A ''libellus precum'' (literally "booklet of prayings, booklet of petitions", plural: ''libelli precum'') is a medieval collection of

prayer Prayer is an invocation or act that seeks to activate a rapport with an object of worship through deliberate communication. In the narrow sense, the term refers to an act of supplication or intercession directed towards a deity or a deifi ...

s, a prayerbook, in the

manuscript A manuscript (abbreviated MS for singular and MSS for plural) was, traditionally, any document written by hand – or, once practical typewriters became available, typewritten – as opposed to mechanically printed or reproduced ...

form, although the term is applied by scholars to texts of some other types. The beginning of the scholarship recognizing them as a distinct type of literature is attributed to

André Wilmart Dom André Wilmart O.S.B. (1876 – 21 April 1941 Paris) was a French Benedictine medievalist and liturgist, who spent most of his career at St Michael's Abbey, Farnborough. He was a leading expert on medieval spirituality in the decades be ...

. Susan Boynton, " LIBELLI PRECUM IN THE CENTRAL MIDDLE AGES", In: ''A History of Prayer'', pp. 255–318, *A review of literature on ''libelli precum''; includes influential references The ''Encyclopedia of the Middle Ages'' says they are coming mainly from the Anglo-Saxon and Celtic lands.''Libelli precum'', In: ''Encyclopedia of the Middle Ages'', 2005, Typically ''libelli precum'' are unique texts, varying in prayers collected. The texts of prayers may be or may not be unique. Notable examples include Ælfwine's Prayerbook, ''folia Gertudiana'', the prayerbook of Princess

Gertrude of Poland Gertrude-Olisava (c. 1025 – 4 January 1108), princess of Poland, was the daughter of King Mieszko II of Poland and Queen Richeza of Lotharingia, and the great-granddaughter of German Emperor Otto II. Early life The exact time and place of Ger ...

included into the Egbert Psalter,

Usage as text titles

There are several historical texts referred to by the title ''Libellus Precum'' (in both meanings): *''Libellus precum ad Imperatores'', a petition to the civil authority by two

Luciferian Luciferianism is a belief system that venerates the essential characteristics that are affixed to Lucifer, the name of various mythological and religious figures associated with the planet Venus. The tradition usually reveres Lucifer not as the ...

clergy called Faustinus and Shahan, Thomas. "Pope St. Damasus I." The Catholic Encyclopedia
Vol. 4. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1908. 29 Sept. 2017 * John of Fécamp's ''Libellus precum'' *''Libellus precum'' by

Bede Bede ( ; ang, Bǣda , ; 672/326 May 735), also known as Saint Bede, The Venerable Bede, and Bede the Venerable ( la, Beda Venerabilis), was an English monk at the monastery of St Peter and its companion monastery of St Paul in the Kingdom ...

References

Prayer books Medieval manuscripts {{manuscript-art-stub