessings and Conjurations."

This makes the volume particularly interesting not only as a Catholic liturgical work but also to collectors interested in the historical development of exorcism, ritual and religious practice.

Printing

A particularly attractive feature is the extensive two-colour printing in black and red. Rubrics, headings, instructions, crosses and portions of the liturgical text are printed in red, with the principal text in black.

Large decorative initials appear throughout.

Printed:

Venetiis [Venice]
Apud Haeredes Balleonios Typ. Edit.
MDCCCXXVII [1827]

Binding

Bound in full vellum over boards, apparently period, with faint manuscript/printed identification to the spine.

The vellum has developed the characteristic cream colour associated with age and use, with general marking, staining and soiling. Traces of red/pink colouring are visible around portions of the board edges.

The spine is considerably worn with substantial losses to the vellum, exposing areas of the underlying binding structure. Corners and edges show additional wear.

Despite the external wear, the binding retains considerable period character and gives the volume the appearance of a genuinely used ecclesiastical book rather than a later collector's rebinding.

Condition

Internally considerably better preserved than the exterior. Pages generally clean and bright for a book approaching 200 years old, with scattered spotting, foxing, staining and signs of handling consistent with age and use.

The red and black printing remains strong and attractive throughout.

Binding heavily worn as described, particularly to the spine. Please examine photographs carefully as these form an important part of the condition description.

Why Buy This Copy?

An appealing example of an 1827 Venetian Roman Ritual in period vellum, combining Catholic liturgical history with the more unusual survival of historical exorcism, conjuration and blessing texts.

The striking red-and-black typography, Latin text, vellum binding and explicitly ritualistic content make this a particularly evocative piece of nineteenth-century ecclesiastical history and an interesting addition to a collection of Catholic liturgy, historical theology, exorcism and demonology, Venetian printing, or early religious books.

Dimensions:

Weight - 428g

Height - 19.9cm

Width - 12.7cm

Thickness - 2.7cm