Chapter 13 : The Twelfth Star or Splendour of 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).
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| Notre Dame des Grâces, Cotignac.(Poggi, 2020) |
How she is the honour of earth and of Heaven
§ 7. She is the Temple of God
4 After what we have seen so far, dear reader, are you beginning to have a sufficient sense of wonder at this work, the like of which was never seen before? Well, what will you say if I tell you this is only a rough sketch of the MOTHER OF GOD, and if I promise you that all this magnificence is nothing in comparison with the glory of her who is our mystical Temple? I will not say any more, however, until I have quoted the Commentary of Saint Bernardine of Siena on the words in Psalm VIII: Thy magnificence is elevated above the heavens[1]. He says:
The Holy Virgin must be given the singular title par excellence of God’s magnificence, forasmuch as He receives more glory from this Lady’s exaltation and deep humility than from all the rest of His creatures together. Through her acts of thanksgiving, through her blessings and through her continual adoration, she magnifies the Lord more than all Angels and men combined.
I will now quote the words of Saint Damascene in the first sermon he wrote on the Nativity of the Virgin:
Hold your tongue, Solomon, and stop saying that we see nothing new under the Sun, for here is a work of wonder that has never been seen in any past age: a Virgin Mother who has received the plenitude of God‘s grace; a Temple quite different from the one you built; it was, moreover, prepared for the true Prince of Peace, for Him who was really and truly that which you only prefigured. This Temple shines resplendently on every side, but with gold very different from yours: namely all the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Instead of the precious stones ornamenting your Temple, she has the pearl of great price which was sent to her from Heaven. This is the true living gemstone of Isaiah the prophet that she presents to us so that He may purify our lips with His touch, making it possible for us to bless Him along with the blessed Seraphim, saying: Holy, Holy, Holy, the Lord God of hosts[2], One God in three Persons. Holy is the Father who brought to fulfilment in the Virgin the mystery promised and granted from the beginning of the world. Holy is the mighty Son of the Most High, who chose an only daughter to be the Mother of the only-begotten Son of God, the first-born of all creatures. Holy is the immortal and glorious Holy Spirit who by means of the dew of His Divinity[3] has saved you from the fiery conflagration that consumes everything.
Please tell me what are gold, silver and precious stones in comparison with the riches and precious gifts with which she has been adorned?
Footnotes
[1] Ps. VIII. 2.
[2] Isaiah vi. 3.
[3] See Judges vi. 36-40 & Isaiah xlv. 8.
The dedication of the Temple
5 The dedication of Solomon’s Temple is the third link to the Holy Virgin out of the five that I have included for discussion, and it has to be admitted that it was a source of great wonder[1]. The Angel representing God came down in person on a cloud while the Ark of the covenant was being carried to the place that had been prepared for it. As for Solomon, I can truly say that he was beside himself with the pleasure and contentment he felt in his heart, and that the whole people were overcome as though by a holy fear, not knowing what to say or to think. Others may wonder at this exceptional favour for as long as they like, but I actually ceased to wonder when I started to consider the dedication of the Virgin. This took place when the true Ark of the Covenant came down to her from Heaven and she was consecrated MOTHER OF GOD. In fact, this led to an altogether different level of rejoicing for, as Saint John Damascene wrote[2], the consecration involved:
the most adorable Trinity coming personally to sanctify the blessed Virgin and to consecrate her as its most holy Temple.
In my judgement, no-one provides a better explanation of this magnificent ceremony than the pious Saint Bernard[3], although the allusions he makes are to the ceremonies that we have for the dedication of Churches rather than the practices of the Jews in old Testament times. Here are his words:
The consecration of the holy Virgin was like that of a most magnificent Temple, he says. The Father supplied brightness, the Son humility and the Holy Spirit charity. The Father contributed the light of reason, the Son the ashes of obedience, and the Holy Spirit the oil of dilection[4]. The Father conveyed power, the Son wisdom, and the Holy Spirit the grace of all the virtues. The Father gave her strength to resist the temptations of sin, the Son humility to overcome the world, and the Holy Spirit charity enabling her to love God and neighbour. The Son gifted her with mortification of the flesh, the Holy Spirit with compunction and the Father with the spirit of contemplation. The Son instructed her in the practice of heavenly actions; the Holy Spirit in the love of God and how to make herself pleasing to Him; and the Father in how to contemplate heavenly things. The Son taught her; the Holy Spirit helped her to progress; and the Father perfected her. The Son bestowed beauty upon her; the Holy Spirit, peace; and the Father, glory. I do not by this mean to divide the works of the most holy Trinity, but as the Trinity is one in essence, so we accept that it is inseparable in its actions.
Those are the eloquent words of this devoted servant of the Mother of God.
Footnotes
[1] II Reg. viii ; II Paralip.vi.
[2] Orat. 2 de Nativit. Virg.
[3] Serm. de B. Virg., cujus initium est Ave.
[4] dilection: love, affection: almost always, spiritual or Christian love, or the love of God to man or of man to God. (1. OED). From dilectio: 2. love of God: a (as subj.); b (as obj.). c love as personified in Christ (see DMLB).
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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.
The Vladimirskaya Icon. >12th century.
Totus tuus ego sum
Et omnia mea tua sunt;
Tecum semper tutus sum:
Ad Jesum per Mariam.
© Peter Bloor 2025
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