Liturgical Books and Calendars
Along with Bibles, large numbers of manuscripts made in the Middle Ages were revieved in Church. Due to the complex church system of rituals and worship these books were the most elegantly written and finely decorated of all medieval manuscripts. Liturgical books usually came in two varieties. Those used during Mass and those for Divine Office.
Most liturgical books came with a calendar in the front. This served as a quick reference point for important dates in Christ Jesus' life and to tell Church officials which Saints were to be honored and on what day. The format of the Liturgical Calendar was as follows:
an example of a medieval liturgical calendar
| January, August, December | March, May, July, October | April, June, September, November | February |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kal. (1) | Kal. (1) | Kal. (1) | Kal. (1) |
| IV Non. (2) | VI Non. (2) | IV Non. (2) | IV Non. (2) |
| III Non. (3) | V Non. (3) | III Non. (3) | III Non. (3) |
| II Non. (4) | IV Non. (4) | II Non. (4) | II Non. (4) |
| Non. (5) | III Non. (5) | Non. (5) | Non. (5) |
| VIII Id. (6) | II Non. (6) | VIII Id. (6) | VIII Id. (6) |
| VII Id. (7) | Non. (7) | VII Id. (7) | VII Id. (7) |
| VI Id. (8) | VIII Id. (8) | VI Id. (8) | VI Id. (8) |
| V Id. (9) | VII Id. (9) | V Id. (9) | V Id. (9) |
| IV Id. (10) | VII Id. (10) | IV Id. (10) | IV Id. (10) |
| III Id. (11) | V Id. (11) | III Id. (11) | III Id. (11) |
| II Id. (12) | IV Id. (12) | II Id. (12) | II Id. (12) |
| Id (13) | III Id. (13) | Id. (13) | Id. (13) |
| XIX Kal. (14) | II Id. (14) | XVIII Kal. (14) | XVI Kal. (14) |
| XVIII Kal. (15) | Id. (15) | XVII Kal. (15) | XV Kal. (15) |
| XVII Kal. (16) | XVII Kal. (16) | XVI Kal. (16) | XIV Kal. (16) |
| XVI Kal. (17) | XVI Kal. (17) | XV Kal. (17) | XIII Kal. (17) |
| XV Kal. (18) | XV Kal. (18) | XIV Kal. (18) | XII Kal. (18) |
| XIV Kal. (19) | XIV Kal. (19) | XIII Kal. (19) | XI Kal. (19) |
| XIII Kal. (20) | XIII Kal. (20 | XII Kal. (20) | X Kal. (20) |
| XII Kal. (21) | XII Kal. (21) | XI Kal. (21) | IX Kal. (21) |
| XI Kal. (22) | XI Kal. (22) | X Kal. (22) | VIII Kal. (22) |
| X Kal. (23) | X Kal. (23) | IX Kal. (23) | VII Kal. (23) |
| IX Kal. (24) | IX Kal. (24) | VIII Kal. (24) | VI Kal (the extra day in a leap year) |
| VIII Kal. (25) | VIII Kal. (25) | VII Kal. (25) | VI Kal. (24/25) |
| VII Kal. (26) | VII Kal. (26) | VI Kal. (26) | V Kal. (25/26) |
| VI Kal. (27) | VI Kal. (27) | V Kal. (28) | V Kal. (26/27) |
| V Kal. (28) | V Kal. (28) | V Kal. (28) | V Kal. (27/28) |
| IV Kal. (29) | IV Kal. (29) | III Kal. (29) | III Kal. (28/29) |
| III Kal. (30) | III Kal. (30) | II Kal. (30) | |
| II Kal. (31) | II Kal. (31) |
Almost all medieval calendars give each days date according to the Roman method of reckoning time. In the Roman system, each month had three fixed points known as Kalends (Kal), the Nons and the Ides. The Nones fell on the fifth of the month in January, February, April, June, August, September, November and December, but on the seventh of the month in March, May, July and October. The Ides fell on the thirteenth in those months in which the Nones fell on the fifth, and the fifteenth in the other four months. All other days were dated by the number of days by which they preceded one of those fixed points.
Read more about this topic: Manuscript, A Sample of Common Genres of Manuscripts
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