The ordinal of the abbey of the Holy Trinity Fécamp. (Fécamp, Musée de la Bénédictine, Ms 186). Parts 2, 3 and 4. Edited by David Chadd. (Henry Bradshaw Society, 112.) Pp. vii+379–885. Woodbridge: Boydell Press (for the Henry Bradshaw Society), 2002. £35. 1 870252 20 9; 0144 0241

• Published in: The Journal of Ecclesiastical History Vol. 55; no. 1; pp. 161 - 162
• Main Author: CHIBNALL, MARJORIE
• Format: Book Review Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge, UK Cambridge University Press 01.01.2004
• Subjects: Christianity; Credibility; Folklore; Historians; History; Pilgrimages; Religion; Reviews; Space; Theology; Italy; United Kingdom > UK; Asia; Ireland; Africa
• ISSN: 0022-0469; 1469-7637
• DOI: 10.1017/S0022046903607190

The survey of such centres, their history (and where Reviews WOODBRIDGE REVIEWS 119 possible their archaeology or relevant architectural history), for which this volume represents an interim report, is typical of much historical endeavour in contemporary Italy: admirable for its initiative, but inevitably varied in the speed or otherwise with which substantial results are reported from dierent regions, reecting the state of local resources. The most fully evolved ndings in this book take care to distinguish not just between the eras of probable or certain foundation of shrines and pilgrimage centres, or their geographical and social location within a region, but also their sacred type. [...]Marian can be contrasted with non-Marian original or subsequent dedications, sometimes with a ner categorisation between Marian dedications themselves, and non-Marian dedications can obviously be further divided, for instance setting sites associated with martyrs and/or their relics against subdivisions such as cave/mountain settings (often but not exclusively related to St Michael). By contrast those on the Presbyterian and Methodist Churches aim to give a quick guide to the whole history of those communities, and although well written sit uneasily with the detailed analysis of most of the other contributions. Ray Gillespie, drawing on his well-received 1997 study, Devoted people: belief and religion in early modern Ireland, makes the valuable point that if the Church of Ireland in the eighteenth century is judged not as a national Church but as a provider of services to the Protestant minority then its traditional record of apathy is seen as a caricature and its credibility as a Church is more readily established (p. 113).