The Crown of Excellence : Chapter 8 : § 1. 25-26

Chapter 8 : The Seventh Star or Splendour in the Crown of Excellence of the Mother of God

Continuing our translation of the 1845 reprint of Fr François Poiré's Triple Crown of the Mother of God (1643 French edition).

Notre Dame des Grâces, Cotignac.(Poggi, 2020)

Mary’s soul was unique in being totally free of any sin

§ 1. The MOTHER OF GOD was exempt from original sin

The origin of the Feast of the Conception in the East

 25   Around the same time, as we may safely suppose, this devotion arrived in the East. This most probably would have been facilitated by the excellent channels of communication they had with Italy. The rumours of what had happened to the Prince had spread widely for he was famous everywhere not only because of his noble extraction but also for his great holiness. God made particular use in this respect of the Emperor Leo who was known as Purple-born[1] and the Philosopher but he could also be called the Restorer of piety in the east. I shall have more to say later[2] about this pious Emperor whose reign began six years after the accession of Charles the Fat and ended when Charles the Simple was on the throne. He was a man of great learning and composed a beautiful prayer which is still read today[3]. He contributed everything he could to give honour to Our Lady and to promote the celebration of her Feast.

Footnotes

[1] Πορφυρογέννητος,  Latinized as Porphyrogenitus. 

[2] Tract. III, c. 4, § 6.

[3] Baron., ad Rom. Martyrol., 8 Decemb.

The origin of the Feast of the Conception in England

 26   Around one hundred and fifty years later, France and England adopted the same devotion. Here is an excerpt of what St Anselm has to say on this[1]:

The sins of the English were crying out to Heaven and God sent forth William, Duke of Normandy, to attack them. This he did with such a happy outcome that he made himself master of England which proved of great benefit to the English whose customs he reformed. At this time, the Norse and Danes[2] were still pressing their claim to the kingdom and, being unable to accept that a foreigner had seized it, they assembled a powerful fleet of ships to sail against the usurper. When William was warned of this, he promptly sent for the Abbot of the Monastery in Rheims to tell him what was happening. The Abbot was called Helsin[3] and he was himself English, being a man of spirit and reputed for his holiness. But the evil one did not fail to lay ambushes for Helsin. One of these was a tempest so violent that all on board his ship feared they were lost. God nevertheless turned this to His glory for, while those in the vessel were praying fervently to the MOTHER OF GOD for help, there appeared above them a venerable Prelate. It was in fact St Nicholas who explained to Helsin that he had come on behalf of the MOTHER OF GOD in order to promise him deliverance from the peril in which he found himself, provided only that he would celebrate the Feast of her immaculate Conception every year on the eighth day of December. Once the Abbot had expressed his most willing agreement to do this, the sea suddenly became calm and he later recounted in England what he had heard and seen.

It is easy to see how this incident would serve to revive English devotion to the MOTHER OF GOD and to honour her in this Feast. We should not underestimate blessed St Anselm’s contribution because thirty years later he wrote the beautiful Epistle I have already mentioned and which, in his capacity of Primate, he sent to all the Prelates in England. He makes a spirited call in this letter exhorting them to celebrate the Feast and saying (amongst other things) that anyone not keeping this day as a holiday could not be considered a worthy servant of Mary. Two English Councils later authorized the celebration of the Feast with even greater solemnity.

Footnotes

[1] Epist. cit.

[2] The author uses the word Transylvains, derived from Silvanus, a pagan deity presiding over woods. The reference must be to the Norse & Danish who were still largely pagan and were the only overseas threat at this time.

[3] Alii Elsinum, alii Elpinum vocant. Vide. Baron., Notis ad Rom. Martyrol., 8 Decemb. ; et Bo-sium, lib. V, c. 8.

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The Vladimirskaya Icon. >12th century.

SUB tuum præsidium confugimus, Sancta Dei Genitrix. Nostras deprecationes ne despicias in necessitatibus, sed a periculis cunctis libera nos semper, Virgo gloriosa et benedicta. Amen.

 

 

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam. 

© Peter Bloor 2024