Part III : The Crown of Goodness : Chapter 7 : § 5.1-5

Chapter 7 : The Sixth Star or Splendour of the Crown of Goodness of the MOTHER OF GOD

She is a true model of generosity towards her children

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 Gratitude of the Mother of God towards certain Kings, Queens and other Rulers

Clovis

 1   Let us now honour the Great Clovis, France’s own Constantine, one of the first Christian Kings and a true model for good kings. St Remigius, who was his spiritual father, had a great devotion to the Holy Virgin and he planted this in the heart of the Prince. Amongst other things the Prince did to honour his holy Mother was to build a beautiful Church for her in Strasbourg[1]. She showed her gratitude to him during his reign that he was able on his own to To extend the borders of your state more than all these predecessors together. 

Footnotes

[1] Bosius, Lib. IX de Signis Eccles., c. 20.

Dagobert

 2   One of his successes, King Dagobert, showed his desire to honour and serve the Holy Virgin in the same Church by making a gift to her of an entire town[1], called Rubiacum[2], along with its appurtenances. In return, the glorious Virgin introduced him to St Aubert, Bishop of Cambrai[3] and one of her most devoted servants. As a result, he founded the Church and the Monastery of Notre-Dame which this holy Prelate governed. At his prompting, Dagobert completed many worthy undertakings which showed forth the love of the Mother of mercy, not only during his life but after his death.     

Footnotes

[1] Canisius, lib. V de B. Virg., c. 23.

[2] Modern Rouffach, south of the city of Strasbourg in NE France.

[3] Fulbertus, in Vita S. Autberti.

St Louis

 3   There can scarcely be found anyone comparable to St Louis amongst Kings and I am not sure it would be possible to find anyone with a greater devotion to the MOTHER OF GOD. 

William of Chartres, his chaplain, wrote of him that he would assist daily at the Office of the Holy Virgin or, if prevented by affairs of state, he would recite the Office privately[1]. Every Saturday he would provide a meal for three poor men after having first washed their feet. He dedicated the Carthusians’ Church to her in Paris along with the Monastery that he had built for them, providing in a most auspicious manner a place of rest for the MOTHER OF GOD in the former Palace of the Kings of France. In 1248 he built the Sainte-Chapelle[2]; he moved forward work on the construction of Notre-Dame Cathedral, the foundations of which had been laid by Philippe-Auguste; and it would be difficult to find a single province in France without a Dominican or Franciscan Church dedicated to the Virgin and built thanks to the munificence of this great King.    

I would be doing a disservice to readers if I tried to set out in detail the graces and favours he received as a result of his acts of devotion since there is no one unaware of the flourishing condition of the French monarchy during those years when he wore the Crown, not to mention the spiritual and temporal blessings that Heaven showered upon him.

Footnotes

[1] In Vita ipsius.

[2] Corrozetius, in Antiquit. Paris.

 

Robert

 4   King Robert’s devotion was such that he was inspired to compose several hymns[1] for the principal feasts of the Church and to go in person to present them on the altar of St Peter in Rome, in the presence of the Holy Father. It is accordingly no surprise to learn that he had a particular desire to honour the MOTHER OF GOD. We have striking proof of this in the Churches that he built in various locations. These include[1] Notre-Dame des Champs near Paris, Notre-Dame de Bonnes-Nouvelles near Orléans, Notre-Dame d’Étampes, Notre-Dame de Poissy and several others. In recognition of his love and devotion, the Holy Virgin granted him the graces and favours he needed for a wise and virtuous life as well as enriching him with all that is required of a great Prince. He was pious, magnanimous, moderate, munificent and kind-hearted : in short, he was gifted with every royal quality.   

Footnotes

[1] He is said to be the author, for example, of the Veni, Sancte Spiritus, known as the Golden Sequence, for the Mass at Pentecost. It is commonly regarded as one of the greatest masterpieces of sacred Latin poetry ever written.

[2] Gaguinus du Tillet, etc.

Charles V

 5   Charles V had a particular love for Notre-Dame de Chartres. He would go there from time to time to ask for help with his undertakings and he gave several beautiful presents to the Church. He granted that all cases involving this noble Church should be taken before the Parliament in Paris at first instance. He was responsible for the foundation of a Mass which was to be said every day at Prime as well as three to be said for the departed, and these are still to day known as the King’s masses, even though there were other Royal foundations in this noble Church. The fact that he was known as Charles the Wise demonstrates how beloved he was of Heaven and how the Protectress of France watched over him carefully. To sum up, it could be said of him that he was diligent in his affairs, thoughtful in the advice he gave, careful in his undertakings, generous with his gifts , restrained in his manner of living and courteous yet regal in his dealings with others. He was loved by his own people and feared by his enemies. Edward III, King of England, said there was no Prince less bellicose and none who gave him more things to think about.

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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

Part III : The Crown of Goodness : Chapter 7 : § 4.17-20

Chapter 7 : The Sixth Star or Splendour of the Crown of Goodness of the MOTHER OF GOD

She is a true model of generosity towards her children

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)

§ 4. The gratitude of the MOTHER OF GOD towards certain Emperors and Empresses 

St Helena

 17   The time has now come to say a word about certain holy Empresses who in their elevated status have left an immortal memory of the love and the zeal they showed in their lives for honouring The MOTHER OF GOD and making her honoured everywhere. Amongst these, St Helena occupies the first rank. Her name will live on through the Panegyrics of the most celebrated authors of Ecclesiastical History such as Eusebius[1], Theodoret[2] and Nicephorus[3], as well as in the writings of the holy Fathers. How they envied her for being a perfect model of all the virtues, especially of piety in relation to the Queen of Angels.  

She burned with an ardent desire to leave marks of her devotion towards the Holy Mother everywhere, ordering Churches to be erected in all corners of the Empire, as in Gethsemane[4], Bethlehem[5], Rome, Naples and in many other locations. The Holy Virgin showed herself so grateful for this that the human mind would find it difficult to imagine how this Princess could have been more blessed, being mother of the first Christian Emperor and the wonder of Emperors. 

The grave and eloquent St Ambrose, searching for someone with whom to compare her, made so bold as to suggest that she shared a resemblance with the Mother of the Emperor of Heaven – saving only for the respect we owe to her who is incomparable in all her perfections.  

The Virgin Mother, he wrote[6], bore the Saviour in her womb; St Helena found the Cross of this same Saviour in the womb of the Earth. The former, to the astonishment of the universe, made visible to men a god Incarnate who came down from Heaven to redeem them; the latter, for the consolation of the world, has erected once more the standard of man’s salvation. The former was visited by an Angel so that she might repair the damage done by the first woman; the latter was chosen by the spirit of God as mother of the first Emperor to be a son of salvation and in a certain manner to be the mother of all the others who followed in his footsteps. 

It is scarcely possible to speak more highly of anyone.

Footnotes

[1] Lib. III de Vita Constantin., c. 41, etc.

[2] Lib. Histor. Eccles., c. 8.

[3] Lib. VIII, c. 30, 31 ; Ruffinus, lib. I Hist., c. 7.

[4] Nicephor., lib. VIII Hist., c. 30.

[5] Eusebi, lib. III de Vita Constantin., c. 47.

[6] Orat. de Obitu Theodosii.

 

St Pulcheria

 18   Closely following Helena is St Pulcheria, a pearl amongst Princesses, an adornment of the Holy Court and a rich jewel of Heaven. 

This girl loved the Virgin of Virgins right from her childhood and wanted to show proof of her desire to imitate her by preserving her purity. As soon as she attained an age permitting her to do so, she promised her virginity conjointly to the Virgin and her beloved Son, the unique Spouse of Virgins. She also persuaded her sisters to do the same thing and with one heart they solemnised their offering by presenting the Church of Hagia Sophia with a golden altar studded with precious gemstones.

She began to rule the Empire along with her brother Theodosius at the age of fifteen and she imprinted in his soul from the outset a great devotion towards the Virgin, as I mentioned earlier. For her part, she was always on the lookout for opportunities to render some service to the Holy Mother. This became particularly evident in the zeal she showed at the Council held in Ephesus against the iniquitous Nestorius, sworn enemy of the MOTHER OF GOD. Pulcheria gave her help in a thousand different ways to the Holy Predates gathered for the Council, helping them with her advice, protecting them with her authority and providing help to meet their needs. 

According to the accounts of Nicephorus and several other historians[1], she built in her honour three Churches befitting her imperial munificence. The first was in the Copper-workers’ marketplace[1] and was consecrated by St Germanus, Patriarch of Constantinople. Here was kept the cincture or girdle of the blessed Virgin and other precious objects. Every Wednesday throughout the year a solemn vigil was kept here and Pulcheria often came on foot to visit the Church. The second was called Our Lady the Guide (or the Conductress) because of a miracle which happened not long after the Church was built. The Holy Virgin spoke to two blind men on the highway and told them to present themselves in her Church. She added that she would serve as their guide and they would recover their sight in the Church, which is what happened. This Church was celebrated for the precious objects placed there by the Empress, such as the icon of the MOTHER OF GOD painted by St Luke and the linen cloths of the Saviour that Eudocia had sent either to her (or to the Emperor Theodosius her husband, according to some) when she undertook her journey to Jerusalem. A vigil was normally kept each Tuesday and then great numbers of people would flock to take part in this devotion. The third Church was the one built in the port at Blachernae which was of such renown amongst the ancients. It housed all sorts of precious objects, including the holy cloths in which the body of the Saviour had been wrapped.  

The MOTHER OF GOD would not allow herself to be surpassed in generosity since, without even mentioning the great qualities of virtue and holiness she showered upon her, I have no difficulty in saying that no woman was ever honoured more in her life, nor found more glory after death. For the space of thirty-nine years she ruled the most flourishing Empire in the world. The Great Pope St Leo St Cyril and the most outstanding writers in the east and in the west acclaimed her honour and made known her wonders. They call her the Holy and ever noble Virgin before and during her marriage, an Emperor’s Daughter, an Emperor's Wife, sovereign Lady of Emperors, Protectress of Pontiffs, Guardian of the Faith, Bastion of the Orthodox, Honour of Church and Empire, the new Helena, the new Miracle of the world and example for all posterity. In the course of Councils, she received acclamations so magnificent that no greater could be desired. Shortly before her death, those present at the Council of Chalcedon cried out: 

“Long live the most noble Empress! Long live Pulcheria! Long live the new St Helena! Lord God, preserve for us this Holy one, preserve for us this Orthodox one, preserve her who is the Guardian of the faith.”

Finally she was officially acknowledged as a Saint and her name was inserted in the Greek Menology and the Roman Martyrology, her feast day being celebrated on the 10th of September. What could be more glorious?

Footnotes

[1] Lib. XIV Eccles. Hist., c. 2, et lib. XV, c. 14.

[2] This would seem to be the Church of Theotokos Chalkoprateia (also known as St. Mary of Chalkoprateia), named from a copper/bronze-workers’ market in the city. See, e.g., The Byzantine Legacy.

Eudocia the Younger

 19   Eudocia, the wife of Theodosius the younger, was originally named Athenais, (who was held in such high opinion by antiquity) and whose fame will continue to the end of the world. After conversion and baptism, she showed herself most keen to honour the Empress of Heaven, notably in the way she searched Palestine for holy relics so that they could be venerated in the way they deserved. In return for this, the Mother of goodness showered hundreds of honours and favours upon her. St Euthymius, the Anchorite, foretold the day of her death after she had conversed with Angels on Earth and in heaven, detached from the cares and temptations of the world during eleven years spent in the Holy Land. To die like a Saint after being for twenty-nine years the foremost Princess in the world and one of the most accomplished in beauty and learning ever to have seen the light of day – all this is not something to be likely esteemed.

St Cunegunde

 20   St Cunegunde was united in mind and will with the great St Henry, her spouse, to honour and serve the Holy Virgin in every way possible. I would like to think that there is no one who, knowing this, would not at the same time realise she also shared with him the favours and graces of the glorious Virgin. This notwithstanding, there is one particular favour which I cannot omit to mention because it seems so striking and I am referring to the one  granted to her the day she bade farewell to the world, leaving behind the trappings of greatness.  

After the death of her husband, this holy Virgin and Empress built a monastery which had a beautiful church called Our Lady of Refuge. She entered the monastery with one of her nieces and a number of other young women on the anniversary of the death of St Henry[1] (her husband). What then happened was brought tears to the eyes of all those present and overwhelmed the Angels with joy. Consider the following spectacle:  

    • this great Princess is present as the Archbishops assemble for the dedication of the new Church;

    • the Gospel is sung and at the Offertory a piece of the Holy Cross set in a rich reliquary is presented; 

    • Cunegunde lays aside the Imperial Purple and is then clothed with a simple black habit which she made with her own hands; 

    • she receives the sacred veil from the hand of the officiating Prelate;

    • she leaves behind those delights so esteemed by the world and in this way abandons herself into the hands of the Mother of the poor, to serve her for the rest of her life in the house which she herself had prepared in a state of holy humility. 

Make of this what you will, but I esteem the MOTHER OF GOD’s reward for the faithful services of St Cunegunde more highly than all the greatest imaginable favours that this world could ever offer.  

Footnotes

[1] In Vita ipsius, 3 Martii.

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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

Part III : The Crown of Goodness : Chapter 7 : § 4.15-16

Chapter 7 : The Sixth Star or Splendour of the Crown of Goodness of the MOTHER OF GOD

She is a true model of generosity towards her children

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)

§ 4. The gratitude of the MOTHER OF GOD towards certain Emperors and Empresses 

Andronicus the Elder

 15   Andronicus the Elder, although a schismatic, may be mentioned along with the others for his devotion to serving the Queen of Heaven. 

Nicephorus Gregoras[1] relates that Andronicus began to fear for his life when his nephew (Andronicus the Younger) took the city of Constantinople. Because of his fears, he sought help as was his custom from the Mother of Goodness, presenting himself before the image of Our Lady the Guide (or Conductress[2]) which was then kept in the Chapel of the Imperial Palace. He knelt down before the image and implored the Holy Virgin in tears to help him in his difficulties. Later, the younger Andronicus went into the same Chapel and no sooner had he finished his prayers before the image of Our Lady than he felt himself so powerfully moved that from then onwards he seemed to change completely. He began to show respect to his uncle, giving him encouragement and threatening dire punishment to any of his own followers who thought to harm him. 

Sometime before this, he had already experienced the help of this Princess, according to the same Gregoras[3]. He once found himself so seriously ill that his physicians told him he would not live to see the next day. His servants, believing he had only hours to live, made the necessary preparations for his funeral but at this point he remembered the miraculous spring which I mentioned earlier when we were discussing the Emperor Leo. He asked if it would be possible, before he died, to drink once more some water from this golden spring, as everyone called it. By chance, Phaerasina, a lady-in-waiting to the Empress, was in the Emperor’s bedchamber when he expressed this wish. She duly approached his Majesty and told him that one of her servants had earlier brought a bottle of this water and she ordered a Lady in her entourage to go and fetch it. The Emperor drank the water and used it to bathe his whole body before passing a trouble-free night in pleasant slumber. The following morning he awoke early and, as though coming to from a long and deep ecstasy, he called out with a voice stronger than it had been before: 

“May God be praised.”

His chief Physician arrived expecting to find him dead but noted that his fever had gone and he was much better, apart from being very weak. He asked him how he was and the Emperor replied: 

“God alone knows.”

The physician took his pulse a second and a third time but could only find signs of evident good health. He could scarcely believe what he was seeing and was altogether astonished that the patient had recovered from such an extreme condition. He summoned the Emperor’s other physicians who were alike all amazed and they could scarcely believe their eyes. A few days afterwards, the Emperor could be seen back on his feet to the delight of all his followers who did not cease to offer thanksgiving to God and His most Holy Mother for the health and life that had been restored to their master. The Emperor had taken the habit of a monk during his illness and he continued to wear it in thanksgiving for two years more, that is until the end of his days. 

Footnotes

[1] Lib. IX Hist.

[2] The English is a literal translation of the French which seems to refer to icons called Hodegetria, from the Greek ὁδηγός, meaning a guide. The Virgin Mary gestures toward the infant Jesus in this style of icon, indicating that He is the Way to find salvation. The name “Hodegetria” in the title of such icons is therefore a reference to the Virgin Mary and means “she who points the way.” Cf. § 4.18 below.

[3] Lib. V Baron., an. Christi 1328, nº 42.

 

Matthew Cantacuzenus

 16    I have already mentioned Heraclius[1] emerging with honour from the battlefield under the guidance of the Virgin whom he served. I shall wait for other opportunities to speak of Emperors such as John Tzimiskes, John Comnenus, Frederick III and others who were noteworthy for their devotion to the Virgin and who received many graces and favours from her. Let us draw our discussion about Emperor's to a close with a few words on the wise Matthew Cantacuzenus. 

He was the son of John Cantacuzenus, Emperor of Constantinople, and brother-in-law of John Palaeologus, also Emperor. I find it difficult to say what brought him greater glory : the courage and skill that he showed in arms or the talents he displayed as a writer. Despite all this, his father is said to have been won over by the persuasive words of his daughter Helena, wife of John Palaeologus, and accordingly he promised the Empire to his son-in-law, which upset Matthew greatly for it was his by right. Later, however, he came to his senses and acknowledged the wrong he had done which he wanted to make good whilst he was still alive. Accordingly, at the request of all the great Lords in the Empire, he surrendered his own crown in favour of Matthew his son, who received it from the hands of Philotheus the Patriarch of Constantinople. He was hailed by all as Emperor with a rejoicing that matched the disappointment felt by his subjects when he had been passed over. 

 

Notwithstanding all this, the desire to reign is often associated with trampling on justice and equity, and John Palaeologus left no stone unturned in seeking the fulfilment of his own ambitions. He ordered his brother-in-law to be seized and thrown into prison, placed in chains and threatened to have his eyes put out if he would not abandon any claims he might make for the crown. Matthew persevered in his resolution to lose his life rather than to renounce in a cowardly way the rights he had to the crown. In the end, his father (who had brought about this sad state of affairs), decided to resolve the situation. He managed to persuade his son not only by good arguments but much more by the weight of his paternal authority, to prove his courage not by a selfish pursuit of worldly honours but by displaying a disdain for them. Matthew had always behaved as a loyal son despite the coldness experienced from his father and he made it clear that he would not disobey his own father, even for an empire. Accordingly, he opted for an honourable withdrawal which enabled him to fulfil his filial duties rather than a sceptre which he could retain only by violating these same duties. 

This Prince was not only most learned but had a great devotion from an early age to the MOTHER OF GOD and she was for him a most dear Mother. She it was who prepared his heart to respond not only with patience but also with gentleness to all the trials he was to face. She rendered his solitude more pleasing than life in all the courts of the world; she held him tight in the embrace of her maternal providence and she enabled him to taste the fruits of the peace she granted him in such a way that one hour with her was for him dearer than centuries of the tempestuous life of the great and the powerful. This worthy Prince felt infinitely obliged to his Liberatrix ; like the ancient Themistocles[2], he confessed to her that he would have been lost if he had not been lost. He showed this with his feelings, through the colloquies he had with her, offering her hundreds of little actions to prove his tender affection; and he dedicated his vigils to her as well as all his writings. He felt a strong desire that everyone should love her and know her as he did and this made him take up his pen to write a commentary in her honour on Solomon’s Canticle. In this, he shows not only a desire to show how lovable she is but also a mind most insightful concerning this encounter.

Footnotes

[1] Chap. 6.

[2] “We had been undone if we had not been undone.” : Life of Themistocles (29:3), by Plutarch.

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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

Part III : The Crown of Goodness : Chapter 7 : § 4.12-14

Chapter 7 : The Sixth Star or Splendour of the Crown of Goodness of the MOTHER OF GOD

She is a true model of generosity towards her children

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)

§ 4. The gratitude of the MOTHER OF GOD towards certain Emperors and Empresses 

Basil

 12   Basil the Macedonian was a Prince known for his wisdom and his zeal for the advancement of God’s glory and the conversion of infidels. He received many graces from the Queen of Heaven and in return she gave him one of the most faithful servants ever to bear arms, namely his general called Andreas. 

In the year 886[1], the Emperor had received offensive letters which insulted not only his person but our Saviour, His Holy Mother and the Christian religion. The letters had been sent by the Prince of the Saracens who had established themselves in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia. These letters were read and the whole of the Emperor’s council  reacted in anger and indignation. Basil’s decision to go to Church and show these dreadful missives to Our Lady, saying: 

“Holy MOTHER OF GOD, thou seest how this barbarian has insulted the Majesty of thy Son, thine own and the honour of the Christian Religion.”

To the sound of the trumpet and the beating of drums, he then led his army against these sacrilegious miscreants, with the Blessed Virgin as his guide and such was his courage and determination that the Saracens were all routed. 

Footnotes

[1] Baron., eo anno ex Curopalate.

 

Leo the Wise

 13    It is now some time[1] since I first referred to the marks of piety his son Leo (known as the Wise or Purple-born[2]) showed towards the glorious Virgin and I am not going to repeat them here.  I would, however, like to make the point that I believe it was because of his goodwill towards her that she chose to place him on the Imperial throne despite his father’s objections. Here is what happened:

A sorcerer called Theodore of Santabar, through his feigned holiness and the false miracles he worked, had contrived to turn Basil against his son Leo with the claim that he was planning to kill his father. As a result of this, Leo Had been imprisoned for seven years On the orders of his father who had also removed any hope that he would ever succeed him as Emperor.   Heaven, however, had different ideas and wanted to show his innocence and make use of his services. There was a parrot in the Emperor’s Palace and either as a result of something it learned from someone by God’s unseen Providence, or directly from the same Providence, it would repeat the following words whenever it saw a gentleman enter the palace[3] :  

“Hey! Hey! Poor Lord Leo…”

The parrot uttered the words in such an elegant yet plaintiff tone that the gentlemen of the court who heard them were moved with pity and told the Emperor what was happening. He wanted to hear for himself and he was so affected by these words that Leo was released from prison, regained his father’s friendship and began to rule the Empire as an associate. Apart from these benefits, he felt a greater desire than ever to honour and serve the MOTHER OF GOD, giving clear proof of this once he had more power.  

 

Footnotes

[1] Part I, ch. 8, § 1 ; Baron., ex Curopalate, an. 879.

[2] Porphyrogenite: from Πορφυρογέννητος, Latinized as Porphyrogenitus. Originally: a member of the imperial family at Constantinople, reputedly born in a purple-hung or porphyry chamber. Later more generally: a child born after his or her father's accession to a throne. More generally: a member of an imperial or royal reigning family; one belonging to the highest or most privileged ranks.

[3] Baron., an. 886.

St Henry

 14    You would have to go a very long way to find someone comparable to St Henry I (or as some call him, Henry II) whom we have mentioned already as being in the ranks of those favoured by the MOTHER OF GOD[1]. 

Henry had sought refuge in her arms when he made the decision[2] that he and his wife the Empress Cunegund would observe perpetual continence in their marriage. This freed them from having to worry about producing children and meant that they would have God and the Holy Virgin as heirs to the greater part of their goods. They approached this so religiously that nearly a thousand Churches[3] were founded and endowed by these blessed Saints, including the beautiful and famous Cathedral in Speyer, altogether worthy of an Emperor’s munificence. It is true that it was unfinished at the time of Henry’s death and this provided an opportunity for Conrad, who succeeded him, to give witness of his own piety towards the Virgin by bringing the project to completion. I shall not speak at length here of poor girls who were able to marry through their support, or of the thousands of good works that they performed. It is enough to say that they never missed an opportunity to show forth their devotion towards the Queen of Heaven. I should also point out that this Prince received so many favours from her that, if we consider the holy works which he did, it seems that it would have been impossible for him to have spent time doing anything else. If you take the time to read about his noble undertakings, his conquests and his exploits, then you would swear he had occupied his mind exclusively on military matters and war. This gives you an idea of the fruits that come from devotion to the MOTHER OF GOD.       

Footnotes

[1] Chap. 4, § 3.

[2] Glicas, IV part. Annal.

[3] Sigebertus Gemblacensis, de Viris illustribus, c. 139 ; Adobaldus Ultrajectensis Episc., in Vita S. Henriri.

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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

Part III : The Crown of Goodness : Chapter 7 : § 4.10-11

Chapter 7 : The Sixth Star or Splendour of the Crown of Goodness of the MOTHER OF GOD

She is a true model of generosity towards her children

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)

§ 4. The gratitude of the MOTHER OF GOD towards certain Emperors and Empresses 

Charlemagne : origin of the custom of crowning Roman Kings 

 10   Charlemagne, the living image of a perfect Emperor, was singularly devoted to the Holy Virgin. He dedicated several Churches to her which may be found, for example[1], in Sicambria, Munich and Aix-la-Chapelle[2], where he wished to be buried. Because he had a particular affection for this place, which he called his Royal Chapel, he was keen to make it as magnificent as he could.     

He ordered a great quantity of costly pillars of marble and porphyry for the embellishment of his Chapel[3]. The doors and metal work were of solid bronze and the roof was covered with lead. He made a gift to the Chapel of several precious relics that came from Palestine, including the robe of the Holy Virgin which was housed in a specially constructed chest of silver gilt. In order to make the church even more illustrious, the Holy Father Leo III agreed to his request to come and consecrate the church in person. This ceremony took place in the year 804 on the Feast of the Epiphany in the presence of a great number of Princes, Lords, Archbishops and Bishops – the total being three hundred and sixty-five, one for each day of the year. God showed how pleased he was by all this when he raised two men from the dead who were alive when they received the invitation but had died afterwards. It was in this Church that Charlemagne would spend hours in prayer by night and by day, finding no greater contentment than conversing with God and with His Holy Mother. This is the Church where he would normally go to keep the main feasts of the liturgical year. It was his custom to adorn this Church with the most precious gifts that were made to him. 

It was Charlemagne who instituted the custom which has been followed to this day of crowning the Kings of the Romans and placing the Imperial Diadem on their heads in this very Chapel. This most pious of Princes wished to demonstrate to his successors that they could only take charge over the empire under the guidance and favour of the MOTHER OF GOD. He wanted them to realise that the true way to succeed against their enemies, to avoid the dangers of pride resulting from any successes they might have, and of ruling the Empire effectively was a desire to love and serve wisely the glorious MOTHER OF GOD.  

A few years after his death, the body of this invincible monarch was found preserved in his tomb in the same condition as if he were still alive. He was seated on his royal throne and had three small reliquaries around his neck. In the first, which was in the form of a cross, was a piece of the true Cross; in the second, which was attached to a small golden necklace, was a lock of the Holy Virgin’s hair; and in the third was a small image of the Virgin said to have been painted by St Luke. The Holy Emperor used to take them with him when he went to war and this showed the extraordinary devotion that he had towards the Holy Virgin in whom, after God Himself, he placed all his trust. She it was who, in a miraculous way, made him what he was : namely famous for his piety, his justice, his charity, his magnanimity, his conquests and for every sort of royal and heroic virtue. In a word, it was she who made him great amongst the great.

Footnotes

[1] Canis., lib. V de B. Virg., c. 23.

[2] Aachen.

[3] Petrus Beck in Aquisgrano.

 

Louis the Pious

 11   His son Louis the Pious felt the presence of the Virgin helping him wherever he went (as I shall explain more fully later[1]). This was so much the case that without her guidance he would not contemplate any undertaking. In whatever position he found himself, you would always see him  inspired by heavenly graces and breathing the sweet air of the MOTHER OF GOD after the manner of all her children. 

He was moderate in his eating habits, sober in the clothes he wore, generous in his gifts, invincible in combat, constant in adversity, quick to forgive, always ready to seek reconciliation, devout towards God, respectful towards the Holy See, charitable towards the poor and fair-minded towards everybody. Even though he was gifted with patience like all children of Heaven, God and his dear Mother rescued Pius from many difficulties and always helped him to triumph over his enemies, just as he did over himself.  

 

Footnotes

[1] Part IV, ch. 8.

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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