Sanctorale

The celebration of saints' feasts, except for those falling between December 24 and January 13, also known as the Proper of Saints. The term sanctorale also refers to the section of a liturgical book containing the texts for those celebrations.

The celebration of saints' feasts, except for those falling between December 24 and January 13, also known as the Proper of Saints. The term sanctorale also refers to the section of a liturgical book containing the texts for those celebrations. Because the saints' feasts falling between December 24 and January 13 were so closely identified with the Christmas season, they were included in the Temporale, usually a separate section in medieval liturgical manuscripts. The Common of Saints is another separate section, giving formulae for the saints not accorded individual services in the sanctorale or temporale. For the Mass, the temporale, sanctorale, and Common of Saints (along with votive masses for special occasions) provide the annual cycle of variable elements, the invariables being the canon and ordinary of the mass.

    Michelle Brown, Understanding Illuminated Manuscripts (Malibu, CA: J. Paul Getty Museum in association with the British Library, c1994).