Quamvis GULIELMI DURANDI nomen salis per se cognitum sit ex suorum operum
citationibus, quae in multis canonici, civilisque Juris, ac sacrae Liturgiae libris passim
occurrunt, quum tamen non desint alii ejusdem nominis viri, et ipsi rerum ecclesiasticarum
auctores, quibuscum facile Noster hic ab ignaris confundi posset, operae pretium duximus
huic Divinorum officiorum Rationalis editioni breve aliquod, et de celebris Auctoris vita, et de
ipsius scriptis, commentariolum praefationis loco praeponere. Noster igitur Gulielmus natus …

The Rationale Divinorum Officiorum is arguably the most important medieval treatise on the
symbolism of church architecture and rituals of worship. Written by the French bishop
William Durand of Mende (1230-1296), the treatise is ranked with the Bible as one of the
most frequently copied and disseminated texts in all of medieval Christianity. It served as an
encyclopedic compendium and textbook for liturgists and remains an indispensable guide
for understanding the significance of medieval ecclesiastical art and worship ceremonies …