P.P.Rubens
The Holy Family with Saint Anne (detail)
Fr. Claudio Monteverdi
Vespers of the Blessed Virgin [I. Deus in adiutorium]
The Alleluia is recited several times every day by those praying the hours - it is right there in every hour, following the first words of Psalm 69 and the doxology. From Compline on this Saturday, the great veil of Septuagesima, Lent, and Passiontide will silence the word of jubilation for nine long weeks.
Septuagesimatide is coming!
3 comments:
Monteverdi's Vespro della beata Vergine is one of my favorite things in the whole world! And Deus in adiutorium is just heavenly! Thank you New Catholic!
For those, like me, that start digging for recordings after posts like this, perhaps this link will be appreciated: http://www.amazon.com/Monteverdi-Vespro-della-Vergine-Herreweghe/dp/B000FIM2M6/ref=sr_1_59?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1328229866&sr=1-59
La Capelle Royale, directed by Herreweghe, gives an incredible performance. Just breathtaking.
Dear Confusius,
Thank you. Can you contact us at newcatholic AT gmail DOT com?
Best regards,
NC
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Dear Kathleen,
I am very glad you liked it.
NC
This is a beautiful picture of The Blessed Virgin Mary with Jesus and St. Ann in the backround.
It prompted me to "Google" St. Ann, St. Joseph, and also the Blessed Virgin Mary...all three of whom actually died a physical death thru illness, but in the case of the Blessed Virgin Mary, was assumed into Heaven.
It was an enlightening and also very depressing bit of research. From it I found out some edifying, but also sad things...much of which is backed up by biblical scholarship, and throuh early writtings of the Apostoles and others which are not part of the Gospels, but are very early accounts that have survived from the second century...accounts taken from even older works which have not survived.
From them I learned that unfortunatly St. Ann was not in her 80's when she died, as she is so often depicted, but according to scholarship more likely between 57-60 at death...still a good age considering the times she lived in.
Saint Joseph is said to have been in his late 40's when he married the Virgin Mary, and that the Blessed Virgin was between 14-18, with most scholars believing closer to 18. It is believed that St. Joseph died just before Jesus began any of his public ministry, which would make him anywhere between 75-79 at death. It is know however, that Jesus was into his 20's when St. Joseph did die.
The death of the Blessed Virgin was the saddest research I found. She was, according to the very earliest writers, and also St. Ann Catherine Emmerich and her accurate visions in the 1820's, about 14-18 when she gave birth to Jesus Christ, making her 47-51 at the time of the Crucifixion. It is known that she lived in Nazareth, then Jerusalem a number of years after the Crucifixion and Ascension of Jesus. Peter and the other Apostles already had well developed and extensive ministries spreading the Faith when the Blessed Virgin Mary was still alive, and the Apostles always came back to visit her after their journeys. They all considered it a very great honor to be with her.
She went to Jerusalem from Nazareth again when she was in her early 60's, and unfortunatly became very ill there. Many of the Apostoles thought she was going to die there. But she recovered sufficiently, and went to live in Ephesus for afew years.
It is disputed as to whether she died in Jerusalem, or Ephesus, but it is known that she became very ill and very weak, and died bewteen the ages of 68-72 years of age.
From descriptions of her illness which actually survive in manuscripts from the Greek Orthodox tradition, coming from people alive at the time and passed down, modern scholars and doctors believe it to have been a form of anemia.
The Apostle Thomas is said to have been deeply, deeply grived, because alone among the Apostles, he returned too late to speak to the Blessed Virgin before her death.
Of course, the Blessed Virgin Mary was assumed into Heaven immediatly after death to join her son, Jesus Christ.
It was fascinating to read, because although there are disagreements about hard facts, most scholars do believe that St. Joseph was indeed close to 80 at death, and the Virgin Mary...known to have survived the period of the Crucifixion for some time, is generally believed to have been about 67-72. A very good age for her time.
It is unfortunate that apparently, she actually did suffer from ill health at the end.
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