A musical composition for solo voices, chorus, orchestra, and organ set to a religious text generally taken from Holy Scripture. Said to have originated in Saint Philip Neri's oratory, the first of these sacred dramas, the "Anima e Corpo" by Emiglio del Cavaglieri, was performed in the oratory of the church of Santa Maria in Vallicella, 1600, and the name "Oratorio" applied to the new form about 60 years later.
This dictionary contains not only definitions and explanations of every subject in Religion, Scripture, tradition, doctrine, morals, sacraments, rites, customs, devotions and symbolism, but also accounts of the Church in every continent, country, diocese; missions, notable Catholic centers, cities, and places with religious names; religious orders, church societies, sects and false religions. It has brief articles also on historical events and personages, on the Old Testament and New, and on popes, prelates, priests, men and women of distinction, showing what the Church has done for civilization and correcting many errors which have hitherto passed for history.Wikipedia
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