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Objection 1: It would seem that the virgin's aureole is the
greatest of all. For it is said of virgins (Apoc. 14:4) that
they "follow the Lamb whithersoever He goeth," and (Apoc.
14:3) that "no" other "man could say the canticle" which the
virgins sang. Therefore virgins have the most excellent aureole.
Objection 2: Further, Cyprian (De Habit. Virg.) says of
virgins that they are "the more illustrious portion of Christ's
flock." Therefore the greater aureole is due to them.
Objection 3: Again, it would seem that the martyr's aureole is the
greatest. For Aymo, commenting on Apoc. 14:3, "No man could
say the hymn," says that "virgins do not all take precedence of
married folk; but only those who in addition to the observance of
virginity are by the tortures of their passion on a par with married
persons who have suffered martyrdom." Therefore martyrdom gives
virginity its precedence over other states: and consequently a greater
aureole is due to virginity.
Objection 4: Again, it would seem that the greatest aureole is due
to doctors. Because the Church militant is modelled after the Church
triumphant. Now in the Church militant the greatest honor is due to
doctors (1 Tim. 5:17): "Let the priests that rule well be
esteemed worthy of double honor, especially they who labor in the word
and doctrine." Therefore a greater aureole is due to them in the
Church triumphant.
I answer that, Precedence of one aureole over another may be
considered from two standpoints. First, from the point of view of the
conflicts, that aureole being considered greater which is due to the
more strenuous battle. Looking at it thus the martyr's aureole takes
precedence of the others in one way, and the virgin's in another.
For the martyr's battle is more strenuous in itself, and more
intensely painful; while the conflict with the flesh is fraught with
greater danger, inasmuch as it is more lasting and threatens us at
closer quarters. Secondly, from the point of view of the things about
which the battle is fought: and thus the doctor's aureole takes
precedence of all others, since this conflict is about intelligible
goods. while the other conflicts are about sensible passions.
Nevertheless, the precedence that is considered in view of the
conflict is more essential to the aureole; since the aureole,
according to its proper character, regards the victory and the battle,
and the difficulty of fighting which is viewed from the standpoint of
the battle is of greater importance than that which is considered from
our standpoint through the conflict being at closer quarters.
Therefore the martyr's aureole is simply the greatest of all: for
which reason a gloss on Mt. 5:10, says that "all the other
beatitudes are perfected in the eighth, which refers to the martyrs,"
namely, "Blessed are they that suffer persecution." For this
reason, too, the Church in enumerating the saints together places the
martyrs before the doctors and virgins. Yet nothing hinders the other
aureoles from being more excellent in some particular way. And this
suffices for the Replies to the Objections.
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