Sunday, November 04, 2007

Veni, Coronaberis


I am always amazed at the consistency and intensity of Catholic devotion to the Blessed Virgin. Whether one is reading something from the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, or the Enlightenment, the devotion to the Virgin has always maintained a raw and unchanging character. The following prayer which I will be posting is taken from the Pasyon, a narrative of the life and death of Our Lord in verse, which is chanted during Maundy Thursday to Good Friday. Traditionally, it lasts for over 24 hours, with the unspoken rule being that it must end at 3pm of Good Friday, when Our Lord died on the Cross. I promise to provide a translation soon.

At ikaw Birheng Maria
Ina't hari ng awa ka
bukod sa tanang sampaga,
di matuyo't di malanta
dikit mong kaaya-aya.

Ikaw rin po't siya lamang
Sedes Serpientine ang ngalan;
luklukan ng karunungan
at kaban kang sinusian
ng Diyos sa kalangitan.

Toreng walang pangalawa
ni David, bunying Propeta
bahay na ganitong sinadya,
pinamahayang talaga
ng ikalawang Persona.

Ikaw rin Birheng Mahal
bituin sa karagatan
mapag-aliw sa may lumbay,
kuta ng makasalanan
matibay sa katibayan.

Reynang walang kahulilip
ng sanlangitan angheles
pinupuring walang patid,
ng Tronos, Dominaciones,
Virtudes at Potestades.

Emperatris na mataas
ng Patriarkas, Propetas
Birheng walang makatulad,
bukod sa babaing lahat
ng nag-iwi sa Mesias.

Yayang ikaw ay di iba
batis ng Misericordia
binabalungan tuwi na,
ng awa't mahal na grasya
ng bunying tatlong persona.

Kami po ay uod lamang
sa lupa ay gumagapang
lipos ng dilang kasamaan,
Birhen, kundi mo tulungan
anong aming kapakanan?

1 comment:

Andrew said...

Don't forget the Patristic Age. Even Augustine, when writing about sin, refuses to impute it to Mary.

We must except the holy Virgin Mary, concerning whom I wish to raise no question when it touches the subject of sins, out of honour to the Lord; for from Him we know what abundance of grace for overcoming sin in every particular was conferred upon her who had the merit to conceive and bear Him who undoubtedly had no sin (Augustine, On Nature and Grace, Against Pelagius).