Diego Rodríguez de Silva y Velázquez  (6 June 1599 – 6 August 1660) was a Spanish painter and the most prominent artist at the court of King Philip IV.

In his description of the Ave Regina Cælorum, the Notre-Dame de Paris author wrote:

isn’t spring the time when days get endlessly longer and life sprouts up from root to branch?

As of  tomorrow, 6 April 2012, the Marian Antiphon will be the Regina Cæli and it will remain the seasonal Antiphon until Vespers of Trinity Sunday.  But although the Antiphon will change, we will still celebrate the refreshing newness of seasons and the eternal return of spring.

The Marian Antiphons

Immediately below, is our list of Marian Antiphons.  It is probably best to keep them under our eyes.

Please click on the titles to hear the music.

• Ave Redemptoris Mater (Advent through February 2)
• Ave Regina Cœlorum (Presentation of the Lord through Good Friday)
• Regina Cæli (Easter season)
• Salve Regina (from first Vespers of Trinity Sunday until None of the Saturday before Advent)

However, let us go to Notre-Dame’s Regina Cæli‘s site and read about the Marian antiphony that begins tomorrow.  So I am quoting:

The most recent Antiphony dedicated to Mary (14^th century) used to end services. It is sung during the Easter season and makes no mention of the valley of tears, like the Salve Regina, but instead sings of resurrection and heaven, where Mary reigns alongside her Son. This is how many of Notre-Dame de Paris’s sculptures and windows represent her.

May I suggest that even in the stained glass window shown below there is “no mention of the valley of tears.” (Notre-Dame de Paris author).  Tomorrow, 6 April 2012, we will continue to celebrate the refreshing newness each season brings and the return of Spring.

Regína caéli, lætáre, Allelúia!
Quia quem meruísti portáre, Allelúia!
Resurréxit, sicut dixit, Allelúia!
Ora pro nóbis Déum, Allelúia!

Queen of heaven, be joyful, alleluia!
The Son whom you merited to bear, alleluia!
Has risen, as He said, alleluia!
Queen of heaven, pray to God for us, alleluia!

The Velásquez painting shown at the top of this post represents the Holy Trinity crowning Mary,  She is Regina or Queen of heaven and as I have mentioned in a previous post, I believe her importance in the eyes of Christians is that she seems more accessible than the Trinity.  She is a mother and Christians pray to her because they believe she will convey their prayers to Jesus and to God the Father.  She is a mother, the person to whom we confide our hopes, our fears, our sorrows, our joys.

On the Notre-Dame site you will find an interpretation of the Regina Cæli (just click on the title and scroll down).

I have listed next to the image below previous posts you may wish to refer to.

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• Fra Angelico & the Annunciation
• On Calendars & Feast Days
• The Blessed Virgin: Mariology
• A Christmas Offering: Hymns to Mary
• Canonical Hours and the Divine Office

 © Micheline Walker

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