Ritualized writing, memory for eternity: diptychs and libri vitae in early medieval Europe

Abstract

Most cultures develop some way to remember those who have passed away. In Christianity, that need for remembrance takes a supernatural essence, as the Church is the community of all faithful (communio sanctorum), both of those physically living on this earth and the defunct ones, whose souls either enjoy the divine presence or need to go through some kind of expiation process. Because prayer is the means that Christians use to intercede for each other, it is just natural that since a very early age the Church started keeping some records with the goal of remembering those for which prayers were offered or intercession was requested from during the liturgical celebration. Two of these early types records were the diptychs and the libri vitae, that are the object of this article. The diptychs were originally wooden or ivory tablets were the names to be recited during the mass were written. As the list of names grew longer and longer, it must have become clear that the recitation was not possible and another device was developed: the libri vitae, or books of life. Deposited somewhere within the sacred space, probably near the altar, the names written in the book probably were considered to represent the persons who had worn them and therefore make them present to the sacrifice of the mass.