Page:Catholic Encyclopedia, volume 12.djvu/762

 REDEMPTION

682

REDEMPTORISTINES

paid as ransom for males between 20 and 60 years of age was 50 sacred sides; for females of a similar age, 30 sides; for boys between 5 and 20 years old, 20 sides, and for girls of a corresponding age, 10 sides; for male cliildi'en from one month to 5 years of age, 5 sides, and for those of the female sex, 3; and finally, for old nen over 60 years of age, 15 sides, and for old women, 10. Thepoor who could not afford this amount had to pay the price fixed by the priest, ac- cording to their means (Lev., xxvii, 2-8). Persons lying under anathema could not be redeemed.

II. Redemption of Animals. — According to the Mosaic Law, the first-born male of animals was sacred to the Lord, and, if a first-born of legally dean animals, and without blemish, had to be offered in sacrifice. As unclean animals should not be immolated to Yah- weh, their first-lDorn was either to be redeemed ac- cording to the valuation of the priest, with the addi- tion of one-fifth of the value, or be sold and the price given to the priest (Lev., xx^'ii, 27). The first-born of an ass, however, had to be redeemed with a lamb, or, if not redeemed, put to death (Ex., xiii, 13). Out- side of the first-born, any animal could be dedicated to God by vow. It could be ransomed only if it were legally unfit for sacrifice, in which case the price for its redemption was left to the valuation of the priest, to which was added one-fifth of the value (Lev., xxvii, 11-13).

III. Redemption of Land, Houses, and Tithes. — The landed property which, in whole or in part, an Israelite was forced by poverty to sell, could be re- deemed by his next of kin (the Go' el), or by the rnan himself when again able to do so. The redemption price was then fixed according to the number of years yet to elapse before the Jubilee Year, at which time the property would have freely reverted to its orig- inal owner or to his heir (Lev., xx-v, 25-28). A piece of land dedicated to God could also be redeemed. Its value was reckoned according to the amount of seed required to sow it, and a reduction made in propor- tion to the number of years till the next Jubilee Year. The owner of the land might redeem it at this price, plus one-fifth; and if unredeemed, it went to the priestly domain at the year of Jubilee. But if the dedicant of the land had himself purchased it from a third person who had sold it because of his poverty, then at the Jubilee it reverted to the latter, and the dedicant had to recompense the sanctuary by paying its redemption price calculated as before (Lev., xxvii, 16-25). With regard to the redemption of sold houses, the Law distinguished between dwellings in w.alled cities and dwellings in unwalled places. For the former houses, the right of redemption lasted only a full year from the day of sale, at the end of which they fell forever to their respective purch.aser. For the latter, there w.is no term fixed for their re- demption, and if unredeemed before the Jubilee they then freely reverted to their original owners. The houses of the Levites, however, could be redeemed at any time, and reverted to them if unredeemed before the year of Jubilee (Lev., xx^', 29-34). Houses which had been simply vowed to God could be ransomed upon the payment of the value fixed by the priest, plus one-fifth of that value (Lev., xxvii, 14, 15). Tithes belonged to God as the real owner of the land, and hence could not be made the subject of vows. Tithes of agricultural produce might be commuted for their money value, plus one-fifth; but the tithes of cattle could not be redeemed (Lev., xxvii, 31-33).

J\HV. Biblical Archdoloau (tr. New York. 18.39); Oehler, Theology of Ihe Old Testament (tr. New York, 188.3); Keil. Manual of Biblical Archceoloav ftr. New York. 1887, 1888); BissELL, Biblical AntiquUien (Philadelphia. 1888): Denzinqer. Hebr/lische Arch/lologie (Freibure im Br., 1894); Nowack, Lehr- huch der Hebrdiache Archdologie (Freiburg im Br., 1894) ; SchCher, Oench. den Jadi.ichen VbW-c.i im Zeilaller Jesu Chriali (4th ed.. Leipzig. 1901-11): Schwalm. La Vie pritie du Peuple Juif i I'Epoque de JHus-Christ (Paris, 1910).

Francis E. Giqot.

Redemption of Captives, Order fob the. See Mercedarians.

Redemptions, Penitential, the substitution of exercises (especially alms-deeds), either easier or ex- tending over a shorter period, for works of penance imposed according to the penitential canons. These redemptions allow an alleviation, or a shortening of the time of penance; they thus resemble an indul- gence, and have a place in the history of indulgences. Among the Anglo-Saxons and the Irish, as manifested by their penitential books, the fundamental idea was reparation in proportion to the number and gravity of the sins, as it were a weregiM paid to God and the Church. The confessor imposed a certain number of penitential acts, praj'ers, fasts, flagellations, alms- deeds etc., extending over a more or less considerable period; hence arose quite naturally the desire to condense the penance into a shorter time. The priest might fix them in each case, but the penitential books show that there actually was a sort of scale in current use. Three things were considered in determining the new works: the penances already imposed, the difficulty of the penitent's accomplishing them, and finally his material condition, especially in the case of alms-deeds. Thus one unable to fast could replace fasting by the Psalter (fifty psalms); an alms of twenty solidi (for the poor, ten solidi or even less) replaced fasts of seven weeks (a carina). A penance of a week, a quarantine, or a year might be accom- plished in a short time by accumulating psalters, genuflexions, palmatce (blows on the breast with the palm of the hand), or by condensing two days of sUght into one of severe fasting. These substitu- tions assumed numerous combinations, and the Irish canons (Wasserschleben, "Die Bussordnungen", Halle, 1851, 193) show nine methods of accomplishing a year's penance in a short time. It was even at- tempted to have the penance performed by others (cf. "Leges" or " Poenitentiale " of Eadger in Har- douin, "Concilia", VI, i, 659 sq.), but these substitu- tions, accessible only to the great, were a contradic- tion of penance and were severely condemned (cf. Cone, of Clovesho of 747, cans. xx\'i-xxvii). The redemptions considered in the penitential books had only practical and not official value; however, they were officially adopted by several councils. Thus the Council of Tribur of 895 (can. Ivi), in determining the penance for a homicide, authorizes the redemption (while travelling or at war) of the fast on Tues- day, Thursday, or Saturday by paying a denier, or by caring for three poor. Eventually these re- demptions were offered indiscriminately to all, es- pecially at the Council of Clermont of 1095 (can. ii), when the crusade was suggested as a ransom from all penance. This was the modern indulgence, save that in the case of an indulgence the penance to be redeemed has not been imposed on indi\'iduals, but to the pro- posed work is attached by ecclesiastical authority a re- duction of penitential satisfaction. (See Indulgences.)

W\.SSEH9CHLEBEN. op. cit. ; ScHMlTZ, Die Bussbucher u. Buss- disciplin der Kirche. X (Mainz, 1883), 144 sq. See Penance; Peni- tential C.1NON8. A BOUDINHON.

Redemptoristines.— The cradle of theRedemp-

toristines is Scala, not far from Amalfi, Italy. Father Thom.as Falcoia, of the Congregation Pii Operarii, formed a community of nuns there and gave theni a rule. Later he became Bishop of Castellammare. He was director of St. Alphonsus when a new rule was said to have been revealed to Sister Maria Celeste Crosterosa. The bishop favoured the rule and asked Alphonsus to give the nuns the spiritual ex- ercises and to organize the community as he judged best for the glory of God. The saint disposed them for the observance of the new rule by meditation on the life and virtues of Christ. The details of their daily life were to commemorate phases of His life.