[836] J. Braun (Innsbr. Zeitschr. für Kath. Theol., 1901, i. 155 seqq.) contends that white was not the only liturgical colour in antiquity, and rests his contention on some representation (not miniatures) of the fifth to the ninth centuries in which yellow, brown and other colours appear. But “white” is not to be taken as meaning always “snow-white,” and the natural colour of silk and wool would border on yellow. The representations may have grown darker through age, or been painted over at a later date. At any rate the proofs on which he relies are not sufficiently strong to overthrow the received view which is based on many statements in original sources.
[837] Sicardus, Mitrale, 2, 5 (Migne, Patr. Lat., ccxiii. 77): In colore pro qualitate temporis alternatur, albo utimur in resurrectione ... rubeo in pentecoste. The passage in Johannes Abrinc., De Off. Eccl. (Migne, Patr. Lat., cxlvii., 62) is defective and obscure. It seems only to refer to the high priest of the Old Testament.
[838] Durandus, Rationale Div. Off., 3, 18. The Ordo Rom. xiv., c. 49 seqq. of the thirteenth century mentions five colours: white, red, green, violet and black.
[839] Innocent III., De S. Alt. Myst., i. 65; Migne, Patr. Lat., ccxvii., 799-802.
[840] For the history of liturgical vestments, see J. Braun, S.J., Die Priesterlichen Gewänder des Abendlandes, Freiburg im Breisgau, 1897, and a larger and more recent work by the same author, Die Liturgische Gewandlung im Occident u. Orient, etc., Freiburg im Breisgau, 1907. [Also J. Wilpert, Die Gewandlung der Christen in den ersten Jahrhunderten, Cologne, Bachem, 1898. Trans.]
[841] See Thalhofer, Liturgik, ii. 82, who points out this meaning in Micrologus.
[842] “Sacramenta” is found, amongst others, in Innocent I., Epist., 17, c. 5, 12; 25, c. 4.
[843] Tertull., De Exhort. Cast., 11; Apol., 2; Ad uxor., 2, 8; De Præscr., 4; De Virg. Vel., 13; De Corona, 2; De Carne Christi, 2, etc. Tertullian uses “sacrificium,” De Cultu Fem., 2, 11, etc. Cyprian, Epist., 12, 2; 15, 1; Ad Cæc., 9 and 17, etc. Ambrosius, De Obitu Valent., 2, 113; In Psalm., 38, c. 25; 118, c. 48; Epist., 39, 4.
[844] De Civ. Dei, 10, 6-20; Cont. Faustum, 20, 18; Enarr. in Psalm., 33, c. 6; 106, c. 13; Epist., 54, 4; 149, 15; 159; Sermo, 137, 8; 310, 30; 311, 18; 345, 4, etc.
[845] Baronius, Annales, ad an. 34, c. 59.