The Old Saxon Baptismal Vow, also called the Old Saxon Catechism, Utrecht Baptismal Vow and Abrenuntiatio Diaboli, is a baptismal vow that was found in a ninth-century manuscript in a monastery library in Mainz, Germany. The vow mentions three Germanic pagan gods of the early Saxons which the reader is to forsake: Uuôden ("Woden"), Thunaer and Saxnōt. Scholar Rudolf Simek comments that the vow is of particular interest because it is the sole instance of the god Saxnōt mentioned in a religious context. One of many baptismal vows, it is now archived in the Vatican Codex pal. 577.[1]
An 1895 facsimile of the baptismal vow.
Not withstanding the conventional name of the text, there is a dispute as to how the language of the text should be categorised, as it shows features of Old English, Old Low Franconian (Old Dutch) and Old Saxon (Old Low German).
The text (with Latin italicised) runs as follows:[1]
1. Forsachistu diobolae?
1. Do you forsake the Devil?
& respondeat. ec forsacho diabolae.
and (s)he should reply: I forsake [the] devil.
2. end allum diobolgelde?
2. And all idolatry?
respondeat. end ec forsacho allum diobolgeldae.
(S)he should reply: And I forsake all idolatry.
3. end allum dioboles uuercum?
3. And all the devil's works?
respondeat. end ec forsacho allum dioboles uuercum and uuordum,
(S)he should reply: And I forsake all the Devil's works and promises,
Thunaer ende Uoden ende Saxnote ende allum them unholdum, the hira genotas sint.
Thunaer and Woden and Seaxnot and all those devils who are their followers.
4. gelobistu in got alamehtigan fadaer
4. Do you believe/trust in God the Almighty Father?
ec gelobo in got alamehtigan fadaer
I believe/trust in God the Almighty Father.
5. gelobistu in crist godes suno
5. Do you believe/trust in Christ, God's son?
ec gelobo in crist gotes suno.
I believe/trust in Christ, God's son.
6. Gelobistu in halogan gast.
6. Do you believe/trust in the Holy Spirit?
Ec gelobo in halogan gast.
I believe/trust in the Holy Spirit.
Language dispute
While the manuscript of the vow is ninth-century, its language seems to be from the eighth. It is undoubtedly written in a mix of different West Germanic dialects, including features that could belong to Old High German, Old Low German, Old Saxon, Old Frisian, Old Dutch (also known as Old Low Franconian), and Old English. This has led to extensive debate about where the text originated, not least because the text would stand as an important early monument to the language and traditions of whatever modern country can claim it — yet it is possible that none of these distinctions seemed very important to the people who copied and adapted the text.[2][3][4][5] Key layers seem to be:
Old English (probably specifically Northumbrian Old English). This would be consistent with production in Northumbria, or by a Northumbrian missionary active alongside Saint Boniface on the Continent.
Old Saxon or Old Dutch, which could be consistent with production at or transmission via a monastery at Utrecht (in the modern Netherlands).
Old High German, which would be consistent with copying of the surviving manuscript by a speaker of this variety, perhaps at Hersfeld Abbey.
Comparison to present-day Dutch and Low German
In the glossary below, the spelling has been normalised:
⟨u⟩ is replaced with ⟨w⟩ when a consonant
⟨c⟩ is replaced with ⟨k⟩ and ⟨ch⟩ with ⟨kh⟩
Original word
Modern Dutch
Modern Low Saxon
Modern English
End
En
Un
And
e[k]
ik
ik
I
forsa[kh]o
verzaak
versak
forsake
allum
alle
all
all
dioboles
duivelse
Düvels
devil's
[w]ercum
werken
Warken
works
and
en
un
and
[w]ordum
woorden
Woorden
words
Thunær
Donar
Donar
Thunor
ende
en
un
and
[W]ôden
Wodan
Wodan/Woden
Woden
ende
en
un
and
Saxnôte
Saxnot
Saxnot
Saxnot
ende
en
un
and
allum
allen
all
all
thêm
(van) deze
dissen
those
unholdum
ontrouwen
Unmannen
unfaithful
thê
die
de
who
hira
hun
ehr hör (East Frisian)
their
genôtas
(bond)genoten
Genoten
companions
sint
zijn
sünd
are
Editions
German Wikisource has original text related to this article:
Sächsisches Taufgelöbnis
Media related to Sächsisches Taufgelöbnis at Wikimedia Commons
Capitularia Regum Francorum I, ed. by A. Boretius, Monumenta Germaniae Historica, Legum sectio 11 (Hanover, 1883), p. 22 (no. 107)
'Abrenuntiatio diaboli et prefessio fidei', ed. by E. Wadstein, Kleinere altsächsische Sprachdenkmäler, Niederdeutsche Denkmäler, 6 (Norden: Soltau, 1899), pp. 119–21
Hodgkin, R. H., A History of the Anglo-Saxons, 3rd edn., 2 vols (Oxford, 1952), I, 302 [facsimile]
See also
Indiculus superstitionum et paganiarum, a Latin collection of capitularies identifying and condemning superstitious and pagan beliefs found in the north of Gaul and among the Saxons during the time of their subjugation and conversion by Charlemagne
^N. van der Sijs, Calendarium van de Nederlandse Taal (2006).
^Marco Mostert, 'Utrecht zwischen York und Fulda: Anfänge niederländischer Schriftlichkeit im Frühmittelalter 20 September 2012 at the Wayback Machine', in »Wider den Müßiggang ...« Niederländisches Mittelalterim Spiegel von Kunst, Kult und Politik, ed. by Ulrike Zellmann, Angelika Lehmann-Benz and Urban Küsters (Düsseldorf: Grupello, 2004), pp. 21–37 ISBN3-89978-018-3
^Marco Mostert, 'Communicating the Faith: The Circle of Boniface, Germanic Vernaculars, Frisian and Saxon Converts', Amsterdamer Beiträge zur älteren Germanistik, 70 (2013), 87–130.
saxon, baptismal, also, called, saxon, catechism, utrecht, baptismal, abrenuntiatio, diaboli, baptismal, that, found, ninth, century, manuscript, monastery, library, mainz, germany, mentions, three, germanic, pagan, gods, early, saxons, which, reader, forsake,. The Old Saxon Baptismal Vow also called the Old Saxon Catechism Utrecht Baptismal Vow and Abrenuntiatio Diaboli is a baptismal vow that was found in a ninth century manuscript in a monastery library in Mainz Germany The vow mentions three Germanic pagan gods of the early Saxons which the reader is to forsake Uuoden Woden Thunaer and Saxnōt Scholar Rudolf Simek comments that the vow is of particular interest because it is the sole instance of the god Saxnōt mentioned in a religious context One of many baptismal vows it is now archived in the Vatican Codex pal 577 1 An 1895 facsimile of the baptismal vow Not withstanding the conventional name of the text there is a dispute as to how the language of the text should be categorised as it shows features of Old English Old Low Franconian Old Dutch and Old Saxon Old Low German Contents 1 The Vow 2 Language dispute 2 1 Comparison to present day Dutch and Low German 3 Editions 4 See also 5 References 6 SourcesThe Vow EditThe text with Latin italicised runs as follows 1 1 Forsachistu diobolae 1 Do you forsake the Devil amp respondeat ec forsacho diabolae and s he should reply I forsake the devil 2 end allum diobolgelde 2 And all idolatry respondeat end ec forsacho allum diobolgeldae S he should reply And I forsake all idolatry 3 end allum dioboles uuercum 3 And all the devil s works respondeat end ec forsacho allum dioboles uuercum and uuordum S he should reply And I forsake all the Devil s works and promises Thunaer ende Uoden ende Saxnote ende allum them unholdum the hira genotas sint Thunaer and Woden and Seaxnot and all those devils who are their followers 4 gelobistu in got alamehtigan fadaer 4 Do you believe trust in God the Almighty Father ec gelobo in got alamehtigan fadaer I believe trust in God the Almighty Father 5 gelobistu in crist godes suno 5 Do you believe trust in Christ God s son ec gelobo in crist gotes suno I believe trust in Christ God s son 6 Gelobistu in halogan gast 6 Do you believe trust in the Holy Spirit Ec gelobo in halogan gast I believe trust in the Holy Spirit Language dispute EditWhile the manuscript of the vow is ninth century its language seems to be from the eighth It is undoubtedly written in a mix of different West Germanic dialects including features that could belong to Old High German Old Low German Old Saxon Old Frisian Old Dutch also known as Old Low Franconian and Old English This has led to extensive debate about where the text originated not least because the text would stand as an important early monument to the language and traditions of whatever modern country can claim it yet it is possible that none of these distinctions seemed very important to the people who copied and adapted the text 2 3 4 5 Key layers seem to be Old English probably specifically Northumbrian Old English This would be consistent with production in Northumbria or by a Northumbrian missionary active alongside Saint Boniface on the Continent Old Saxon or Old Dutch which could be consistent with production at or transmission via a monastery at Utrecht in the modern Netherlands Old High German which would be consistent with copying of the surviving manuscript by a speaker of this variety perhaps at Hersfeld Abbey Comparison to present day Dutch and Low German Edit In the glossary below the spelling has been normalised u is replaced with w when a consonant c is replaced with k and ch with kh Original word Modern Dutch Modern Low Saxon Modern EnglishEnd En Un Ande k ik ik Iforsa kh o verzaak versak forsakeallum alle all alldioboles duivelse Duvels devil s w ercum werken Warken worksand en un and w ordum woorden Woorden wordsThunaer Donar Donar Thunorende en un and W oden Wodan Wodan Woden Wodenende en un andSaxnote Saxnot Saxnot Saxnotende en un andallum allen all allthem van deze dissen thoseunholdum ontrouwen Unmannen unfaithfulthe die de whohira hun ehrhor East Frisian theirgenotas bond genoten Genoten companionssint zijn sund areEditions Edit German Wikisource has original text related to this article Sachsisches Taufgelobnis Media related to Sachsisches Taufgelobnis at Wikimedia Commons Capitularia Regum Francorum I ed by A Boretius Monumenta Germaniae Historica Legum sectio 11 Hanover 1883 p 22 no 107 Abrenuntiatio diaboli et prefessio fidei ed by E Wadstein Kleinere altsachsische Sprachdenkmaler Niederdeutsche Denkmaler 6 Norden Soltau 1899 pp 119 21 Hodgkin R H A History of the Anglo Saxons 3rd edn 2 vols Oxford 1952 I 302 facsimile See also EditIndiculus superstitionum et paganiarum a Latin collection of capitularies identifying and condemning superstitious and pagan beliefs found in the north of Gaul and among the Saxons during the time of their subjugation and conversion by CharlemagneReferences Edit a b Simek p 276 D H Green Language and history in the early Germanic world Cambridge 1998 pp 344 45 N van der Sijs Calendarium van de Nederlandse Taal 2006 Marco Mostert Utrecht zwischen York und Fulda Anfange niederlandischer Schriftlichkeit im Fruhmittelalter Archived 20 September 2012 at the Wayback Machine in Wider den Mussiggang Niederlandisches Mittelalterim Spiegel von Kunst Kult und Politik ed by Ulrike Zellmann Angelika Lehmann Benz and Urban Kusters Dusseldorf Grupello 2004 pp 21 37 ISBN 3 89978 018 3 Marco Mostert Communicating the Faith The Circle of Boniface Germanic Vernaculars Frisian and Saxon Converts Amsterdamer Beitrage zur alteren Germanistik 70 2013 87 130 Sources EditSimek Rudolf 1993 Saxon Baptismal Vow in Dictionary of Northern Mythology trans by Angela Hall D S Brewer p 276 ISBN 0 85991 513 1 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Old Saxon Baptismal Vow amp oldid 1066620101, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
