Saturday, 28 November 2020

From First Vespers In Advent (Today) To Second Vespers Of 2 February (Feast Of The Purification Of Our Blessed Lady), The Marian Anthem Is "Alma Redemptoris Mater".



"Love's Pure Light".
The Blessed Virgin Mary and Baby Jesus.
Artist: Kathy Lawrence.
Illustration: PINTEREST


"Alma Redemptoris Mater".
For Six Voices.
Composed by Diego Ortiz.
Sung by: Cantar Lontano.
Director: Marco Mencoboni.
Available on YouTube at


ALMA REDEMPTORIS MATER

Alma Redemptoris Mater,
quæ pervia cæli Porta manes,
et stella maris, succurre cadenti,
Surgere qui curat, populo:
tu quæ genuisti,
Natura mirante,
tuum sanctum Genitorem,
Virgo prius ac posterius,
Gabrielis ab ore,
Sumens illud Ave,
peccatorum miserere.


Mother of Christ ! Hear thou thy people's cry,
Star of the Deep, and Portal of the Sky !
Mother of Him Who thee from nothing made,
Sinking we strive and call to thee for aid;
Oh, by that joy which Gabriel brought to thee,
Thou Virgin first and last, let us thy mercy see.



"Alma Redemptoris Mater"
(Simple Tone).
Available on YouTube at

The following Text is from Wikipedia - the free encyclopaedia.

Alma Redemptoris Mater (English: Loving Mother of Our Saviour) is a Marian Hymn, written in Latin hexameter, and one of four Seasonal Liturgical Marian Antiphons sung at the end of The Office of Compline (the other three Antiphons being Ave Regina Cælorum, Regina Cœli and Salve Regina).


"Alma Redemptoris Mater".
Composer: Tomás Luis de Victoria
(Ávila, Spain, 1548 - Madrid, Spain, 1611).
Sung by:
Ensemble Plus Ultra.
Director: Michael Noone.
Available on YouTube at

Hermannus Contractus (also called Herman the Cripple, 1013–1054) is said to have composed the Hymn, based on the writings of Saints Fulgentius, Epiphanius, and Irenaeus of Lyon.

The Alma Redemptoris Mater is mentioned in The Prioress's Tale, one of Geoffrey Chaucer's Canterbury Tales.

It is sung at The Divine Office of Compline, from First Vespers of Advent, until Second Vespers of The Feast of the Purification of The Blessed Virgin Mary (2 February).


"Alma Redemptoris Mater".
For Four Voices.
Composer: Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina
(1525 – 1594).
Sung by:
The Choir of Merton College, Oxford.
Available on YouTube at

2 comments:

  1. Another beautiful fact about which you have illuminated us: That the Alma Redemptoris Mater is mentioned in Chaucer’s ‘The Prioress’ Tale.’

    Thank you!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank You, Dante Peregrinus. Delighted that you liked this particular Post. In Domino.

      Delete