Annotations to James Joyce's Ulysses/Oxen of the Sun/374
Annotations
editvergine madre figlia di tuo figlio (Italian) virgin mother, daughter of your son, a quotation from Dante's Paradiso (33.1). The words are spoken by St Bernard of Clairvaux in honour of the Virgin Mary.
parce que M. Leo Taxil nous a dit que qui l'avait mise dans cette fichue position c'était le sacré pigeon, ventre de Dieu! (French) Because Monsieur Léo Taxil has told us that it was the sacred pigeon who had placed her in this wretched position, by Christ! The final three words, which literally translate as belly of God!, are a coarse French oath. See 041.19 ff. for Léo Taxil.
Entweder transsubstantiality oder consubstantiality but in no case subsubstantiality (German) Either ... or. In Catholic theology, transsubstantiation is the technical term to describe the principle underlying the doctrine of the Real Presence, according to which the consecrated bread and wine in the Eucharist take on the actual substance of the body and blood of Jesus Christ, while retaining the outward appearance or accidence of bread and wine. Consubstanstiation is the term used to describe an alternative interpretation of the mystery of the Eucharist, according to which the consecrated bread and wine comprise the substance of Christ alongside that of the original unconsecrated bread and wine. The doctrine of consubstantiation is usually associated with Lutheranism, though Martin Luther himself held a slightly different position. This, presumably, explains Stephen's use of German terms.
Needless to remark, subsubstantiality is Stephen's drunken contribution to the theology of the Real Presence. In his intoxicated state, he is confusing two different theologial controversies: (1) the relationship between the consecrated Host in theEucharist and Jesus Christ, and (2)the relationship between the Virgin Mary and Jesus Christ. According to Catholic doctrine, Mary was the mother of Jesus Christ the man and of Jesus Christ the God. this is also held by Lutherans.