Part IV : How to give thanks to the Mother of God : Chapter 4 : § 1.5-8

Chapter 4 : Love – a third 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)

§ 1. The first sign of love: offering oneself to the Holy Virgin through a solemn and irrevocable act of consecration

 5   This was undoubtedly the heroic action taken by St Stephen, King of Hungary, 

who before surrendering dominion over all his lands to the MOTHER OF GOD (as was said in the previous chapter) had made himself and his son Emeric vassals[1] of the same Virgin by a solemn conveyance he had made of his freedom accompanied by a promise to renew his offering every year.

I should mention here in passing that this holy King could not fail to have a deep affection towards the Queen of Heaven for he been almost since his mother’s breast a spiritual son of St Adalbert[2], who had himself been offered to the Holy Virgin while still in his cradle.

This great servant of God was later Bishop of Prague and, through an express commission he received from God, he preached the Gospel to the people of Hungary and Poland before finally receiving the glorious crown of martyrdom. Whilst he was a little child, he was struck by a raging fever which greatly alarmed his parents who loved him tenderly. They begged the holy Virgin to preserve his life on the condition that he would dedicate it to her service and be grateful to her for the rest of his days. Once they had completed this prayer, they carried him to the altar of the Virgin and there he was miraculously restored to health. For the rest of his life he always remained the Queen of Heaven’s subject and faithful servant.

 

Footnotes

[1] Vassal : In the feudal system, one holding lands from a superior on conditions of homage and allegiance; a feudatory; a tenant in fee. 

[2] In ejus Vita, 23 Aprilis.

 6   This was a discovery made by Marinus the pious brother of Blessed Peter Damian who writes of him as follows[1] : 

One day before the altar of the Queen of Heaven, he offered himself to her not only as her servant but also as her slave and in order to show this he fixed his belt around his neck and applied the discipline to himself. Finally, so as not to be wanting in his duty towards her, he placed a silver coin on the edge of the Virgin’s altar, promising that he would continue every year to pay her this same tribute.

Footnotes

[1] Opusculo XXXIV, c. 4.

 7   It was perhaps in imitation of the latter that the valiant Walter of Birbeck, a relative of the Duke of Louvain, chose to dedicate himself completely to the service of the most sacred Virgin. He was a truly gallant young knight accomplished in arms we performed wonders at the joust and took part in tournaments and the other pastimes popular with the nobility in those days. His most burning desire, however, was to win the heart of the MOTHER OF GOD and to strive in every way he could to be accepted in her good graces. Even though he left out nothing to achieve this end, one day he made a particular effort to show his love and courage which deserves to be remembered in posterity.  

Walter made use of the services of a priest in order to offer a holy sacrifice and, in order to present himself as a victim to the MOTHER OF GOD, he went into a small Church where he knelt down on both knees before the altar, with a halter around his neck like a criminal. He offered himself as the lowliest of all creatures to the holy Virgin, as a vassal entirely at her mercy and someone whose property would all pass to her by escheat[1]. Before leaving the Church, He wanted to begin payment of his dues something he continued to do for the whole of the rest of his life. 

The pious monk Cæsarius had long conversations with Walter in the Monastery at Himmerod in Germany where Walter had himself joined the Cistercians. He certified[2] that he had learned all this from Walter’s own lips and had himself been a faithful witness of the fine examples of Virtue  Which he bequeathed as memories to all those who had the good fortune to know him.

Footnotes

[1] escheat: in feudal English land law, the return of land held by a tenant to his Lord or Lady.

[2] Lib. VII Mirac.

 8   This is also apparent in the devotion shown by Louis II, Count of Vendôme, and Lord d’Épernon and de Montdoubleau. The wonderful memory is preserved in the Archives of the Church of Notre-Dame de Chartres, whence it was copied by Sébastien Rouillard into chapter five of his Parthenike[1].

This noble Prince had been taken prisoner by the Burgundians and had been held closely confined for the space of nine months. Fearing greatly for his life, he turned to the most sacred Virgin, his dear Mother, swearing his devotion to her from the bottom of his heart and imploring her to come to his rescue. This is what exactly she did on the very day of her Annunciation when the Count was finally restored to complete liberty and the full enjoyment of his possessions. He felt so obliged to his loving Mother that he made his way to Chartres as soon as he possibly could. On the day of the Ascension (which was the first of June in the year 1413), he went after the conclusion of Matins barefoot into the Church of Our Lady carrying a precious candle. He was followed by a stately  procession of one hundred Knights and Squires, each carrying a candle. Once he arrived in front of the image of the Virgin, he knelt down with his retinue and offered his devout prayers to the same Virgin. He then addressed himself to the members of the Chapter gathered in solemn congregation and, in consideration of his debt of gratitude to the his holy Mother, he swore that henceforth he would forever be the devoted servant of the glorious Virgin and of her Church in Chartres. This act of consecration was immediately received and accepted by the Officers of the Chapter, being followed by countless acts of thanksgiving which everyone offered to God and the Holy Virgin, along with several hymns of joy.

Footnotes

[1] Parthenike: from παρθενική “unmarried girl. "Rouillard’s History of the most august Church of Chartres, dedicated by the ancient Druids, in honour of the Virgin who would give birth." 

© Peter Bloor 2025 

👑   👑   👑

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.

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.

Part IV : How to give thanks to the Mother of God : Chapter 4 : § 1.1-4

Chapter 4 : Love – a third 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)

Although Love holds third place in the divine virtues according to the order of its genesis, it comes incontrovertibly first in terms of perfection and nobility. It is truly the most worthy form of gratitude that can be shown to the Mother of love. The following signs of love have been distilled from Parts I-III of this work.

§ 1. The first sign of love: offering oneself to the Holy Virgin through a solemn and irrevocable act of consecration

 1   I am placing this sign before the others forasmuch as it contains them all to perfection, giving them a value and merit which cannot be explained in simple terms. I am attaching two conditions by requiring this act of giving must be solemn and irrevocable. 

I am saying that it has to be irrevocable firstly because there is no reason that could be found to make us retract something we have once promised to the Mother of goodness, and secondly because such a retraction could only amount to an infamous sacrilege. The act of consecration must also partake of solemnity and ceremony since it is one of the most honourable and important actions of our lives. This is because not only are we entering ourselves on the list of those formally joining the Queen of Heaven’s own, but also because we are glorifying her in a most excellent manner by signing over to her everything that we as mere creatures can give. It is of course true that I am not so much calling here for human preparations and external ceremony but rather for heavenly conversations and spiritual acts of preparation. I am not saying that spiritual persons or those making the same profession are not to be invited, but I do maintain the main ceremony should centre on a Heavenly procession. Without speaking of the Holy Virgin herself who is central to the solemnity, the most Holy Trinity should be invited to honour the event; along with the Saviour of the world, being more interested than any other person in the glory of His Mother most venerable; the Holy Angels – in particular the Guardian Angel who will serve as Paranymph[1] and Master of Ceremonies; those who belong by right of nature or covenant to the MOTHER OF GOD, her favourite children and those who have distinguished themselves through the outstanding affection they have for her; and the whole of the Heavenly Court. 

Footnotes

[1] Paranymph: a bridesmaid or best man; an advocate: OED 1. & 2. 

 2   The best preparation we can make will involve a review of the whole of our past life followed by a general confession, a precise examination of what it is that prevents us from being pleasing to His divine Majesty, along with fervent acts of Faith, Hope, Charity and other holy virtues. The place for the consecration can only be a Church or Chapel forasmuch as these are the places where God holds His Court and where may be found all that is most noble and divine in Religion. The banquet is the very one prepared by Uncreated Wisdom to nourish and give joy to His children, namely the most holy and most adorable Sacrament of the Altar. The principal action to which everything else properly relates is a solemn protestation made by the devout soul to the sacred Virgin in the presence of earth and Heaven expressing the desire : to be hers by a free and unchangeable act of the will; to belong to her in all things with the rank and position of a most humble servant; to recognise her as his Lady and Sovereign in perpetuity; to abandon himself to all that she might wish and to place himself entirely at her disposal; to offer her every moment of his life, including all the fruits of his faculties both interior and exterior; to offer all he is or can hope to become in the order of nature and grace – meaning everything the soul might possibly offer by way of homage; in short : to beg her to take absolute dominion over him in the best and most secure manner that she knows, and to treat him as something which belongs completely to her (after God Himself). 

I believe this represents the authentic profession as made by St Gregory of Nazianus at a certain point in his writings[1] where he chose the Queen of Heaven for his Lady, for his unique treasure and for his sovereign Mediatrix.

Footnotes

[1] Tragæd. de Christo patiente.

 3   Such was the noble resolution that St Edmund, Archbishop of Canterbury, had no difficulty in making when in the flower of his youth he offered himself to God and His holy Mother[1] in a remarkably spiritual and loving way. 

He swore to God a vow of perpetual chastity in front of a statue of the Virgin whom he took from that moment as his Spouse and his Queen. As a pledge of his fidelity he placed on the finger of the Virgin’s statue a golden ring on which the words Ave Maria were engraved. It was noted after his death that the same words were engraved on the Episcopal ring worn by the Saint and what subsequently transpired is well worth recounting. 

Whilst different people were looking to take away relics of the Saint, the Sacristan of the Monastery at Soisy-Bouy (where he died), looked with great interest on the Saint’s ring, hoping that it might be left for him to take after the others had left. When he finally approached the Saint’s body and tried to take off the ring he seemed to meet with resistance and, although he used all his strength, he could not manage to remove the ring. With a holy fear that he had done wrong and would be punished, he knelt down in front of the body and spoke in a low voice into the Saint’s ear, humbly begging forgiveness for his temerity and at the same time promising he would ask for permission were he to try and take even one thread from his clothes as a relic. No sooner had he completed this prayer than the ring of itself slipped from the holy Prelate’s finger into the hand of the Sacristan who subsequently told the whole story to the Abbot. This ring later caused several miracles and various sorts of illnesses were healed.

Footnotes

[1] Vitæ ipsius, c. 6.

 4   What happened to a young man (according to the account written by the learned and devout Vincent, Bishop of Beauvais[1]) is worth recalling here because of the link it has to what has just been said concerning St Edmund.  

Two young men were amusing themselves near a Church and one of them mentioned a ring he had received from a girl. Anxious about not losing it or damaging it, he took it off his finger and, looking for somewhere he could keep it safely, he went into the Church and there he set eyes on a high-relief image of Our Lady. She seemed so beautiful in his eyes that he could not help himself but knelt down and swore, in the presence of the Angels surrounding her, that there was no beauty in the whole world comparable to hers, being indeed different from the girl who had given him the ring. He went further and said that if she would agree to accept him as her servant he would from that moment renounce any other love and would devote himself exclusively to her. Having said that, he arose and placed his ring on one of the fingers of the holy Virgin, whom he found more beautiful the more carefully he looked at her. In order to signify her assent to his proposal, the Virgin bent the finger which she had previously held straight. The young man was overwhelmed by joy no less than astonishment and went into the street, calling his companions to be witnesses of what had happened to him. They all went to verify the truth of his story, they all envied what had happened to him, and they all urged him to leave the world in order to serve more effectively the Holy Virgin to whom he had offered his service and devotion.

Several months passed by, however, and the pleasures of this world which held him prisoner in chains of gold and silver tempting him with empty promises slowly extinguished the heavenly flame which the Virgin had kindled in his soul. Finally, carried away by the ardours of youth, he banished the memory of her to whom he had solemnly pledged his word, stooping so low as to be in complete breach of the explicit promise he had given. On his wedding night the Holy Virgin appeared to him and asked him what had become of the fidelity he had sworn to her and what could have moved him to abandon her in order to take someone else. She then spoke a second time warning him worse would befall him if he did not keep his promise. Finally, she succeeded in penetrating his heart to such an extent that he fled like a second Saint Alexius and, having secured his liberty, he employed the rest of his days in the service of the Virgin of Virgins.

Footnotes

[1] Vincent. Bellovac., Speculi Exempl., lib. VII, c. 87.

© Peter Bloor 2025 

👑   👑   👑

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.

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.

Part IV : How to give thanks to the Mother of God : Chapter 3 : § 3.1-2

Chapter 3 : Trust in the Mother of God – a second feature of the gratitude we owe

[Continuing our translation of the 1845 reprint of Fr François Poiré’s Triple Crown of the Holy Mother of God (1643 French edition)]

Notre Dame des Grâces, Cotignac (Poggi, 2020)

§ 3. The second sign of trust : relying upon her in all things to free us from anxieties or hasty actions

 1   In the sixth chapter of his Gospel, St Mark writes[1] how the Disciples were afraid as stormy winds and waves buffeted their boat on Lake Tiberias. Jesus had spent the night in prayer on a neighbouring mountain and He came to their rescue, walking over the waters; but having drawn near, He would have passed by them, allowing them to perish. The sacred text suggests the reason was that they thought this was an apparition, even though He had often helped them previously in their necessities and they should not have failed to recognise Him. Unless I am mistaken, I feel confident in saying that one of the main reasons why God, the glorious Virgin and other saints very often pass by us when we are in some need, not responding to our prayers, is because we see them as apparitions separated from us by an infinite distance and we do not esteem their affection in the way we should. Thus we approach them, for instance, because we feel like others that it is the proper thing to do, or we feel in our hearts somewhat intimidated by their greatness and we think that everything said about their limitless kindness is not really for us but only for Saints and for certain privileged souls who are elevated far above the ordinary.  

Footnotes

[1] about the fourth watch of the night, he cometh to them walking upon the sea, and he would have passed by them.  But they seeing him walking upon the sea, thought it was an apparition, and they cried out. For they all saw him, and were troubled. Mark vi. 48-50.

 2   St Bernard included discussion about trust in one of the sermons he composed on the seven loaves which Our Lord miraculously multiplied. It takes a different tack and I was so struck by it I have decided to include it here to help people in how they put their trust into practice. 

There are three things, he says, which give such strength and fortitude to my heart that neither my utter lack of merit, nor an understanding of my baseness, nor my esteem for that which I hope to attain are capable of shaking me or causing me to fall from the high point of hope and trust which I have attained. These three things are: charity, granted to me so that I might partake in the grace of adoration; divine promises which are utterly true and reliable; and the power of the one making them to fulfil them in due time. In my opinion, this is the triple rock on which is founded the trust of the children of the Mother of love – a trust giving them a peace of mind and heart which cannot be troubled by any fear or anxiety. The first then is the wondrous charity which moved her to number them amongst her most dear children and it was this charity rather than any of their own merits or any of the services they might have performed for her. The second is the irrevocable promise she made never to abandon them but to see everything through to a successful conclusion. The third is the power she has of bringing her plans to completion, a power which can neither be frustrated or delayed by any outside force.

 

Yet a thought occurs to me challenging me to consider my nothingness and asking me on what personal merits I base my trust and confidence. My bold response to this would be that I base my trust not on my own good works nor on past services rendered but only on the innate goodness, the faithfulness and the power of her is beyond compare (God alone accepted). I would go on to say that I have not placed my hopes in the moving sands of merely human claims, neither does my strength come from mortal flesh, but my trust is built on a bedrock of reliability which cannot fail, on goodness which cannot fade, on truth which cannot deceive and on strength which cannot be defeated. 

Apart from this, let no one speak to me of distrust or presumption, for I do not even want to hear these words lest they wound the loving heart of her who deigns to take care of me and my journey through life. It is more than enough for me to know that she is the best Mother in the world and that I have the honour of belonging to her through the special choice she made of me. I should not presume to interfere, seeking to take charge myself or to worry about what she has planned for me. From the present moment, I foreswear every sort of anxious worry; I do not want my heart to be like those who willingly entertain such thoughts since to doubt her power would be criminal and to distrust her goodness or her faithfulness would be to make oneself forever unworthy of all her favours. There may be those who take a contrary view, but I am in no doubt at all that what I have described is the state of a soul worthy of the special protection of the MOTHER OF GOD. I wonder if there is any sort of gratitude which she appreciates more than the feeling of someone who lives his life like a child at his mother’s breast, trusting that he is at no risk from any harm whatsoever. If amongst us such trust as this cannot be esteemed as highly as it deserves; and if someone receiving such trust from another person would feel infinitely obliged not only because of the esteem being shown towards him by the person who is trusting in him with his whole heart and soul, but also by reason of the pleasure experienced in having a heart so completely devoted to us – then can we not see how our Mother’s tender heart would be no less affected by the trust of someone who has chosen to depend utterly and totally upon her (after God Himself)? 

Most holy and loving Mother, those who do not know who thou art might perhaps be forgiven for showing restraint and discretion in their dealings with thee; but as for those who do know thee, I could never forgive them for holding back their trust in thee unless it were shown that the belief they have in thy goodness and thy fidelity was based on a mistake or deception – which is altogether impossible. Accordingly, let them cast aside any fear they might have of entrusting themselves totally to thee; and let them be in no doubt that, the less they rely upon themselves and their own wisdom, then the more assuredly will they benefit from the plenitude of holy peace and every kind of spiritual progress.

 

 [End of Chapter 3]

© Peter Bloor 2025

👑   👑   👑

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.

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.

Part IV : How to give thanks to the Mother of God : Chapter 3 : § 2.5-7

Chapter 3 : Trust in the Mother of God – a second feature of the gratitude we owe

[Continuing our translation of the 1845 reprint of Fr François Poiré’s Triple Crown of the Holy Mother of God (1643 French edition)]

Notre Dame des Grâces, Cotignac (Poggi, 2020)

§ 2. The second sign of trust: having recourse to her in every difficulty 

 5   Here is another example of someone who in our own time gave great prominence to this idea of trust, causing countless persons to appreciate it in their own spiritual lives. I am referring to that most devout man, Francis de Sales, who was a model for holy Prelates. We are greatly indebted to those who laboured to gather relics from the life of this beautiful soul, more perhaps than to those who worked to preserve his sacred remains. One of the relics from his life is a little prayer that he frequently addressed to the Holy Virgin and it truly reflects the goodness of his heart. This prayer will provide a motive for trust in the blessed Virgin, at least to those men and women who recite it honouring the memory of this great man.  

Hail Mary, most gentle Virgin and MOTHER OF GOD, thou art my Mother and my Lady; accordingly, I implore thee to accept me as thy son and thy servant because I desire to have thee alone for my Mother and my Lady. Dear, gracious and gentle Mother, prithee console me in all my worries and tribulations – whether spiritual or bodily. Prithee never forget that I am thy son, that thou art most powerful and that I am a poor man, sinful and weak. Dear Mother most tender, be thou my guide and protector in all my decisions and my actions, for I am but a poor destitute beggar in need of thy holy protection. Most Holy Virgin, my gentle Mother, do thou come forthwith to preserve and deliver my body and soul from all evils and dangers; prithee grant me a share in thy blessings and virtues – especially thy holy humility, thy spotless purity and thy fervent charity. Thou canst not say, most gracious Virgin, that thou art unable since thy beloved Son hath given thee all power in Heaven and on earth. Thou canst not say thou hast no obligation since thou art Mother of all poor humans and of me in particular. If thou wert unable, I would excuse thee saying it is true that she is my Mother and she loves me like her son, but the poor lady does not have the power to help me. If thou wert not in fact my Mother, then I would have reason to be patient, saying: she has the means to help me, but, alas,  she is not my Mother and she does not want to help me. 

Accordingly, most gentle Virgin, since thou art my Mother and thou hast the means, how will I excuse thee if thou dost not come to comfort me, bringing me thy help and assistance? Thou must see, my dear Mother, how thou art thus obliged to grant all my requests. Be thou exalted, therefore, in the heavens and on earth, O glorious Virgin and my exquisite Mother; for the honour and the glory of thy Son, do thou accept me for thy child regardless of my sins and failings, delivering me body and soul from all evil, and sharing all thy virtues with me. Prithee grant me all those gifts, blessings and graces which are pleasing to the most holy Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Amen.   

 6   We should also honour in this connection the beautiful note written by Martha and Mary (who used to welcome the Saviour into their home) on the occasion of the illness of their brother Lazarus. It said simply : He whom thou lovest is sick[1]. The incomparable St Augustine[2], however was right to find in these words a certain eloquence which, because they came from the heart, were more powerful than anything coming from the lips alone. 

Note carefully, says the great Saint, that they do not try to rush anything, they do not invite Him to come and see their brother to heal him, nor even to heal him from a distance. They know very well that after saying : He whom thou lovest is sick, no more need be said. 

This is a sign of trust quite common amongst those who are the children of the Mother of Love. Since this is a sure way of causing her maternal heart to melt, they only have to present themselves before her and make known to her the need they have for her help ; they can leave the rest to love which will speak powerfully on their behalf, with all the influence love has on their dear Mother’s heart and mind. Love has a power persuasion which has no need for words, as we read in connection with Moses to whom the Lord said : Why criest thou to me?[3] even though the Prophet had not said a single word. If someone sees one who loves him suffering, however, the effect is the same as if could hear him crying out for help.

Footnotes

[1] John xi. 3.

[2] Tract. 49 in Joann.

[3] Exod. xiv. 15.

 7   What are we to think about the person mentioned by Alfonso Salmerón[1] who penetrated so far into the mysterious holy ardours of our God’s loving heart that he became convinced it would be a sin against His goodness to ask for something in particular beyond those things He has expressly required us to ask of Him. He was happy simply to offer Him the twenty-four letters of the alphabet, imploring Him to grant or deny all that could result from combining these letters, in accordance with what He judged would be for his good and for the glory of His majesty? Won’t you agree that this idea sprang from a loving and trusting heart which understood what it means to deal with a goodness that knows no limits? This is in fact the approach which some take towards the Mother of fair love, leaving her to take care of everything that concerns them in time and throughout eternity. Their wish is only for what she wants, when she wants it, through whom she wants it and in the way that she would want it. When it comes to the little good that they are able to do, they are quite happy for her to use it as she pleases and for whom she pleases; they are happy for her to grant or refuse favours, and to rule the course of their life’s journey in the way she judges best. Their approach is based on the confidence they have that, provided she deigns to think of them, then for them that is sufficient. Beautiful souls: worthy of living and dying in the embrace of the Queen of hearts – if indeed anyone can be said to die in the embrace of the Mother of the living. Beautiful souls: who have nothing to fear so long as they keep within the safe refuge of this royal trust.  

It seems to me this point is so sublime that it deserves to be considered at greater length.

Footnotes

[1] John xi. 3.

© Peter Bloor 2025

👑   👑   👑

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.

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.

Part IV : How to give thanks to the Mother of God : Chapter 3 : § 2.3-4

Chapter 3 : Trust in the Mother of God – a second feature of the gratitude we owe

[Continuing our translation of the 1845 reprint of Fr François Poiré’s Triple Crown of the Holy Mother of God (1643 French edition). Fr Poiré :1584 - 25 Nov.1637: R.I.P.]

Notre Dame des Grâces, Cotignac (Poggi, 2020)

§ 2. The second sign of trust: having recourse to her in every difficulty 

 3   This same trust is the sacred anchor which the soul casts heavenwards at life’s end when beset by a storm of fears about death. I shall never forget the wonderful example of trust shown by the Emperor Andronikos Palaiologos[1] which could only ever have come from a heart filled with devotion towards the Blessed Virgin. 

This Prince found himself facing death through having drunk an excessive quantity of cold water (something he used to do when he was suffering from unusual heat in his veins so to avoid the need for venesection). There was no one available who could bring him the Holy Sacrament and so he struggled from his bed and knelt down, weeping copious tears. He took a small golden statue of the Holy Virgin which he always wore around his neck and, entrusting himself to her, he placed the statue in his mouth so that she might serve as Viaticum since he had no hope of being able to receive Our Lord.

This is what is recounted by Gregoras who had spent a fair time with him that same evening without any signs of death or sickness. 

Footnotes

[1] Niceph. Gregoras, lib. X Histor.

 4   To sum up, Trust is the safe haven where all those suffering from any sort of affliction should seek refuge and where they will never fail to receive a favourable welcome. By way of example and for the edification of readers, I should like to include now an extract from the prayer addressed to the Holy Mother by a venerable monk called Theosteriktos, some eight hundred years ago. It may be found in the liturgical prayer of the Greeks[1]. 

Princess of earth and Heaven, glorious Mother of the Word Incarnate, if ever a poor man laden with ills and misery did present himself before the altar of thy clemency then I am such a one who cometh to throw himself at thy feet. My disordered passions and desires are like so many raging winds which beset the barque of my soul and threaten at any minute to send it plunging to the depths. What doth it avail me that thou hast borne in thy sacred womb the true Pilot and Haven of grace for which we should set sail in order to be saved, if thou dost not now come promptly to mine aid and calm the tempest that would swallow me up. The spirits of darkness wage a fearful war against me and deliver me into countless temptations; why art thou the Mother of Him who wished to be our Prince of peace if it is not to put these demons to flight and to rescue me from the continual danger in which I find myself? I can see clearly how poor and how lacking in every good I am, but what will it avail me if all the treasures of Heaven are at thy disposal but thou dost not feel for my indigence? My spirit is weighed down by infirmities of the body, but even more so afflictions of the soul, and I am overwhelmed with distress in hundreds of different ways. Art thou not the Mother of our sovereign Physician, and dost thou not possess a rich store of cures and healing? To what end wouldst thou have been made a bottomless well of mercy and why would the God of eternal mercy have been conceived in thy womb if it were not to provide comfort and relief for us in our misery? And from whom can we hope for true joy in our hearts and interior consolation other than from thee – who didst bear within thee the great joy that shall be to all the people?

 

I confess that never was there prisoner more closely bound with ropes and chains, nor worse laden with irons and fetters then I am shackled by my sins and overwhelmed by my crimes; but I know well enough that He who came down from Heaven to deliver us from sin hath placed in thy hands the price of our redemption and hath given thee full power to redeem us. Wilt thou really be capable of seeing me rot at the bottom of a ditch in the darkness of my blindness, thou who doth bear in thy hands the true light, which enlighteneth every man that cometh into this world? I prithee behold in me one of thy poor servants who trembleth at the mere thought of his death, whose heart is frozen in fear about the uncertainty of what is to happen to him after his death, who already doth experience death through the fear he hath of the dreadful judgement of God. Prithee remember that our Judge is thy Son and with but one word thou canst render Him favourable unto us. If thou wert to ask for tears then I am content to weep floods, but I prefer to ask thee for but one of those tears that my dear Saviour and thy beloved Son shed for me, since this is capable of drowning a world of sin and of washing away the sins of a whole world. To sum up, most holy Virgin thou art my Mother and I am thy son; thou art my Lady and I am thy servant, unworthy though I am of these two titles. Thou hast the means of obliging me and I place my trust in thee that this is something thou wilt wish to do. I implore thy help in virtue of this trust and much more in consideration of thy natural goodness.  

Thus did the heart of this devoted servant of the Virgin take flight and soar heavenwards, teaching us to have recourse to her in all our necessities with total confidence and trust.

Footnotes

[1] For more, see St Theosteriktos and the Supplication Canon to the Theotokos. 

© Peter Bloor 2025

👑   👑   👑

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.

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.

Part IV : How to give thanks to the Mother of God : Chapter 3 : § 2.1-2

Chapter 3 : Trust in the Mother of God – a second feature of the gratitude we owe

[Continuing our translation of the 1845 reprint of Fr François Poiré’s Triple Crown of the Holy Mother of God (1643 French edition).]

Notre Dame des Grâces, Cotignac (Poggi, 2020)

§ 2. The second sign of trust: having recourse to her in every difficulty 

 1   The Seraphic Doctor St Bonaventure, of whom I spoke earlier, was eager to help foster the devotion of one of his friends who had asked if he had any guidance which would help him to lead a virtuous life. The Saint presented him with a short Epistle which he called Twenty-five things to remember[1] which are like so many short rules worth memorizing. Here is the thirteenth:

Ensure that at all times you have a heartfelt desire to honour the most glorious MOTHER OF GOD ; have recourse to her as to your safe refuge in all your necessities and in all the trials and tribulations you may face; choose her for your Advocate and with total confidence entrust her with anything that concerns you.

This advice places in our hands the golden key of Trust which can open the sacred Treasury of our loving Mother’s graces and favours. There we can find remedies for all our problems, because there is nothing that this trust cannot achieve for us. It is like a divine lifeline thrown down to us from Heaven to haul our heart and our hopes on high. St Germanus, Patriarch of Constantinople revealed an insight into this when he spoke to the glorious Virgin as follows:

Most Holy Lady, what else art thou other than the Mediatrix of our salvation, our safe help and our unfailing support, our Advocate who dost facilitate our reconciliation and who dost present mitigation on our behalf to obtain forgiveness for our sins; a refuge in whom our trust finds reason to glory, an impregnable rampart for Christians, an arsenal packed with arms and munitions for true Kings, the main armament of faithful Princes, a mighty Angel in battle, placing the laurel crown on their heads and the palm of victory in their hands. We humbly implore thee not to turn away those who come unto thee; we beg thee to lend a hand to those in danger, to bring calm to those troubled by physical or spiritual tempests and tribulations, and to vanquish those who bear us ill will and threaten us out of hatred for thy dear Son and thyself.

This same trust is the soul’s powerful shield, proof against all the temptations of the enemy. St Ephrem made frequent use of it and here is how he spoke one day to the most sacred Virgin[2]:    

Most Holy Lady, prithee take me under the protection of thy wings[3] lest the infernal Vulture carry me off ; for I am like unto a poor little chicken who hath fallen into the mud and hath no way of saving himself. There remaineth no hope left to me apart from thee, forasmuch as thou art my safe port and haven; my whole salvation dependeth on thine aid and protection, which I crave with tears and with all the submission of which my heart is capable.

Footnotes

[1] Epistola vigintiquinque memorabilium.

[2] Orat. de S. Virgine.

[3] Cf. Matt. xxiii.  37 & Luke xiii. 34.

St Mary the Egyptian

 2   Amongst all those men and women who might have come to understand the value of this trust, it seems to me that St Mary the Egyptian experienced it with a particular gentleness. Her words reveal to us the true image of a heart which totally melted in the presence of the Queen of Heaven and we cannot ourselves read or hear them without our own eyes growing moist with tears. 

She was still known as a wanton woman and a stone of stumbling when she made the decision to accompany a group of people who were going to Jerusalem to venerate the Holy Cross. Just as she was about to enter the Church, she felt herself held back on three separate occasions as though by an invisible force. Not knowing what to do in her confused state, she looked up and saw over the entrance to the Church an image of the Holy Virgin. Touched to the heart, she said: 

“Mother of Mercy, although sinners are greatly displeasing to thy Son, yet He would be unable to turn them away if they approached Him in sincere contrition. Let not my entry into salvation be barred with my entry into this noble house of the Lord. If thou wilt agree to be my Advocate, I swear to thee before all that is holy in Heaven that from this present moment I shall bid a firm farewell to my past sins and henceforth the world will be as nothing to me.” Once she had uttered these words she experienced no difficulty in entering the Church and God alone could see the secret movements of her troubled heart and what tears she shed in the presence of the Holy Cross, adorable sign of our Redemption.

Amidst sighs and tears of contrition she made a general confession of the wretched sins she had committed in her life and, once delivered of this terrible burden, she went to a Church near the river Jordan where she received Holy Communion. It was then that the wound in her heart re-opened and what she said to the MOTHER OF GOD is scarcely credible : 

“Mother of kindness most tender,” she said, “thou art now committed to help me since by thy grace thou hast stood surety for me. I truly desire never to break the promise I have made to thee but with all the bad habits I have acquired what hope can I place in a heart such as mine without thy continual help and support? Apart from this, do with me what thou wilt, send me wherever it pleaseth thee, for after God I wish for no other guardian than thee. I must trust in thee for the fruits of my happiness since thou hast this day set things in motion.

Transported in an ecstasy of love and trust, she now seemed to breathe the air of Heaven. She crossed over the Jordan and, without really knowing where she was going, she she journeyed deep into the wilderness where she led a life of extreme penance for the space of forty-seven years.The temptations that assailed her for so long can scarcely be imagined but amidst these trials her Advocate was always in her heart and in her mind. She would implore her help unceasingly with words so ardent and full of trust that they could have split the very rocks of the desert. She received such strength and courage that she won a glorious victory over all her foes and, despite all the efforts of hell, her life came to an end in a way that the most innocent of souls might have wished for. She revealed all this to the blessed Abbot Zosima who, as a result of divine inspiration, had taken the sacred Viaticum to her. The account eventually came into the hands of the Patriarch Sophronius who included it in The Spiritual Meadow. It was later read out at the second Council of Nicaea.

© Peter Bloor 2025

👑   👑   👑

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.

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.

Part IV : How to give thanks to the Mother of God : Chapter 3 : § 1.20-24

Chapter 3 : Trust in the Mother of God – a second feature of the gratitude we owe

[Continuing our translation of the 1845 reprint of Fr François Poiré’s Triple Crown of the Holy Mother of God (1643 French edition).]

Notre Dame des Grâces, Cotignac (Poggi, 2020)

§ 1. The first sign of trust : not undertaking anything except with the Holy Mother’s help and guidance

 20   Next comes a third Cardinal who could have served as Patron for the two others was a luminary for the whole Church. I am referring to blessed St Bonaventure. 

According to Pierre Galois, a Prothonotary Apostolic who wrote an account of the Saint’s life, he had no sooner been created Minister General of the Franciscan Order (a title he was to hold for eighteen years), than he immediately had recourse to the Mother of fair love, to whom he had been most devoted from an early age. He chose her as his source of strength and his most faithful guide. In fact, whenever he encountered any problem during his tenure he immediately went to her as though to his sure place of refuge.

Whilst he held the office of Minister General, he did everything he could to ensure the Holy Mother was honoured by everyone. He gave explicit instructions to the Preachers in his Order that they should in their sermons exhort the people to develop a particular devotion to her and to recite three Aves when they heard the sound of the bell after Compline. Apart from this, he ordered that between Christmas and the Epiphany the hymns sung in the divine Office should be concluded with these words : Gloria tibi, Domine, qui natus es de Virgine[1], a custom since observed by the Church Universal. In Rome he instituted the Archconfraternity of the Gonfalone[2] whose members were required to recite certain prayers by way of invoking and honouring the most sacred Virgin.

The Holy Mother for her part worked miracles to help him, magnifying him before God and before men. The result was that since St Francis there had never been a Minister General who had done more for the advancement of this Holy Order than he did. He re-established discipline under the rules which had somewhat fallen away; he published new Constitutions and he wrote letters to everyone in the Order so that all might contribute in restoring its initial splendour; he established rules for the Provinces and Custodies, (as the Franciscan subdivisions are called); he served as father and mother for all his dear children, showing gentleness in strictness and tempering his severity (which occasionally he needed to demonstrate) with a warm-heartedness that all were able to recognise in him. 

The reputation for wisdom and holiness he acquired proved of general benefit to the Church as may be seen in what happened after the death of Pope Clement IV. The Holy See had remained vacant for around three years because the seventeen Cardinals who had gathered in Viterbo to elect a new Pope were unable to reach agreement. Finally, they unanimously agreed to give their votes to St Bonaventure so that he might name the candidate whom he judged under God most capable of being raised to the Papal throne, with the rider that were he to choose himself then he would be accepted and recognised as Pope. The Saint, however, was far too humble to entertain such a thought and he nominated Teobaldo Visconti, Archdeacon of Liège, a man highly reputed for his great piety who was at the time with the Crusades in the Holy Land. On his elevation to the Holy See, he took the name of Gregory X and during his time as Pope he justified St Bonaventure’s judgement to such an extent that he was later canonised in the church at Arezzo in Tuscany where his sacred relics are preserved. 

We can see in this the fruits of the  Holy Mother’s Heavenly Queenship and the trust her devoted servants have in her. I should perhaps add that this same Gregory, having convoked a general Council in Lyon, ordered Saint Bonaventure to attend for he wished to make use of his services. In order that Bonaventure might do this with greater authority, he granted him the Cardinal’s hat and the Bishopric of Albano, which meant he became one of the six suffragans of the Bishop of Rome. On this august stage the humble St Bonaventure set about the tasks which were entrusted to him, not only in the dispute with the Greeks who finally submitted themselves in obedience to the Vicar of Christ for the sake of unity in the Church, but also in other questions which were discussed and defined by the Council. It was there when, borne down more by the weight of his merits than his years, God summoned him to the joys of the blessed life, prompting as much sadness and regret within the Church Militant as happiness and joy within the Church Triumphant. 

Footnotes

[1] Glory be to thee O Lord who wast born of a Virgin.

[2] Gonfalone / gonfalon / gonfanon : “battle standard” : a banner or ensign, frequently composed of or ending in several tails or streamers.

 21   Blessed Jordan, Master General of the Order of Saint Dominic, honoured the Queen of Heaven and the Protectress of his Order to such an extent that he would never begin any undertaking without having first entrusted it to her[1]. 

Whilst on his journeys, he spent much of his time in colloquies with her, in addition to singing hymns and canticles in her honour. He did this with such deep devotion that frequently the tears he shed outnumbered the words he uttered. 

Footnotes

[1] Lander Albertus, in ejus Vita.

 22   To these great Heads of Orders I think I can safely add the name of Father Claudio Acquaviva, Superior General of the Society of Jesus. 

He had been selected for this responsibility and presented to Our Lord by His most glorious Mother, as I have mentioned elsewhere. Throughout the whole time he held this office he carried out his duties towards her most faithfully. He did everything he could to make her especially honoured in the Order that he governed, addressing a letter to everyone in the Society on this very matter. As far as he was concerned, he would never expect a happy outcome to anything unless he had first placed it in her hands. In this way he obtained from her the grace to resolve countless problems and difficulties in the thirty-four years that he held the office of Superior General; to spread the Society everywhere; to provide it with regulation and wise rulings and to give it the form it was later to adopt. To sum up: with the Holy Mother’s help he won the love and respect of each and every member.  

 23   The exceptional trust and confidence of the holy Mother Teresa of Jesus may deservedly be added to the previous examples, meriting imitation by all those placed in positions of authority over others by God.

It is reported in her biography that as soon as she arrived in the Monastery of the Incarnation in Ávila[1] to take up her position as Prioress, the first thing that she did was to place an image of Our Lady over the prioral chair in the Choir. She then presented the keys of the Convent to the Holy Mother, making it known to those under her charge that she herself was nothing and that the most sacred Virgin, to whom their Order was particularly dedicated, was the true Prioress who was to govern them. Only a few days passed before Our Lady revealed to her how pleased she had been by this action, as Mother Teresa was herself later to record. On the eve of St Sebastian’s Feast day, just as the nuns were beginning to sing the Salve Regina in Choir, she saw the MOTHER OF GOD  accompanied by a great host of Angels coming down to the chair where the image had been placed. Once the Antiphon had concluded, the Holy Virgin said to her : 

“Thou hast done well to place me here for I shall be present to hear the praises which will be sung to my Son and I shall make sure they are presented to him.”   

Footnotes

[1] Francis. Ribera, Vitæ ipsius, lib. III, c. 1.

 24   Without providing more examples, I can sum things up by saying that as a general rule it has always been the practice of the best servants of the Virgin (and continues to be so now more than ever), that no undertaking should be started without first having sought advice from her and without asking for her holy blessing. This is a practice most worthy of being imitated by all those who make a profession of wanting to serve her – not only because of the great benefits they will continually receive, but also because of the happiness and glory they will give to her whom they cannot do too much to honour. 

© Peter Bloor 2025

👑   👑   👑

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.

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.