Editing Alcuin (section)

=== Liturgist ===
Besides his fame as an educator and a theologian, Alcuin was also the principal agent of the [[Mass (liturgy)|liturgical]] reform accomplished under the authority of Charlemagne. Upon Charlemagne's accession the [[Gallican Rite]] prevailed in France, but it was so modified by local customs and traditions as to constitute a serious obstacle to complete ecclesiastical unity. It was the purpose of the king to substitute the [[Roman Rite]] in place of the Gallican, or at least to bring about such a revision of the latter as to make it substantially one with the Roman. The strong leaning of Alcuin towards Roman traditions, combined with his conservative character and the universal authority of his name, qualified him for the accomplishment of a change which the royal authority in itself was powerless to effect.

The first of Alcuin's liturgical works appears to have been a homilary, or collection of [[sermon]]s in Latin for use by priests. Another liturgical work of Alcuin consists of a collection of readings to be read on Sundays and holy days throughout the year, the {{lang|la|Comes ab Albino ex Caroli imp. praecepto emendatus}}. As, previous to his time, the portions of Scripture to be read at Mass were often merely indicated [[Marginalia|on the margins]] of the Bibles used, the {{lang|la|Comes}} commended itself by its convenience, and as he followed Roman usage here also, the result was another advance in the way of conformity to the Roman liturgy. The work of Alcuin which had the greatest and most lasting influence in this direction, however, was the [[missal]] which he compiled; prescribed as the official liturgical book of the Frankish church, Alcuin's missal soon came to be commonly used throughout Europe and was largely instrumental in bringing about uniformity in respect to the liturgy of the Mass in the whole [[Latin Church]]. Other liturgical productions of Alcuin were a collection of [[votive Mass]]es drawn up for the monks of [[Fulda]], a treatise called {{lang|la|De psalmorum usu}}, a [[breviary]] for laymen, and a brief explanation of the ceremonies of baptism.