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Bible Encyclopedias
Memento Mori
Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature
or remember death. It was God himself who first gave this admonition to fallen Adam (Genesis 3:19). Such admonitions we find in the Old and New Testament, and that very frequently, no doubt with intent to remind us constantly of the final day, of the end of life. Philip, king of Macedon, it is said, ordered lis attendant to remind him of his death every morning by saying, "King, thou art a mortal being; live in the thought of death." Human beings are but too apt to forget the "Memento mori" when called to high places of honor. An exception, however, was a certain general who, when holding his triumphal processions, had a servant advance to him and cry out -repeatedly, "Do not forget that you are a mortal man." We should be mindfil that every one of us is but a mortal being. Even to this day the sinister thought of this is impressed upon the pope at his coronation, when the master of the ceremony advances toward the holy father with a silver staff, on which is fastened a tift of oakum; this is lighted by a candle borne by a clerical, who bends his knee, and, holding up the burning oakum, exclaims, "Holy father, be reminded that all earthly existence will be extinguished like this tuft of oakum." Another occasion the Romanists furnish in their liturgy, so especially solemn on Ash Wednesday, where the sentence occurs, "Memento homo, quia pulvis es, et in pulverem reverteris." There are two ecclesiastical orders, the Carthusians and Trappists, whose members, on meeting a person, utter aloud the words " Memento mori." The Trappists always keep in their gardens an open grave, surely a good warning and constant reminder of the uncertainty of earthly existence. (See DEATH).
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McClintock, John. Strong, James. Entry for 'Memento Mori'. Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature. https://www.studylight.org/encyclopedias/eng/tce/m/memento-mori.html. Harper & Brothers. New York. 1870.
