“Poitiers,” poi-teerzˈ. A town of France, one hundred and eighty miles southwest of Paris.
“Abderrahman,” äbd-er-rähˈmän; “Viceroy,” vīceˈroy. One who rules in the place of a king; a substitute. “Caliph,” cāˈliph. The successors of Mohammed were all called caliphs.
“Damascus.” Soon after the death of Mohammed Damascus was captured by his followers and made their capital. Such it remained for ninety years. On the fall of the Ommiyades, their successors, the Abbassides chose Bagdad as their capital.
P. 130, c. 1.—“Islam,” ĭzˈlam. Meaning obedience, submission, is a name given to the religion of Mohammed.
“Gregory I.” (540-604.) Born of a noble family and educated for public life, he was made prefect of Rome in 573, but his strong religious nature led him to give up his position, turn over his wealth to the Church and become a monk. Through the fourteen years of his pontificate, Gregory employed every means to purify and strengthen the Church, sending missionaries into all parts of the world, combating Arianism and rectifying many abuses.
“Augustin.” The Apostle of the English. A Benedictine monk at Rome when chosen by Gregory I. to go on a mission to the Saxons. He went to England about 597, was received kindly by King Ethelbert, and allowed to preach through Kent. After a time Ethelbert adopted Christianity and was baptized. This led to the complete triumph of the religion throughout the kingdom. Augustin was made Archbishop of Canterbury, and until his death had charge of the Church in England.
“Holy See.” A name given to the office of the pope, and also applied to the pope himself, or his court. See is derived from the Latin verb “to sit,” and literally means a seat, or site, hence a place where power is exercised.
P. 130, c. 2.—“Asceticism,” as-cetˈi-cism. The practice common among members of the early Church of withdrawing from all business and society to devote themselves to a rigorous life of penance and self-denial.
“Vatican Hill.” The Mons Vaticanus of the ancient Romans, from which the palace of the Vatican takes its name.
“Dacia,” dāˈci-a. A province of the Romans north of the Danube, and comprising parts of the present countries of Hungary, Transylvania and Roumania.