Part II : The Crown of Power : Chapter 6 : § 3.1-3

Chapter 6 :  The Fifth Star or Splendour of the Crown of Power of the MOTHER OF GOD

She is the Mother of the world to come and Redeemer of our race

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)

§ 3. The first reason that the Holy Virgin has the right to be considered as the Redemptrix of men and the Mother of the world to come

The first reason: She gave us a Redeemer 

 1   Of all the reasons which merit for the Holy Virgin the title Co-Redemptrix of men and the power associated with it, the first and the simplest to understand is that she gave to them a Redeemer who would restore all things. Sophronius[1] says that:

we are all duty bound to honour her to whom we are indebted for our salvation because, in conceiving her Creator who came down from Heaven, she was the means of providing a Redeemer on earth.

From this flows the necessary consequence which was noticed by the blessed Prelate of Seleucia[2], namely that it is impossible for us to show our gratitude towards our Sovereign Benefactor without acknowledging through this very act our obligation to her from whom we received Him.

Consequently, Saint Gregory of Neocaesarea was moved to write[3]::

 

If the Son of God came down on earth to guide people back onto the strait and narrow path, to seek out those who had strayed, to give light to the blind, to raise the dead to life, to return slaves to their liberty, and to be all things for all men – then we must see that there is not one of these benefits which we do not owe to her who obtained them for us and through whose mediation we enjoy them.

 

Footnotes

[1] Epist. de Assumpt.

[2] S. Basil., Orat. de Annuntiat.

[3] Serm. 2 de Annuntiat.

 2   This is why St John Damascene[1] does not hesitate to call her the source of all the blessings poured down upon earth. This is what makes all the Holy Fathers praise her in a multitude of wondrous ways, making use of multiple titles to honour the sacred womb which carried our Deliverer. St Augustine[2] calls her:

The shop where the medicine of our salvation was confected in just such a way as to be suited to the strength and condition of those suffering from sickness.

Sophronius[3] calls her:

The garden enclosed[4], from which poured forth waters of the true fountain of life to irrigate the ground of the human heart which had been condemned to perpetual drought. 

St Germanus[5], Patriarch of Constantinople, recognised her

as the mystical Tabernacle and the Sacristy where the High Priest Jesus clothed Himself with the vestments of our humanity, before going to offer unto God His Father the sacrifice for the expiation of our sins.

St Basil of Sileucia says[6] that:

she is the office of the Privy Seal where the duty of bondage we had undertaken to the devil was nullified.

This thought is echoed by the Blessed Bishop Proclus at the Council of Ephesus[7]:

[She is the office] where the letters patent of our restoration were signed and sealed and where the Eternal Word, who previously had existed only in the mind of the Father, was written down on paper in characters represented by material elements. 

This is followed by the blessed Theodotus, Bishop of Ancyra in Galatia[8]. The Holy Archbishop of Toledo said[9] that:

She is the privy chamber where the Testament of God was written anew in favour of human nature.

St Ephrem holds that[10]:

She is the divine vellum on which the articles for the abolition of our crimes were written down. 

The blessed Proclus[11], quoted here again, declares that:

She is the royal chamber where reconciliation and agreement between God and man were brought into being.

In summary: these and all the other writers vie with each other as to who will say more and who will express more eloquently the feelings of gratitude that they have in their hearts.

Footnotes

[1] Orat. 1 de Dormit. B. Virg.

[2] Homil. 19 de Sanctis.

[3] Epist. de Assumpt.

[4] Cant. iv. 12.

[5] Orat. 1 de Nativit. Virg.

[6] Serm. de Annuntiat.

[7] Orat. de Nativit. Domini.

[8] T. VI Concilii Ephesini, c. 10.

[9] S. Ildefons., Serm. 1 de Assumpt.

[10] Serm. de Laud. Virg.

[11] Serm. de Nativit. B. Virg.

 3   It is for this reason that the same Holy Fathers offered a thousand blessings not only for those three days which saw 

• the nativity of the blessed Virgin,
• her Conception of the Word Incarnate, and 
• the arrival into the world of Her Son.

On this day, says St John Damascene[1] speaking of the first of these days, were renewed the covenants that had been made with men; on this day we saw prophecies fulfilled; on this day mysteries previously hidden were discovered and those that had been buried in the darkest shadows emerged into the light of day. 

On this day, continues the same Saint speaking of the second and third days[2], are to be found the beginning, the middle and the end; providing a firm assurance for all the benefits that we might ever hope for.

On this day, says St Epiphanius[3], the glorious Virgin provided a safe haven for those who were voyaging on the stormy seas of this world, unsure where to reach harbour or to land. 

On this day, says St Gregory of Neocaesarea[4], the world was bathed in celestial brightness and renewed. On this day, things hoped for which previously had been imperceptible or invisible began to come forth, revealing to mortals wonders surpassing the limits of created understanding. 

 

On this day, says the pious Archbishop of Gandia[5], Heaven gave us cause for public rejoicing so great as to wipe away all thoughts and memories of our past miseries. On this day, Almighty God fulfilled His plan for the creation of the world which the common enemy of mankind had tried to overthrow. Accordingly, reason would require that everyone should have a share in the joy of this day, since Heaven had been opened, the Earth had received the true Prince of the world, and Nazareth was changed into an earthly paradise when it provided an abode for Him who at the beginning of the world had created paradise; the Father of mercy was united to our human nature, giving His own Son as Spouse; and lest the trial of waiting be too much for us, He sent His messenger to bring the good news of the longed for salvation. We should study what the Angel said to her whom Heaven had chosen to be the Mediatrix of our salvation.

When reflecting on this, Saint Germanus of Constantinople calls out like a man transported with joy and astonishment, saying[6]:

Who would ever have believed, or who would ever have dared to hope, that by means of a woman God would have wished to do so much good for us that he was ready to go beyond all the laws of nature, to be taken with affection for a Virgin, and to unite His incomprehensible Majesty to a creature so vile and so low as man?

 

O peerless Virgin[7], it was through thee that the poor came to see and receive the treasures of Divine generosity. No sooner had they seen these than they solemnly proclaimed with the Prophet King that the earth was full of the mercies of the Lord[8]. Thou hast helped sinners to seek God, and thou hast enabled them to find salvation, forcing them to confess before earth and heaven that if the divine Word had not come to our help by taking pity on us and becoming incarnate in thy most sacred womb, it would have been all over for us as we were all ready on the very edge of the precipice and about to fall down into hell.

Footnotes

[1] Orat. 8 de Nativit. B. Virg.

[2] Orat. 1 de Dormit. B. Virg.

[3] Serm. de S. Deipara.

[4] Orat. 1 de Annuntiat.

[5] Orat. de Annuntiat.

[6] Orat. 1 de Nativit. B. Virg.

[7] Serm. de Assumpt.

[8] The earth, O Lord, is full of thy mercy: Ps. CXVIII, 64.

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The Virgin of Tenderness. >12th century.

SUB tuum præsidium confugimus, Sancta Dei Genitrix. Nostras deprecationes ne despicias in necessitatibus, sed a periculis cunctis libera nos semper, Virgo gloriosa et benedicta. Amen. 

 

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam.

© Peter Bloor 2025

Part II : The Crown of Power : Chapter 6 : § 2.5-6

Chapter 6 :  The Fifth Star or Splendour of the Crown of Power of the MOTHER OF GOD

She is the Mother of the world to come and Redeemer of our race

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)

§ 2. The title Mother of the world to come and Co-redemptrix which was given to the Mother and Spouse of the the Saviour

 5   We have already heard[1] the words of the Blessed Cardinal Peter Damien who said:

Just as without God nothing was made, in the same way without her nothing was remade.

I cannot pass over in silence words of Richard of Saint Victor, which are rich in meaning:

The Holy Virgin, he says[2], was so outstanding in her virtues and her love was found to be so ardent that she did not confine herself to those of her own nation alone, but she included men in their universality; she prayed for all men and her prayer was granted for all, as may be seen in the very words of the Angel who said that she had found grace with God[3], in the way she had wanted. She had desired the salvation of all, she had sought this through her most earnest prayers and she obtained it. What more could you want? She brought it about : and this is why we call her the salvation of the world.

This idea may be found repeated by St Augustine[4], St Fulgentius[5], St Irenaeus, Saint Peter Chrysalogous, Sophronius and several others[6]. The holy writer Denis the Carthusian[7], following them, finds no difficulty in calling her the Salvatrix of the world.

Footnotes

[1] In the previous chapter.

[2] Cap. 26 in Cant.

[3] Luke I. 30.

[4] Serm. 17 de Nativit..

[5] Lib. de Laudibus Mariæ.

[6] V. apud Suarem, t. X in III p., disp. 19, sect. 4.

[7] Lib. II de Laudibus Virg., art. 9.

 6   Regarding this, it is firstly to be noted that even though the Saviour of our souls has no need whatsoever of any help or assistance in carrying out the work of our Redemption, as is solemnly observed by St Ambrose[1] following the Prophet David, this nevertheless does not prevent Him from honouring His most Holy Mother and His most beloved Spouse by associating her with this achievement. St Bernard[2] writes in a most apposite manner about this:

No one has any doubts that Jesus Christ is more than sufficient to bring about this result, since all our sufficiency comes from Him; it was, however, not expedient for us that He alone should set His hand to this task, but it was more fitting that each of the sexes should participate in our redemption, just as both contributed to our fall. 

In the second place, it should be noted that the favour communicated to the blessed Virgin took nothing away from the quality and role of Saviour which is uniquely proper to our Lord. Notwithstanding the privilege of participation that He granted to His Mother, this remains an inviolable truth as we see in the words of His Prophets Isaiah[3] and Hosea[4], namely: He is the unique Saviour, there is none other whatsoever apart from him, casting his eyes on all sides he found no one that could lend Him a hand: in short, He hath received no help or assistance other than from the strength of His own arm and His zeal. For it is true that as salvation belongs only to God in His quality as principal cause, so too it belongs only to Jesus Christ, God and man, to make satisfaction in strict justice and to merit grace and glory for man fallen from grace – I am talking about glory merited with condignity[5], as it is known in the traditional Scholastic terminology which is still in use. The Holy Virgin has no desire to arrogate this merit unto herself and I have no wish to argue this in her favour. All that I am seeking to do here is to show that her grace was so truly exceptional and her qualities and actions so far raised above the ordinary, that they caused God to take her into account in the peace treaty that He made with men. In consideration, He was moved by a certain sense of what was fitting, which we call congruity[6], to acknowledge them in His friendship. This is a privilege which just as it belongs to none other than to her, so to it cannot be denied to her exceptional merits.

Footnotes

[1] Epist. ad Eccles. Vercelens.

[2] Serm. in Signum magnum.

[3] A just God and a saviour, there is none besides me. Isai. xlv. 21.

[4] But I am the Lord thy God from the land of Egypt: and thou shalt know no God but me, and there is no saviour beside me. Osee (Hosea). xiii. 4.

[5] condignity: condign merit (meritum de condigno) which supposes an equality between service and return; it is measured by commutative justice (justitia commutativa), and thus gives a real claim to a reward.

[6] congruity: congruous merit (meritum de congruo) which claims a reward only on the ground of equity. For more on condign and congruous merit, see The Nature of Merit (Catholic Encyclopedia).

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The Virgin of Tenderness. >12th century.

SUB tuum præsidium confugimus, Sancta Dei Genitrix. Nostras deprecationes ne despicias in necessitatibus, sed a periculis cunctis libera nos semper, Virgo gloriosa et benedicta. Amen. 

 

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam.

© Peter Bloor 2025

Part II : The Crown of Power : Chapter 6 : § 2.1-4

Chapitre 6 :  The Fifth Star or Splendour of the Crown of Power of the MOTHER OF GOD

She is the Mother of the world to come and Redeemer of our race

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)

§ 2. The title Mother of the world to come and Co-redemptrix which was given to the Mother and Spouse of the the Saviour

 1   It is greatly to the honour of the female sex that some of them have done so much to forward the spread of the Christian religion that they might be described, after God Himself, as the principle instruments used for this purpose. Apart from mentioning the example of St Martha, who has always been called from ancient times the Apostle of Provence and the adjoining regions, it is clear that the public conversion of the greatest empires and the greatest Kingdoms was mostly due to their charity, hard work and their unfailing courage. History has recorded this truth faithfully and shows, for example, how much the Emperor Constantine, the first Christian Prince, owed to having for a mother someone as virtuous, wise and devout as St Helena who provided him with powerful reasons to embrace the religion which Heaven was showing him with so many wonders. It will never be forgotten in France how much is owed to the sweet memory of St Clotilda, one of its first Queens and niece of Gundobad, King of Burgundy. She spoke so powerfully to her husband, the invincible King Clovis, and exhorted him so successfully that in the end he resolved to be baptised a Christian, bringing thereby great advantages to the Church and to the French people. The English will be forever indebted to the wife of their King Ethelbert for his conversion. She was of the Royal House of France and is known to some as Bertha, but I prefer to follow Pope St Gregory, the Apostle of the English, who calls her Adilberge.

Footnotes

[1] Chap. 11.

[2] Isai. ix. 6.

 2   May it still be acknowledged to the honour of the most Christian Kingdom of Spain that Hermenegild, the first king of the Goths who publicly embraced the Catholic religion in that country, was moved to do so by his wise and loving wife, Ingund, grand-daughter of Clotaire and daughter of his son Sigebert[1]. The ancient kingdom of the Lombards will in a similar way be indebted to the illustrious House of Bavaria[2] for having given them the valiant Theodelinda, who persuaded King Agilulf  to be baptised in the true religion, which he then caused to be preached throughout his lands for the consolation and benefit of souls. I could say just as much about the case of Hungary which owes the beginnings of its conversion to the most noble and most illustrious Gisela[3], wife of St Stephen, King of Hungary and sister of the Emperor Henry II, two Princes worthy of being held in eternal memory.

Footnotes

[1] Baron., an. 585.

[2] Baron., an. 391.

[3] In vita S. Stephani.

 3   The sort of glory that we have just been discussing, however, pales in comparison with that which the female sex received from the MOTHER OF GOD, whom all the kingdoms and all the nations of the world must acknowledge as their Co-redemptrix and the inseparable companion of the Saviour in the economy of our salvation. 

The pious St Hugh, Bishop of Lincoln[1], was drawn from the ranks of the most Holy Carthusian Order. He declared that the Holy Virgin so raised the honour of her sex that it is not possible to go any higher.  

Before him, the Blessed Saint Cyril[2], Archbishop of Jerusalem, said that women have provided satisfaction in a more than abundant manner for the obligation they owe to men as a result of being taken from the side of Adam.  

This title of Co-redemptrix and the issues arising from it are of such importance that, rather than simply passing over it, I feel duty-bound to establish its foundation so there is no longer room for any doubt. I do this for the sake of the immortal memory of this Princess and to confound heresies and hell.

Footnotes

[1] In ejus vita, c. 13, 17 Novemb.

[2] Catechesi, 12.

 4   In the first place, we should all understand that the Holy Doctors make free use of words expressing this idea and this gives me confidence when I follow their teaching.

Where Eve brought ruin, Mary brought salvation. These are the words of the great Pope St Innocent III[1].

Most holy Lady, says the pious St Bernard[2], by means of thee, heaven hath been populated, hell hath been emptied, and the ruins of the heavenly Jerusalem have been repaired. Elsewhere[3] he goes on: Mary has been made all for all people, and through her most abundant charity they are all of them obliged by and to her. She has made available for all the fountain of her mercy from which all may partake in its plenitude: the captive will obtain deliverance; the sick, their health; the sorrowing, their consolation; sinners, their pardon; the righteous, graces; the Angels, their joy; and the Holy Trinity, Glory. In another place[4] he says: Contemplate with astonishment her who discovered grace, the Mediatrix of salvation, the Co-redemptrix of all the elect.

The Patriarch of Constantinople St Germanus, having given serious consideration to this, says no less. Here are his words[5]:

Most holy Virgin, how can we begin to number the benefits we receive from thee? For no one is saved except through thee, no one is delivered from the evils which afflict him except through thy mediation, and whoever receives any favour or mercy, remains indebted to thee.

Through thee, says the pious St Ephrem, we have been reconciled with God. Thou art for prisoners, their deliverance; thou art salvation, peace, and joy; thou art the Mediatrix bringing reconciliation for the whole world.

Footnotes

[1] Serm. 2 de Assumpt. : Quod damnavit Eva, salvavit Maria.

[2] Serm. 4 de Assumpt.

[3] Serm. in Signum magnum.

[4] Epist. 174.

[5] Serm. de Dormit. B. Virg.

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The Virgin of Tenderness. >12th century.

SUB tuum præsidium confugimus, Sancta Dei Genitrix. Nostras deprecationes ne despicias in necessitatibus, sed a periculis cunctis libera nos semper, Virgo gloriosa et benedicta. Amen. 

 

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam.

© Peter Bloor 2025

Part II : The Crown of Power : Chapter 6 : § 1.1-4

Chapter 6 :  The Fifth Star or Splendour of the Crown of Power of the MOTHER OF GOD

She is the Mother of the world to come and Redeemer of our race

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)

We are now going to consider the principal qualities of the divine Spouse Jesus Christ and to show how the Blessed Virgin, His Spouse most chaste, through participation may be said to partake of all these in a duly proportionate manner. This is a theme which I shall follow until the end of Part II and I shall begin by highlighting amongst the ancient figures the Great King Solomon as representing in a most excellent manner the Royal Perfections of the Saviour, remembering that he was recognised as such by St Irenaeus[1], St Gregory of Nyssa[2], St Bernard[3], St Isidore[4], St Prosper[5] and by several other doctors who made a serious study of this question. 

My aim, however, is not to provide a long discussion on the titles by which the King of Glory Incarnate is honoured but only to consider those which His Blessed Spouse possesses through the relationship that she has with Him. Let us begin with those of Father of the world to come and spiritual King, which were touched upon briefly in the preceding chapter.

Footnotes

[1] Lib. IV, c. 4.

[2] Homil. 7 in Cant.

[3] Serm. 27 in Cant.

[4] Lib. de Morte Sanctorum.

[3] P. II de Promissionibus, c. 27.

§ 1. Father of the world to come and Redeemer of men : first title of the King of glory incarnate

 1   I am happy to call this the first title because of all those which could be given to a King I do not know of any which he would appreciate or esteem more highly than that of Father. It is the name that throughout history has been bestowed on the foremost Princes of the world, as being the fruit of their conquests and the prize for their most distinguished accomplishments. It is the name in which they take such pride that they have never claimed a greater reward for their work than to hear themselves called Fathers of the people or of the Fatherland. It is the name that God Himself has always found extremely pleasing, and by which more than any other He has wanted to be addressed when we are asking for His help. It is the title that the magnificent King Solomon prized more highly than all his treasure, and which he preferred to the sovereignty over the universe. It is the title by which he felt himself more greatly honoured than other princes do when they are crowned with laurels. It is the title that was awarded to him as a trophy, so to speak, for the wisdom he displayed and for the forty years of sublime peace which he gave to his subjects. It is the title which made him beloved of his own more than all the other royal qualities with which he was so richly endowed. In short, it was the title which he judged most worthy to be acquired and preserved, sparing no care or labour, as I will explain with greater detail elsewhere1. Returning now to the one who has occasioned this discussion, it is one of the main titles which the Prophet Isaiah gave2 to the King and Messiah over 2400 years ago, calling him the Father of the world to come, a title to which he added Prince of peace like a fruit to its branch, like a branch to its trunk, and like a trunk to the root from which it springs. This title is linked in an inseparable manner to that of Redeemer of men – if indeed these are two separate titles and not rather two different ways of wording the same title. This is why I did not deem it appropriate to deal with them separately.

Footnotes

[1] Chap. 11.

[2] Isai. ix. 6.

 2   But what is it that I can sense and which fills me with fear, turning the blood in my veins to ice, filling my heart with dread and trembling? Why should I now be recalling an ancient ceremony of the Romans who had the same Goddess presiding on wedding days and at funerals, who had her providing black for mourning as well as the rich drapes for the wedding feast; holding in one hand bouquets of flowers for a day of rejoicing, and in the other hyssop and little cypress branches for the funeral; having on one side a violin to celebrate the wedding feast with music, and on the other a flute for mourning? Alas! I see the connection and I understand that my thought wants to tell me that this title of Father and Redeemer will cost the Prince of Glory dear and that the marriage which I have been discussing will be consummated only on Calvary and with great shedding of blood. What can this mean, dearest souls, when scarcely have we finished listening to the epithalamia and the hymns of joy, than it now becomes necessary to continue with epitaphs and lamentations? What can be happening! When already death makes its appearance, filling the nuptial chamber with blood, and when everywhere may be heard only sighs and weeping! Pray that your hearts may be strengthened so that you may to one side look upon the Spouse covered in His blood and borne to His death on His nuptial couch, or, more accurately, expiring on the nuptial couch itself; and to the other side look upon His sorrowful Spouse whose own soul a sword has pierced, near to dying through grief but nevertheless required by eternal considerations to deliver her Spouse and her Son to His death, to hold firm whilst He breathes His last. It is in truth a tragic transformation, but she was made his Spouse only on this condition and you will in fact see that it will issue in a favourable outcome.

 3   It had moreover been decreed that the Lord was to receive his title of Redeemer and Father of the world to come at the point of a sword. The Apostle St Paul who had access to the records of the heavenly parliament refers to the decree in his letter to the Hebrews[1], saying:  that it was expedient and reasonable that he through whom and for whom all things had been made, and who was through grace and glory to be the Father of many children, earning their salvation, should be subject to the rigorous laws of death. When in the Acts of the Apostles[2] there is a reference to the Saviour’s kingdom, it is referring to the Church, which He purchased with his own blood. Long before this, the Prophet Isaiah had mentioned this decree under the name of a pact or agreement between the Eternal Father and His Son; in fact he spoke so clearly about this that it looks as though he is referring to something already completed and proceeding towards its conclusion. After describing in some detail what was to happen on the day of Christ’s passion and of the complete victory of this great and victorious Prince, he went on to say[3]: If once he resolves to deliver his life to overcome sin, he will be rewarded with an infinite number of children and the will of God His Father will be fully accomplished in him. In return for the work of this conquest, He will be filled with joy and satisfaction; and forasmuch as of his own volition he will obtain justice for many, addressing their iniquity, I will grant unto him an unlimited posterity and he will see himself surrounded on all sides by the remains of his foes. This same Saviour also revealed this when he spoke mysteriously about the grain of wheat that had to fall into the ground and die so that it might bring forth much fruit, even a hundredfold[4]. This was in fact the culmination of nearly all the ancient prefigurations and promises of the Prophets.

Footnotes

[1] Hebrews ii.

[2] Acts. xx.

[3] Isai. liii.

[4] John xii. 24.

 4   Now, if God has prepared for His beloved Son a Spouse and a Mother who is holy in every respect, giving her to Him as a companion and helper in the work of our redemption, then reason would require that she would play her due part in this and to apply herself thereto with diligence. This is what we shall be considering in the remainder of this Chapter.

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The Virgin of Tenderness. >12th century.

SUB tuum præsidium confugimus, Sancta Dei Genitrix. Nostras deprecationes ne despicias in necessitatibus, sed a periculis cunctis libera nos semper, Virgo gloriosa et benedicta. Amen. 

 

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam.

© Peter Bloor 2025

Part II : The Crown of Power : Chapter 5 : § 6.2-4

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

She was the Spouse and the Companion of the Saviour

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

Notre Dame des Grâces, Cotignac.(Poggi, 2020)

§ 6. The honour and power received by the Holy Virgin through this divine union

 2   With regard to these critics, it seems to me that I would have the right to say (along with the Son of God) that we should leave them to their own devices, without troubling ourselves about their objections and criticisms. Their minds are twisted in such a way that they are no longer amenable to reason. We should pay no heed to them, for they are like so many frogs whose obsessions disturb the celebration and the peace in the Royal Chapel. If their fierce criticisms could be tamed by words alone, then I would present them with the comments of the great St Augustine found in the third book of his work On Christian Doctrine[1]. There he writes:

Granted that the Saviour is the head of the Church and Christians are the members, it is no wonder to find even in Sacred Scripture that the attributes of the head are attributed to the members.

This is an idea that several modern writers[2] have supported and developed. This being the case, there should be much less difficulty in accepting that the Holy Virgin enjoys the benefits and shares in the qualities of her Son since she has a greater right to do so than any other person. I would draw their attention to what Tertullian once wrote of old, writing against the heretic Hermogenes, that:

Heretics often show a misunderstanding of Christian simplicity; they seem unable to see that when things said about God which pertain to His essence, what is proper to Him or to qualities in which He excels, these may also be attributed to the Saints and especially to the foremost Saint among the Saints, by way of imitation and through participation alone.

I would share with them the touching words of the pious Prelate from Germany, Bishop Haymo of Halberstadt[3]:

The Prince of Heaven was united to the precious Blood of the glorious Virgin and He spent nine whole months dwelling within her; It is not to be wondered at that she should have received such a share in His great and excellent qualities, compared to what would have happened were this divine guest to have left her without paying very generously for His stay.

Footnotes

[1] Chap. 31.

[2] Canisius, lib. V de Deipara, c. 12 et 13.

[3] Serm. de Assumpt.

 3   Let us move on from these considerations because I want us to return to the one quality which we have been focussing on throughout this chapter, namely that of being the Saviour’s Spouse. Is it not the case that all laws, whether divine or human, raise Brides to a status proportionate to that of their Spouses, entitling them to the qualities, the titles and the honours which they enjoy? The ancient Roman custom was that, when the bride was entering her husband's house, she would say[1]:

Where thou art Caius, I shall be Caia.

This was as if to say that wheresoever and howsoever he might be Lord, she would be Lady and she would have a right to all the titles, honours and advantages that he possessed. Would you want to go against nature and begrudge the Holy Virgin alone this right which is not denied to any others? If her Spouse is King, then why shall we not call her Queen? If He is Sovereign, why will she not be Sovereign? If He is the Father of the world to come, what reason would there be for her not being the Mother? If He is our life, a sweetness and our hope, would it not be a sign of ill will to refuse these same honours to her whom He has so honoured? 

I personally would like to know if these critics are more zealous for the honour of God than the Holy Fathers, who had no difficulty in acknowledging her under the following titles: Ark of the Covenant, City of God, Throne of His Majesty, Flower of the field, Fount of life and immortality, Garden enclosed[2], Fruit of life, Pearl of the world, Propitiatory[3] of the universe, Sanctuary of the Divinity, Temple of the glory of God, Channel of Heavenly graces, Cause of our salvation, Ransom for captives, Refuge of Christians, Mediatrix for sinners, Healing for sin, Victress over death, Gate of life, Treasure of holiness, Root of all our benefits, Restorer of the ages, Glory of Angels, Honour of Patriarchs, Queen Regnant of the Apostles, Strength of Martyrs, Teacher of Doctors, Mirror of Confessors, Light of virgins, Torch of the Church, Sceptre of right belief, Joy of the Blessed, Our Lady on Earth and in Heaven – in short, the Holy Fathers adorned her with these and countless other titles denoting excellence and power which properly belonged to God alone and to wisdom Incarnate. In this, the Fathers were governed by the spirit of God and not led astray like the critics by negative or bitter considerations. The Fathers understood that the Lord whom they served takes a singular delight when we offer these honours to her whom He himself has so greatly honoured.

Footnotes

[1] Ubi tu Caius, ego Caia.

[2] Cant. iv. 12.

[3] Mercy seat.

 4   I accept that there are some things in God which are not communicable, such as His divinity and all which depends upon it in an inseparable manner. He does have ways of communicating this to His own, in a certain sense, but even when He is offering such gestures of His favour He does not allow them to be called Gods. With regard to those troubled spirits who are affected so easily and who are so quick to take offence, I am minded to spare them nothing but to present them with the evidence in its fullness, showing the wondrous privileges which have been communicated to the Holy Virgin in consequence of her glorious title: Spouse of the Saviour. Let the sinner pay heed to what we have to say, and let him tremble if he will; his irritation or anger will be to his own prejudice and no amount of iniquitous thoughts and feelings will affect the fact that the chaste Bride will ever rejoice in the rights and privileges of her Spouse – as I shall seek to demonstrate in what remains in following pages of this Part.

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The Virgin of Tenderness. >12th century.

SUB tuum præsidium confugimus, Sancta Dei Genitrix. Nostras deprecationes ne despicias in necessitatibus, sed a periculis cunctis libera nos semper, Virgo gloriosa et benedicta. Amen. 

 

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam.

© Peter Bloor 2025

Part II : The Crown of Power : Chapter 5 : § 5.10-11 > § 6.1

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

She was the Spouse and the Companion of the Saviour

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

Notre Dame des Grâces, Cotignac.(Poggi, 2020)

§ 5. The Nuptial Rite and its Ceremonies 

 10   The chaste Bride herself does not hold back and, making use of her five senses, she does all that she can to show the peerless qualities of her beloved Spouse. Here is what she has to say:

My beloved is white and vermilion, in His divinity and His humanity. He is so handsome that the incomparable grace radiating from His countenance is sufficient to identify Him amongst millions of those reckoned to be the finest of men. His head, representing nothing less than His divinity, is more resplendent than pure gold touched by the clear rays of the Sun. The curly locks of His black hair represent the incomprehensible thoughts and designs of His most profound wisdom, and take nothing away from the palm tree’s blossoms which can be seen emerging from their stems. The innocence of His soul may be read in His eyes, as in a mirror, and you would think you were looking at beautiful doves whiter than milk and snow hovering playfully near running waters. I know of no better way to describe His kind heart, His affable nature, the gracious welcome he extends to everyone, and the gentle quality of His features, than to say they are like two beautiful garden plots, sown with all sorts of flowers and fragrant plants. His speech is so delightful that, in hearing the words pouring from His sacred lips, you would be put in mind of the first myrrh exuding by itself in abundance from the trunk. His hands are a figure for His actions and they are so finely worked and accomplished that you would swear they had been produced on a wheel or lathe; they are so divine that, to represent their value, He wears on each of His fingers beautiful hyacinths set in gold mountings. His sacred humanity may be seen in His chest, and it is purer, more dazzling and more pleasing to the eye than white ivory studded with sapphires, by reason of the wondrous actions of His virtue and the marvels He produces with them to the utter astonishment of the universe. His lower limbs represent His irresistible power and His courage, overcoming every sort of difficulty, and accompanied by a holy perseverance, being like two beautiful columns of white marble set on bases of solid gold. If you have ever seen Mt Lebanon covered with all sorts of beautiful trees, you will have an idea of His stature compared with that of His elect, for amongst the trees you cannot fail to notice the cedar as King amongst the other trees, distinguished for all its fine qualities: in this you have an image of my Beloved, for if the tree is the glory of Lebanon, He is rather the honour of the children of men. I have plenty of other wonderful things I could say about Him, but even these few that I have mentioned should be enough to show you how He stands out amongst all other men. Such then, O daughters of Jerusalem, is the beloved of my heart.

 11   To the sound of such harmonies as these, we now arrive joyfully at the place where the wedding feast and the other guests are awaiting us. I crave your patience, Dear Reader, for I promise to give you details in the next chapter concerning the consummation of this marriage and all that you would wish to know about the fruits of this divine union.

Footnotes

[1] See Cant., especially Chap. iv.

§ 6. The honour and power received by the Holy Virgin through this divine union

 1   On the one hand, everywhere echoes with the hymns of joy and happiness, Heaven and earth are of one accord in proclaiming the great qualities of the Spouse and His Bride, and both the Church Triumphant and the Church Militant celebrate with full solemnity this wedding feast which had been so much desired; on the other hand, however, the heretic remains full of envy and prejudice. He sees only difficulties and, like the elder brother of the prodigal son, he refuses to enter into the house and to participate in the public rejoicing. He explodes with anger when he hears the praises and applause received by the Mother of God from all sides. He makes use of his usual tricks in argument and, whilst trumpeting his zeal for the honour of God, he hides beneath his torn robes like the high priest who rent his garments[1]. He declares that he cannot accept these superstitious words and blasphemies, as he calls them, which elevate the Holy Virgin so high that all that is wanting to her seems to be the Divinity itself. He cannot bear to hear her called Mother of mercy, our life, our sweetness and our hope; nor can he abide other similar names to these which love for our Holy Mother inspired Holy Church to authorise for use by her devoted servants. He goes beyond this to summon the definitive decrees published by the Catholic Church before the tribunal of his personal judgement, proclaiming as loudly as he can that these titles are concocted novelties which prejudice the honour and glory that we owe to God alone. Going further still, he forms leagues, he rages and finally he separates himself from the House of God which St Paul calls the pillar and ground of truth[2].

Footnotes

[1] Matt. xxvi. 65.

[2] 1 Timothy iii. 15.

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The Virgin of Tenderness. >12th century.

SUB tuum præsidium confugimus, Sancta Dei Genitrix. Nostras deprecationes ne despicias in necessitatibus, sed a periculis cunctis libera nos semper, Virgo gloriosa et benedicta. Amen. 

 

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam.

© Peter Bloor 2025