“A circumstance so important in its nature, and unfolded in so peculiar
and miraculous a manner, was of course communicated to the then reigning
pope, Servius; who immediately appointed a yearly feast ‘to give an
opportunity for the religious on earth to join with the angels in this
great solemnity;’ and there have been some contemplations dedicated for
this occasion, wherein is unfolded, ‘_for the benefit of mankind_,’
certain circumstances of her ‘sallies of love and union with God,’ even
before her pious mother St. Anne gave her being! It is somewhat
extraordinary, that, notwithstanding the day of the nativity of the
virgin was so clearly proved, after having been forgotten for many
centuries, pope Servius, when he appointed the festival, did not also
honour it with an octave or vigil; for it appears that pope Innocent IV.
has the credit of the octave which he instituted A. D. 1244, and that
pope Gregory XI. appointed the vigil A. D. 1370. At the death indeed of
Gregory IX. it was in contemplation to observe an octave upon the
following occasion: the cardinals had been long shut up without agreeing
upon the appointment of a successor to the deceased pope, when some of
these holy men made a vow to the virgin, that if through her merits they
could come to a decision they would in future observe her _octave_; a
vow which had an instantaneous effect, and caused Celestine to be
elected to St. Peter’s chair; though, as this nominal pope lived only
eighteen days from his election, the vow was not fulfilled until
Innocent IV. succeeded to that dignity. The long and uncourteous
disregard, however, of the early church to the immaculate mother of our
Lord, in respect to the day of her nativity, was amply compensated by
other attentions, and there still remain many persons in catholic
countries, in Spain and Italy in particular, who place a much greater
reliance on the efficiency of the mediation of the virgin, than they do
on that of our Lord himself: and if we are to credit the numerous
authors who have made her divine powers their theme, and celebrated her
extraordinary condescensions, our wonder and astonishment must be
excited in a most eminent degree. Some of her courtesies are calculated
for teaching a lesson of humility, which no doubt was the operating
cause of her performing such offices, which in no other view appear of
importance. At one time she descends from heaven to mend the gown of
Thomas à Becket, which was ripped at the shoulder. Whilst the monks of
Clervaux were at work, the virgin relieved their fatigue, by wiping the
perspiration from their faces. That the important duties of an abbey
should not be neglected, she for some time personally superintended
them, whilst the abbess was absent with a monk who had seduced her from
the path of virtue. She even descended from heaven to bleed a young man
who prayed to her, and whose health required that operation. At the
entreaty of a monk, who prayed to her for that purpose, she supplied his
place when absent, and sung matins for him. And, we are solemnly
assured, that when St. Allan was much indisposed, she rewarded him for
his devotional attentions to her, by graciously giving him that
nourishment which female parents are accustomed only to afford their
offspring! To what depths of impious absurdity will not ignorance and
credulity debase mankind!”[312]
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Legendary stories in honour of the virgin are numberless. For edifying
reading on this particular festival, the “Golden Legend” relates, among
others, the following:--
A bishop’s vicar, by name Theophylus, on the death of his diocesan, was
willed by the people to succeed him; but Theophylus refused, saying, he
had rather be a vicar than a bishop. However, the new bishop displaced
him from being vicar, whereupon Theophylus grieved, and falling into
despair, consulted a Jew, who being a magician, summoned the devil to
the help of Theophylus. The devil being duly acquainted with the state
of affairs, wrote a bond with Theophylus’s blood, whereby the said
Theophylus was held and firmly bound to renounce the virgin, and the
profession of christianity, and the same being by him duly sealed and
delivered, as his act and deed, the devil was therewith content, and
procured the bishop to re-establish Theophylus in his office. When
Theophylus was a vicar again, he began to repent that he had given his
bond, and prayed the virgin to relieve him from it. Wherefore she
appeared to Theophylus in a vision, “and rebuked him of his felony, and
commanded him to forsake the devil,” and to confess himself in heart a
christian man. This he accordingly did, and therefore the virgin
obtained his pardon, and brought his bond from the devil, and laid it on
his breast; and Theophylus became joyful, and related to the bishop and
all the people what had befallen him, and they marvelled greatly, and
gave praise to the virgin, and “three dayes after he rested in peas,”
and died in his vicarage, whereunto the devil had caused him to be
presented.
At another time a widow, whose son had been taken prisoner, wept without
comfort, and prayed to the virgin for his delivery, but he still
remained prisoner; and at last, when she saw that her prayers availed
not, she entered into a church where an image of the virgin was carved,
and standing before the image, reminded the virgin of her importunities,
and that she had not helped her; “and therefore,” said she, “like as my
son is taken from me, so shall I take away thy son, and keep him as a
hostage for mine.” Then she took away from the image the child that it
held, “and shette it in her chest, and locked it fast ryght diligently,
and was ryght joyfull that she had so good hostage for her sone.”
Wherefore, on the following night, the virgin liberated the widow’s son,
and desired him to go and tell his mother that, as he was released, she
desired to have her own son back. This he did, and the widow, in great
joy, “toke the chylde of the ymage, and came to the chirche, and
delyvered it to our lady, sayenge, lady, I thanke you, for ye have
delivered to me _my_ son, and here I deliver to you _yours_.”
One other story is of a thief who was always devout to the virgin. On a
time he was taken and judged, and ordered to be hanged; but when he was
hanged “the blyssed virgin Mary susteyned, and helde hym up, with her
handes, thre dayes, that he dyed not.” When they that caused him to be
hanged, “found hym lyvying, and of glad chere,” they supposed that “the
corde had not been well strayned,” and would have cut his throat with a
sword; but “our blyssed lady” put her hands between his neck and the
weapon, so that he could be neither killed nor hurt; and then they took
him down “and let him go in the honour of the blyssed virgyn Marye;” and
he went and “entred into a monastery, and was in the service of the
moder of God as longe as he lyved.”
Perhaps these three stories provided for _the festival of the nativity_
of the blessed virgin Mary in papal times, may be deemed sufficient in
our times.
* * * * *
Spain, as a catholic country, is profuse in adoration of the virgin. On
her festivals a shrine is erected in the open street, decorated with
flowers, and surrounded by a number of wax candles. A flight of stairs
leads to an altar, whereon is placed an image of the virgin mother, with
an embroidered silk canopy above. On these stairs a priest takes his
station, and preaches to the multitude, while other priests go round, at
intervals, with a salver, to collect oblations from the devotees. To
those who give liberally, the priest presents little engravings of the
virgin, which are highly valued. An obliging correspondent, who
communicates these particulars, (J. H. D. of Portsmouth,) says, “I have
two of them, which I obtained on one of those occasions at Cadiz, in
1811, one of which I herewith send you.” Of this consecrated print, the
engraving at the head of the present article is a fac-simile.
* * * * *