TRADITIONAL CATHOLIC DICTIONARY ONLINE—T

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Tabernacle, n.; L., O.Fr, The small compartment sealed by a door at the center of the main altar wherein the Eucharist is reserved. On a liturgical altar the tabernacle is covered by the canopy. (Cf. Altar.)

Tabernacle Veil, n. The conopaeum. The veil prescribed by the Rituale in the strictest term is as a covering for the entire tabernacle in which the Blessed Sacrament is reserved. Its presence is certain indication of the Real Presence.

Tabula, n.; L. The wooden clapper, used instead of a bell, to give signals on Holy Thursday and Good Friday; a crotalum.

Tametsi, n.; L. The opening word of the decree of the Council of Trent which declared clandestine marriages invalid; the name by which this decree is usually known. It declared null any marriage attempted other than before the parish priest or bishop or one delegated by either of them, with the exception only of places where priests were not available. It was binding only where the laws of the Council of Trent were promulgated. At present the ruling has been extended to the entire world by the Ne Temere decree of Pius X, issued April 19, 1908.

Tantum Ergo, L. Literally: "All therefore--." The first two words of the second last stanza of the hymn Pange Lingua, the last two stanzas of which form a prescribed Benediction hymn in the Church; the name by which the Benediction hymn is popularly known.

Te Deum, n.; L. A hymn of praise and thanksgiving usually sung at the close of the services on occasions of great joy, feast days, etc.

Telaria, n.; L. A rigid form or a crossbar to which the frontal or antepcndium of the altar is attached.

Temperance, n.; L. The cardinal virtue which helps one to restrain or moderate the desires for what appeals to the senses. The word is particularly applied to total abstinence from strong drink; the movement for moderation or abstinence from intoxicating liquors.

Temporals , n.pl.; L. Those things pertaining to rhe temporal or secular concern of the Church as support or revenue; the temporalities, (Cf. Spirituals.)

Temptation, n.; L. The solicitation to sin from an external or interior cause; the seduction of the will of man to commit a sin, which may come from the devil, from another human being or from man's own concupiscience.

Tenebrae , n.pl.; L. The solemn service which is celebrated on the evenings of Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday of Holy Week during which there are chanted the matins and lauds of the Divine Office of Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday. Literally translated, the word means darkness and the ceremony is symbolical of the sorrow of those days.

Tepidity, n.; L. Lack of spiritual fervor; a half-hearted attention to spiritual concerns

Terce , n.; L. Tierce. The third of the canonical hours in the Divine Office; an hour of the Breviarium.

Terna , n.; L., It. The group of three names given by a chapter of canons to the Pope recommending members of the clergy worthy of the episcopate.

Testament, n.; L., Bib. The old and new divisions of the Bible; a written record of great authority. (Cf. Old and New Testaments.) The word came to be applied to the Bible by a mistranslation of the Greek word for a last will, which was used for rendering the Hebrew word for "covenant."

Tester, n.; L. The form of baldaquin found in early English churches which was made of wood, paneled or flat surfaced, with a carved cornice. (Cf. Baldaquin.)

Thabor, n.; Heb. Also Tabor. The traditional "high mountain" where the Transfiguration took place; it is in Palestine a few miles southeast of Nazareth.

Thaborstand, n.;Heb., A.S. A small movable platform on which the monstrance is placed during exposition of the Blessed Sacrament; a throne.

Thaumaturgus, n.; Gr. Literally: wonder-worker. A title now given to a saint who performed many miracles during his life. It was first applied to St. Gregory, Bishop of Neocaesarea.

Theism, n.; Gr. Acknowledgment of the existence of a personal and provident God. (Cf. Theodicy.)

Theocracy, n,;Gr. The civil governing of a people directly by God through representatives; a state where civil and religious governance is the same.

Theodicy, n.; Gr. The knowledge of God by human reason; natural theology. Natural theology as a branch of philosophy having for its object God, as knowable by reason; special metaphysics. (Cf. Metaphysics.)

Theological Virtues, adj. & n.pl.; Gr. Faith, hope, and charity, so called because they have God for their immediate object; they are supernatural virtues because they tend toward God as man's supernatural end.

Theologian, n.; Gr. (1) One learned in any particular branch of theology. (2) One learned in the science of theology. (3) A student of theology.

Theologus, n.; Gr. (L.) A lecturer in theology or Scripture.

Theology, n.; Gr. The science of religious truths which is the systematic presentation of these truths; that science which treats of the revelations of God and man's rational concepts of God and which works toward a more clear expres-sion of these revelations and concepts; it is the science of faith; it is a discipline based on revelation and advancing by means of that revelation; it is a science which, starting from the principles of faith, treats of God and of whatever in any way pertains to Him. Theology proper is divided into dogmatic, moral, mystical, and ascetical theology.

Theophany, n.; Gr., L. Appearances or visions of God to man or the direct communication of God with man. The apparitions of God to man, usually as recorded in Genesis where God appeared visibly to man as Lawgiver, Judge, and Prophet. They taught man that there was only one God and that God Himself was speaking to man.

Theophoric, adj.; Gr. (1) God-bearing; bearing witness to God. (2) A procession in which the Blessed Sacrament is carried in a monstrance, unveiled.

Theotocus, n.; Gr. Literally the word means God-bearing and is used in regard to the Blessed Virgin who bore not only the man Jesus but the Son of God, the second Person of the Blessed Trinity.

Thomism, n. The system and interpretation of scholastic philosophy and theology which follows the teaching of St. Thomas Aquinas; the Thomistic system of scholastic philosophy and theology.

Thomist, n. & adj. One who follows the system of scholastic philosophy and theology of St. Thomas Aquinas; frequently applied to a neo-scholastic philosopher.

Throne, n.; Gr., L,, OJPr. (1) The seat of a bishop, generally in the sanctuary of his cathedral .(2) An elevated platform for the exposition of the Blessed Sacrament; a thaborstand which may be permanent.

Thrones, n.pl.; Gr., L., O.Fr. One of the nine choirs of angels. (Cf. Angel.)

Thurible, n.; Gr., L. A censer; a vessel shaped like a bowl and usually supported on chains, in which incense is burned.

Thurifer, n.; Gr.,L. The acolyte or minister who tends the thurible in religious ceremonies.

Tiara (Papal), n.; Gr., L. A round three-crowned headpiece about 15 inches high shaped like a beehive, worn by the Pope and signifying his sovereignty as the head of the Church. The three crowns represent the Supreme Roman Pontiff's rule over the Church Militant, the Church Triumphant, and the Church Suffering. The Tiara is worn at the consecration of a Pope and also many non liturgical occasions.

Tierce, n.; L., O.Fr. Terce. One of the canonical hours of the Divine Office.

Tithes, n.pl.; A.S. At present, that part of one's income or substance given to the support of the Church; formerly, a tenth part of the fruits or profits to be given to the Church.

Titular Bishop, adj. & n.; L. One who has been made a bishop, having the title of an ancient but now extinct diocese where once the faith flourished but where now there are few or no Catholics.

Titulus, n.; L. (1) One of the quasi-parochial churches of Rome established in the fourth century. (2) The titular church of a cardinal. (3) A title or superscription.

Tobias, n.; Heb.; Bib. A book of the Old Testament; the name of die father and son whose story is related in this book.

Toleration, n.; L. In canonical language, neither the approval nor disapproval of an act; permitting one to follow a planned course of action, usually given in Latin as Tolcran potest, "It can he tolerated."

Toleratus, n.; L. Name given to an excommunicated person whose penalty permits the faithful to associate with him. (Cf. Excommunication, Vitandus.)

Tonale, n.; It. The compilation of the right tone and ending for the singing of the psalms of the Divine Office; there are eight such modes.

Tonsure, n.; Gr., L. A sacramental by which a man is raised from the lay to the clerical state. The shaving of the crown of the head, usually in the form of a circle, given as a mark of the rank of cleric in the Church; the clipping of the hair to symbolize that one has been raised to the clerical state. (Cf. Corona.)

Torah, n.; Heb.; Bib. Literally: instructional. The revelation of God to the Israelites, particularly that contained in the Pentateuch, the first five hooks of the Old Testament.

Touriere, n.; Fr. The sister who tends the portal or revolving door through which gifts or alms are given to a convent.

Toussaint, n.; Fr. The "French for All Saints' Day, Nov.1.

T.P., abbre. The first letters of the Latin words Tempore Paschale meaning, literally, "in the paschal season" or the time of Eastertide.

T.Q., abbre. The first letters of the Latin words Toties quoties, which mean "as often as"; used in regard to indulgences which can be gained as often as the conditions are fulfilled.

Tract, n.; L. Passages of Sacred Scripture read after the Gradual, or sung by the choir, at all Masses from Septuagesima to Holy Saturday, on ember days, some vigils, and in requiem Masses.

Tractarianism, n.; L. The principles and practices of the Oxford Movement of England begun in 1833.

Tradition, n.; L., O.Fr. The handing down by word of mouth from generation to generation doctrine or truths of the faith which were not written; the testimony of early nonscriptural writings and customs by which is known the various practices, the truths of faith, the moral teaching of Christianity, and facts of the life and times of Christ; teaching of the Church transmitted orally which has been proclaimed to be correct and free from error in being handed down; a source of revelation or of faith.

Traditionalism, n.; L., O.Fr. The philosophical system which reduces all belief in the truths of religion to the direct revelation of God, received through tradition by means .of language; a system of thought opposed to the rationalistic approach which holds that one acquires knowledge and instruction revealed to the first parents and handed down by them to all men.

Traditores, n.pl.; L. Those Christians who in the persecution of Diocletian gave up to the law the sacred vessels or revealed the names of other Christians.

Transept, n.; L. The cross arms of a cruciform church. It is located between and to the sides of the choir and nave. Also called the confessional.

Transfiguration, n.; L., O.Fr. (1) The appearance of Christ in the glory of His divinity on Mount Tabor. (2) The feast commemorating this event on August 6.

Transitus, n.; L. A death; a service commemorating a death, especially of a saint.

Translation, n.; L. (1) Removal of a saint's relics from one place to another; on the anniversary of such transference the saint's feast is sometimes observed. (2) Postponement to another day of a feast which falls on the same day as another feast which is of higher rank. (3) The official transfer of a bishop from one diocese to another.

Transubstantiation, a.; L. The changing of bread and wine into the Body and Blood of our Lord; the changing of one substance into another substance while retaining the accidents of the former thing.

Trent , n.; Fr. A council of the Church which derives its name from Trent, a city in Italy, where it was held. The sessions of this council began in 1545 and ended in 1563. It is known as the great Council of the Reformation.

Trental, n.; Fr. A series of thirty Masses said on consecutive days for the repose of the soul of a deceased person; more familiarily known as the Gregorian Masses.

Tre Ore, n.; L., Fr. Literally, three hours. A devotion, not prescribed, commemorating the three hours agony of Christ on the cross, held from twelve noon, to three o'clock on Good Friday,

Triangle, n.; L., O.Fr. Name applied to the tenebrae hearse; the triangular candle rack used during tenebrae. (Cf. Hearse, 2.)

Tricerion, n.; Gr. Candlesticks having three lights which signify the Trinity. Also, trikerion.

Tridendne, adj.; L. Of or pertaining to the city, Trent, of Italy, or the ecumenical council of Trent.

Triduum , n.; L. The preparation for a great feast day made for three days during which special prayers or devotions are offered.

Trination, n.; L. Celebration of three Masses by a priest on the days permitted, the feast of All Souls and Christmas, or on holydays of obligation by special privilege in case of necessity.

Trinity, n.; L. The three Persons in one God. The mystery whereby God, while being numerically one, exists in three divine Persons; the existence of the divine essence in three Persons, which Persons are distinct from each other and yet identical with the divine essence.

Triple Candlestick, adj. & n.; L., Fr. A candlestick so formed that three separate candles arise from one base. It is used in the liturgy of Holy Saturday and from it the Paschal candle is lighted; a single candle bearing three lights.

Triptych, n.; Gr. A three-leaved tablet with hinged leaves on which names of those offering intentions were inscribed. Sometimes these were highly ornamented and used as decorative panels on altars or church walls. (Cf. Diptychs.)

Trisagion, n.; Gr. The brief hymn of three references or statements declaring the holiness of God. It is sung in both Latin and Greek in the Latin rite at the adoration of the Cross on Good Friday, and in English is: 0 holy God; 0 holy strong One; 0 holy immortal One, have mercy upon us.

Triune, adj.; L. Literally, three in one. Said of God, there being the three Persons of the Blessed Trinity in the one God. (Cf. Trinity.)

Trope, n., Gr., L., Fr. Literally, a turn of speech. The addition of clauses or long passages of notations in the singing of the Kyrie or Introit at High Mass.

Tropology, n.; Gr., L. The interpretation of the figurative language of sacred writings.

Truce (of God), n.; A.S. A law and custom in the Middle Ages which forbade all war and individual fighting between the times of Thursday evening to Sunday evening and during the seasons of Advent and Lent and all festival days.

Tunic, n.; L., Fr. The vestment worn by the subdeacon and proper to him, corresponding to the dalmatic and usually of the same color as the vestment worn by the celebrant; also called tunicle.

Tutiorism, n.; L. The system of moral theology which teaches that acts must be done according to the law unless the opinion in favor of the contrary is certain or at least most probable; a rigoristic doctrine, which in its extreme form has been condemned by the Church.

Type, n.; Gr., L. Person, thing, action, or event of the Old Testament which foreshadowed or pointed to the future or to an occurrence which was to be recorded in the New Testament.

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