Diaconescu, Marius (szerk.): Mediaevalia Transilvanica 1999 (3. évfolyam, 1-2. szám)
Mentalităţi
20 Mária Makó Lupescu 8. Before the pronounced ecclesiastical ceremony, the accused had to undergo a solemn three-day fast as the custom asked."9 According to Bunyitay, during this time the accused’s right hand was bandaged and sealed to prevent the use of magical drugs in order to prepare the hand for the trial.119 120 After these three days, the ordeal of trial by hot iron that was supposed to make justice for one of the litigants started. II. “The cathedral-scene” Starting from this point, the proposed reconstruction of the trial by hot iron practiced at Oradea will follow the steps of the ecclesiastical ceremony described in the above mentioned appendix of the Oradean register. According to this appendix, the ecclesiastical ceremony of the ordeal took place in Oradea Cathedral and was overseen by the bishop. 1. The ecclesiastical ceremony began with two prayers during which the bishop blessed the new piece of iron, which served for the ordeal. The names of God, Jesus and Holy Spirit were invoked, but specially the justice-power of God to make justice with this blessed iron.121 2. The bishop aspersed the iron with holy water. Again the Holy Trinity is invoked in order to bring on this piece of iron the judgment of God’s justice.122 123 3. The bishop blessed in the name of God the fireplace asking that this place should be the one where the right judgment should be manifest. God should transmit his right judgment by Christ?21 4. The bishop blessed the fire. The Holy Trinity is invoked.124 utramque partem Varadinum ad examen ferri candentis, dato termino in octava S. regis Stephani, et Ipolitus quidem cum praenominato pristaldo suo, Gugus, Varadini fuit, paratus candens ferrum portare. Adversarii autem eius in eadem septimana non comparuerunt.” Karácsonyi, and Borovszky, Regestrum Varadinense, no. 221, p. 235 cp. “... Martinus in septimana, Respice Domine non comparuit et praedicti iudices, habuere eum pro condemnato.” Ibid., no. 293, p. 264. 119 “Qui [Scentus] cum, transacto triduano jejunio, sicut mos est, ad portandum candens ferrum accessisset...” Ibid., no. 275, p. 256. 120 Bunyitay, A váradi püspökség, voi. 1, 76. This act was also suggested by two records of the Oradean register: “Qui fures [homines ecclesiae Vaciensis, scilicet: Fiachiam, Bolosit de villa Pispuki] Varadini cum levato ferro ad solutionem cogerentur...” Karácsonyi, and Borovszky, Regestrum Varadinense, no. 192, p. 223; “Anno Dominicae Incarnationis Millesimo ducentesimo decimo septimo, in septimana Factus est ioubagio Beli venit Varadinum, ... et sigillata manu exspectavit usque diem Veneris adversarios suos ...” Ibid., no. 169, p. 215 cp. Bálint, Ünnepi kalendárium, voi. 2, 519; Kandra, A váradi regestrum, 25-26. Although the records of the Oradean register did not explicitely state which one of the hands should be used for the trial, it seems that the right one served as a tool of proof. See, the picture on the title-page of Bartlett’s book. 12 “Benedic domine Pater, omnipotens eterne Deus, per inuocationem sanctissimi nominis tui et per adventum Unigeniti filii tui, Domini nostri lesu Christi atque per donum Spiritus sancti, ad manifestandum verum iudicium tuum, hoc genus metalli, vt si sanctificatum et consecratum, vt omni demonum falsitate procul remota, fidelibus tuis veritas veri iudicii tui manifesta fiat...” Karácsonyi, and Borovszky, Regestrum Varadinense, 146. 122 “Benedictio Dei Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus sancti, descendat super hoc ferrum ad discernendum iudicium dei.” Ibid., 147. 123 “Benedic Domine per inuocationem sancti nominis tui, hunc locum, ad manifestandum verum iudicium, vt omni demonum falsitate procul remota , fidelibus tuis, veritas iudicii tui manifesta fiat, per Christum dominum nostrum.” Ibid., 147.
