Maria, Mater Dei

The first of January is the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God.

Ave Maria, gratia plena, Dominus tecum. Benedicta tu in mulieribus, et benedictus fructus ventris tui, Iesus. Sancta Maria, Mater Dei, ora pro nobis peccatoribus, nunc, et in hora mortis nostrae. Amen.

Also A plenary indulgence may be gained by reciting or singing Veni Creator Spritus on this day.

St. John the Evangelist and Apostle

St. John, known as the beloved disciple. He was the only Apostle that did not forsake Jesus at the time of His Passion. He was the one who Jesus made guardian of the Holy Mother, was the first to reach the tomb after hearing about the Resurrection and was the first to recognize the Risen Lord at the lake of Tiberius. One of the writers of the Gospels, three Epistles and wrote the book of Revelations.

Legend has it that St. John was handed a cup of poisoned wine, at his blessing the poison left the cup in the form of a snake.

Among his many patronages are art dealers, authors, booksellers,editors, engravers, lithographers, painters,  printers and writers.

Sancte Ioannes, ora pro nobis




Merry Christmas

Feliz Navidad

... or how thay say in Bavaria, Froue Weihnåcht'n.
Pax and God bless

Nochebuena

Los Reyes que llegaron a Belén,

anunciaron la llegada del Mesías,

nosotros con alegría

la anunciamos hoy también.

De tierras lejanas, venimos a verte

nos sirve de guía la estrella de Oriente.

¡Oh brillante estrella que anuncia la aurora,

no nos falte nunca tu luz bienhechora!

Al recién nacido que es Rey de los Reyes

oro le regalo para ornar sus sienes.

Gloria en las alturas al Hijo de Dios,

gloria en las alturas y en la tierra amor.

Como es Dios el niño, le regalo incienso

perfume con alas, que sube hasta el cielo.

¡Oh brillante estrella, que anuncias la aurora,

no nos falte nunca tu luz bienhechora!

Al Niño del cielo, que bajó a la tierra

le regalo mirra que inspira tristeza.

Gloria en las alturas, al Hijo de Dios

gloria en las alturas y en la tierra amor.

O Emmanuel

The final O Antiphon

O Emmanuel, Rex et legifer noster, exspectatio gentium, et Salvator earum: veni ad salvandum nos Domine Deus noster.

O Emmanuel, God with us, our King and lawgiver, the expected of the nations and their Savior: come to save us, O Lord our God.

Gaude, Guade



Many thanks to Father Zuhlsdorf's Rather Old O Antiphon page and Catholic Culture for providing me the info and inspiration.

O King of the Gentiles

The 6th O Antophon

O Rex gentium, et desideratus earum, lapisque angularis, qui facis utraque unum: veni, et salva hominem, quem de limo formasti.

O King of the gentiles and their desired One, the cornerstone that makes both one: come, and deliver man, whom you formed out of the dust of the earth.

O Dayspring

5th O Antiphon

O Oriens, splendor lucis aeternae, et sol iustitiae: veni, et illumina sedentes in tenebris et umbra mortis.

O dawn of the east, brightness of light eternal, and sun of justice: come, and enlighten those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death.

O Key of David

Fourth O Antiphon 

O clavis David, et sceptrum domus Israel: qui aperis, et nemo claudit; claudis, et nemo aperit: veni, et educ vinctum de domo carceris, sedentem in tenebris.

O Key of David, and scepter of the house of Israel, who opens and no man shuts, who shuts and no man opens: come, and lead forth the captive who sits in the shadows from his prison

O Root Of Jesse

3rd O Antiphon

O Radix Jesse, qui stas in signum populorum, super quem continebunt reges os suum, quem gentes deprecabuntur: veni ad liberandum nos, iam noli tardare.

O Root of Jesse, that stands for an ensign of the people, before whom the kings keep silence and unto whom the Gentiles shall make supplication: come, to deliver us, and tarry not.

Privatus Dei Filio.

Gaude! Gaude! Emmanuel,

Nascetur pro te, Israel!

O Lord

2nd O Antiphon

O Adonai, et Dux domus Israel, qui Moysi in igne flammae rubi apparuisti, et ei in Sina legem dedisti: veni ad redimendum nos in brachio extento..

O Lord and Ruler the house of Israel, who appeared to Moses in the flame of the burning bush and gave him the law on Sinai: come, and redeem us with outstretched arms.

O Wisdom

Sapentia, the first of the O Antiphons, the antiphons chanted before the Magnificat during Vespers. This signifies the Octave before Christmas and what is known in sports metaphors as the home stretch.

O Sapientia, quae ex ore Altissimi prodidisti, attingens a fine usque ad finem, fortiter suaviter disponensque omnia: veni ad docendum nos viam prudentiae.

O Wisdom, who came from the mouth of the Most High, reaching from end to end and ordering all things mightily and sweetly: come, and teach us the way of prudence.

Juan de Yepes Álvarez

St. John of the Cross. This Spanish fellow, despite joining and being ordained a priest with the Carmelites, almost switched to the Carthusians, but St. Teresa of Avila persuaded him to help her reform the Carmelites. His reforms were not appreciated by his fellow Carmelites so they imprisoned him. He eventually escaped. A contemplative and spiritual writer he was made a Doctor of the Church.

He is a patron of Contemplatives, Mystics and Spanish poets.

His representation is an eagle, but I have usually seen him depicted as a tonsured Carmelite friar holding a Crucifix or in front of one.

Sancte Ioannes, ora pro nbis

Muñequitos Monasticos: Mercedarian Sisters

The Mercedarian Sisters, the female wing of the Order of Mercy. This illustration is a generic one and I had to use some conjecture. I used the the Mercedarian Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament as inspiration. They use a necklace as part of the habit, but I couldn't find any pics that gave me a good enough view to replicate them. When I figure out what they are I will update the illustration.
For some reason the Mercedarian Sisters I have come across use a modern habit, as opposed to the friars that still use a traditional habit.

Mercedarian Friar post here

Qui gemit in exilio,

ave gratia plena Dominus tecum

Thursday(which could be tomorrow for you or right now) is the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, don't forget to go to Mass.

Bald ist Niklausabend da

St. Nicholas, he was the Bishop of Myrna and area of what is now known as Turkey. He has many stories attributed about him, such as how he calmed a storm on the way to the Holy Land, that he raised to life three boys that were murdered, that he provided a dowry to avoid a father from turning his daughters to prostitution and my favorite, he punched Arius at the Council of Nicaea.

His representations include and anchor, three bags of gold, three gold balls, three golden apples on  a book, or a bishop holding three bags of gold, three gold ball or calming a storm.

Among his many, many patronages he is the patron of children, sailors, against robbers, archers, brides, grooms, poor people, and the Greek Catholic Church.

Sancte Nicolas, ora pro nobis.

Captivum solve Israel

Clip Art XV

Here's a Dominican Cross on an Iberian shield.