|
The picture shows folio 76v, the first page of the Sanctorale section. It contains a large, historiated initial D depicting Pope St Sylvester in a red dress on a gold background, and a smaller initial C in blue. The paragraphs of the text begin with red capitals. The folio contains an embroidered repair.
Pope St Sylvester (314–335 AD) is known for leading the Church during the reign of Emperor Constantine, overseeing the construction of major Roman basilicas, and having his feast day (December 31) become widely celebrated as New Year's Eve (Silvester).
The temporale and sanctorale are the two main cycles, running concurrently, that comprise the liturgical year in Roman Catholicism, as defined by the General Roman Calendar.
The temporale consists of the movable feasts, most of them keyed to Easter (which falls on a different Sunday every year), including Ascension, Pentecost, and so on.
The sanctorale consists of the fixed feasts, celebrated on the very same date each year (no matter what the day of the week), including Christmas and all the saints' days.
| 