Posted on 09/08/2002 2:07:34 AM PDT by glorygirl
The earliest document commemorating this feast comes from the sixth century.
St. Romanus, the great ecclesiastical lyrist of the Greek Church, composed for it a hymn (Card. Pitra, "Hymnogr. Graeca", Paris, 1876, 199) which is a poetical sketch of the apocryphal Gospel of St. James. St. Romanus was a native of Emesa in Syria, deacon of Berytus and later on at the Blachernae church in Constantinople, and composed his hymns between 536-556 (P. Maas in "Byzant. Zeitschrift", 1906).
The feast may have originated somewhere in Syria or Palestine in the beginning of the sixth century, when after the Council of Ephesus, under the influence of the "Apocrypha", the cult of the Mother of God was greatly intensified, especially in Syria. St. Andrew of Crete in the beginning of the eight century preached several sermons on this feast (Lucius-Anrich, "Anfänge des Heiligenkultus", Tübingen, 1906, 468). Evidence is wanting to show why the eighth of September was chosen for its date.
The Church of Rome adopted it in the seventh century from the East; it is found in the Gelasian (seventh cent.) and the Gregorian (eighth to ninth cent.) Sacramentaries. Sergius I (687-701) prescribed a litany and procession for this feast (P.L. cxxviii, 897 sqq.). Since the story of Mary's Nativity is known only from apocryphal sources, the Latin Church was slow in accepting this oriental festival. It does not appear in many calendars which contain the Assumption, e.g. the Gotho-Gallican, that of Luxeuil, the Toledan Calendar of the tenth century, and the Mozarabic Calendar.
The church of Angers in France claims that St. Maurilius instituted this feast at Angers in consequence of a revelation about 430. On the night of 8 Sept., a man heard the angels singing in heaven, and on asking the reason, they told him they were rejoicing because the Virgin was born on that night (La fête angevine N.D. de France, IV, Paris, 1864, 188); but this tradition is not substantiated by historical proofs.
The feast is found in the calendar of Sonnatius, Bishop of Reims, 614-31 (Kellner, Heortology, 21). Still it cannot be said to have been generally celebrated in the eighth and ninth centuries. St. Fulbert, Bishop of Chartres (d. 1028), speaks of it as of recent institution (P.L., cxli, 320, sqq.); the three sermons he wrote are the oldest genuine Latin sermons for this festival (Kellner, "Heortology", London, 1908, 230). The octave was instituted by Innocent IV (a. 1243) in accordance with a vow made by the cardinals in the conclave of the autumn of 1241, when they were kept prisoners by Frederick II for three months.
In the Greek Church the apodosis (solution) of the feast takes place 12 Sept., on account of the feast and the solemnity of the Exaltation of the Cross, 13 and 14 Sept. The Copts in Egypt and the Abyssinians celebrate Mary's Nativity on 1 May, and continue the feast under the name of "Seed of Jacob" 33 days (Anal. Juris Pont., xxi, 403); they also commemorate it on the first of every month (priv. letter from P. Baeteman, C.M., Alikiena).
The Catholic Copts have adopted the Greek feast, but keep it 10 Sept. (Nilles, "Kal. Man.", II, 696, 706).
LUCIUS-ANRICH, Anfange des Heiligenkultus (Tubingen, 1904); HOLWECK, Fasti Mariani (Freiburg, 1894), 118 sqq.
FREDERICK G. HOLWECK Transcribed by Thomas M. Barrett Dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary
At the Tridentine Mass today, we celebrated the Nativity of Our Lady. Vestments were white and Mass was followed by Solemn Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. I remembered in prayer the souls of my departed family members and all the faithful souls in purgatory.
Shall we not love thee, Mother dear,
whom Jesus loves so well?
And to his glory year by year
thy joy and honor tell?Bound with the curse of sin and shame
we helpless sinners lay,
until in tender love he came
to bear the curse away.And thee he chose from whom to take
true flesh his flesh to be;
in it to suffer for our sake,
by it to make us free.Thy Babe he lay upon thy breast,
to thee he cried for food;
thy gentle nursing soothed to rest
the incarnate Son of God.O wondrous depth of grace divine
that he should bend so low!
And, Mary, O what joy 'twas thine
in his dear love to know!Joy to be Mother of the Lord,
and thine the truer bliss,
in every thought and deed and word
to be for ever his.And as he loves thee, Mother dear,
we too will love thee well;
and to his glory year by year
thy joy and honor tell.Jesus, the Virgin's holy Son,
we praise thee and adore,
who art with God the Father One
and Spirit evermore.-----------------------------------
Words: Henry Williams Baker, 1868
God speed on your trip! This is an interesting time in which to travel.
Thank you for the background information on the terminology. The song is truly magnificent and the choir sang the refrain in parts. Sometimes, a song such as this will move me to the point where I become emotional. That was the case today.
Remember especially, Siobhan's dad, whom we all miss. Hold him in your embrace and bless his family.
Thank you, Romulus, for your post. Michelangelo is my favorite artist ... truly the Renaissance man. His creative talent extended itself to all media, including sculpture. The "Pieta" and the "David", all of the sculpture in the Tomb of the DeMedici's, are the more well known examples of his sculpture. In the Galleria delle Arte, the corridor that leads to the "David", is lined with Michelangelo's unfinished sculptures. He would tell his sculpture students that the subject was inside the block of marble, trying to get out. When viewing the unfinished works, they appear to be "pushing" against the marble, trying to extricate themselves.
Did you know that Michelangelo was also a poet? I have a book of his poetry.
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[Oh God, thank you for your showers of blessings!]
Memory Eternal to those killed by the terrorists.
For our recessional hymn after Mass we sang "Immaculate Mary."
Immaculate Mary, your praises we sing!
You reign now in splendor with Jesus our King!
Ave, ave, ave Ma-RI-A,
Ave, ave, Ma-RI-II-A
PPS: I actually went to two masses today (which is not all that unusual for me, since my wife prefers the Novus Ordo.) At her mass, no mention of Mary's nativity, and the homily was the usual, stupid insipid blather - this time about the differences between a "house" and a "home." (Typical.)
In contrast, the Tridentine homily was beautiful, insightful and completely on point with the Gospel reading.
I pray for all of you who are condemned to the Novus Ordo Mass -- I really do. I pray that your bishops will give up their obstinacy and disobedience and allow the Tridentine rite to be available again, as Pope JPII has decreed time and time again.
Ave Maria, indeed!
The homily... well, today it was "whenever two or more gather in His name, He is there." The priest coupled it with the last couple of weeks homilies - Peter being given the "binding and loosing" and the priest came up with we are all given the same privledge. It was pretty convoluted, but I came to the conclusion that he (the priest) was tamping down the more orthodox parishioners who are opposed to "Voice of the Faithful" forming a chapter in our parish.
Re: whenever two or more are gathered ... at least your priest is trying to tie the homily to the Gospel. That's way more than many parishes get each Sunday. (The former asst. pastor at my wife's parish regularly gave homilies about "Gilligan's Island." I kid you not.)
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