Page:Catholic Encyclopedia, volume 1.djvu/418

AMADEUS upon the old artist, who died ex decrepitate, says the record, worn out not less by adverse fortune than by a life of unremitting labour. A leader among North-Italian sculptors in technic, in facility, and refinement, he would hardly have any rival even among his Tuscan contemporaries, were his style free from mannerisms, and his standard of beauty more elevated.

Author:Thomas Henry Poole.

Amadeus of Portugal. See ; .

Amadeus of Savoy. See .

Amadia and Akra.—This double title designates two Catholic dioceses of the Chaldean Rite in Kurdistan, Turkey in Asia. The Diocese of Amadia existed originally under another title; it received its actual name after the foundation of the city of Amadia. In the beginning of the nineteenth century it was subdivided into three dioceses: Amadia, Zakho, and Akra. On 10 June, 1895, the Dioceses of Amadia and Akra were provisionally united; the bishop resides sometimes in one, sometimes in the other of these two small towns, or even in Araden. Amadia is the principal garrison town of the vilayet Mossoul, about fifty miles north of this city. It has 5,000 inhabitants, of whom 2,500 are Mussulmans, Kurds for the most part, 1,900 Jews, 1,600 Chaldeans. The Dominicans of Mossoul have a summer residence there. Within the limits of the diocese the great majority of the inhabitants are Kurdish Mussulmans, mingled with a certain number of Jews. The Christians, all Chaldeans, number 6,000, of whom 3,000 are Catholics and 3,000 are Nestorians. The Catholics have 14 parishes, 16 churches, 13 priests, 6 schools for boys. In Amadia the Protestant missionaries have many missions with schools. Akra is another principal garrison town of the same vilayet (province). It is beautifully situated on the flank of Chindar, with 4,700 inhabitants, of whom 4,050 are Mussulman Kurds, 300 Jews, 250 Christians, Chaldeans or Jacobites. The Chaldeans have a church and school; the Jacobites have a chapel, hollowed out of the rock. Zebhar, or Zibar, which name is sometimes joined to the episcopal title of Akra, is another garrison post. In the Diocese of Akra the greater part of the population is composed of Kurdish Mussulmans. There are also a small number of Jews, some Jacobites, some Chaldean Nestorians grouped in the 11 villages, and, finally, 1,000 Chaldean Catholics. The last have 13 parishes, 12 churches, 8 priests, 2 schools for boys. The above figures are those given by J. B. Chabot, in his "Etat religieux des diocèses formant le patriarcat chaldéen de Babylone", in the "Revue de l'Orient Chrétien" (Paris, 1896), I, 449–450. The "Missiones Catholicæ" (Rome, 1895), 612, gives the following figures: Amadia, 2,000 Chaldeans, 15 parishes, 5 secular priests, 5 regulars, 1 school (at Araden); Akra, 2,000 Chaldean families, 8 churches, 6 priests. A. Battandier, "Annuaire pontif. cathol." (Paris, 1904), 269, indicates 5,000 Chaldeans for both dioceses, of whom 1,000 are for Akra; 17 parishes, 22 secular priests, 4 regulars. Author:Sophron Pétridès.

Amalarius of Metz, a liturgical writer, b. at Metz, in the last quarter of the eighth century; d. about 850. He was formerly considered a different personage from Amalarius of Trèves (Trier), but of late, owing to the researches of Dom Morin, the opinion seems to prevail that about 811, Amalarius of Metz became Bishop of Trèves, which diocese he relinquished after two years to act as envoy to Constantinople. Hence he is regarded as author of the works once attributed to Amalarius of Trèves. He was for some time a disciple of Alcuin. After returning to France from Constantinople, he would appear to have assisted at important synods at Aix-la-Chapelle and Paris. Later, he was sent by Louis le Débonnaire as ambassador to Gregory IV at Rome, this being probably his second visit to the Eternal City. Later, he governed the Diocese of Lyons during the exile of Agobard, and there tried to introduce his new antiphonary, but met with strong opposition from the deacon Florus. When Agobard was restored to his see, both he and Florus attacked the writings of Amalarius and succeeded in having him censured at a synod held at Kiersy in 838 for his opinion concerning the signification of the parts of the divided Host at Mass. Finally Amalarius was involved in the theological controversies on predestination raised by Gottschalk. The date of his death has not been determined with certainty, but it must have been shortly after the year 850. The works of Amalarius treat chiefly of liturgical subjects. His most important and also his long treatises are entitled "De ecclesiasticis officiis" and "De ordine antiphonarii." The former is divided into four books, in which without observing a strict, logical order he treats of the Mass, the Office, different benedictions, ordinations, vestments, etc., giving an explanation of the various formularies and ceremonies rather than a scientific exposition of the liturgy. The first book explains the liturgical seasons and feasts from Septuagesima to Pentecost and especially the ceremonies of Holy Week. The second book treats of the times for conferring Holy Orders, of the different orders in the Church and of the liturgical vestments. The third book contains a few preliminary chapters on bells, the choir, etc., a treatise on the different parts of the Mass celebrated pontifically according to the Roman Rite, and some chapters on special subjects, e.g. Advent, the Mass for the Dead, etc. The fourth book deals principally with the Divine Office, explaining its integral parts and the offices peculiar to certain liturgical seasons or feast days, but it contains a few supplementary chapters on obsequies for the dead and subjects already treated. In the "De ordine antiphonarii" he explains the arrangement of the Divine Office and the variations for the different feasts, and considers in particular the origin and meaning of the antiphons and responses; indeed in this work he would seem a commentator on his own antiphonary compiled from the antiphonaries of Rome and Metz, and a defender of his method of composition. His "Eclogæ de officio missæ" contains a description of the pontifical Mass according to the Roman Rite and a mystical explanation of the different parts of the Mass. Several letters of Amalarius dealing with liturgical subjects have also been preserved. Dom Morin denies the authenticity of the letter of Amalarius in response to certain questions of Charlemagne concerning baptism, as well as the "Forma institutionis canonicorum et sanctimonialium," which is a collection of rules taken from the decrees of councils and works of the Fathers, for clerics and nuns living in community. Unfortunately his antiphonary and also his "Embolis" have not been preserved.

Amalarius seems to have had a strong liking for liturgical studies, a liking which was stimulated and fostered by his master Alcuin. His travels to the East gave him considerable information concerning the Oriental rites, but his stay in Rome appears to have imbued him with a deep love for the Roman liturgy and to have greatly influenced his liturgical work. There he made a special study of rubrics and Roman customs; he inquired diligently of Theodore, the archpriest of the basilica of St. Peter, concerning the formularies and ceremonies there in use, and even sought to obtain copies of the liturgical