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| Anta Frirean, Ukrainian Madonna |
MMMMM
May
is a month of special devotion to Mary, the Mother of Jesus. On the
Saturdays of May, Pause for Prayer will focus on Mary. Today we'll pray with images, poetry and song. The images are "Maria Lactans" (Mary Breastfeeding), a genre of Marian art. The painting above, (Anta Frirean, a Ukrainian artist based in Germany) is from 2022 (background here). The image below (Solario) is from the 1500's.
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| Maria Lactans by Andrea Solario |
In 2008, the Vatican's newspaper, L'Osservatore Romano, published an article affirming that "loving, tender images of Mary breast-feeding the baby Jesus need an artistic and spiritual rehabilitation."
A vast iconography of traditional Christian art has been "censored by the modern age" because images depicting Our Lady's naked breast for her child were deemed too "unseemly," the paper said.
Artists began depicting a fully clothed nursing Mary in sacred art in an attempt to make her seem less "carnal," but the depictions unfortunately also diminished her human, loving and tender side "that touches the hearts and faith of the devout," the newspaper said.
The article (one of two) titled Those Marys, Too Human, Censored by the Modern Age was written by Christian historian Lucetta Scaraffia. The Vatican paper published the two commentaries along with a Renaissance portrait of Mary baring her breast, nursing a swaddled baby Jesus (Maria Lactans)
Here's a list of links to other examples of Maria Lactans.
Poetry
This nativity poem, written by St. Ephrem, includes unabashed reference to the milk of a mother's breast and Jesus as an image of the breast from which we all draw nourishment and life:
Mary bore a mute Babe
though in Him were hidden all our tongues.
Joseph carried Him,
yet hidden in Him was a silent nature older than everything.
The Lofty One became like a little child,
yet hidden in Him was a treasure of Wisdom
that suffices for all.
He was lofty
but He sucked Mary's milk,
and from His blessings all creation sucks.
He is the Living Breast of living breath;
by His life the dead were suckled, and they revived.
Without the breath of air no one can live;
without the power of the Son no one can rise.
Upon the living breath of the One Who vivifies all
depend the living beings above and below.
As indeed He sucked Mary's milk,
He has given suck -- life to the universe.
As again He dwelt in His mother's womb,
in His womb dwells all creation.
Mute He was as a babe,
yet He gave to all creation all His commands.
For without the First-Born no one is able to approach Being,
for He alone is capable of it.
Song
If you'd like some musical accompaniment for this post, listen to my favorite a cappella group, Chanticleer, singing my favorite setting (Biebl) of Ave Maria. For some background on this piece, refer back to my series of posts on the Ave Maria, especially this one.
Ave Maria by Bielbl, performed by Chanticleer
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Angelus Domini, nuntiavit Mariae,
et concepit de Spiritu Sancto.
The angel of the Lord declared unto MaryAve Maria, gratia plena, Dominus tecum;
and she conceived of the Holy Spirit.
benedicta tu in mulieribus
et benedictus fructus ventris tui Jesus.
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you;Maria dixit, ecce ancilla Domini,
blessed are you among women
and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus.
fiat mihi secundum verbum tuum.
Mary said: behold the servant of the Lord,Ave Maria, gratia plena, Dominus tecum;
let it be done to me according to your word.
benedicta tu in mulieribus
et benedictus fructus ventris tui Jesu.
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you;Et verbum caro factum est,
blessed are you among women
and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus.
et habitavit in nobis.
And the word became fleshAve Maria, gratia plena, Dominus tecum;
and dwelled among us.
benedicta tu in mulieribus
et benedictus fructus ventris tui Jesu.
Sancta Maria, mater Dei,
ora pro nobis peccatoribus
nunc et in hora mortis nostrae. Amen.
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you;
blessed are you among women
and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, mother of God,
pray for us, sinners,
now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
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