Part III : The Crown of Goodness : Chapter 7 : § 5.14-16

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)

§ 5. The Gratitude of the Mother of God towards certain Kings, Queens and other Rulers

Alfonso II

 14   Amongst the Kings of Spain, Alfonso II (who was also known as Alfonso the Chaste and popularly regarded as a Saint) had a special devotion towards the MOTHER OF GOD from a very early age.

She it was who placed him on the throne of his father Fruela who had vacated it whilst he was still young (and in the face of efforts by his uncle Mauregatus to seize the crown for himself[1]). She also helped Alfonso in numerous battles against the Moors and the Saracens, notably in 793[2] when their King Mugaït[3] entered the field of battle with an army of more than 70,000. The Holy Virgin appeared in the midst of Alfonso’s standards, filling the enemy with dread and confusion. One of the reasons he had undertaken this war had been to protect the chastity of young women in his country who were at risk from these predatory barbarians. To sum up: in only a short period of time the Holy Mother made the name of Alfonso so famous everywhere that even the great Charlemagne sought an alliance[4] with him and gave him his own sister Bertha in marriage. Perhaps the greatest of the Virgin Mother’s favours was one enabling Alfonso to live with his wife as though she had been his sister[5] – whence he earned the name Alfonso the Chaste. In order that posterity might understand how he attributed all these favours (after God himself) to the Queen of Heaven, he built for her a most beautiful church in Oviedo. He gave the Church marble columns as well as a large quantity of gold, silver and precious gemstones. He chose this Church for his place of burial, as did several of his Royal successors. 

He would wear the crown for some fifty-two years and his reign would be marked by hundreds of examples of holiness. Heaven itself bore witness to these. One day[6], for example, he set aside a number of precious gemstones and several bars of gold because he thought they glistered in an extraordinarily beautiful way. His idea was to make a cross which he intended to offer to God and the Holy Virgin. As he left Church after Mass, two Angels appeared to him shortly before his dinner. They were dressed as ordinary men and said they were skilled goldsmiths. Without hesitation, the King handed over his gold and gemstones to them, asking them to make a beautiful work of devotion and providing them with lodgings for the night. Whilst at the dinner table, it was pointed out to him that he had placed his treasure into the hands of complete strangers. He immediately instructed one of his courtiers to go and see what the goldsmiths were doing. The courtier opened the door of their chamber and, finding it radiant with a heavenly light, he quickly went to the King and told him what he had seen. The King arose immediately from the table and went to see the miracle with his own eyes. When he entered their chamber, he could see the brilliant light but could not find anything in the room except a cross just like the one he had imagined and which had been produced with wondrous workmanship. Shortly afterwards, he ordered that it should be borne solemnly into the Church at Oviedo, a precious token of Heaven’s goodwill.  

With the help of the Holy Mother, he led a life remarkable for its virtues and their sweet odour of sanctity. His end befitted his life and was marked by sweetness and peace. 

Footnotes

[1] Baron., an 790 ex Tudensi et aliis.

[2] Baron., eo anno.

[3] Possibly a reference to al-Ala ibn Mughith.

[4] Baron., ibid.

[5] Volaterranus, lib. II Anthropolog. ; Mariana, lib. VII de Rebus Hispaniarum, c. 9 ; Baronius, etc,

[6] Baron., ex Tudensi an. 791.

James the Conqueror

 15   James I, King of Aragon and known as the Conqueror, was still young when he received the Kingdom in a poor state from his father, Pedro II. He went on to achieve a great deal through his own prowess and with the help of the Holy Virgin. He rescued three fine kingdoms from the hands of the Saracens and left to his successors a goodly number of well-established States, filled with signs of the successes and victories which, as he explained to everyone, the glorious Virgin had brought him. In memory of this, he built more than two thousand Churches in her honour. This would indeed be difficult to believe were it not confirmed by many credible authors[1], most of whom insist they were all dedicated to the Holy Virgin whilst some say the dedications were divided between Our Lord and His most holy Mother.     

Footnotes

[1] Hieronymus Paulus Barcinonens., in Catalogo Regum Aragoniæ ; Bernardinus Gomesius, lib. I de Reb. gestis Jacobi primi Aragoniæ Regis ; Hieronymus Blanca. Cæsar Augustanus, Commentar. Regum Arag. ad 1235, etc.

Philip II

 16   It would be most remiss of me if, during a discussion of the Kings of Spain known for their devotion to the Queen of Heaven, I were to pass over in silence Philip II, whose outstanding piety deserves special praise. 

This Prince had a special devotion to Our Lady of Valvanera, located in a Benedictine monastery in the Kingdom of Aragon. He gave the Church seven silver lamps which burned night and day in front of the image of the Holy Virgin. Whilst on a journey to Aragon, he was taken ill in a house of the Order of St Jerome called the Monastery of the Star. He expressed a wish that every two days he should be brought water from the spring at Valvanera which is located at the foot of the oak tree where the miraculous image of Our Lady was found. He would not drink anything else during his illness and he would not eat bread  unless the dough had been made using water from that spring. Philip III accompanied his father on this journey and as an act of thanksgiving for his father’s recovery, he offered the Virgin two beautiful crowns of solid gold, one for the Infant Jesus and the other for His Holy Mother. Philip II made a one-off gift of 10,000 ducats to the Church of Our Lady of Montserrat, 20,000 to the Church of Our Lady of Guadalupe, along with a grant of 1000 ducats in revenue. He also made very generous gifts to the Dominicans for the Little chapel of Our Lady of Atocha, which is outside the city walls of Madrid.  

Throughout the course of the long illness which led to his death, he always kept an image of the most sacred Virgin at the foot of his bed. He would often address her in terms so tender that they brought tears to the eyes of all those who were present and he himself frequently wept during his devotions. Four days before his death, he ordered one of his chamberlains to go and get a candle from Our Lady of Montserrat along with the Crucifix he had inherited from his father Charles V (and which he would himself bequeath to his own son, Philip III). When he felt the time had come, he asked to be given these and, holding the crucifix in one hand and the lighted candle in the other, he kissed them, commending himself fervently to Jesus and to Mary in whom he had placed all his trust, and then finally he gave up the ghost. 

You have only to read the life of this Prince, who was a truly great man, in order to see how the Holy Virgin rewarded his outstanding piety by taking him into her unique protection and bringing a happy success to his undertakings – as may be seen in the great and remarkable victories he gained so many times against the Moors and the Turks.

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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 : § 5.11-13

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

Louis XIII

 11   Long live our own dear Louis XIII, the Just, one of the best Kings in history and may his immortal memory surpass in its sweetness the most fragrant perfumes and the most enchanting melodies and harmonies. In him we truly find the courage of David, the wisdom of Solomon, the honesty of Ezechias and the piety of Josias.     

Like David, he received a promise from on high that he was to vanquish proud giants and crush rebellion and treachery beneath his feet. Placing all his trust in God, he overcame his own enemies and those of Heaven; and just as he caused the French name to be held in high esteem, so he lowered himself before the Majesty of the King of Kings, offering to Him the honour of all his victories. Like Solomon, he raised the reputation of his throne through his wisdom and revealed to everyone from his infancy how he was the Anointed and Beloved of the Lord. Like Ezekiel, he always walked in the presence of God, upright and with a pure heart, showing himself faithful and conformable to the divine will in all things to the utmost of his ability. Like Josias, he overturned sacrilegious altars and, at a time when wickedness seemed to be trampling everything under foot, he spread the true Religion and planted the standard of the Cross in many places.   

These are the fruits of the good upbringing he received from our own irreproachable Bethsabee, his dear mother, and from the virtuous Nathan whom the great Henry had given him as a spiritual father, after reaping himself the benefits of his wise advice. Dear to the hearts of both of them was their devotion towards the Queen of Heaven and Louis imbibed this as his mother’s milk. This made such an impression on him that from that moment on he chose her for his spiritual Mother, for his personal Bodyguard, for his chief Counsellor, for Directress of his undertakings, for Commander-in-Chief of his armies and for Sovereign Lady of his Realm. Those who have the honour of knowing him personally will be able to shed more light than others upon the tender feelings of his truly royal heart towards this Princess and the great pains he takes to advance her honour. It will surprise no one to learn that he makes a special gift to her of all that he owns, that every Saturday is for him like a feast day and that her principal solemnities are days which bring great joy to his heart. Putting all this to one side, however, I want to focus now upon his most recent action which came to pass after the whole of Christendom had been offering up their tearful prayers in their hour of need. It brought much rejoicing to men of goodwill but filled the hearts of the wicked with terror.        

 12   It was almost a century since heresy had made its first appearance in France and there was one rebel city so engulfed by its errors that there seemed little possibility of liberating it. At this point, however, God provided the peerless Louis the means of doing this to thanks to the perfidious behaviour of his greatest enemies. 

Everyone felt apprehension when news began to spread that on the 20th of July in 1627 that a fleet of more than six score English warships had appeared off the Île de Ré. The English had been persuaded by insidious promises given by the enemies of God and of the French King that the English Lions would take the place of the Fleur-de-lis in banners to be unfurled over strategic sites in France, proclaiming the triumph of the false Religion of England. It seemed that everything was in their favour : the powerful force they had dispatched, the intelligence they received from foreigners as well as traitorous Frenchmen, the lack of defensive preparation, and above all the fact that the King was bedridden with a serious illness. So many bad omens would have daunted the courage of anyone other than this invincible Monarch whose trust in God always shows itself most keenly when all seems to be lost. 

Whilst all this was going on, he prayed to the MOTHER OF GOD, his usual recourse in time of trouble, praying to Notre-Dame des Ardilliers not only for the recovery of his health but also for success in his affairs of state. He received a swift response to his prayers for on the very day of his dear Mother’s Assumption, he felt himself completely recovered from the second attack of tertian fever which had been troubling him. At the same time, those to whom he had given responsibility for dealing with the English attack showed that everything was now so well organised that it seemed clear that Heaven had taken a hand. From that moment onwards, after offering his thanksgiving, he placed the success of his campaign in the hands of the glorious Virgin and she led this so effectively that only someone incapable of human feeling would fail to be astonished. Anyone reading the daily updates about the defeat of the English would be forced to admit that Heaven was fighting at the Prince’s side and was performing almost as many miracles as events in this defensive action.      

Amongst other things, it may be noted that the first help arrived on the very day when he received communion in the Church of Notre-Dame, (which was on the eve of the day which was critical for the defence of French territory). This was to be the beginning of the happy outcome, news of which would spread throughout the whole of France. On the last journey he made, the army found itself in some difficulty but help came to him just as soon as he asked for it from her who sees his tears just as she hears his words. He later went to receive communion in Notre-Dame des Vertus and all Paris saw him emerge from the Louvre with his rosary in his hands and his heart on fire with devotion. He made this pilgrimage (which is a good league) on foot, with deep feelings of piety and trust in the Queen of Heaven and the Protectress of France. These feelings increased during Holy Communion and many members of the Court shed tears at the sight. It was not long afterwards before the consequences made themselves felt. 

With Heaven fighting alongside the King, his enemies took flight and forced to withdraw in shame, after enriching our troops with their spoils, staining the ocean red with their blood, and covering the island with their dead bodies. His Majesty wished to make known the identity of her (after God himself) through whose help he had won this victory,, and he sent forty-four of the enemy’s flags to Notre-Dame de Paris. These had been taken from them on the feast of St Martin, Patron and Tutelar of France. These were received with so many acts of thanksgiving and marks of public rejoicing that you would think in this one day people were remembering all the victories gained by France over the English in similar encounters. 

 13   The Mother of the God of hosts was to extend her favour still further. Humanly speaking, it was impossible to extirpate the heresy without bringing down the pride of the arrogant Babel which served as its stronghold. Accordingly, the Holy Mother armed the King’s heart with the patience needed for a siege that was to last thirteen months[1].

She supplied ideas for encircling the enemy which will seem incredible to posterity when looking back upon them with the calmness of hindsight. She frustrated any attempts by the enemy to rally their troops and scattered their reinforcements arriving by sea. In the end, she brought to nothing the best laid plans of those determined to disturb our peace. In 1628, on the very day when she is honoured in the Church with all the Blessed in heaven, she led the French into the enemy citadel and vanquished the rebels. They were forced to beg for mercy from him whose just punishment they deserved and to cry out: “Long live the king!” in the same places where they had hundreds of times previously insulted and offended him. This is how France sees her glorious Monarch today, honoured with palms and laurels. The proud and boastful city of La Rochelle, mocking with its towers and bastions the armies of so many great Kings, will henceforth be nothing more than a simple township. The forts which should have stood for centuries have gone and the simple peasant now ploughs his furrow over the site. By good fortune, it fell into the hands of Mary, the Conqueror of cities, and perhaps it will in future find glory in being known by the name of Mary’s town rather than by the baser names that its pride and insolence might have deserved for it.   

 

Our noble Prince had no sooner set foot in the city than, in order to show his gratitude, he ordered the construction of a beautiful church dedicated to the Holy Virgin under the name Notre-Dame de la Victoire. He refused to leave until the first foundations had been laid and he himself had set in place the first stone with his royal hand.  

May it please our warrior Princess to continue protecting the armies of this great Prince so that we may soon see wicked heresy cast out and the French people reunited in the sincere profession of one faith and in faithful obedience to one King.

Footnotes

[1] The siege of La Rochelle (1627-28). 

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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 : § 5.6-10

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

Louis XI

 6   The memory of Louis XI has been immortalised by many actions worthy of a Prince with a fine mind and great courage. He was especially devoted to the Queen of Heaven whose image was on a medallion which he always wore on the brim of his hat. He offered her by way of homage the County of Boulogne[1] with a heart of gold worth 2000 écus, calling upon his successors to continue this gift in perpetuity. He introduced throughout his kingdom the holy custom of praying to the Virgin three times each day, in the morning, at noon and in the evening. All this served him wondrously well, as is noted by the wise Philippe de Commines[2], one of his most faithful servants and an eye-witness of what he describes. Our Lady strengthened his heart in an extraordinary manner so that he could deal with the trials and tribulations God sent him before his death.  From her he obtained feelings of repentance and devotion which brought tears to the eyes of those who served him; she ordained that he would leave this life on a Saturday, as she had himself predicted several days previously, so that everyone might understand that he was rendering his soul into the hands of her in whom he had always placed his hope. In the end, to show his dependency upon her even after his death, he made it known that he wanted to be buried in the Church of Notre-Dame de Cléry near Orleans. There he had established an honourable Chapter which would render to God and His most immaculate Mother hymns of praise in perpetuity.   

Footnotes

[1] Belleforestius, in Annal. Franciæ.

[2] In Gestis Ludovici undecimi, c. 136.

Charles VIII

 7   Charles VIII, a Prince endowed with many fine qualities, gave proof of the love he had towards the Queen of Heaven by building the Monastery of Notre-Dame des Anges next to the river Saône for the Franciscan Cordeliers[1]. His devotion is shown even more by something he did worthy of eternal memory which has been recorded by Italian and French historians.  

The King and his army had forced an entry into the town of Toscanella[2] which had barred its gates against him on his return from Naples. A young lady of good family and extraordinary beauty came to his chamber seeking sanctuary for the preservation of her modesty and threw herself into his arms. Her action stirred the blood in the veins of this young Prince who was so taken by passionate feelings that he was momentarily lost for words. It seems, however, that through a special providence of God he looked up and noticed a picture of Our Lady by the side of his bed. The young lady also saw the image and, kneeling at the feet of the King, she clasped his knees and called upon him, by the holiness of the immaculate Virgin in whose presence they found themselves, as also by the love he bore her, to preserve her inviolate for her fiancé and not to defile her honour. The look alone of the Queen of Chastity as well as the words of this young lady so touched the heart of Charles that not only did he do her no harm but he made a gift towards her dowry and freed her fiancé and family members who had been made prisoners of war. 

The kind heart of the Princess of Heaven could not but recognise the action prompted by the King’s virtuous heart. She granted him many favours at different times but especially in helping him prepare for death – which is the time when she normally offers her help to those who have rendered her some service in their lives. It would in fact be difficult to find a King who died with more praiseworthy intentions, whether for the administration of justice, or the reform of all the Orders in his kingdom or of his own household. One day whilst he was in his château at Amboise, he was escorting the Queen his wife to a gallery so that they could watch a game of real tennis being played on the court below. Although he was short in stature, he accidentally struck his head on the lintel of a doorway and injured himself slightly. This did not however interfere with his enjoyment of the game and he was happy to converse with several people. It was the eve of Palm Sunday and because he had already been to Confession twice during the week, most of his conversation related to the salvation of the human soul. The last words he spoke expressed his hope that he would thenceforth so order his life in accordance with the commandments of God that, by means of His holy grace, he would never again offend his sovereign Majesty by even a single venial sin. Having uttered this solemn pronouncement, which is the most Christian thing a man could say at such a time no matter how pure his soul, he suffered a haemorrhage and fell to the ground. They placed him on a straw mattress which happened to be nearby and there he died, with all the pious feelings he was able to muster. Several times he invoked the glorious Virgin, his dear and beloved Queen and Mother, and she did not fail to come unto his aid at such an important moment.

Footnotes

[1] Cordelier: A Franciscan friar of the strict rule, so called from the knotted cord which they wear round the waist.

[2] Toscanella : a town known since the 19th century as Tuscania.

François I

 8   François I Showed his zeal for the Holy Virgin’s honour in the following manner:

This august Prince learned that in the middle of his dear city of Paris a Huguenot, impelled by a spirit no less wicked than frenzied, had allowed his anger and desperation to reach such a point that he attacked the head of a statue representing the MOTHER OF GOD. François was firmly of the view that the future of his kingdom could be assured only through making a fitting satisfaction for this outrage. Accordingly, he gave orders for a public procession and he himself took part in person, barefoot and bare-headed. He carried a flaming torch and was followed by the Princes of the blood royal, Ambassadors, foreign Princes and members of the national Parliament. When they arrived at the place where the outrage had occurred, he placed with his own hands a beautiful statue of the Virgin on the spot of the one which had been decapitated. This was then borne to the Church of Saint-Gervais, known as Our Lady of Suffering. All the great nobles of the Realm were later invited by the King into the great hall of the Episcopal Palace. There he made a speech so full of Majesty and feelings worthy of a truly Christian Prince that there was scarcely anyone without tears in their eyes and hearts profoundly touched – so much so that they publicly proclaimed their determination to live and die in the Catholic Religion. Even if the only favour this truly pious Prince had received from the Holy Virgin in recognition of his actions had been to evade the snares of these wicked heretics with their insidious flatteries, this would have been enough for him to storm the altars of her Churches with prayers of praise and thanksgiving in perpetuity.

    

Charles IX  

 9   Charles IX used to visit the Church of Notre-Dame de Liesse[1] and his devotion was such that the great Cardinal of Lorraine, who was also Archbishop of Reims, bought some land in nearby Marchais. There he constructed a fine building about a quarter of an hour away from Notre-Dame de Liesse to provide a suitable dwelling for his Majesty when he came to offer his customary devotions. The courageous zeal showed by this Prince when protecting the Catholic Religion shows clearly how the Church’s Sovereign Lady took great care of his royal person.

Footnotes

[1] liesse: joy, gladness.

Charles IX  

 10   We shall be speaking later about Philippe-Auguste, Philippe the Handsome and Philippe de Valois.

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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 : § 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