At St. Mary's, we engage in a special devotion in honor of our patron, the Blessed Virgin Mary, by praying the proper Marian antiphon at the end of many of our worship services. The four Marian antiphons are seasonal hymns sung in honor of the Virgin Mary. They are often sung in religious communities at the end of Morning Prayer and Compline (Night Prayer), and are sometimes sung at the conclusion of the Eucharist in cathedrals and parish churches dedicated to the Mother of God.
This form of devotion to Mary is not familiar to many Episcopalians, especially those who have a Protestant background. We do not worship Mary, we venerate her. The Anglican Service Book puts it this way:
Popular devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary is an affirmation of the inseparable union between our Lord's true humanity and his full divinity. The Church teaches that he who was incarnate of the Holy Ghost and the Virgin Mary is a union of divine and human natures in one divine Person. That being the case, it is appropriate to call His Mother Theotokos (accurately rendered as "Birth-giver of God," but more usually translated as "Mother of God"). Indeed, the Nestorian controversy during the fifth century was ignited by the condemnation by the heretical Bishop of Constantinople of the use of the term Theotokos. Every orthodox doctrine about Mary is Christological, continuing the pattern of the Wedding Feast at Cana, where she says to the servants, "Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it." Because of her faith in the works of God, all generations have indeed "called her Blessed." Mary is the model of humanity redeemed by Christ, and the principal type of the Church.
The councils of the undivided Church encourage the faithful to venerate and emulate the saints of the Christian family, and this is supremely true of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Adoration, however, is due only to the Holy Trinity and devotion to the saints is supplementary to the worship of the one, true, living God. It is an expression of the unity of the whole family of God in Heaven and on earth. At the heart of all Marian devotion is the simple request for the prayers of our Mother in Christ - one who is held by the common tradition of the Church to be "higher than the Cherubim, more glorious than the Seraphim," yet still a creature, and subordinate to God the creator.
To read more about these specific hymns, check out the various Wikipedia pages here:
The English translation we use at St. Mary's is printed below. You can find the musical settings we sing at Solemn High Mass here.
This form of devotion to Mary is not familiar to many Episcopalians, especially those who have a Protestant background. We do not worship Mary, we venerate her. The Anglican Service Book puts it this way:
Popular devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary is an affirmation of the inseparable union between our Lord's true humanity and his full divinity. The Church teaches that he who was incarnate of the Holy Ghost and the Virgin Mary is a union of divine and human natures in one divine Person. That being the case, it is appropriate to call His Mother Theotokos (accurately rendered as "Birth-giver of God," but more usually translated as "Mother of God"). Indeed, the Nestorian controversy during the fifth century was ignited by the condemnation by the heretical Bishop of Constantinople of the use of the term Theotokos. Every orthodox doctrine about Mary is Christological, continuing the pattern of the Wedding Feast at Cana, where she says to the servants, "Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it." Because of her faith in the works of God, all generations have indeed "called her Blessed." Mary is the model of humanity redeemed by Christ, and the principal type of the Church.
The councils of the undivided Church encourage the faithful to venerate and emulate the saints of the Christian family, and this is supremely true of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Adoration, however, is due only to the Holy Trinity and devotion to the saints is supplementary to the worship of the one, true, living God. It is an expression of the unity of the whole family of God in Heaven and on earth. At the heart of all Marian devotion is the simple request for the prayers of our Mother in Christ - one who is held by the common tradition of the Church to be "higher than the Cherubim, more glorious than the Seraphim," yet still a creature, and subordinate to God the creator.
To read more about these specific hymns, check out the various Wikipedia pages here:
- Alma Redemptoris Mater (Advent through February 2)
- Ave Regina Caelorum (Presentation of the Lord through Wednesday of Holy Week)
- Regina Coeli (Easter season)
- Salve Regina (Trinity Sunday until Advent begins)
The English translation we use at St. Mary's is printed below. You can find the musical settings we sing at Solemn High Mass here.
Alma Redemptoris Mater (Mother of Christ)
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!
(Tr. Edward Caswall, 1814-1878)
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!
(Tr. Edward Caswall, 1814-1878)
Ave Regina Caelorum (Hail, Queen of Heaven)
Hail, Queen of Heav'n, beyond compare,
To whom the angels homage pay;
Hail, Root of Jesse, Gate of light,
That opened for the world's new Day.
Rejoice, O Virgin unsurpassed,
In whom our ransom was begun,
For all your loving children pray
To Christ, our Savior, and your Son.
(Tr. Stanbrook Abbey)
To whom the angels homage pay;
Hail, Root of Jesse, Gate of light,
That opened for the world's new Day.
Rejoice, O Virgin unsurpassed,
In whom our ransom was begun,
For all your loving children pray
To Christ, our Savior, and your Son.
(Tr. Stanbrook Abbey)
Regina Caeli (Joy to Thee, O Queen of Heaven)
Joy to thee, O Queen of Heav'n. Alleluia!
He whom thou wast meet to bear. Alleluia!
As he promised hath aris'n. Alleluia!
Pour for us to God thy prayer. Alleluia!
(Tr. unknown)
He whom thou wast meet to bear. Alleluia!
As he promised hath aris'n. Alleluia!
Pour for us to God thy prayer. Alleluia!
(Tr. unknown)
Salve Regina (Hail Our Queen and Mother Blest)
Hail, our Queen and Mother blest! Joy when all was sadness,
Life and hope you gave mankind, Mother of our gladness!
Children of the sinful Eve, Sinless Eve, befriend us
Exiled in this vale of tears: Strength and comfort send us!
Pray for us, O Patroness, Be our consolation!
Gracious are you, full of grace, Loving as none other,
Joy of heav'n and joy of earth,
Mary, God's own Mother!
(Tr. unknown)
Click here to listen to the people of St. Mary's singing this hymn on St. Mary's Day 2018.
Life and hope you gave mankind, Mother of our gladness!
Children of the sinful Eve, Sinless Eve, befriend us
Exiled in this vale of tears: Strength and comfort send us!
Pray for us, O Patroness, Be our consolation!
Gracious are you, full of grace, Loving as none other,
Joy of heav'n and joy of earth,
Mary, God's own Mother!
(Tr. unknown)
Click here to listen to the people of St. Mary's singing this hymn on St. Mary's Day 2018.