Part II : The Crown of Power : Chapter 5 : § 5.1-3

Chapter 5 : The Fourth Star or Splendour of the Crown of Power of the MOTHER OF GOD

She was the Spouse and the Companion of the Saviour

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)

§ 5. The Nuptial Rite and its Ceremonies

The nuptial ceremony amongst the Jews

 1   According to what I have been able to learn from the Ritual of the Hebrews, the Canticle of Canticles, Psalm LXVII and the writings of some of the most learned commentators, the ceremonies that used to be observed by the Hebrews in their marriages at the high point of their development, were not very different from those I am now going to describe. 

Once the terms of the marital contract had been agreed and the wedding day had arrived, the Groom would go early in the morning to the Bride’s house to pay his respects. He would then quietly take his leave of her and disappear, making his way in a leisurely way to a building set aside for the ceremonies which would be held later that day. The Bride, however, would quickly arise and without taking time to adorn herself would set out with her companions to go and find him. She would not cease in lamenting and inquiring after him until she had found him. She would then be received, along with her retinue, by the parents, relatives and friends of the Groom, who would make a great display of their happiness. Then the Groom would take out from his chests the rich garments, the rings and the jewels that he had set aside for her, and he would place these into the hands of her maids of honour who would take great pains to ensure that the Bride was clothed and adorned in the best way possible. Once the wedding feast had been concluded, they would make their way in a merry and playful manner to take their place beneath a canopy that had been erected, there to take each other by the hand so as to place the final seal upon their vows, repeating their consent in a clear and express manner.

 2   With the approach of nightfall, they both took their places in a richly decorated carriage which would take them to either the groom’s house where they were expected, or to the bride’s house as frequently happened, as we learn from the sacred text of the Canticles[1]. There we also read how King Solomon, in order to please the daughters of Jerusalem, had made for them a beautiful carriage in the form of a nuptial couch, so that it would serve them on their wedding day in the way that I have just described. It was made of cedar wood richly gilded, the baldachin was supported by rods covered in silver guilt, the marital bed was decorated with brocade, the head and the foot[2] of the bed were covered with richly embroidered material, sparkling with gemstones which showed little flying doves and other such symbols of chaste love; over the baldachin hung scarlet drapery and the bed was open on two sides so that the Bride and Groom might be easily seen by everyone. As soon as they had taken their places on the carriage, the couple found themselves surrounded by the invited guests, including the young boys and maidens, who would sing the Epithalamium whilst accompanying the carriage, carrying in one hand a torch whilst with the other they scattered flowers on those present and especially on the Groom and his Bride. Throughout this ceremony, the couple did not remain silent but they sang snatches of songs to each other to show their mutual love and affection, as may be seen by what is described in Solomon’s Canticle[3]. In this way they were slowly borne along to the house where they were expected, and they were welcomed with a magnificence befitting the status of the couple. There would be found rooms with walls and floors decorated with hangings and carpets, a group of musicians and singers awaiting them, and all the trappings that accompany nuptial rejoicing. This was how they spent their wedding day.

Footnotes

[1] I found him whom my soul loveth: I held him: and I will not let him go, till I bring him into my mother's house, and into the chamber of her that bore me. Cant. iii. 4.

[2] Media charitate constravit ; Ambr. de Virg., c. 3 : Gemmatum stratum appellat.

[3] Cant. iv.

The origin of this ceremony

 3   I would like to say in passing that it has always seemed to me that this ceremony was a true imitation of what took place when the people of Israel were given a helping hand and led out of the captivity in Egypt in a manner showing divine magnificence. God wished to renew the covenant that He had made with His people and He wanted them to be wedded to Him again with every sort of pomp and solemnity. He led them into the wilderness and took them, according to King David the Prophet[1], onto His holy mountain, which is the place He had chosen for His dwelling; He placed them under a pillar of cloud as under a canopy fashioned by the hands of His Angels, and renewed His contract with them on Mount Sinai; He raised them to His side on the chariot of His divine Providence escorted by a thousand companies of the heavenly host[2]; He caused a thousand hymns of joy to be sung and a thousand torches which He had lit to be carried on high before Him – in short, He omitted nothing that might show His goodwill and favour, so that this people might understand what a blessing it was that God should unite Himself to them with this bond of indissoluble friendship.

Footnotes

[1] Sanctius, Prolegomeno 3 in Psal. LXVII, etc.

[2] The chariot of God is attended by ten thousands; thousands of them that rejoice: the Lord is among them in Sina, in the holy place. Ps. LXVII 18.

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The Virgin of Tenderness. >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 2025