Tags
Alma Redemptoris Mater, Christmas, Feasts, Groundhog Day, Magnificat, Mary, Nunc Dimittis, Presentation of Jesus at the Temple
Putti (Chérubins), by Raphaël
Marian Antiphons
Today, 2 February 2013, we are entering the Marian year’s second season, the first takes us from Advent to Candlemas (la Chandeleur), once an observed feast commemorating the presentation of the child Jesus at the Temple. The second lasts until Good Friday.
In other words, as of today the Marian song is the Ave Regina Cælorum. From the beginning of Advent until today, it had been the Alma Redemptoris Mater. Several composers have set the words of the Alma Redemptoris Mater to music and the same is true of the Ave Regina Cælorum.
In the Church of England, today, Candlemas, is the end of the Epiphany season which follows the Christmas season.
The “Nunc dimittis” or Canticle of Simeon
Also sung today is the Nunc dimittis (“Now you dismiss…,” Luke 2:29–32), The Song of Simeon or Canticle of Simeon). Simeon had been promised he would see Jesus and did. A canticle is a song of praise. In this respect, the Nunc Dimittis resembles the Magnificat, or Canticle of Mary. Mary sang the Magnificat when she heard her cousin Elizabeth was with child. To listen to the Nunc Dimittis and read its story, simply click on one of the links below:
- Nunc Dimittis, Simeon’s Song of Praise (2 February 2012)
- Candlemas: the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple & a Festival of Lights (2 February 2012)
Groundhog Day
Moreover, today is also Groundhog Day. Punxutawney Phil has not seen his shadow which means that we are nearing spring. (See the Washington Post.) So, humans have always situated their feasts when a change occurs in the weather. We go from season to season and the following year, we also go from season to season and this continues year after year.
The Labours of the Months
Remember Jean de France’s Très Riches Heures. (See Les Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry). It’s a Book of Hours, but it is also a calendar. The Très Riches Heures has a large illuminated (enluminures) page for each month of the year illustrating the Labours of the Months. With Jean de France, there was another motive. In the background of each page, we see one of his castles.
Greek poet Hesiod, who is believed to have been active between 750 and 650 BCE, wrote Works and Days, a book Wikipedia describes as a farmer’s almanac. In Works and Days, he is teaching his brother Perses about the agricultural arts. (See Works and Days.)
Although we are leaving the first Marian season, I am including both the Alma Redemptoris Mater and the Ave Regina Cælorum.
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During Canonical Hours, the Antiphon (antienne) is a liturgical chant that precedes and follows a Psalm or a Canticle. In a Mass, it is also a chant to which a choir or the congregation respond with a refrain. It is therefore a call and response chant. The following links take one to Notre-Dame de Paris:
- Alma Redemptoris Mater (Advent through February 2)
- Ave Regina Cælorum (Presentation of the Lord through Good Friday)
- Regina Cœli (Easter season)
- Salve Regina (from first Vespers of Trinity Sunday until None of the Saturday before Advent)
Sources and Resources
Hesiod’s Works and Days is an online publication.
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Posts on Marian Hymnology & More
- Posts on Marian Hymnology (6 January 2013)
- Epiphany: Balthasar, Melchior & Gaspar (6 January 2013)
- A Christmas Offering (cont’d): Hymns to Mary (26 December 2012)
- From the Magnificat to the Stabat Mater (6 April 2012)
- Raphael and Marian Liturgy at NDP (4 April 2012)
- Fra Angelico & the Annunciation (3 April 2012)
- On Calendars & Feast Days (2 April 2012)
- Candlemas: the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple & a Festival of Lights (2 February 2012)
- Nunc Dimittis, Simeon’s Song of Praise (2 February 2012)
- A Christmas Offering: Hymns to Mary (25 December 2011)
- The Blessed Virgin: Mariology (24 December 2011)
- A Portrait of Giovanni Battista Pergolesi (20 December 2011)
- Canonical Hours and the Divine Office (19 November 2011) ←
© Micheline Walker
2 February 2013
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Micheline's Blog 
Thank you for enriching my day.
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How sweet of you, Naomi! Feasts have extraordinary stories. I have a lot more to tell about Candlemas. It was a very important feast in my childhood. Moreover, my mother kept alive all traditions that could be used to celebrate. I’ll have to tell it was pancake day, about the candles we lit.
I did receive your comment on lowering the voting age. Sixteen is too young and the suggestion has generated a lot of laughter. So I doubt it will ever happen.
Love to you and yours,
Micheline
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Thank you, dear Micheline for your articles very educational !
I very much liked the videos. Brought joy and relaxation music in my soul!
Have a wonderful day and many blessings!
Big hugs, much love, Stefania! 🙂
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Stefania, I think I am still in the classroom. Providing information was my professional role. I’m glad you enjoyed the information. Candlemas is a very fine feast, but it has been forgotten. Thank you for your beautiful posts.
Big hugs and love,
Micheline
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Wow, plenty to think about today, Micheline. My favourite piece of learning today: Trés Riche Heures. What an incredible resource.
And I love that Candlemas translates as ‘La Chandeleur…’
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My dear Kate,
Candlemas is a well-kept secret. When I was a child, my mother celebrated Candlemas. For us, it was Pancake Feast (la fête des crêpes), the slim French pancakes. We lit candles, etc. I’ll continue telling the story next February 2nd. “La Chandeleur,” it is a nice word, was a holiday as was Epiphany. We did not return to school until after Epiphany. There are references to Candlemas, also a lovely word, in British literature, but I will have to reread a few of my favourite novels. I cannot remember where I read about Candlemas. I thank you for your fine stories. You’re the storyteller. Kindest regards, Micheline
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Bhatnagar provides the foniowllg quote from the Ramayana: “Rama was born on the Navami tithi of Shukla Paksha of Chaitra masa (9th day of the increasing phase of the moon in the lunar month of Chaitra). At that time, the nakshatra was Punarvasu, and Sun, Mars, Saturn, Jupiter and Venus were in Aries, Capricorn, Libra, Cancer and Pisces respectively. Lagna was Cancer and Jupiter & Moon were shining together. — Ramayana 1.18.8,9The conditions can be summarized as follows, according to Bhatnagar:1. Sun in Aries2. Saturn in Libra3. Jupiter in Cancer4. Venus in Pisces5. Mars in Capricorn6. Lunar month of Chaitra7. 9th day after New Moon (Navami Tithi, Shukla Paksh)8. Moon near Punarvasu Nakshatra (Pollux star in Gemini constellation)9. Cancer as Lagna (Cancer constellation rising in the east)10. Jupiter above the horizonAccording to the Planetarium software, it provides the foniowllg date: Sri Rama Navami 10th January 5114 BCE Birth Day of Rama, Observation at 12.30 p.m.Bhatnagar continues: “By using a powerful planetarium software, I found that the planetary positions mentioned in Ramayana for the date of birth of Lord Ram had occurred in the sky at around 12.30 p.m. of 10th January 5114 BC. It was the ninth day of the Shukla Paksh of Chaitra month too. Moving forward, after 25 years of the birth of Lord Ram, the position of planets in the sky tallies with their description in Ramayana. Again, on the amavasya (new moon) of the 10th month of the 13th year of exile the solar eclipse had indeed occurred and the particular arrangement of planets in the sky was visible. ( Date comes to 7th October, 5077 BC). Even the occurrence of subsequent two eclipses also tally with the respective description in Valmiki Ramayana. (Date of Hanuman’s meeting Sita at Lanka was 12th September, 5076 BC). In this manner the entire sequence of the planetary positions gets verified and all the dates can be precisely determined.”
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