St. Teresa of Avila as a Chess Player

 

October 15 is the feast of St. Teresa of Avila.  Here is an interesting facet of this great Saint:

One finds in the writings of the saints, and in art, powerful figures of speech depicting God as a lover in ardent pursuit of the human soul. An example is Francis Thompson's poem, The Hound of Heaven.

St. Teresa of Avila, however, in writing about contemplative prayer, reverses the chase. She uses a breath-taking metaphor where the human soul is a chess player seeking to capture Christ the King:

"I hope you do not think I have written too much about this already; for I have only been placing the board, as they say. You have asked me to tell you about the first steps in prayer; although God did not lead me by them, my daughters I know no others, and even now I can hardly have acquired these elementary virtues. But you may be sure that anyone who cannot set out the pieces in a game of chess will never be able to play well, and, if he does not know how to give check, he will not be able to bring about a checkmate. Now you will reprove me for talking about games, as we do not play them in this house and are forbidden to do so. That will show you what kind of a mother God has given you -- she even knows about vanities like this! However, they say that the game is sometimes legitimate. How legitimate it will be for us to play it in this way, and, if we play it frequently, how quickly we shall give checkmate to this Divine King! He will not be able to move out of our check nor will He desire to do so.

"It is the queen which gives the king most trouble in this game and all the other pieces support her. There is no queen who can beat this King as well as humility can; for humility brought Him down from Heaven into the Virgin's womb and with humility we can draw Him into our souls by a single hair. Be sure that He will give most humility to him who has most already and least to him who has least. I cannot understand how humility exists, or can exist, without love, or love without humility, and it is impossible for these two virtues to exist save where there is great detachment from all created things.

"You will ask, my daughters, why I am talking to you about virtues when you have more than enough books to teach you about them and when you want me to tell you only about contemplation. My reply is that, if you had asked me about meditation, I could have talked to you about it, and advised you all to practice it, even if you do not possess the virtues. For this is the first step to be taken towards the acquisition of the virtues and the very life of all Christians depends upon their beginning it. No one, however lost a soul he may be, should neglect so great a blessing if God inspires him to make use of it. All this I have already written elsewhere, and so have many others who know what they are writing about, which I certainly do not: God knows that.

"But contemplation, daughters, is another matter. This is an error which we all make: if a person gets so far as to spend a short time each day in thinking about his sins, as he is bound to do if he is a Christian in anything more than name, people at once call him a great contemplative; and then they expect him to have the rare virtues which a great contemplative is bound to possess; he may even think he has them himself, but he will be quite wrong. In his early stages he did not even know how to set out the chessboard, and thought that, in order to give checkmate, it would be enough to be able to recognize the pieces. But that is impossible, for this King does not allow Himself to be taken except by one who surrenders wholly to Him."

Source:
St. Teresa of Jesus, The Way of Perfection.

Image:
Giovanni di Paolo's, "Madonna of Humility", from the Web Gallery of Art. In the public domain.

Our Lady of the Rosary Feast Day

Today, October 7, is the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary.

Here is a short history of the celebration by Jordan Aumann, O.P.:

"This feast derives from the feast of St. Mary of Victory, instituted by the Dominican Pope Pius V after the defeat of the Turkish fleet at Lepanto on October 7, 1571 [the first Sunday of October in 1571]. Pope Gregory XIII made it obligatory for Rome and for the Confraternity of the Holy Rosary in 1573. In 1716 Pope Clement XI inscribed the feast in the Roman Calendar for the first Sunday in October. The Dominicans also celebrated this feast on the first Sunday of October.

". . . . The title of this feast was changed from Holy Rosary to Our Lady of the Rosary in 1960."

And, here is a more detailed early history from the 1913 Catholic Encyclopedia:

"Apart from the single defeat of the Albigensian heretics at the battle of Muret in 1213 which legend has attributed to the recitation of the Rosary by St. Dominic, it is believed that Heaven has on many occasions rewarded the faith of those who had recourse to this devotion in times of special danger. More particularly, the naval victory of Lepanto gained by Don John of Austria over the Turkish fleet on the first Sunday of October in 1571 responded wonderfully to the processions made at Rome on that same day by the members of the Rosary confraternity. St. Pius V thereupon ordered that a commemoration of the Rosary should be made upon that day, and at the request of the Dominican Order Gregory XIII in 1573 allowed this feast to be kept in all churches which possessed an altar dedicated to the Holy Rosary. In 1671 the observance of this festival was extended by Clement X to the whole of Spain, and somewhat later Clement XI after the important victory over the Turks gained by Prince Eugene on 6 August, 1716 (the feast of Our Lady of the Snows) at Peterwardein in Hungary, commanded the feast of the Rosary to be celebrated by the universal Church. . . . Leo XIII has since raised the feast to the rank of a double of the second class and has added to the Litany of Loreto the invocation 'Queen of the Most Holy Rosary'. On this feast, in every church in which the Rosary confraternity has been duly erected, a plenary indulgence toties quoties is granted upon certain conditions to all who visit therein the Rosary chapel or statute of Our Lady. This has been called the 'Portiuncula' of the Rosary."

Here is a beautiful Marian anthem for the occasion:

Hymn to Our Lady of the Rosary

"Queen of the Holy Rosary! Oh, bless us as we pray
And offer thee our roses, in garlands day by day;
While from our Father's garden, with loving hearts and bold,
We gather to thine honor buds white, and red, and gold.

"Queen of the Holy Rosary! Each mystery blends with thine
The sacred life of Jesus in every step divine.
Thy soul was His fair garden, thy virgin breast his throne,
Thy thoughts His faithful mirror, reflecting Him alone.

"Sweet Lady of the Rosary! White roses let us bring,
And lay them round thy footstool before our Infant King.
For nestling in thy bosom God's Son was fain to be,
The child of thy obedience, and spotless purity."

Sources:
Aumann, Jordan, O.P.; and Lodi, Enzo; Saints of the Roman Calendar (Alba House, New York, 1992), p. 302.

Dolan, Dominic, O.P. (Ed.); The Rosarian’s Handbook of the Society of the Rosary Altar (Marchbanks Press, New York, 1942), p. 94 (source for the hymn).

The 1913 Catholic Encyclopedia. (New Advent)

Image:
Jacopo de mino Montepulciano's, "The Coronation of the Virgin", from Wikimedia Commons. In the public domain.

Feast of the Holy Guardian Angels

Today, October 2, is the Feast of the Holy Guardian Angels. The liturgical color is white.

A 1959 Catholic missal has this to say about this feast:

"God has given each one of us a special angel for our protection and assistance both in soul and body, especially at the hour of death.  This knowledge should fill us with reverence for and devotion to our guardian and give us confidence in the face of difficulties.  The Church celebrates today a special liturgical feast in their honor but we should not fail to invoke the assistance of our guardian angel every day of our lives."

Above is the favorite old picture of a guardian angel and below is the favorite old prayer to one's guardian angel:

The Guardian Angel Prayer
(in Latin and English)

"Angele Dei,
qui custos es mei,
me tibi commíssum pietáte supérna,
illúmina, custódi, rege et gubérna.
Amen."

"Angel of God, my guardian dear
to whom God's love commits me here,
Ever this day (or night) be at my side
to light and guard, to rule and guide.
Amen."

The feast dates from 1411, when in Valencia, Spain, it was introduced in honor of the guardian angel of that city. It was added to the Roman Calendar in 1608. Devotion to the guardian angels, however, dates back much further.

By the way, October 2 is an appropriate occasion to read about St. John Bosco and his gray dog.

Image:
Leiber's "Guardian Angel", from Wikimedia Commons. In the public domain.

Happy Michaelmas

 

 

Today is the Feast of St. Michael the Archangel, otherwise known as Michaelmas.  The liturgical color is white.

Prayer to St. Michael

St. Michael the Archangel, 
defend us in battle. 
Be our defense against the wickedness and snares of the Devil. 
May God rebuke him, we humbly pray, 
and do thou, 
O Prince of the heavenly hosts, 
by the power of God, 
thrust into hell Satan, 
and all the evil spirits, 
who prowl about the world 
seeking the ruin of souls. Amen. .

The North American Martyrs and the Lake of the Blessed Sacrament

 

Today, September 26, is the traditional feast day of the North American Martyrs -- Fr. Isaac Jogues, John de Brebeuf, and companions.  The liturgical color is red.  The Mass Propers can be found here.

In 1646, Fr. Isaac Jogues, S.J. (1607-1646) named the body of water depicted in this lovely painting the "Lac du Saint Sacrement" (Lake of the Blessed Sacrament).* In the same year, Fr. Jogues and his companion Jean de Lalande, a lay missionary, were martyred by the Mohawk Indians near what is now Auriesville, New York, about 65 miles from the lake. 

Their martyrdom occurred on October 18, 1646. In 1930, Pope Pius XI canonized Isaac Jogues, along with Jean de Lalande and six other martyred missionaries, now known as the "North American Martyrs". Their feast is celebrated on September 26 in Canada and in the traditional calendar. In the modern calendar, it is celebrated October 19. 

Fr. Jogues was born in Orléans, France on January 10, 1607. He entered the Jesuit novitiate school at Rouen at age 17, and went on to study at the royal college at La Fleche, and then at the College of Clermont at the University of Paris. He celebrated his first Mass on February 10, 1636, and a few months later was on his way to the Jesuit mission in New France on the north American continent:

"In the summer of 1636, at the age of twenty-nine, he embarked for Canada with several of his fellows . . . Drawings of Jogues made at about this time reveal features of unusual refinement; this air of delicacy was, however, deceptive, for beneath it lay heroic powers of physical endurance."

In 1642, some Huron Indian converts, along with missionaries William Couture, Rene Goupil, and Fr. Jogues were attacked by Mohawk warriors. Some of the Hurons escaped. Fr. Jogues could have gotten away too but when he saw that Goupil, a physician, had been captured, he gave himself up. They were taken to the fortress of the Mohawks in what is now east central New York State:

"Fr. Jogues wrote: 'We were made to go up from the shore between two lines of Indians who were armed with clubs, sticks, and knives. I was the last and blows were showered on me. I fell on the ground and thought my end had come, but they lifted me up all streaming with blood and carried me more dead than alive to the platform.' Worse tortures followed. The Iroquois were especially cruel to the Huron converts. At this time and during subsequent torturings Father Jogues suffered the loss of two fingers."

To be more specific, according to Fr. Jogues own description, the Mohawks used their teeth to tear out nearly all of his fingernails and bit off two of his fingers. Goupil was killed, and Fr. Jogues was held as a slave for more than a year:

"'He would sometimes escape. . . and wander in the forest, telling his beads and repeating passages of Scripture. In a remote and lonely spot he cut the bark in the form of a cross from the trunk of a great tree; and here he made his prayers. [He was a] living martyr, half clad in shaggy furs, kneeling in the snow among the icicled rocks and beneath the gloomy pines, bowing in adoration before the emblem of his faith in which was his only consolation and his only hope' . . . The Indians were not without respect for their strange captive, naming him 'the indomitable one.' . . . As opportunity offered, he baptized children he found dying. During the year he baptized some seventy persons . . ."

In Fr. Jogues' letters, he wrote that once he baptized two Indians by using for baptismal water the raindrops that had gathered on some corn stalks given them to chew. He baptized others using water from a stream. Some Protestant Dutchmen helped Fr. Jogues escape his Mohawk captors and paid a sum to the Indians not to pursue him.

On November 5, 1643, Fr. Jogues left by ship from what is now New York City, and towards the end of December reached the coast of Cornwall. From there, he took a coal ship to Brittany, arriving on Christmas Day. Then he traveled on to Rennes where he went to the rector's house. There he astonished the rector since it was commonly believed he had likely been killed.

During an encounter with Fr. Jogues, Anne of Austria (1601-1666) was moved to tears when she saw his wounded hands, which had barely healed from the cruelty of the Indians. The Queen then paid him homage:

"Jogues was received by Anne of Austria, and told his story. At its conclusion, the Queen arose and stooped to kiss the mutilated hands . . ."

Fr. Joques was concerned that the injuries to his hands would make it illicit for him to say Mass. Pope Urban VIII, however, abrogated for him the rule that the Eucharist could only be touched with the thumb and forefinger. In doing this, the Pope used words to the effect that it would not be just to prevent a martyr for Christ from drinking the Blood of Christ.

Fr. Jogues desired to return to North America and was permitted to do so. By June, 1644, he was back in Quebec, and worked successfully for some time, even traveling back and forth to the place where he had formerly been held hostage. In 1646, however, he was again taken captive by the Mohawks, along with the lay missionary Jean de Lalande:

"In the [Mohawk] councils the majority were ready to give the brave Ondessonk [Fr. Jogues] his freedom, but the minority faction, members of the Bear clan, took matters into their own hands. They invited Jogues to pay them a visit, and as he unsuspectingly entered the cabin of the Bear chief, he was brutally tomahawked. The next day Lalande met the same fate, and both bodies were thrown into a nearby ravine. Their heads were cut off and placed on poles facing the trail by which they had come, as if in warning to other Black Robes."

On the site of the martyrdom of Fr. Jogues and Lalande, there is now a shrine:

"Today, near the town of Auriesville, New York, which on the best archeological authority is accepted as the site of Ossernenon, there is a famous Catholic shrine and pilgrimage place. It was dedicated in 1885 to the Martyrs of North America and to their Indian converts. Here pilgrims come to honor the memory of the Jesuits of the seventeenth century who faced death in the wilderness. The eight martyrs—Jogues, Lalande, Brebeuf, Lalemant, Garnier, Daniel, Goupil, and Chabanel . . .".

Source: The quoted material is from "Saint Isaac Jogues, Martyr - 1646", an article in the online library of the Eternal Word Television Network that relies on a Lives of the Saints published by John J. Crawley & Co., Inc., author and year unknown.

Image: Painting by John F. Kensett, from Wikimedia Commons. In the public domain. 

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*Now more commonly known by its secular name, Lake George, this lake in the Adirondack Mountains of New York State will always be the Lake of the Blessed Sacrament to Catholics.

Our Lady's Sorrows and the Iris

“And Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary his mother: Behold this child is set for the fall, and for the resurrection of many in Israel, and for a sign which shall be contradicted; And thy own soul a sword shall pierce, that, out of many hearts, thoughts may be revealed."

(Luke 2:34-35. Douay-Rheims Bible.)

On September 15, the Church honors the Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary: 

Hearing the prophecy of Simeon

Fleeing into Egypt

Losing the Holy Child at Jerusalem 

Meeting Jesus on his way to Calvary

Standing at the foot of the Cross

Seeing Jesus taken down from the Cross

Witnessing the burial of Christ

According to Mary Gardener John S. Stokes, the Blue Flag iris or iris versicolor symbolizes Our Lady’s Sorrows because of Simeon’s prophecy that a sword would pierce her soul. The iris has sword-like foliage and is also known as the Sword Lily.

Image: Photograph of iris versicolor, from Wikimedia Commons. Some rights reserved.

The Holy Cross and the Basil Plant

Today, September 14, the Church celebrates the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. The liturgical color is red.

The herb basil, which should be in every sacristan’s garden, is associated with the Cross. The word basil is related to the Greek word for king and is associated with Christ the King. There are various traditions connecting basil to St. Helena's discovery of the True Cross. It is said that a sprig of the fragrant plant was found growing from the sacred Wood.

Image: Ocymum basilicum, from Wikimedia Commons. Pursuant to Free License.

Feast of the Holy Name of Mary

 

"

Today, September 12, is the traditional feast day of the Holy Name of Mary.

As stated in an old Missal published in 1959, "The feast was instituted by Pope Innocent XI to commemorate a victory over the Turks at the walls of Vienna in 1683.  After the Holy Name of Jesus, no name is so dear to every Christian as that of Mary, His Mother and our Mother.  By invoking it we shall obtain protection, light and strength."

You can read more about the feast day at Fountain of Elias.

A conservative priest once explained to me that "Mar" is an honorific.

As for altar or home devotional space floral arrangements for this day, see the Introibo with Flowers post on Altar Flowers for Marian Feasts. 

 

Also see the Introibo post Tulips and Lilies for the Holy Name of Mary. 

The Birth of the Virgin

Tomorrow, September 8 -- nine months after the Feast of the Immaculate Conception on December 8 -- the Church celebrates the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

In a reflection on the birth of Mary at Tradition in Action, Prof. Plinio Corrêa de Oliveira notes:

“Scripture tells us that the tunic that Our Lord wore was a source of grace that cured those who touched it; this being the case, you can imagine how Our Lady, the Mother of the Savior, was a source of graces for whosoever would approach her . . . For this reason we can say that at her nativity, immense graces began to shine for mankind and the Devil started to be smashed. He perceived that his scepter had been cracked and would never be the same again."

 As for church flowers forGe this feast, see Gemma's Altar Flowers for Marian Feasts here.

Image:
Zurbarán’s, “Birth of the Virgin”, from Wikimedia Commons. In the public domain.

Thank You for the Light (Fitzgerald, 1936)

 

 

I've always enjoyed vignettes because they give the reader the sense of having found the fragment of a novel to be filled in.

 

Thank You for the Light by F. Scott Fitzgerald is just such a vignette.  It's only a few pages, belatedly discovered by Fitzgerald's grandchildren among his effects and published by the New Yorker in 2012 although the same magazine rejected it many decades ago.

 

It's about Mrs. Hanson, a 1930s traveling saleswoman addicted to nicotine who goes to a Catholic church hoping to light her cigarette from a votive candle.  In so doing, she has an encounter with the Blessed Mother.

 

One realizes that the end of the vignette is just the beginning of a very long journey for Mrs. Hanson.  In fact, although superficially very different, the piece reminds me of the transforming experience for Sarah Miles in the Deborah Kerr movie version of Graham Greene's novel The End of the Affair.

 

The vignette is available at the New Yorker online

UPDATE - 9-3-2026 - I just checked to make sure the link was good and discovered that yes it is but there is now a paywall.  I did find it here without a paywall.  Hopefully that post accurately quotes the original.  Unfortunately the vignette is not in the public domain due to the delay in publication based on the original rejection.

St. Augustine, Chastity, and Clarity

Today, August 28, is the feast day of St. Augustine, Bishop and Doctor of the Church. The 1962 Roman Missal summarizes the life of St. Augustine as follows:

“Augustine, born at Tagaste (Africa) in 354, was the son of St. Monica and of a pagan father, Patricius. His mind was ensnared by errors and his soul and body corrupted by debauchery and impurity. Converted by the prayers of his mother, he became one of the most famous Doctors of the West and a Father of the Church. He died after an episcopate of 36 years at Hippo (Africa) in 430.”

Augustine is well known for his Confessions, in which he tells of his sinful past life, his conversion, and his deep love for God. In Book II, Chapter 1, he relates:

“I want to call back to mind my past impurities and the carnal corruptions of my soul, not because I love them; but so that I may love you, my God. It is for the love of your love that I do it, going back over those most wicked ways of mine in the bitterness of my recollection so that the bitterness may be replaced by the sweetness of you, O unfailing sweetness, happy sweetness and secure! And gathering myself together from the scattered fragments into which I was broken and dissipated during all that time when, being turned away from you, the One, I lost myself in the distractions of the Many.”

What St. Augustine is saying in the quoted passage, simply put, is that impurity fragments a person, damaging his intellect, will, and ability to govern himself. Chastity, on the other hand, re-integrates the individual who has been broken into “scattered fragments” by sexual sin. It is impossible to overstate the significance of these words of St. Augustine for our time, when many -- young and old alike -- are so damaged by the wantonness that pervades 21st century life and so deluded by the media that they are unable to think clearly enough to recognize their condition, much less its cause. Reflection on the life of St. Augustine brings consolation, since chastity and God’s grace produced in Augustine such intellectual clarity that he became one of the greatest Doctors of the Church.

Image: Martini’s “Augustine” (1325), from Wikimedia Commons. In the public domain.

St. Louis IX, King of France, and the Fleur-de-lis

August 25 is the feast day of St. Louis IX, king of France.  This brings to mind the fleur-de-lis, a stylized image of a lily,* which has come to represent France and especially French monarchs

The French phrase fleur de lis means literally “flower of the lily”. The lily is associated with the Virgin Mary and her purity, and with the Archangel Gabriel, the angel of the Annunciation. The three petals can be seen as standing for the Holy Trinity. During the reign of King Louis IX they also came to represent faith, wisdom, and chivalry. This is not surprising since King Louis (1215-1270) was a monarch endowed with those virtues.

King Louis spent long hours in prayer, singing the Divine Office daily as if he were a monk. He fasted and fed beggars at his table. He did penance and cared for lepers. King Louis led Crusades from 1248-1249 and in 1270. He died near Tunis during the 1270 crusade. At Tradition in Action, Prof. Plinio Correa de Oliveira discusses the attribute of wisdom found in St. Louis IX:

“Our Lady was the Seat of Wisdom and was always seeking to increase her knowledge, love and service of God. “This virtue is demanded of kings, governors, and anyone who exercises some form of power. A king without wisdom loses his people. When he has wisdom, he saves his people, and is the glory of his people. For a man without wisdom, power becomes an instrument of his perdition.

“Hence, we can understand the magnificent eulogy Scriptures made of the wise king. He leads peoples and things to their last end, which is God. This is the ultimate meaning of his kingship.

“What we admire in St. Louis, King of France, is the model of a wise man placed on the throne to govern his kingdom.”

In 1297, less than thirty years after King Louis’ death, Pope Boniface VIII raised him to the altar as a Catholic saint, and we celebrate his feast day today, August 25. 

 Image: Toison D’or le Roi de France [Golden Fleece King of France] from Wikimedia Commons. In the public domain. 

 *There is some controversy over whether the fleur-de-lis represents a lily or a yellow flag iris. Given the importance of the lily in religious iconography, however, the better view is that it represents the lily.

St. Bartholomew and His Star

 

August 24 is the feast day of St. Bartholomew, one of the twelve apostles and a martyr. According to the flower calendar in the Collectanea of V.S. Lean, the sunflower becomes a star for the feast of St. Bartholomew: 

"And yet anon the full Sun-flower blew,* And became a star for Bartholomew" 

 

It is not entirely clear whether this metaphor for reaching full bloom (or detaching and becoming airborne) is a Roman Catholic or an Anglican tradition. Some sources claim it was already an existing tradition in 15th or 16th century, which would likely place its origin at a time prior to Anglicanism. On the other hand, many sources say the sunflower was not brought to Europe until the 16th century, after Pizarro discovered it in Peru, so there could hardly have been an existing tradition before that time. In any event, Ward and Lovejoy relate:

"The Old English church recommended decorating with the sunflower on St. Bartholomew's day, 24 August, because it represented constancy and devotion [.]"

And Forster says:

"The sunflower is called in the Floral Directory, St. Bartholomew's Star".

See also Gemma's post Summer Yet Solemn for some beautiful sunflower arrangements.

Sources: Forster, Circle of the Seasons (T. Hookham, London, 1828), p. 237. Ward and Lovejoy, A Contemplation Upon Flowers (Timber Press, 1999), p. 347.

 Image: A sunflower in Germany, from Wikimedia Commons. Some rights reserved.

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*Some sources substitute "below" and others substitute "flew"

Assumption Art Series: Rubens

 

Today we see an early 17th century depiction of the Assumption. It is Peter Paul Rubens' Assumption of the Virgin.  It is oil on panel, measures 16 feet by 10.6 feet, and is found at its original site in the Cathedral of Our Lady in Antwerp, Belgium.

Rubens painted in the Baroque style and is known for his affirmation of Catholic doctrine during the latter years of the Counter-Reformation.  This is particularly interesting because although he was born into a Catholic family, his father converted to Protestantism and then his mother converted the family back to Catholicism after his father's death. 

This artwork contains the elements we have seen earlier in this series of Mary in her glorified body being assumed into heaven while the apostles ponder her absence from her tomb or casket.  In this case, the artwork shows the three Marys (Mary Magdalene, Mary Cleophas and Mary Salome) gathering blooms of roses and lilies that have blossomed in Our Lady's empty tomb.

Rubens did many versions of this topic, one of which is in the Kunstplast Museum in Dusseldorf, Germany but this is the one that art historians and commentators generally favor.  

Since today is the feast day, here is a link to the traditional Mass propers at Usus Antiquoir.

Assumption Art Series: El Greco

 

Here we have El Greco's Assumption of the Virgin. This late 16th century artwork is oil on canvas and measures, in round numbers, 159 inches by 83 inches.  It was the central element of an altarpiece commissioned for the church of Santo Domingo el Antiguo in Toledo, Spain, a cloistered Cistercian convent. The painting hung over the main altar.  It is now found in the Art Institute of Chicago, Illinois, USA.

This artwork, like Titian's, shows Mary joyfully being assumed into heaven. As one can see, this painting includes the element of the Apostles standing by Our Lady's empty casket in astonishment.  This event is portrayed in many other artworks but this one seems to show it with unusual clarity.  When one remembers that El Greco initially trained as a icon artist, this is particularly remarkable.

This painting transferred ownership many times before being received by the Art Institute of Chicago.  One can read about its journey at the above link.

Assumption Art Series: Correggio

 

This 16th century late Italian Renaissance fresco is The Assumption of the Virgin by Correggio.  It covers the dome of the Cathedral in Parma, Italy. The fresco measures 11.9 yards by 13 yards. Aside from Jesus, Mary, angels, and the Apostles, it depicts Adam, Eve, and Judith with the head of Holofernes. 

It was painted during the first decade of the Protestant Reformation. Some commentators point out that it affirms Catholic doctrines that the Reformation attacked:

Transubstantiation:  Protestants deny the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist and view the liturgy as only a memorial. The fresco shows Christ descending toward the high altar. And, when the priest elevates the Eucharist, the eyes of the faithful are drawn toward the depiction of heaven on the dome. Thus the artwork can be seen as affirming that the sacrifice on earth is also happening in eternity and that Christ is truly present in the consecrated species.

Mary's role:  Protestants deny Mary's role, claiming "Sola  Christo" (Christ alone).  The image of Mary on the dome shows her in her glorified body rising toward heaven.  (And, we know that there she will continue her role as our mediatrix of graces.  (Pope Pius X, Ad Diem Illum Laetissimum (1904), Paragraph 14 - Note that readers will need to scroll down to paragraph 14 at this Vatican page).

Church hierarchy:  Protestants deny the importance of the church hierarchy, claiming "Sola Scriptura" (scripture alone). The fresco shows that the Apostles along with scripture are the foundation and pillars of the Church (1 Tim.3:15).  At the same time, we proclaim that Christ is the anchor (Heb. 6:19) or cornerstone (Eph. 2:20).

It should also be noted that Italy was in turmoil at the time (the Italian Wars), which is a topic way too complex to describe here.

Assumption Art Series: Titian

 

Here is Titian's 16th century artwork Assumption of the Virgin.  It is oil on panel, measures approximately 22 feet by 11 feet, and is found in the Church of Santa Maria Gloriosa de Frari, Venice, Italy.

This painting shows the departure of Western religious art from Eastern iconography.  The departure can be seen when Titian's work is compared to Giotto's artwork of the Assumption earlier in this series. Giotto still retains some elements of traditional Eastern iconography (e.g. the deathbed and Jesus holding Mary as an infant).  Titian focuses on Mary in her glorified body joyfully being assumed into heaven.

The Eastern iconography which Giotto still retains to some extent can be seen in the icon by Theophanese the Greek earlier in this series.

There is a tremendous amount of theology packed into the differences between these artworks and between Western and Eastern religious art, going to core differences regarding the Immaculate Conception as well as the Assumption.

What is important for Roman Catholics to bear in mind is the doctrinal statement issued in 1950 in the Apostolic Constitution Munificentissimus Deus defining the doctrine of the Assumption.  In short, it declares that Mary was assumed body and soul into heavenly glory.  It leaves open the question of whether she died first.

Assumption Art Series: Theophanese the Greek

 

This is the 14th century Icon of the Dormition of the Theotokos by Theophanese the Greek.  It is found in the Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow.

This icon depicts the Eastern Orthodox view of the end of Mary's earthly life.  It is posted here both for its beauty and for comparison with later Western images that present the Western view of Mary's Assumption.

As I understand it, the Eastern view is that Mary died and Jesus immediately took hold of her soul (depicted as a newborn infant) as she entered eternal life.  Then three days later Our Lord will assume her glorified body into heaven.

As most readers likely already know, the Eastern Orthodox churches call this event the Dormition.   Since the word "dormition" comes from the Latin verb dormire - to sleep - it would be easy to think it means that she fell asleep in the common meaning of sleep.  But it does not.  The Eastern view is that Mary actually died and that the sleep referred to is a special state she was in while awaiting her glorified body. This  would occur in three days, mirroring Jesus three days in the tomb.

Assumption Art Series: Italian Renaissance

Catholics understand that at the end of the Virgin's earthly life, Our Lord assumed his Mother into heaven, body and soul.  We understand that this is different from what occurs with other saints.  That is, the saints' love is perfected such that their souls do not need to go to purgatory.  Accordingly, their souls go to heaven while their bodies await the Resurrection of the Dead.  But Mary is different.

 

In these beautiful images by 13th-14th century Italian Renaissance artists, one sees something unusual:  surrounded by angels, saints and others, Our Lady is lying on a bed with her Son nearby.  Jesus is holding a small figure of an infant or very young girl.  It is easy to understand that this relates to Jesus taking Mary to heaven. 

 

What is not clear is the theological meaning of this imagery.  More about this later in the series.

Images:

Top: Giotto's Assumption

Middle: Duccio's Assumption

Bottom:  Fra Angelico's Assumption

Church Flowers for Our Lady's Assumption: A Summary

 

For the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (upcoming on August 15), as for all feasts of Our Lady, the liturgical color is white.  It is not necessary to use white flowers but white flowers are often used.

According to an old English table of flowers, the herbs and flowers associated with this feast are rosemary, lavender, virgin's bower (wild clematis), roses, and lilies. (See Katherine Morrison McClinton, Flower Arrangement in the Church, 1944, pp. 44-47.)

See the posts at these links:

The Assumption Lily & Our Lady

Assumption Day & Our Lady's Bower

Blessing of Flowers for the Feast of the Assumption

White Flowers for Church Decoration

Flowers for Assumption Day

Also see Gemma's post on Introibo with Flowers on Altar Flowers for Marian Feasts.

 

Image:
“Rosa alba”, from Wikimedia Commons. Some rights reserved. (Click for license.)