Chapter 9 : Devotion – an eighth feature of the gratitude we owe 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) |
§ 9. Ninth sign of devotion : getting to know Holy Church’s various prayers in honour of the glorious Virgin
Alma Redemptoris
12 The majority of those authorities I have already cited in connection with the Salve Regina agree there is no doubt that the author of the Antiphon Alma Redemptoris, which is sung in Church from Advent to the Purification, is also Hermann Contractus.
Ave Regina cœlorum
13 There is also general agreement that the Ave Regina cœlorum, which is sung in Church in honour of the Holy Virgin from the Purification to Easter, is also extremely ancient – although I have been unable to establish who composed it.
Sancta Maria succurre miseris
14 Amongst the Responsories, I do not believe there may be found any more ancient than the one which begins Sancta Maria succurre miseris[1]. There are some who claim that it was composed by St Fulbert, Bishop of Chartres, citing his reference to it in a sermon he gave on the Assumption. They are, however, mistaken because St Augustine (to whom it belongs) made use of it some six hundred years before him – as may be seen in the eighteenth Sermon he gave on the Saints.
Footnotes
[1] Holy Mary, be thou a help to the helpless.
Sub tuum præsidium
15 The prayer we know as Sub tuum præsidium is for the most part taken from St Bernardine’s second sermon of Advent[1]. The Chronicle of the Friars Minor[2] contains an account which is not only verifiable but is a strong impetus to devotion.
Three doctors from Paris had met up to make the journey together from France to Italy. Whilst they were on Mount Cenis, a terrible storm broke over them so that they could see nothing except when lightning flashed. Then, amidst the darkness and thunder they heard a terrifying voice: Kill, kill. At the same time the clouds parted and a bolt of lightning struck one of their number, killing him instantly. The other two immediately fled but the same voice could be heard and a bolt of lightning struck a second man who fell dead from his horse. If ever a man experienced fear, it was the third,who was called Augustine. Transfixed with terror, he repeated unceasingly the Antiphon Sub tuum præsidium, entrusting himself to the protection of the Virgin. When the dreadful voice cried out for the third time Kill, kill, the man heard a voice reply that the lightning could not put him to death because he had sought Mary’s protection. God alone knows with what fervour the Doctor, hearing those words, intensified his prayer and offered his heart to the Holy Virgin. His only desire was to be saved and to consecrate the rest of his days to God; in support of this, he made a thousand promises that if he survived this danger he would enter into the order of St Francis. He had scarcely finished making this vow than the tempest began to ease and the sky became bright and peaceful. Acknowledging the debt he owed to God and the Blessed Virgin, he lost no time in fulfilling the promise he had made to them.
Footnotes
[1] For a 2011 article claiming to provide proof this prayer dates at least to the third century A.D., see The Sub Tuum Præsidium by Henri de Villiers at the New Liturgical Movement site.
[2] T. III, lib. VIII, c. 32.
Gaude Maria Virgo
16 In former times, to the Antiphon which begins with Gaude Maria Virgo[1] were added certain words in honour of the perpetual virginity of the MOTHER OF GOD which was then being attacked ferociously by the Jews. Later, in the time of Boniface IV, a cleric in the Roman church who had been blind from birth was singing these very words on the feast of the Purification and he suddenly found that he had regained his sight in the presence of all the people. This was the reason for its insertion into the Office of the Purification. Some learned writers have suggested it was this same blind man who composed the words but I am more inclined to believe that it was of more ancient use in the Church.
There is a story told of a young boy who was in the habit of singing these words at the close of day in the streets of his town. This so infuriated the Jews against him that they put him secretly to death and buried him in the ground, but the Holy Virgin had compassion on him and brought him back to life so that the following day when he was found there were no injuries on him.
Footnotes
[1] Rejoice, O Virgin Mary, (thou alone hast destroyed all heresies in the world).
Felix namque es sacra Virgo Maria
17 The learned Bishop Thomas Cantipratanus writes[1] that Angels were heard several times near the city of Soissons singing together with wondrous harmony in honour of their Queen the motet Felix namque es sacra Virgo Maria[2], which the Church has long used but without making known the composer’s identity.
Footnotes
[1] Speculum exempl., dist. 8, exemplo 58 ; Pelbartus Stellarii, lib. III, p. I, art. 2, c. 3 ; Cantiprat., lib. II in Apum.
[2] For thou art happy, O sacred Virgin Mary (/ and most worthy of all praise: / because from thee hath arisen the Sun of justice, / Christ our God).
© Peter Bloor 2026
👑 👑 👑
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 Virgin of Tenderness. >12th century.
Totus tuus ego sum
Et omnia mea tua sunt;
Tecum semper tutus sum:
Ad Jesum per Mariam.
He that hearkeneth to me, shall not be confounded: and they that work by me, shall not sin. They that explain me shall have life everlasting. Ecclesiasticus (Sirach) xxiv. 30-31.
No comments:
Post a Comment