Faith

Salve Regina

The date and authorship of this Marian antiphon remain something of a mystery. It was certainly in widespread use as early as the 13th century. It is sometimes claimed to be the particular favourite of the Queen of Heaven herself: see the Preces Latinae site for more.

The first four words are incorporated in our banner that we unfurled when launching this blog at the beginning of May. Every year at my primary school, we would process from our classrooms into St Benedict's Church to take part in a ceremony to crown Mary as Queen of the May.

Salve Regina, mater misericordiae, vita, dulcedo, et spes nostra, salve. Ad te clamamus, exsules fili Hevae. Ad te suspiramus, gementes et flentes in hac lacrimarum valle.

Eia ergo, advocata nostra, illos tuos misericordes oculos ad nos converte. Et Jesum, benedictum fructum ventris tui, nobis post hoc exsilium ostende.

O clemens, O pia, O dulcis Virgo Maria. Amen

V: Ora pro nobis, Sancta Dei Genitrix.
R: Ut digni efficiamur promissionibus Christi.

Hail Holy Queen

Hail Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, hail our life, our sweetness and our hope. To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve. To thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears.

Turn then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy towards us. And after this our exile show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus.

O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin mary. Amen.

V: Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God.
R: That we may be made worthy of the promisses of Christ.

Flos Carmeli

Flower of Carmel

 

Sancta Maria

Flos Carmeli,

Vitis florigera

Splendor Coeli

Virgo puerpera

Singularis!

Mater mitis

Sed viri nescia

Carmelitis

Da privilegia

Stella Maris!

Ora pro nobis!

Here is a verse translation:

Holy Mary

Flower of Carmel,
Vine-blossom laden;
Splendour of Heaven,
Child-bearing yet maiden.
None equals thee.

Mother tender,
Who no man didst know,
On Carmel's children
Thy favours bestow.
Star of the Sea!

Pray for us!

I drew this image in the mid-1980s. The two Latin verses are the first of eight that are attributed to St Simon Stock (c1165-1265). He is said to have been a hermit from the age of 12 before later joining the Carmelite Order shortly after its arrival in England. He was always reputed by Carmelites for his personal holiness and devotion to Our Lady. His feast day is the 15 July.

We used to  journey en famille by train and on foot to Aylesford in the 1980s.

The story of the foundation of the Order, with its roots in Old Testament times, is a most remarkable one. To be continued.