3/18/2021
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| Lorenzetti, "Beata Umiltà's Bricks" |
The Night Watch
SRC describes, the ordinary cautions “required by prudence” as well as certain special, extraordinary cautions that are permitted and recommended to safeguard the MBS overnight, when the church is closed.
For one thing, this presumes the closing of the Church at night. Perhaps there are some who recall a simpler tim, back in the day, when the church was always open and we didn’t have to lock it, not even at night. This part of Nullo 5 suggests that recollections of such times might be rather fictional.
Nullo 5 indicates three ordinary prudential security cautions for the night watch which are designed to prevent the theft of anything precious kept inside the church: 1) the securing of doors and windows; 2) “a careful look around” at closing time; 3) entrusting the job of securing the premises to persons “above suspicion, especially to persons not addicted to strong drink.”
Concerning doors and windows, it indicates,“within the limits of necessity and possibility,” that door-leaves, the locks and the bolts should all be strong and able to be opened only from the inside. It indicates iron grills or bars to guard the windows.
The careful look-around, is precisely intended to guard against “any evil-intentioned person.” This disciplinary measure is a case where accusations of “judgmentalism” can be clarified. Just as there are laws which guard against trespassing, there are safeguards which deter trespassers. A trespasser is someone with the evil intention to offend against—at least—the will of the property owner by being where he ought not. Whether the individual instance of trespassing constitutes am action of a trespasser is secondary to the property-owners responsibility to safeguard against all trespassers.
