Say the black; do the red

This expression describes what priests do when celebrating the various rites of the Church.  What is written in black is said, what is written is red is done.

I recently visited the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, and while in the Egyptian section I admired the Book of the Dead of the Priest Horus (pictured above).  This impressive 70-feet long, 2,300 year old papyrus manuscript contains a series of spells used by a priest of Horus to help the dead transition into the afterlife.  I quickly noticed that both black and red ink were used in this ancient manuscript.

To my surprise, I read in the information below the manuscript that the red ink provides instructions to perform the various rites correctly.  The black ink provides the words.  I could not believe it!  Just like Catholics today, the Egyptian priests followed “say the black; do the red.”

Pictures are mine, all rights reserved.  2017