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in adopting this form of literarj' expression she her- self gives sufficient explanation. "Lamenting the fact that many Christians, carried away by the beauty of the play, take delight in the comedies of Terfence and thereby learn many impure things, she deter- mines to copy closely his style, in order to adapt the same methods to the extolling of triumphant purity in saintly virgins, as he has used to depict the victory of vice. A blush often mounteti to her cheeks when, in obedience to the laws of her chosen form of poetical expression, she was compelled to portray the detestable madness of unholy love." This last remark applies peculiarly to the case of five of her dramas, the theme of which is sensual love. The pious nun's treatment of her subject is of course on a higher moral plane, and she is .skilled in demon- strating the principle, in the midst of rather bold situations, that the greater be the force of tempta- tion, the more admirable is the final triumph of virtue. The most popular work, judging at least from the numerous tran- scripts thereof, is the " Galli- canus". This general of Con- stantine the Great, while still a pagan, seeks in marriage the emperor's daughter, Constan- tia, who however has long since consecrated herself as a spouse to the Lord ; the suitor becomes converted and suffers a martyr's death. Her second drama is a most singular com- position, in which humour and gravity are strangely com- pounded. " Dulcitius ", a pre- fect under Diocletian, wishes to force three unwilling Chris- tian maidens into marriage with high dignitaries of the Court; he has his victims im- prisoned in a kitchen and with evil intention makes his silent way towards them under cover of the night; but God punishes him with blindness, and the prefect embraces Ijut sooty pots and pans. Though he docs not know it, his appearance as he emerges is that of a char- coal burner, and his utter dis- comfiture is led up to in the merriest of scenes; the three maidens win the palm of mar- tyrdom. In " t'allimachus

is carried to a threatened profanation of the dead, which however is miraculously averted. Here in- deed is the boldest situation of all, which reminds one of Goethe's " Braut von Korinth ". The two succeeding plays, "Abraham" and " Paphnutius ", tell in a touching manner of a fallen woman's conver- sion. Finally, the last drama relates in a plain and simple way the legend of tlie martyrdom of the three sisters. Faith, Hope, and Charity, daughters of Wisdom.

The literary significance of Hroswitha's dramas has been expressed in a comparison which likens them to snowdrops: "In the very midst of winter they lift their white heads, but they die long ere the advent of spring, and there is none to remember them. "

Her prolific career as a poetess closed with two greater epics, the one singing the achievements of Otto I (Taten Ottos I) down to the year 962, and the other celebrating the foundation of the monastery of Gandersheim (Die Griindung des Klosters Ganders- heim). Quite a romantic touch is given to this last composition by the number of legends which the author has .skilfully woven into it. The eulogy of

Otto I, on the other hand, is highly prized by his- torians, who "find the account given by the poetess of direct assistance in historical work". The poem was written in 967 and was dedicated to the emperor. In addition to that of C'eltes, the following are the chief editions of Hroswitha's works: Barack, " Die Werke iler Hroswitha" (Nuremberg, 1858); Schurzfleisch (Wittenberg, 1707); Migne, P. L., CXXXVII, 939- 1196; de Winterfell, " Hrosvitha; opera" (Berlin, 1902). WATTENBAcn, Drutsche GeschichtsQuelleri im Mittelalter, I (1904). :j69-72; Ebert, Lilt, des M. A., Ill, 285: Chasles, Hrosvita el ses contemporains in Revue des Deux Mondes, IX, 707-7.31; Hudson, Hrosvita of Gandersheim in The English Historical Review, III (London, ISSS), 431-457; Baumgart- NER, Gesch. der Wettlilleratur, IV (Freiburg. 1900), 335-349; CREiZENACH.GVsc/i. des neueren Dramas, 1 (Halle, 1S93), 17-20.

N. SCHEID.

Huaju£pam de Leon, Diocese of (Huajdapata- MENSi.s), in the State of Oaxaca, Mexico, erected by Bull of Leo XIII, "Sedes Apostolica" of 25 April, 1902, from parts of the Archdiocese of Oaxaca and the former Dio- cese (now Archdiocese) of Puebla de los Angeles. The Bull was forwarded on 17 March, 190o, and Dr. Prospero Maria Alarcon, Archbishop of Mexico, delegated as executor of the Bull, in turn appointed Dr. Francisco Plancarte y Navarrete, Bishop of Cuerna- vaea, as subdelegate. The canonical erection of the new diocese took place on 12 May, 1903, Dr. Rafael Amador hav- ing been named bishop on 8 March. Bishop Amador was 1 lorn at Chila, 4 February, 18.56, and studied at Puebla and in the South .'American Colegio I'io, Rome, where he took the degree of Doctor of Theology. He held various offices in the seminary at Puebla, was pastor and dean (vicario foraneo), iind was consecrated bishop, 29 June, 1903, in the cathedral of Oaxaca by the archbishop of that see. At first the dio- cese was under the immediate

Hroswitha presenting Otto the Cheat and ...... ,. ., -^^, ,-i

Archbishop Wilhelm or Mainz with her Works juri.sdiction 01 the Holy bee.

After a woodcut by DUrer in the first printed edition Under the title of MixteCaS

of Hroswitha's works, publislied by Conrad taken from the territory of that

Celtes m 1501, , -i, ■ ..

name, embraced within its

the violence of passion limits. W'hen by Bull of PiusX, "Pra'decessoris Nos- tri " of 9 August, 1903, the Diocese of Puebla de los Angeles was raised to the rank of an archdiocese, the Diocese of Mixtecas was assigned to it as suffragan, and by decree of the ' ' Congregatio t^oncilii" of 2S November of the same year, the diocese was given the name of the residential seat, Huajudpam de Leon, in place of Mix- tecas. On 4 November, 1905, the new bishop erected the cathedral chapter, consisting of one dignitary (arcediano), a personatus (lectoral), three canons, and four chaplains; the first diocesan synod was held in December, 1906, forthe enactment of synodal statutes. According to information given by the bishop's sec- retary, dated 10 September, 1909, the diocese contains a Catholic population of about 200,000, 36 parishes, 220 churches with about 20 mission chapels, 57 seeidar and 3 regular priests (2 Dominicans and 1 Carmelite). The episcopal seminary has an attendance of 60, about equally divided between interns and externs; 12 are ready for ordination. In the city of Huajuiipam are two communities of Carmelite Sisters numbering 11, one in charge of a hospital, the other occupied with the work of teaching.