A compendium

I'm putting together a Compendium of Liturgical texts and replies/decisions covering the period 1950-1970 (maybe something slightly more or less). I still have a few small things to iron out since I don't have access to a library or anything so the remaining information is a little hard for me to come by. If anyone would be willing to supply me with certain documents (I can tell you where to find them!) that I'm lacking, please leave a comment and I'll find a way of getting in touch with you. I have most of the documents - just a few I'm lacking or would like more complete versions.I'm still trying to figure out how exactly to arrange the documents, whether I should include fast/abstinence or not, keep it strictly focused on a particular aspect of the reform, or not, etc.This is a sample of what going to be there. Actually a bit more, since I have some more decisions and decrees but I was too tired to type them out (cut me some slack, I'm just getting over Easter!)

1951

February 9 – SCR Decree ordering the revision of the rites of Holy Week

1952

January 11 – Instaurata vigilia paschalis introduction of the revised rites of Holy Week.

1955

March 23 – Cum nostra hac aetate Decree making rubrical and calendar reforms.

Novemebr 16 – Maxima Redemptionis – the revised rites of Holy Week promulgated.

December 25 – Encyclical Musicae Sacrae

1957

Feb 1 – document permitting the first semi-solemn rite with only deacon and subdeacon for Holy Week. Also issues further clarifications and guidelines for the new Holy Week. Permits Ordinaries to allow blessing of palms in the evning but not in the same church where palms were blessed in the morning. Modifies the timings of the revised Holy Week again
March 19 – Sacram Communionem – loosening of restriction on the Communion fast
June 1 – Decree on the tabernacle and altar – incorporating the points made by Pius XII in the Assisi address, reiterating current legislation and emboying newer legislation.
July 25 – transference of fast and abstinence from Vigil of the Assumption to the Vigil of the Immaculate Conception
August 20 – Decree on ‘Gothic’ vestments – such vestments were henceforth to be left to the discretion of the bishops
October 24 – Rite for the blessing of a radio station
Dec 13 – SCR allows the bishops of each country to determine the percentage of wax constituting maxima parte in the two candles for Mass, the Paschal candle and the percentage of olive/vegetable oil for the tabernacle lamp
Dec 15 – Instruction on the celebration of Votive Masses of the BVM and the Dead by priests with defective eyesight

1958

Feb 5 – Faculty to allow the repetition of the blessing and sprinkling of ashes before the evening Mass
Feb 14 – Holy Office reminder to Ordinaries not to allow new rites or ceremonies inot Divine Worship
Apr 10 – short form of Confirmation in danger of death
June 24 – monitum on the Eucharistic Consecration especially on the words “Mysterium Fidei” by the Holy Office
Sept 3 – De Musica Sacra – document on Sacred Music- also important legislation regarding the Mass with regard to the vernacular and dialogue Mass

1959

March 3 – Prefaces of Advent and the Blessed Sacrament conceded to Belgium
March 14 – indult granted to the archdiocese of Florence and Diocese of St. Flour to omit the Leonine prayers after low Mass with a sermon
May 19 – St. Lawrence of Brindisi named a Doctor of the Church
June 8- Proper Oration and II Nocturn lessons for St. Lawrence approved
July 8 – SCR decrees that rites annexed to Corpus Christi procession are not liturgical and fall under the purview of the bishop - leads to a publication of different Ordos for Corpus Christi especially in Germany.
July 18 – Revised form of Consecration of the Human Race to the Sacred Heart of Jesus published. With revised indulgences
SCR replies to the Archbishop of Liverpool that the rosary must be recited apart form Mass (dubium: whether public recitation of the rosary during Mass is forbidden, even in the month of October)

1960

Feb 24 – Prayer of Pope Clement XI Credo Domine added to the thanksgiving after Mass (indulgenced 5 years, on March 11, plen. once a month)
Feb 24 – Litany of the Precious Blood (indulgenced 7 years, on March 3, plen. Once a month)
March 9 – SCR allows omission of the Leonine Prayers after a Mass in which a himily is preached, and after a dialogue Mass on Sunday and feasts of the I and II Class.
March 21 – Declaration on the reasonable cause for distributing Holy Communion outside of Mass instead of within it
Oct 12 – Blessed be His Most Precious Blood added to the Divine Praises
Nov 14 – Decree permitting the Chrism Mass on a day other than Holy Thursday for bishops in mission territoires
Rite for blessing of the oil of the sick by a priest, by indult
Dec 3 – Decree on the day on which a Mass pro populo must be celebrated. Added are the Sacred Heart, St. Jospeh the Worker, St. Mark and St. Luke. Suppressed are St. Lawerence, St. Stephen, holy Innocents, St. Sylvester, Finding of the Holy Cross, Easter Monday and Tuesday, Pentecost Monday and Tuesday

1961

Feb 14 – Instruction on the revision of Particular Calendars. Notable is the transference of patronage for suppressed feasts and the deletion of certain Masses from the ‘pro aliquibus locis’ section of the missal.
April 13 – Pontificale Romanum, pars II – changes to the blessings of churches, bells, altars, etc. Elimination of blessings and rites deemed obsolete such as for armour. Insertion of new blessings Emendation of canon law regarding fasting and indulgences
May 3 – Decree for revised chant of the Missal, Kriale, Graduale and Antiphonale in accordance with the revised rubrics
May 27 – SCR modifies the rubrics to disallow commemoration of IV Class feriae
April 15 – Instruction for sick priests or priests with poor eyesight concerning the celebration of Votive Masses
Oct 21 – response to a dubium allows Communion for the sick in the afternoon under certain conditions
Dec 13 – SCR allows transference of the Sacred Heart to June 22 on account of it coinciding with Ss. Peter and Paul

1962

Jan 2 – declaration on external solemnities – of note, a relaxing of the rubrics to allow external solemnity of other feasts besides I and II Class
April 16 – revised rite for baptism of adults, allowing the rites in seven steps and omitting certain ceremonies
June 23 – Publication of the revised Missale Romanum
Oct 4 – faculties for Confirmation – the Fathers attending the Council are authorized to depute a priest (preferably of some ecclesiastical dignity) for this task
Nov 13 – St. Joseph added to the Communicantes of the Canon of the Mass
Nov 30 – Pastorale munus – faculties granted on Masses, Communion, Penance, Orders etc.

1964

Jan 10 – Decree changing the calculation of the Communion fast for priests from before Mass to before Communion
Jan 25 – Sacram Liturgiam – providing dispensation for the hour of Prime, reduction of Terce, Sext and None to one hour if there is no obligation as well as decrees on marriage and confirmation.
April 25 – Decree changing the formula of Holy Communion to “Corpus Christi. Amen”
April 25 – addition of the Holy Spirit to the Divine Praises
Sept 26 – Inter Oecumenici – reforms to the rite of the Mass, the sacraments, the Divine Office. Also norms for churches and for liturgical formation
Dec 14 – Kyriale Simplex

1965

Jan 13 – The Common Prayer or Prayer of the Faithful: its nature and structure. Containing chants, and history of the prayer of the faithful
Jan 27 – New Ordo Missae, Ritus Servandus in Celebratione Missae and De Defectibus
Feb 15 – minor changes in the rubrics of the Proper to bring it into line with previous changes
Feb 28 – The SCR permits the replacing of Daniel 13 with Eph 6:10-17 for Saturday in Lent III
March 4 – Faculty to carry Holy Oil for the sick in certain circumstances
March 7 – Rites to be observed in the Concelebration of Mass, Rite of Communion under both species, with accompanying decree
March 7 – Variations in the Order of Holy Week – revised texts for certain Propers in the Mass of Chrism, simplified rite of blessing holy oils, changes to the orations of Holy Week for the “Jews”, “schsimatics and heretics” and “pagans” which are also retitiled.
March 25 – permits the singing of the Passion by those below the rank of deacon, including laymen. The vesture is the alb.

1966

Jan 27 – Decree on the publishers of liturgical books especially the vernacular edition typical
Feb 3 – Rescript approving prefaces of Advent, Blessed Sacrament, All Saints and Dedication of a Church for the USA
Feb 14 – Simplification of the rite of the Roman Rituale for administering Holy Communion in hospitals
May 13 – Decree on the transference of the feast of St. Joseph to March 18 due to Palm Sunday

First published in February, 2008

Pilgrimage to Rome 2011, Day I - Let's start the walking!

For the fourth pilgrimage with the Sodality of Our Lady in Ireland we went back to the Eternal City. Our tour guide, Mr. Thomas Murphy, had arranged for us to stay the week in a convent just next to St. Peter's Church - Instituto Sanctissima Bambina Maria - which, apart from conventient access to 7 o'clock morning Mass, a fact of which many of us took advantage, offered the most incredible view from the roof top terrace (picture 1); warm summer evenings, dusk, with a well lit St. Peter's at our feet - clearly divinely inspired.

Day one was planned as a walk through the streets of Rome along the Via Papale, the route of the popes, although we did it backwards; starting at St. Peter's Square (picture 5), just after morning Mass with Fr. Larkin, our route went down to the Tiber, past the Church Santo Spirito in Sassia and Ospedale Santo Spirito, and then towards Castel Sant'Angelo (picture 2) which was originally built as the Emperor Hadrian's mausoleum. Since the 6th century AD connected with St. Michael the Archangel after Pope Gregory the Great, during a plague epidemic in 590 AD, saw a vision of the Archangel on top of the building and took it as a sign that the plague was over.


From here we went across the Tiber on the Ponte Sant'Angelo (picture 3) and strolled through the narrow streets of the inner city of Rome and made our way to the Chiesa Nuova - Filippo Neri's oratory, designed by Borromini - passing Banco Santo Spirito and the Piazza del' Horologico. From the Chiesa Nuova we walked back onto the old Papal Way, once the main street of Rome but very narrow by today's standards.

We stopped at the church Santa Maria della Pace, a beautiful white classical church that stands out among the sandstone buildings of old Rome. It was begun by Pope Sixtus IV and Bramante (who lived just down the road) but it was finished by the Sodality Pope Alexander VII and de Cortona. It is one of the very earliest renaissance streetskape 'theatres' of Rome. Around a few corners we visited the tomb of Pope Hadrian VI in the German church Santa Maria dell'Anima and then on to Piazza Navona and the church of Sant'Agnese in Agone, a 17th century baroque church located on the site where St. Agnes was martyred in 304 AD. It's a beautiful little church but the unfortunate location, on one of Rome's more tourist-ridden piazzas, apparently necessitates signs and loud speaker announcements which, at least for this pilgrim, takes away that "good ol' churchy feeling".

After a quick lunch and the compulsory post-lunch-gelato we went on to the Collegio Capranica (picture 4) where our guide had arranged for us the special privilege to be allowed in to look at the chapel and to pray. The chapel was a very special place for the Sodality because it is where at least two popes (Benedict XV and Pius XII) joined.

From there we sauntered the few steps to the Pantheon, one of the most impressive buildnings in Roma - from the outside. Inside the Pantheon is actually a church but this is a fa

ct to which very few people pay the least bit of attention and upon entering you find yourself in a big hall, with excellent acoustics, where a couple of hundred people do their best to talk as loudly as possible and where tour guides happily stomp about with twenty or so photo-hungry tourists following. Here our tour ended and we made our way back to the convent for Benediction, Vespers, supper and bed. My advice after this first day; when in Rome - avoid the touristy places.

Conclusion, conclusion, conclusion

You know when I was doing my exams they told me that for the English essays, come hell or high water, the conclusion had to be proper. That was the one essential component to getting a good grade. So the Pope has released a new prayer for the Jews - sadly only for the Extraordinary Form. I reserve all opinions to myself about it except this one. Which imbecile underling didn't check the rubrics?

All the Good Friday prayers end with what is known as the "long conclusion" - Per Dominum nostrum Iesum Christum, Filium tuum, qui tecum vivit et regnat, in unitate Spiritu Sancte, Deus, per omnia saecula saeculorum - Through our Lord Jesus Christ your Son who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, God, unto all ages, world without end. Some "Per eundem Dominum..." - I hope you'll remember that post about the bishop who wrote to Rome over eundem (or in his case eumdem)

Back in the 'good old days' of reform (*cough) , the revisers decided to eliminate this long conclusion which has been attached to all the Collects, Secrets and Postcommunions due to Gallican influence and return to the simple Roman ending "Per Christum Dominum nostrum" - Through Christ our Lord - for the retitled Super oblata, the Postcommunion and many of the prayers, blessings and certain collects (like Good Friday) And looking at the new prayers for the Jews, what do my eyes behold but "Per Christum Dominum nostrum" instead of the long ending.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!! Hope they correct this one! Unless maybe the Holy Father is hinting that he is going to change the OF prayer. Hmmmmmm.........

Casting my mind back I was just thinking about the changes to this oration on Good Friday. Incremental is the word I'm looking for. In 1948, it was allowed to translate "perfidi" with a little more leeway. This lead to a good many hand missals switching from "perfidious" to "unbelieving" or similar. This was re-enforced when Pius XII quite firmly explained its meaning later. Then in 1956, the words "Oremus. Flectamus Genua. Levate" was added in the new order of Holy Week and everyone knelt before the prayer for the Jews. In 1959, in a letter to the Cardinal Vicar of Rome, later communicated to the world's bishops, John XXIII excised "perfidi" from the prayer. In 1965, the prayer was retitled, the introduction was changed and the prayer itself was the one that would later be used in the 1970 Missal. As follows:

Pro Iudaeis Oremus et pro Iudaeis: ut Deus et Dominus noster faciem suam super eos illuminare dignetur; ut et ipsi agnoscant omnium Redemptorem, Iesum Christum Dominum nostrum. Oremus. Flectamus genua. Levate.Omnipotens sempiterne Deus, qui promissiones tuas Abrahae et semini eius contulisti: Ecclesiae tuae preces clementer exaudi; ut populus acquisitionis antiquae ad Redemptionis mereatur plenitudinem pervenire.

And then in 1970 the introduction was once again changed and the kneeling exhortations made according to local custom.

Oremus et pro Iudaeis, ut, ad quos prius locutus est Dominus Deus noster, eis tribuat in sui nominis amore et in sui foederis fidelitate proficere. Omnipotens sempiterne Deus, qui promissiones, etc.

First published in February, 2008

Abhinc Duos Annos

So tomorrow is the feast of Pope St. Pius X. St. Pius X is remembered for many things - his promotion of frequent communion, his motu proprio Tra le Sollecitudini on sacred music (whose prescriptions encountered enough evasion even in his day, but I'll leave that for another time), his encyclical Pascendi and the Anti-Modernist Oath. Possibly the latter two were in mind when the author of his collect wrote "the strength of an apostle to defend the Catholic faith"? In any case, I think he must be best remembered for that- it certainly earned him a society.

One of the things he is not remembered perhaps so well for is his role as a reformer. Perhaps nowadays reformer has a decidedly negative connotation for some. I think in some ways he was a bit of a purist. He initiated the original reform which, in addition to touching on various aspects such as sacred music, the purity of liturgical art (no more depictions of the Blessed Virgin dressed in priestly garments), also touched on the liturgical year and the breviary and the missal. I've always been interested in that, particularly since so little information seems to be available about the work of his commission.

In any case, truthfully or no, every pope from Pius XII to John Paul II, have attributed their reforms as a continuation of his work particularly as espoused in his letter Abhinc Duos Annos. The encyclical was written months before his heavenly birthday (23 Octobris 1913): AAS 5 (1913), 449-450.

ABHINC DUOS ANNOS, cum Constitutionem Apostolicam ederemus Divino afflatu, qua id proprie spectavimus, ut, quoad fieri posset, et recitatio Psalterii absolveretur intra hebdomadam, et vetera Dominicarum Officia restituerentur, Nobis qui dem alia multa versabantur in animo, partim meditata, partim etiam inchoata consilia quae ad Breviarii Romani, susceptam a Nobis, emendationem pertinerent; sed ea tamen, cum ob multiplices difficultates tune exsequi non liceret, differre in tempus magis commodum compulsi sumus.
Etenim ad compositionem Breviarii sic corrigendam ut talis exsistat, qualem volumus, id est numeris omnibus absoluta, ilia opus sunt:
-Kalendarium Ecclesiae universalis ad pristinam revocare descriptionem et formam, salvis tamen pulcris accessionibus, quas ei mira semper Ecclesiae, Sanctorum matris, fecunditas attulerit;
-Scripturarum et Patrum Doctorumque idoneos locos, ad genuinam lectionem redactos, adhibere;
-sobrie Sanctorum vitas ex monumentis retractare;
Liturgiae plures tractus, supervacaneis rebus expedites, aptius disponere lam vero haec omnia, doctorum ac prudentum iudicio, labores desiderant cum magnos, turn diuturnos; ob eamque causam longa annorum series intercedat necesse est, antequam hoc quasiaedificium liturgicum, quod mystica Christi Sponsa, ad suam declarandam pietatem et fidem, intelligenti studio conformavit, rursus, dignitate splendidum et concinnitate, tamquam deterso squalore vetustatis, appareat.
Interea ex litteris et sermone multorum Venerabilium Fratrum cognovimus ipsis et permultis sacerdotibus esse optatissimum, ut in Breviario una cum Psalterio nova ratione disposito suisque rubricis adsint mutationes omnes, quae ipsum novum Psalterium vel iam secutae sunt vel sequi possunt. Quod cum instanter a Nobis peterent, simul significarunt se vehementer cupere, ut et Psalterium novum usurpetur frequentius, et Officia Dominicarum serventur ea studiosius, et incommodis Officiorum translationibus occurratur, et alia quaedam quae bonum videatur mutari, mutentur. Huiusmodi Nos vota, utpote rerum veritati innixa Nostraeque admodum consentanea voluntati, grate equidem accepimus: iis autem obsecundandi nunc esse tempus arbitramur. Certiores enim facti sumus officina Aores libraries, qui sacrorum Rituum Congregation! inserviunt, exspectantes dum Breviarium Romanum decretorio modo ac definitive corrigatur, in eo esse ut novam interim ipsius Breviarii editionem adornent. Hac uti occasione visum
(he goes on to list several reforms later incorporated into the breviary, such as Sundays, psalms during Octaves and other stuff)

TWO YEARS AGO, in publishing Our Apostolic Constitution, Divino Afflatu, We had especially in sight the recitation, as far as possible in its entirety, of the Psalter on weekdays, and the restoration of the ancient Sunday offices. But Our mind was occupied by many other projects – some mere plans, others already on the way to realization – relating to reform in the Roman breviary.
However, because of the numerous difficulties preventing Us from executing them, We has to postpone them for a more favourable moment. To change the composition of the Breviary to make it in accordance with Our desires, that is, to give it a finished perfection in every part would involve:
-restoring the calendar of the Universal Church to its original arrangement and style, retaining meanwhile the splendid richness, which the marvelous fruitfulness of the Church, the Mother of Saints, has brought to bear upon it.
-utilising appropriate passages of Scripture, of the Father and doctors, after having reestablished the authentic text;
-prudently correcting the lives of the Saints according to documentary evidence
Perfecting the arrangement of numerous point of the liturgy, eliminating superfluous elements. But in the judgment of wise and learned persons, all this would require considerable work and time. For this reason, many years will have to pass before this type of liturgical edifice, composed with intelligent care for the spouse of Christ to express her piety and faith, can appear purified of the squalidness brought by time, newly resplendent with dignity and fitting order.
In the meantime, through correspondence and conversations with a number of bishops, We have learnt of their urgent desire – shared by many priests – to find in the Breviary, together with the new arrangement of the Psalter and its rubrics, all the changes which have already come or which might come with this new Psalter. They have repeatedly asked Us, indeed they have repeatedly manifested their earnest desire that the new psalter be used more often, that the Sundays be observed more conscientiously, that provision be made for the inconvenience of transferred offices, and that certain other changes be affected which seem to be justified. Because they are grounded in objectivity and completely conform to Our desire, We have agreed to these requests and We believe the moment has come to grant them.

Most of the reforms envisioned in this Apostolic Constitution were not carried out. But it is not difficult to see the rationale in this letter for the reforms of the 1950’s and the early 1960’s, even to an extent of the Liturgia Horarum though I’m pretty sure he would have balked at the extent of the latter. Calendar correction, “superfluous elements”, emphasis on the documented vita of the saints for the II Nocturn. Most shocking, perhaps, (at least, for me it was) his description of the Office as “squalore”, squalid (keep in mind this is the breviary used until John XXIII). It is quite a strong word, perhaps one that might occasion a lot of criticism today.I had thought of a super ending to this post, but I can't remember it now. Drat. In any case, contemplating our liturgy today (as a whole and not just the breviary), can we say that the reforms of the 60's have brought us "dignity and fitting order"? Lord God, you filled Pope St. Pius with wisdom and gave him the strength of an apostle to defend the Catholic faith and to renew all things in Christ. Grant that we may follow his example and teaching and so come to our reward in heaven. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, God, forever and ever. Amen.

Lex Orendi, lex credendi. Holy Pius, pray for the defense of the Catholic faith especially through an authentic renewal of the liturgy.

Published in August, 2007

Vatican Two Hundredth

Today we've seen our two hundredth visit from the Holy See to this blog. Welcome back, your Holiness!

St. Peter's Basilica and the 1962 Missals

The Italian Latin Mass blog reports that a practical obstacle of no small moment has long been imposed upon Priests wishing to celebrate Mass using the Missal of 1962 in St. Peter's: the Sacristy of the Basilica did not preserve even a single Missal for the Extraordinary Form.

Every Parish Church and Chapel of Ease, not to say Cathedral, would have accumulated Missals over the centuries, but, suddenly, everything disappeared from St. Peter's. Who knows what happened: it seems that a liberating or renewing book-burning must have taken place in the immediate post-Conciliar period.


Father Stefano Carusi, a Priest of the Institute of the Good Shepherd (seen to the left above), has released the letter he sent to the Cardinal Archpriest, to lament the fact and point out how, in the words of those in the sacristy, it appeared clear that absence of missals was not accidental.

Now, we are pleased to make known that the Archpriest, who is also the Cardinal Vicar for the Vatican City State, Cardinal Comastri, has pledged to make available four copies of the 1962 Missal... and only a mere two years and three months after Summorum Pontificum came into force.

When asked to comment on the day following the celebration of Pontifical High Mass in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel of the Basilica on 18th October, 2009, by Archbishop Raymond Burke, Prefect of the Apostolic Signatura, His Eminence said: "The Mass represented an extraordinary event, an event authorized on the occasion of the conference." The Cardinal declined further comment, but another Vatican official said the Mass probably was the first pontifical high Mass using the 1962 Rite to be celebrated in St. Peter's Basilica in almost 40 years.

Venerable Pope Pius XII pray for us!

Venerable Pope Pius XII

Today, the 19th of December, 2009, the Holy Father, Benedict XVI, has received in private audience His Excellency, Archbishop Angelo Amato, Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints. In the course of that audience, the Holy Father has authorised the Congregation to promulgate the decree recognising the heroic virtue of Pope Pius XII and declaring him to be Venerable.

In the modern era, the process of Canonization, of which the decree of heroic virtue is the first step, was firmly established by the Decrees of Pope Urban VIII and Pope Clement XI. By a Bull of 5th July, 1634, Urban VIII definitively reserved to the Holy See the faculty of granting cultus to individuals and prohibited their veneration prior to the judgement of the Holy See.

It had previously been the practice, despite, it must be said, a Decree of Pope Alexander III in 1170, renewed by Pope Innocent III in 1210, for Bishops to render people Blessed at least to be honoured in their own Dioceses, although it was for the Pope to extend such devotion to the Universal Church, which is, to render them Saints in the technical sense. However, the Pope could also make localised Decrees in some cases. For example Blessed (now Saint) Rose of Lima, who Pope Clement declared to be patroness of Peru, and Pope Clement X declared to be patroness of South America, the Philippines and the East Indies, and also Blessed (now Saint) Stanislaus Kostka, who Pope Clement X declared patron of Poland and Lithuania.

Special mention must be made of the monograph of one Prospero Lambertini "the cleverst man in Christendom," once Promoter of the Faith, an official of the S. Congregation of Rites, who would later become Pope Benedict XIV. The monograph was entitled De Servorum Dei Beatificatione et Beatorum Canonizatione and for more than two centuries remained - and to an extent remains - the basic text on the subject. The two examples of Rose of Lima and Stanislaus Kostka are mentioned at lib. I, cap. xxxix of that monograph. Two early editions (1743 and 1749) are available at Google Books. (See if you can spot the reference to vampires when Lambertini discusses the post mortem state!)

The document relating new procedures introduced by Pope Benedict XVI gives a summary of the history of the procedures involved.

Venerable Pope Pius XII, pray for us!

Vienna 1683

Today, the feast of the Most Holy Name of Mary, marks the day, a mere three and a quarter centuries ago, when Christendom breathed a collective sigh of relief at the victory of the Holy League before the gates of Vienna. With this victory, the Holy League had finally halted the second Islamic pincer to enslave Europe.



The first pincer had swept across the whole of Christian North Africa in little more than a generation, from about 632. From North Africa, they advanced steadily into Europe through Iberia. The victory of Charles Martel at Poitiers in 732 checked the Arab advance but it was not until 1492 that Arab forces were finally expelled under the Catholic Monarchs of the Spains.

The second line of advance was contemporary with the first. It swept away the Christian powers of the Near East as it had swept away Christian North Africa and swept them away, never, it seems, to return. For some time, the Crusades checked the relentless tide. However, in 1453, while the Arabs still held parts of Iberia, the Ottoman Turks, already masters of Asia Minor, had captured Constantinople, the capital of the Christian East. Throughout the Mediterranean, nowhere was entirely safe from raids by one Islamic group or another.

With the fall of Constantinople, the Ottomans advanced seadily into the heart of Europe from the East, just as the Arabs had done from the South centuries earlier. Would they succeed now where their co-religionists had failed before? Christian cities fell like dominoes: Belgrade in 1521; Rhodes in 1522; and Buda(pest) in 1526 for the first time. Vienna was beseiged by the Turks in 1526. The Turk would be defeated again at Malta in 1565 and Lepanto in 1571 but Vienna remained a front-line City for more than a century. This is the scene as the Battle for Vienna commences in 1683. In truth, it was a battle for the future of Europe and the survival of Christendom.

The city was invested on 14th July, 1683. Graf von Starhemberg, the Governor of the city, refused to capitulate, which was a wise move, given the wholesale slaughter of the citzens of Perchtoldsdorf when they had surrendered a few days earlier.



Imperial forces under Charles V, Duke of Lorraine, were successfully harrying the forward guard of the beseiging Turks when Jan III Sobieski, elective King of Poland, responded to the appeals from Pope and Emperor to lend his aid to the beleagured Christian forces in Austria. He set out for Vienna in August, his forces marching behind the banner of the Blessed Virgin. Passing by the Sanctuary of Our Lady in Czestochowa, they implored Our Lady's help and blessing. Writing to the bishops of Poland, Pope Pius XII recalled the supplications of Sobieski to Mary at the Sanctuary:

"To the same Heavenly Queen, on Clear Mountain, the illustrious John Sobieski, whose eminent valour freed Christianity from the attacks of its old enemies, confided himself." [Cum iam lustri abeat, 1951]

The Polish army crossed the Danube on 6th September. The massed forces of the Holy League, under the flag of the Crown of Our Lady, identical to that used today for the European Union, assembled on the Kahlenberg Heights above Vienna. A key figure at this point was Friar Mark d'Aviano, confessor to Emperor Leopold I. He preached passionately to the men of the Holy League in his capacity as Papal Legate, ensuring that the Holy League remained united and persevered to victory. After Mass early on the morning of 12th September, 1683, the forces of the Holy League swept down upon the foe. In the aftermath of the victory, the Holy League swept the Turks before them out of Hungary, regaining Buda(pest) in 1686.

In 1513, Pope Julius II had granted a local indult to celebrate the feast of the Most Holy Name of Mary to the diocese of Cuenta in Spain. It was assigned a proper Office. With the reform of the Breviary undertaken by Pope St. Pius V, the feast was abolished, only to be reinstituted by his successor, Pope Sixtus V. The feast spread to the Archdiocese of Toledo by 1622 and, eventually, to all of Spain and to the Kingdom of Naples.

In thanksgiving for the victory, Blessed Innocent XI extended the feast of the Most Holy Name of Mary to the Universal Church, it then being celebrated upon the Sunday after the 8th of September, the feast of Our Lady's Nativity. Pope St. Pius X, by a decree of 8th July, 1908, fixed the feast upon the day of the victory itself.

Blessed be the Most Holy Name of Mary!

50th Anniversary of Pope Pius XII

On this day in 1958, His Holiness, Pope Pius XII died. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam uasail.