PRECES ANTE OFFICIUM
These prayers are not formally part of the office
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| The Coronation of the Virgin. Master of Munich. Legenda Aurea. 1430-1440 [Public Domain] Paris, Bibliothèque de l'Arsenal |
☨ (Sign of cross over heart) munda quoque cor meum ab ómnibus vanis, pervérsis et aliénis cogitatiónibus; intelléctum illúmina, afféctum inflámma, ut digne, atténte ac devóte hoc Offícium recitáre váleam, et exaudíri mérear ante conspéctum divínæ Majestátis tuæ. Per Christum Dóminum nostrum. Amen.
O LORD, open Thou my mouth, that I may bless Thy holy name; cleanse my heart too from all vain, evil, or wandering thoughts. Enlighten mine understanding, kindle mine affections, that I may be able to say this Office meetly with attention and devotion, and may deserve to be heard before the presence of Thy divine Majesty. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Dómine, in unióne illíus divínæ intentiónis, qua ipse in terris laudes Deo persolvísti, has tibi Horas (vel hanc tibi Horam) persólvo.
O Lord, in union with that divine intention wherewith Thou Thyself, while on earth, didst offer praises unto God, I offer these hours (or this hour) unto Thee.
AVE MARIA, gratia plena, Dóminus tecum. Benedícta tu in muliéribus, et benedíctus fructus ventris tui, Iesus. Sancta María, Mater Dei, ora pro nobis peccatóribus, nunc, et in hora mortis nostrae. Amen.
HAIL MARY, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now, and in the hour of our death. Amen.
Notes on the image
The words
The lines in the image above come from the opening prayers of Compline, the last of the canonical hours, recited at the close of the day. It seems fitting at the beginning of the Office to recall the words of a 15th century English author about the end of our life:
'Complin is the ende of the day, & in the ende of our lyfe we have the moste nede of Our Lady's helpe, and therfore in all these houres we ought to do her worship & praysyng. Also the paynes that Our Lorde Ihesu Crist suffered in His Holy Passion in all these vii houres, as is before said, Our Lady His Mother sufferyd the same paynes in her hearte by compassion, & therfore it is convenient to prayse her & do her service in all the same houres.' [from The Myroure of Oure Ladye, composed in the early 15th century]The first line in the image is unique to Compline's opening and the words are taken from Psalm 84: Benedixisti, Domine:
[5] Converte nos, Deus salutaris noster, et averte iram tuam a nobis.The lines which follow are found at the start of each of the seven hours:
Convert us, O God our saviour: and turn off thy anger from us.
Deus in adjutórium meum inténde.
O God, come to my assistance;
Dómine, ad adjuvándum [me festína].
O Lord, make haste to help me.
The imagery
A woman kneels before an enthroned figure, her head slightly bowed and her hands joined as in prayer. This is Mary and the figure is God. Her posture reflects her humility, said by some commentators to be the virtue God found most pleasing in her: quia respexit humilitatem ancillae suae. Her hair is loose and flows down over her shoulders, for she is a virgin, the Gloriosa virginum; at the end of the Office we pray:
beatíssimæ et gloriosíssimæ sempérque Vírginis Maríæ fœcúndæ integritáti, ... sit sempitérna laus, honor, virtus et glória ab omni creatúra:that everlasting praise, honour, power and glory be given by all creatures to the fruitful purity of the most blessed and most glorious Mary ever Virgin.
She is wearing a dark blue tunic under a mantle of the same colour, edged with gold. Blue is the colour of the sky or Heaven and denotes she is our heavenly Queen and the mother of God. Blue is also the colour of the seven seas, denoting her title as Stella Maris, star of the sea. Gold is a royal colour; an angel is in the very act of placing the crown upon her head. 'The golden borders most appositely represent charity, which is compared to gold, as being the most precious and valuable of all the virtues.' (Bellarmine, Exposition on Ps 44]
The enthroned figure has a grey beard, denoting Him as the 'ancient of days'[2], God the Father. His crown is a triple tiara similar to the papal tiara, of which it is the inspiration. For God is verily three persons in one godhead. Over His blue tunic, he wears a glorious fire-red cape, recalling the liturgical colours of Pentecost when the Holy Ghost descended in tongues, as it were, of fire upon Mary and the disciples. God's right hand is raised in blessing of the newly crowned Queen. His left hand rests on a globe, just as Christain monarchs would carry an orb on ceremonial occasions. By tradition, Mary's son placed her in the place of honour at His own right hand in Heaven. Christ the King is enthroned within a form of tent or tabernacle, and His presence is exposed to our gaze as we have been wont to adore Him adown the ages in Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament.
How fitting that there are seven angels in a Book structured around seven hours. Apart from the angel bearing the crown, a second clad in royal gold wields the thurible and fragrant incense rises and fills the heavenly court. Three angels sing in choir from one book, in homage to the sacrosanctae et individuae Trinitae, to the holy and undivided Trinity. They are clad in white to honour the purest of creatures, Mary. Their celestial chant is accompanied by musicians, of whom two are shown in a minstrels' gallery on high.
The members of this Heavenly court are portrayed in a palace courtyard. Part of a building may be seen[1] as well as an enclosing wall, beyond which may be glimpsed a garden with trees, including one in blossom. This recalls the first mention of Paradise as a garden in Eden, centred around the Tree of Life. But now the new Adam and the new Eve are ready to reign in happiness over the rejoicing, Church Triumphant, per omnia saecula saeculorum.
The artist
The Master of the Golden Legend of Munich is the name given to an unknown master illuminator active in Paris and possibly Rouen between 1420 and 1460. He owes this name to a Manuscript of the Golden Legend conserved in the Bavarian State Library in Munich. The image above is in the collection of la Bibliothèque de l’Arsenal, Paris.
Notes
[1] [2] In domo Patris mei mansiones multae sunt; si quominus dixissem vobis : quia vado parare vobis locum.In my Father's house there are many mansions. If not, I would have told you: because I go to prepare a place for you. [John 14]
[2] [9] Aspiciebam donec throni positi sunt, et antiquus dierum sedit. Vestimentum ejus candidum quasi nix, et capilli capitis ejus quasi lana munda : thronus ejus flammae ignis : rotae ejus ignis accensus.
I beheld till thrones were placed, and the Ancient of days sat: his garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like clean wool: his throne like flames of fire: the wheels of it like a burning fire. [Dan 7]
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