Notre Dame de Rouen. The façade of the Gothic Church in France. Photographer: Hippo1947. Licence: SHUTTERSTOCK.

Sunday, 24 December 2017

"My Soul Doth Magnify The Lord".


This Article was taken (in December 2012) from ENLARGING THE HEART



Madonna Adoring The Child 
with Five Angels.
Artist: Sandro Botticelli.
Date: 1485 - 1490.
Source: [1]
Author: w:Botticelli
(Wikimedia Commons)


And Mary Said:
"Behold The Handmaid Of The Lord"
(Luke 1:38) . . .

If a handmaid is she, who, with intent and with complete attention, beholds her Lord, then, again, The Most-Holy Virgin is the first among The Handmaids of The Lord.

[. . .] She did not care to please the World, but only God; nor did she care to justify herself before the World, but only before God. She herself is obedience; she herself is service; she herself is meekness.

The Most-Holy Virgin could in truth say to the Angel of God: "Behold the handmaid of The Lord".

The greatest perfection, and the greatest honour that a woman can attain on Earth, is to be a handmaid of The Lord. Eve lost this perfection and honour in Paradise without effort, and The Virgin Mary achieved this perfection and this honour outside Paradise with her efforts.


"My Soul Doth Magnify The Lord"
(Luke 1:46).

Brethren, we have in total only a few words spoken by The Most-Holy Theotokos recorded in the Gospels.

All of her words pertain to The Magnification of God. She was silent before men, but her Soul conversed unceasingly with God. Every day and every hour, she found a new reason and incentive to Magnify God.

If only we were able to know and to record all her Magnifications of God throughout her whole life, oh, how many books would it take !

But, even by this one Magnification, which she spoke before her kinswoman, Elizabeth, the mother of the great Prophet and Forerunner, John, every Christian can evaluate what a fragrant and God-Pleasing Flower was her Most Holy Soul.


This is but one wonderful Canticle of The Soul of The Theotokos, which has come down to us through the Gospel. However, such Canticles were without number in the course of the life of The Most-Blessed One.

Even before she heard the Gospel from the lips of her Son, she knew how to speak with God and to glorify Him in accordance with the teaching of the Gospel.

This knowledge came to her from The Holy Spirit of God, whose Grace constantly poured into her, like clear water into a pure vessel.

Her Soul Magnified God with Canticles throughout her whole life, and therefore God Magnified her above The Cherubim and The Seraphim.

Likewise, small and sinful as we are, the same Lord will Magnify, in His Kingdom, us, who Magnify her, if we exert ourselves to fill this brief life with the Magnification of God in our deeds, words, thoughts, and Prayers.

O Most-Holy, Most-Pure and Most-Blessed Theotokos, cover us with The Wings of Thy Prayers.


Nikolai Velimirovich (1880-1956; Orthodox Church):

"My Favourite Time Of Year". The Florin Street Band.




"My Favourite Time Of Year".
The Florin Street Band.
Available on YouTube at

It's Nearly Christmas Day !!!




Illustration: PINTEREST

Saturday, 23 December 2017

Christmas At Silverstream Priory, County Meath, Ireland.



Illustration: VULTUS CHRISTI

Silverstream Priory Logo

Christmas Eve High Mass. Saint Mary Moorfields, Eldon Street, London EC2.



Illustration: LATIN MASS SOCIETY

HIGH MASS FOR CHRISTMAS EVE
The Latin Mass Society is delighted
to announce there will be High Mass at
Saint Mary Moorfield's Church, London
(by kind invitation of Fr Christopher Vipers,
Parish Priest) at 6 p.m., Christmas Eve.

Celebrant: Fr Stewart Foster.
Deacon: Fr Patrick Hayward.
Sub-Deacon: Fr Michael Cullinan.

Music:
By Cantus Magnus.
Director: Matthew Schellhorn.
Messe à deux voix égales, Gounod.
O Salutaris Hostia, Gounod.

Kindly note: Although this Mass will be Celebrated
on a Sunday, it fulfils the obligation for Christmas,
but not that for Advent IV.

Details of other Christmas Masses around the Country can be found HERE.

The Seventh Great O Antiphon. 23 December.


Text from "The Liturgical Year",
   by Abbot Guéranger, O.S.B.


"The Annunciation".
Artist: Francesco Albani (1578–1660).
Date: First half of the 17th-Century.
Source/Photographer: Web Gallery of Art.
Current location: Hermitage Museum, Saint Petersburg, Russia.
Author: Francesco Albani (1578–1660).
(Wikimedia Commons)



The Church sings this Antiphon
in today's Office of Lauds:

Ecce completa sunt omnia quae dicta
sunt per angelum, de Virgine Maria.

Lo !, all things are accomplished
that were said by the Angel, of The Virgin Mary.



SEVENTH GREAT O ANTIPHON

O Emmanuel,
Rex et legifer noster,
exspectatio Gentium,
et Salvator earum:
veni ad salvandum nos,
Domine Deus noster.

O Emmanuel,
Our King and Lawgiver,
The Expected of the Nations
and their Saviour,
come to save us,
O Lord our God.



O Emmanuel !, King of Peace !, Thou enterest today the City of Thy predilection, the City in which Thou hast placed Thy temple - Jerusalem.


A few years hence, the same City will give Thee Thy Cross and Thy Sepulchre: Nay, the day will come on which Thou wilt set up Thy Judgement-Seat within sight of her walls. But, today, Thou enterest the City of David and Solomon unnoticed and unknown.

It lies on Thy road to Bethlehem [Editor: In Hebrew, Bethlehem means "House of Bread"]. The Blessed Mother and Joseph, her spouse, would not lose the opportunity of visiting the temple, there to offer to The Lord their Prayers and Adoration.




They enter; and then, for the first time, is accomplished the Prophecy of Aggeus, that great shall be the glory of this last house more than of the first; for this second temple has now standing within it an Ark of The Covenant more precious than was that which Moses built; and within this Ark, which is Mary, is contained the God whose presence makes her the holiest of Sanctuaries.


The Lawgiver, Himself, is in this Blessed Ark, and not merely, as in that of old, the tablet of stone on which The Law was graven. The visit paid, our living Ark descends the steps of the temple, and sets out once more for Bethlehem, where other Prophecies are to be fulfilled.

We Adore Thee, O Emmanuel !, in this Thy journey, and we reverence the fidelity wherewith Thou fulfillest all that the Prophets have written of Thee; for Thou wouldst give to Thy people the certainty of Thy being The Messias, by showing them that all the marks, whereby He was to be known, are to be found in Thee.

And now; the hour is near; all is ready for Thy birth; come, then, and save us; come, that Thou mayst not only be called our Emmanuel, but our Jesus, that is, He that saves us.



THE GREAT ANTIPHON TO JERUSALEM

O Hierusalem !,
civitas Dei sumi,
leva in circuitu oculos tuos;
et vide Dominum tuum,
quia jam veniet solvere
te a vinculis.

O Jerusalem !,
City of The Great God:
Lift up thine eyes round about,
and see thy Lord,
for He is coming to loose
thee from thy chains.

Lo ! All Things Are Accomplished That Were Said By The Angel Of The Virgin Mary. Antiphon At Lauds.



Text is from "The Liturgical Year",
   by Dom Guéranger, O.S.B.
   Volume 1;
   Advent.
   23 December.

O Emmanuel ! King of Peace ! Thou enterest today The City of Thy predilection, the City in which Thou hast placed Thy Temple - Jerusalem. A few years hence, the same City will give Thee Thy Cross and Thy Sepulchre; nay, the day will come on which Thou wilt set up Thy Judgement-Seat within sight of her walls.

But today Thou enterest The City of David and Solomon unnoticed and unknown. It lies on Thy road to Bethlehem. Thy Blessed Mother and Joseph, her spouse, would not lose the opportunity of visiting the Temple, there to offer to The Lord their Prayers and Adoration.


They enter; and then, for the first time, is accomplished the Prophecy of Aggeus, that great shall be the glory of this last House more than of the first; for this second Temple has now, standing within it, an Ark of The Covenant more precious than was that which Moses built; and within this Ark, which is Mary, is contained the God Whose presence makes her The Holiest of Sanctuaries.

The Lawgiver, Himself, is in this Blessed Ark, and not merely, as in that of Old, the Tablet of Stone on which The Law was graven. The visit paid, our Living Ark descends the steps of the Temple, and sets out once more for Bethlehem, where other Prophecies are to be fulfilled.



We adore Thee, O Emmanuel ! in this Thy journey, and we reverence the fidelity wherewith Thou fulfillest all that the Prophets have written of Thee; for Thou wouldst give to Thy people the certainty of Thy being the Messias, by showing them that all the marks, whereby He was to be known, are to be found in Thee.

And, now, the hour is near; all is ready for Thy Birth; come, then, and save us; come, that Thou mayst not only be called our Emmanuel, but Our Jesus, that is, He that saves us.

Ero cras !

"Tomorrow, I Will Be !"

The Great O Antiphons. 23 December.


Text from The Saint Andrew Daily Missal,
unless otherwise stated.




"The Adoration of The Shepherds".
Artist: Gerard van Honthorst (1590–1656).
Date: 25 December 1622.
Current location: Wallraf-Richartz-Museum, Cologne, Germany.
Source/Photographer: The Yorck Project: 10.000 Meisterwerke der Malerei.
DVD-ROM, 2002. ISBN 3936122202. Distributed by DIRECTMEDIA Publishing GmbH.
Permission: http://mail.wikipedia.org/pipermail/wikide-l/2005-April/012195.html.
(Wikimedia Commons)






"O Emmanuel".
The Great O Antiphon
for 23 December.
Available on YouTube at
YOU TUBE


23 December: Isaias vii. 14, xxxiii. 22.

O Emmanuel,
Rex et legifer noster,
exspectatio Gentium,
et Salvator earum:
veni ad salvandum nos,
Domine Deus noster.

O Emmanuel,
our King and Lawgiver,
The Expected of the Nations
and their Saviour,
come to save us,
O Lord our God.

Versicle. Rorate.

"Rorate caeli desuper, et nubes pluant justium . . ."

"Ye Heavens, drop down from above,
and let the clouds rain down The Just One."



"Rorate Caeli".
Available on YouTube at


This is one of my favourite Hymns of The Catholic Faith. Taken from Isaiah and other sources,
it is a reverent and humble supplication to the mercy of God. A Hymn of Repentance and Sorrow.
On top of that, this is one of my favourite renditions. The French accents are very noticeable,
and the quality is poor, but it is very old and priceless. The lyrics and translation follow:


Roráte caéli désuper, et núbes plúant jústum.

Peccávimus, et fácti súmus tamquam immúndus nos,
et cecídimus quasi fólium univérsi:
et iniquitátes nóstræ quasi véntus abstulérunt nos:
abscondísti faciem túam a nóbis,
et allisísti nos in mánu iniquitátis nóstræ.

Víde Dómine afflictiónem pópuli túi,
et mítte quem missúrus es:
emítte Agnum dominatórem térræ,
de Pétra desérti ad móntem fíliæ Síon:
ut áuferat ípse júgum captivitátis nóstræ.

Consolámini, consolámini, pópule méus:
cito véniet sálus túa:
quare mæróre consúmeris,
quia innovávit te dólor?
Salvábo te, nóli timére,
égo enim sum Dóminus Déus túus,
Sánctus Israël, Redémptor túus.



Drop down ye Heavens, from above,
and let the skies pour down righteousness:

We have sinned, and are as an unclean thing,
and we all do fade as a leaf:
and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away;
Thou hast hid Thy face from us:
and hast consumed us, because of our iniquities.

Behold, O Lord, the affliction of Thy people
and send forth Him Who is to come
send forth The Lamb, The Ruler of the Earth,
from Petra of the desert to the mount of the daughter of Sion
that He may take away the yoke of our captivity.



Ye are my witnesses, saith The Lord,
and My servant whom I have chosen;
that ye may know Me and believe Me:
I, even I, am The Lord, and beside Me there is no Saviour: 
and there is none that can deliver out of My hand.

Comfort ye, comfort ye, My people,
My Salvation shall not tarry:
why wilt thou waste away in sadness ?
why hath sorrow seized thee ?
Fear not, for I will save thee:
for I am The Lord thy God
The Holy One of Israel, thy Redeemer.

Friday, 22 December 2017

Zephyrinus Has Been Invited To Spend Christmas With Friends In Scotland. He's Travelling On The Caledonian Railway.



Illustration: PINTEREST

Zephyrinus's New Fridge Has Arrived !!! Perkins (Chauffeur) And Jeeves (Butler) Are Threatening To Leave.



Illustration: PINTEREST

The Great O Antiphons. 22 December.


Text from The Saint Andrew Daily Missal,
unless otherwise stated.




English: Adoration of the Shepherds (Detail).
Deutsch: Anbetung der Hirten, Detail.
Artist: Guido Reni (1575–1642).
Date: 1630 - 1642.
Current location: Certosa di San Martino, Naples, Italy.
(Wikimedia Commons)




"O Rex Gentium".
The Great O Antiphon 
for 22 December.
Available on YouTube at


22 December: Aggeus ii. 8; Ephesians ii. 14, 20.

O Rex Gentium,
et desideratus earum,
lapisque angularis,
qui facis utraque unum:
veni, et salva hominem,
quem de limo formasti.

O King of the Gentiles,
and The Desired of them,
Thou cornerstone that makest both one,
come and deliver man,
whom Thou didst form out of
the dust of the Earth.

Versicle. Rorate.

"Rorate caeli desuper, et nubes pluant justium . . ."

"Ye Heavens, drop down from above,
and let the clouds rain down The Just One."




" Rorate Caeli ".
Available on YouTube at

Thursday, 21 December 2017

Zephyrinus Just Cannot Wait To See This Stunning Show.



Illustration: THE DOMINION THEATRE

The Great O Antiphons. 21 December.


Text from The Saint Andrew Daily Missal,
unless otherwise stated.




English: Madonna and Child with two Angels.
Deutsch: Madonna und zwei Engel.
Italiano: Madonna con due angeli.
Date: 1468 - 1469.
Source/Photographer: The Yorck Project: 10.000 Meisterwerke der Malerei.
DVD-ROM, 2002. ISBN 3936122202.
Distributed by DIRECTMEDIA Publishing GmbH.
Permission: [1]
(Wikimedia Commons)




"O Oriens".
The Great O Antiphon for 21 December.
Available on YouTube at


21 December: Psalm cvi. 10.

O Oriens,
splendor lucis aeternae,
et sol justitiae;
veni et illumina sedentes in tenebris,
et umbra mortis.

O Dawn of The East,
brightness of The Light Eternal,
and Sun of Justice;
come and enlighten them that sit in darkness,
and in the shadow of death.

Versicle. Rorate.

"Rorate caeli desuper, et nubes pluant justium . . ."

"Ye Heavens, drop down from above,
and let the clouds rain down The Just One."



" Rorate Caeli ".
Available on YouTube at

Wednesday, 20 December 2017

Silencium. "Silent Witness".



"Silent Witness".
Silencium.
Available on YouTube at

The Great O Antiphons. 20 December.


Text from The Saint Andrew Daily Missal,
unless otherwise stated.




English: Workshop of The Della Robbia (Early-16th-Century)
Madonna with Child, The Holy Spirit and two Cherubims, enamelled terracotta.
Français: Atelier des Della Robbia (début du XVIe siècle.
Vierge à l'Enfant avec le Saint Esprit et deux chérubins, terre cuite émaillée.
Current location: Louvre Museum, Paris, France.
Accession Number: Campana 32.
Source/Photographer: Jastrow (2006).
(Wikimedia Commons)




"O Clavis, David".
The Great O Antiphon 
for 20 December.
Gregorian Chant notation from The Liber Usualis (1961), p. 341.
Latin lyrics sung by The Cantarte Regensburg.
Available on YouTube at


20 December: Isaias xxii. 22;
Apocalypse iii. 7; Luke i. 79.

O Clavis, David,
et sceptrum domus Israel;
qui aperis, et nemo claudit,
claudis, et nemo aperit:
veni, et educ vinctum de domo carceris,
sedentem in tenebris, et umbra mortis.

O Key of David,
and Sceptre of The House of Israel,
Who openest and no man shutteth,
Who shuttest and no man openeth;
come and bring forth from his prison-house,
the captive that sitteth in darkness and
in the shadow of death.

Versicle. Rorate.

"Rorate caeli desuper, et nubes pluant justium . . ."

"Ye Heavens, drop down from above,
and let the clouds rain down The Just One."

Tuesday, 19 December 2017

United States Navy At Night.



ATLANTIC OCEAN (13 December 2017). The Aircraft Carrier USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) 
transits the Atlantic Ocean at night. Ford is underway conducting test and evaluation operations. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Joshua D. Sheppard/Released)
Illustration: NAVY NEWS SERVICE

The Great O Antiphons. 19 December.


Text and Illustrations taken from The Saint Andrew Daily Missal,
unless otherwise stated.




"Madonna and Child",
Brügge Cathedral,
"Onze-Lieve-Vrouwkerk", Belgium.
Photo: 7 February 2005.
Author: Elke Wetzig (elya).
(Wikimedia Commons)




"O Radix Jesse".
The Great O Antiphon
for 19 December.
Available on YouTube at



19 December: Isaias xi. 10.


O Radix Jesse,
qui stas in signum populorum,
super quem continebunt reges os suum,
quem Gentes deprecabuntur:
veni ad liberandum nos,
jam noli tardare.

O Root of Jesse,
Who standest for an ensign of the people,
before Whom Kings shall keep silence,
and unto Whom the Gentiles shall make their supplication:
come to deliver us, and tarry not.

Versicle. Rorate.

"Rorate caeli desuper, et nubes pluant justium . . ."

"Ye Heavens, drop down from above,
and let the clouds rain down The Just One."

Monday, 18 December 2017

"Christmas Is Coming, The Goose Is Getting Fat". Have You Finished Your Baking ? Are All The Cards Signed And Posted ? Which Mass Are You Going To Attend To Adore God ?



Illustration: PINTEREST


"Christmas Shopping".
Author: Frank Dadd.
Permission: Free for non-commercial use. See below. Click here to report copyright issues.
This image (or other media file) is in the public domain because its copyright has expired.
However - you may not use this image for commercial purposes and you may not alter the image
or remove the WikiGallery watermark.
This applies to the United States, Canada, the European Union and those countries
with a copyright term of life of the author plus 70 years.
(Wikigallery.org)


"Christmas is coming,
the Goose is getting fat . . ."
Sung by: John Denver and The Muppets.
Available on YouTube at


Artist: Muriel Dawson
(1897-1974).
Illustration: PINTEREST


Illustration: PINTEREST


"My Favourite Time of Year".
The Florin Street Band.
Available on YouTube at


Postmen of The British Empire.
English Postman. 1904.
Postcard from the private collection of Jennifer Drury.
Illustration: PINTEREST


Illustration: PINTEREST


Illustration: PINTEREST


Found on flickr.com
Illustration: PINTEREST



Traditional Christmas Carols.
Available on YouTube at

The Expectation Of The Blessed Virgin Mary. The Feast Of Our Lady Of O.


Text is from "The Liturgical Year"
   by Abbot Guéranger, O.S.B.

   Volume 1.


   Advent.




"The Annunciation".
Artist: Francesco Albani (1578–1660).
Date: First half of the 17th-Century.
Source/Photographer: Web Gallery of Art.
Current location: Hermitage Museum, Saint Petersburg, Russia.
Author: Francesco Albani (1578–1660).
(Wikimedia Commons)


This Feast, which is now kept not only throughout the whole of Spain but in many other parts of The Catholic World, owes its origin to the Bishops of The Tenth Council of Toledo, in 656 A.D.

These Prelates thought that there was an incongruity in the ancient practice of Celebrating The Feast of The Annunciation on 25 March, inasmuch as this joyful Solemnity frequently occurs at the time when The Church is intent upon The Passion of Our Lord, so that it is sometimes obliged to be Transferred into Easter Time, with which it is out of harmony for another reason; they therefore decreed that, henceforth, in The Church of Spain, there should be kept, eight days before Christmas, a Solemn Feast with an Octave, in honour of The Annunciation, and as a preparation for the great Solemnity of Our Lord's Nativity.

In course of time, however, The Church of Spain saw the necessity of returning to the practice of The Church of Rome, and of those of the whole World, which Solemnise the 25 March as the day of Our Lady's Annunciation and The Incarnation of The Son of God.



But such had been, for ages, the Devotion of the people for The Feast of 18 December, that it was considered requisite to maintain some vestige of it. They discontinued, therefore, to Celebrate The Annunciation on this day; but The Faithful were requested to consider, with Devotion, what must have been the sentiments of The Holy Mother of God during the days immediately preceding her giving Him birth. A new Feast was instituted, under the name of "The Expectation of The Blessed Virgin's Delivery".

This Feast, which sometimes goes under the name of "Our Lady of O", or, "The Feast of O", on account of The Great Antiphons which are sung during these days, and, in a special manner, of that which begins "O Virgo Virginum" (which is still used in The Vespers of The Expectation, together with the "O Adonai", the Antiphon of The Advent Office), is kept with great Devotion in Spain.

A High Mass is sung at a very early hour each morning during The Octave, at which all who are with child, whether rich or poor, consider it a duty to Assist, that they may thus honour Our Lady's Maternity, and beg her Blessing upon themselves. It is not to be wondered at that The Holy See has approved of this pious practice being introduced into almost every other Country (Editor: Note that Abbot Guéranger was writing circa 1870).



We find that The Church of Milan, long before Rome conceded this Feast to the various Dioceses of Christendom, Celebrated The Office of Our Lady's Annunciation on The Sixth and Last Sunday of Advent, and called the whole Week following the "Hebdomada de Exceptato" (for thus the popular expression had corrupted the word "Expectato").

But these details belong strictly to the archaeology of Liturgy, and enter not into the plan of our present work; let us, then, return to The Feast of Our Lady's Expectation, which The Church has established and sanctioned as a new means of exciting the attention of The Faithful during these last days of Advent.

Most Just, indeed, it is, O Holy Mother of God, that we should unite in that ardent desire thou hadst to see Him, Who had been concealed for nine months in thy chaste womb; to know the features of this Son of The Heavenly Father, Who is also thine; to come to that blissful hour of His Birth, which will give Glory to God in The Highest, and, on Earth, peace to men of good-will.

Yes, dear Mother, the time is fast approaching, though not fast enough to satisfy thy desires and ours. Make us re-double our attention to the great Mystery; complete our preparation by thy powerful Prayers for us, that, when the Solemn Hour has come, Our Jesus may find no obstacle to His entrance into our hearts.



THE GREAT ANTIPHON TO OUR LADY.

O Virgo Virginum,
quomodo fiet istud ?
quia nec primam similem visa es,
nec habere sequentem.
Filiae Jerusalem,
quid me admiramini ?
Divinum est mysterium
hoc quod cernitis.

O Virgin of Virgins !,
how shall this be ?
for never was there one like thee,
nor will there ever be.
Ye daughters of Jerusalem,
why look ye wondering at me ?
What ye behold,
is a Divine Mystery.






Abbot Prosper Guéranger, O.S.B.
Abbot of Solesmes Abbey, France, from 1837-1875.
Author of "The Liturgical Year".
Date: 1874.
Print-maker was Claude-Ferdinand Gaillard (1834–1887).
This File: 7 May 2007 (original upload date).
Source: Transferred from en.wikipedia to Commons.
Author: The original uploader was Ikanreed at English Wikipedia.
(Wikimedia Commons)

The Great O Antiphons. 18 December.


Text from The Saint Andrew Daily Missal,
unless otherwise stated.




English: Christ is born.
Deutsch: Christi Geburt.
Artist: Lorenzo Lotto (1480–1556).
Date: 1523.
Current location: National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., U.S.A.
Source/Photographer: The Yorck Project: 10.000 Meisterwerke der Malerei. 
DVD-ROM, 2002.
ISBN 3936122202. Distributed by DIRECTMEDIA Publishing GmbH.
Permission: [1]
(Wikimedia Commons)




"O Adonai".
The Great O Antiphon 
for 18 December.
Available on YouTube at


18 December: Exodus iii. 2, xx. 1.

O Adonai,

et dux domus Israel,
qui Moysi in igne flammae rubi apparuisti,
et ei in Sina legem dedisti:
veni ad redimentum nos in brachio extento.


O Adonai,

and Leader of The House of Israel,
who didst appear to Moses in the flame of
the burning bush,
and didst give unto him The Law on Sinai:
come and with an outstretched arm redeem us.

V. Rorate.

"Rorate caeli desuper, et nubes pluant justium . . ."

"Ye Heavens, drop down from above,
and let the clouds rain down The Just One."
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