![](https://www.themorgan.org/sites/default/files/images/collection/152-M945_115v-M917_039.jpg)
All Saints before the Throne of God
Christ Receiving the Virgin into Heaven
Purchased on the Belle da Costa Greene Fund with the assistance of the Fellows and with special assistance of Mrs. Frederick B. Adams, Sr., Mrs. Robert Charles, Mr. Laurens M. Hamilton, The Heineman Foundation, Mrs. Donald F. Hyde, Mrs. Jacob M. Kaplan, Mrs. John Kean, Mr. Paul Mellon, Mr. and Mrs. Charles F. Morgan, Mr. Lessing J. Rosenwald, Mr. and Mrs. August H. Schilling, Mrs. Herbert N. Straus, Mrs. Landon K. Thorne, Mrs. Alan Valentine, Mr. and Mrs. Arnold Whitridge, and Miss Julia P. Wightman, 1970; purchased on the Belle da Costa Greene Fund with the assistance of the Fellows, 1963
The Wednesday Hours of All Saints commences with this impressive miniature. An enthroned God floats above two groups of saints. On the left, they are headed by George, with a tiny dead dragon at his feet, and the apostle Thomas, holding a spear. On the right are Agnes, with a small lamb at her feet, and Jerome, dressed as a cardinal and with his attribute, a lion. The scene is framed by nine fiery angels. The scrolls speak of God's legacy to and support of his saints.
Hours and Masses for the Seven Days of the Week
The most unusual texts in Catherine's manuscript are the series of Hours and Masses for every day of the week. Medieval Christian tradition associated certain figures or themes with different days. Thus Sunday, the day of the Resurrection, was the Lord's Day; Thursday was connected with the Eucharist since that sacrament was instituted on Holy Thursday; and Monday was the day of the dead, since their torments were suspended on Sunday but recommenced the following day. In Catherine's prayer book, the themes for the Hours and Masses of the seven days of the week are:
Sunday | the Trinity |
Monday | the Dead |
Tuesday | the Holy Spirit |
Wednesday | All Saints |
Thursday | the Blessed Sacrament |
Friday | the Compassion of God |
Saturday | the Virgin. |
Image courtesy of Faksimile Verlag Luzern