CSVF Blog

“Sing we now the praise of the Magdalen!”

I’m pretty late in getting this post up, but better late than never.

Today the Church Universal observes the feast of St. Mary Magdalen, and in its own celebrations of the feast the Order of Preachers honors one of its patronesses.  For centuries, Dominicans have revered the Magdalen as an icon of preaching and a model of penitence.  Here is how her feast is described in the Dominican ordo:

Mary Magdalen, who was healed by the Lord Jesus, followed him with great love and ministered to him (Luke 8:3).  Later when the disciples fled, Mary Madgalen stood at the cross with the Mother of the Lord, John and some of the women (John 19:25).  On Easter morning Jesus appeared to her and sent her to announce the news of his resurrection to the disciples (Mark 16:9; John 20:11-18).

Her cult spread throughout the western Church, especially in the eleventh century, and flourished in the Order of Preachers.  As Humbert of Romans attests: “After Magdalen was converted to penitence the Lord bestowed such great grace upon her tha tafter the Blessed Virgin no woman could be found to whom greater reverence should be shown in this world and greater glory in heaven.”

The Order of Preachers numbers her among its patrons.  Its brothers and sisters of every age have honored her as the “Apostle to the Apostles”-for thus is she celebrated in the Byzantine liturgy-and have compared the mission of the Magdalen in announcing the resurrection to their own mission.

The old Catholic Encyclopedia has a great article on Mary Magdalen, and the Australian Dominicans’ vocations website includes a page dedicated to explaining her patronage of the Order.

A hymn written by Philip the Chancellor (+1236) was adopted by the Dominicans to be sung on this day.  Below you’ll find an English translation of it prepared by Fr. Becket Soule, OP.  It can be sung to the familiar Pange lingua tune.  Also after the break I’ve included several depictions of Mary Magdalen in classical art. Enjoy, and please continue to ask the Magdalen’s intercession for the Order of Preachers!

PANGE LINGUA MAGDALENAE

Sing, we now the praise of Mary,

All her tears, her joy, her love;

High in laud we raise our voices,

While our hearts accordant move;

So the nightingale descanteth

Sweetly to the plaintive dove.

 

Nought the number of the feaster,

Seeking Jesus, did she fear;

She her Master’s feet anointed,

Washed them with her falling tear,

Wiped them with her tresses, gaining

Pardon through her love sincere.

 

Lo, the cleansed doth wash the Cleanser,

Stream to Fountain floweth fain;

Balm that from the flow’r distilleth,

Fragrance sheds on flower again;

And the dew from earth ascendeth

To the heav’n that gave the rain.

 

Spikenard in the alabaster

Is her off’ring pure and rare;

She, in pouring of the ointment,

Doth a mystic sign declare;

Sick, anointeth her Physician,

To receive his healing care.

 

Gazed the Lord with special favor

Down on Mary tenderly;

Much she loves; her sins, though many,

Have forgiveness full and free;

On the Resurrection morning

She shall Jesus’ herald be.

 

Glory be to God, and honor,

Who the Paschal victim gave,

Lamb in death, in fight a lion,

On the third day from the grave

Carrying the spoils of Hades

Rose again mankind to save.  Amen.

 

(Benson)

 

(Caravaggio)

 

(Van Oostsanen)

 

(El Greco)

 

(Feti)

 

(Fontana)

 

(La Tour)

 

(Langetti)

 

(Reubens)

 

(Titian)