Thursday, 23 May 2013

The Blessed Virgin Mary (Part Eight).


Text and Illustrations from Wikipedia - the free encyclopaedia,
unless otherwise stated.




English: Mass IX (Missa Cum Jubilo), used on Feasts of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Italiano: Missa CUM JUBILO, Canto Gregoriano "In solemnitatibus et Festis Beatae Mariae V.", a pagina 741 del libro Graduale romano, Gian Nicola Vessia : Organo, direttore Giovanni Vianini, Schola Gregoriana Mediolanensis, Milano, Italia, www.cantogregoriano.it
Available on YouTube at


In the Middle Ages, Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, a Doctor of the Church, was a fervent supporter of Mary. He highlighted her Virginity and Humility as the basis for her veneration. A particularly significant contribution to Mariology came from John Duns Scotus, who, in the 13th-Century, defended the Doctrine of the Immaculate Conception. Scotus identified the key theological foundations, which led to the declaration of the Dogma of Immaculate Conception, centuries later.

In the 16th-Century, Saint Ignatius of Loyola promulgated an ardent love to the Virgin Mary. Ignatius admired images of the Virgin Mary and, before his death, instructed the Jesuits to preserve Madonna della Strada, which was later enshrined in the Church of the Gesu, in Rome. Filippo Neri, a contemporary of Ignatius, called Mary "Mother and Advocate" and is credited with the innovation of daily Marian devotions during the month of May. Saint Peter Canisius is credited with adding the Hail Mary to his Catechism of 1555.

In the 18th-Century, Saint Alphonsus Liguori wrote the classic book,"The Glories of Mary", in which he called Mary the "Gate of Heaven". Saint Louis de Montfort's book, "True Devotion to Mary", synthesised many of the earlier Saints' writings and teachings on Mary. His approach of "total consecration to Jesus Christ, through Mary" had a strong impact on Marian devotion, both in popular piety and in the spirituality of religious institutes. One of his well-known followers was Pope John Paul II, who said that reading Montfort's book was a "decisive turning point" in his life.

Mary in Roman Catholic Liturgy.

The Roman Catholic Liturgy is one of the most important elements of Marian Devotions. Marian Feasts are superior to the Feast Days of the Saints. The Liturgical texts, of the Marian Feast Days, all link Mary to Jesus Christ and keep Marian awareness awake within the Church.


File:Azzano processione santo rosario.jpg


English: Azzano San Paolo, Bergamo, Lombardy, Italy. 
Procession on the Feast of the Holy Rosary.
Italiano: Azzano San Paolo, Bergamo - 
processione per la festa del santo rosario.
Photo: 23 September 2007.
Source: Own work.
Author: Luigi Chiesa.
(Wikimedia Commons)


Catholic Marian Feast Days.

The earliest Christian Feasts, that relate to Mary, grew out of the Cycle of Feasts that celebrated the Nativity of Jesus. By the 7th-Century, a Feast dedicated to Mary was celebrated, just before Christmas, in the Churches of Milan and Ravenna, in Italy. Over time, the number of Feasts (and the associated Titles of Mary) and the venerative practices that accompany them, increased and, today, Roman Catholics have more Marian Feasts, Titles and venerative practices than any other Christians. Marian Feasts have continued to be developed in the Catholic Church, e.g., the Feast of the Queenship of Mary was declared in 1954, in the Papal Encyclical, "Ad Caeli Reginam", by Pope Pius XII.

Some Marian Feasts relate to specific events, e.g., the Feast of Our Lady of Victory (later renamed Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary) was based on the 1571 victory of the Papal States against the Muslims in the Battle of Lepanto. It is now celebrated on 7 October. The month of October was then established as the "month of the Rosary" by Pope Leo XIII, who recommended daily Rosary devotions in October.

During the month of May, May Devotions to the Blessed Virgin Mary take place in many Catholic regions. These include the singing of Marian Anthems, Readings from Scripture, a Sermon, and or presentations by local Choirs. The month is also associated with Reflection on the Virgin Mary's role as the ideal Disciple,  who sheds light on the Christian way of Life, and theologian Karl Rahner stated: "When we are involved in our May Devotions, we are engaged in a Christian understanding of the human situation."


File:Virgen Andacollo.jpg


English: A Feast of Our Lady of Andacollo Procession, in Chile, 1838.
Español: Fiesta en Honor a la Virgen del Rosario de Andacollo (Chile) 1838.
Author: GAY. Claude. Album D'Un Voyage dans 
la Republique du Chili par Claude Gay.
(Wikimedia Commons)


The Roman Catholic Church celebrates three Marian Solemnities, which are also Holy Days of Obligation, in many countries during the Liturgical Year (in Liturgical order):

8 December Feast of the Immaculate Conception;
1 January Mary, Mother of God (in the new Ordinary Rite. The Extraordinary Rite (Usus Antiquior) has the Feast of the Circumcision of Our Lord, in addition to being within the Octave of the Nativity.)
15 August The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Among the other prominent Marian Feast Days and "Memorials" in the General Roman Calendar (Ordinary Rite) of the Catholic Church are:

12 December Our Lady of Guadalupe;
11 February Our Lady of Lourdes;
13 May Our Lady of Fátima;
31 May Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary;
Immaculate Heart of Mary (Saturday after the Sacred Heart of Jesus);
22 August Queenship of Mary;
8 September Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary.




The Chant of The Templars (Salve Regina).
Available on YouTube at


Titles of The Blessed Virgin Mary.

A large number of Titles, to honour Mary or ask for her intercession, are used by Roman Catholics. While Mater Dei (i.e., "Mother of God", as confirmed by the First Council of Ephesus, 431 A.D.) is common in Latin, a large number of other Titles have been used by Roman Catholics  –  far more than any other Christians.

Titles used to refer to the Virgin Mary, throughout history, at times reflect the changing attitudes towards her. Domina (Lady), Regina (Queen) and Stella Maris (Star of the Sea) are some of the early Titles of Mary, of which Regina is the earliest. Domina and Stella Maris are found in Jerome, who perhaps originated the etymology of Mary as Stella Maris in the 5th-Century.

While the early emphasis in Stella Maris was on Mary as the Star that bore Christ, by the 9th-Century the attention had focused on Mary, herself, as indicated in the Hymn, Ave Maris Stella. By the 11th-Century, Mary, herself, had emerged as the Star that acted as a Guiding Light. 

By the 13th-Century, as Mariology was growing, Saint Anthony of Padua had composed "Mary Our Queen".  Titles continue to be interpreted, e.g., Queen of Heaven was further elaborated in 1954, in the Papal Encyclical, Ad Caeli Reginam, by Pope Pius XII.




Pope Francis and Marian Devotion.
Available on YouTube at


Among the most prominent Roman Catholic Marian Titles, are:


Marian Music.

One of the earliest Marian compositions is the popular Salve Regina, in Latin, from a Benedictine Monk, which exists in several Gregorian versions. The Liturgy of the Hours include several Offices to be sung. At the close of the Office, one of four Marian Antiphons is sung. These songs, Alma Redemptoris Mater, Ave Regina Caelorum, Regina Caeli, and Salve Regina, have been described as "among the most beautiful creations of the Late Middle Ages."


PART NINE FOLLOWS.


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