CATENELLE. - As an instrument of penance, chains (Latin catenulae) are used by Christian ascetics either to flagellate themselves (v. DISCIPLINA) or to gird the waist, arms, legs (v. CILICIO).

In this second case it is said in the singular: the catenella (old catenuzza), which generally consists of a belt formed with rings or links of iron wire with protruding points. Segneri (Manna dell'anima, IV, 19 Nov.) says: «The wearing of this cross is not a work only of some day of the week, as with some is the wearing of the hairshirt, the catenuzza, or other such penitential instruments». Of both uses of the c. or chains there is an example in St. Dominic, of whom the biographer Friar Theodoric writes: «He always wore at his sides an iron chain... every night he flagellated himself three times with an iron chain» (L. Surius, t. IV, pp. 355, 363). The same is read of St. Catherine of Siena (L. Surius, t. II, p. 1034).

Bibliography

BIBL.: I. Gretser, Spicilegium de usu voluntario per flagra castigationis, pro tribus libellis de disciplinis, Cologne 1607.

Giacinto del S.mo Crocifisso

@incollection{ec3_catenelle, author = {Giacinto del S.mo Crocifisso}, title = {Catenelle}, booktitle = {Enciclopedia Cattolica}, volume = {III}, pages = {1137}, note = {Cited by column}, publisher = {Ente per l’Enciclopedia Cattolica e per il Libro Cattolico}, address = {Città del Vaticano}, year = {1949}, url = {https://azioneromana.com/article/catenelle} }

One of some 20,000 entries brought back from the twelve printed volumes (1948–54). Spotted something? Help us improve it.

About this entry