Immaculate Conception

All humanity, in all the splendor of its immaculate nobility, receives its former beauty. The shame of sin had obscured the splendor and charm of human nature. But when the Mother of the One who is Beauty par excellence is born, this nature recovers in its person its old privileges and is formed according to a perfect model and truly worthy of God ... Today begins the reform of our nature and the aged world, submitted to a completely divine transformation, receives the first fruits of the second creation. - Saint Andrew of Crete, Sermon I on the Nativity of Mary.

At I & II Vespers: 18^th Century

Connelly: Benedict XIV in 1751 approved this hymn for use at Matins in the Office of the Purity of the Blessed Virgin in Portugal but this does not prove he wrote the hymn.

Præclára custos vírginum

Deíque mater ínnuba, (1)

cæléstis aulæ iánua,

spes nostra, cæli gáudium;

Inter rubéta lílium,  (2)

colúmba formosíssima, (3)

e stirpe virga gérminans

nostro medélam vúlneri;

Turris dracóni impérvia, (4)

amíca stella náufragis, (5)

defénde nos a fráudibus

tuáque luce dírige.

Erróris umbras díscute,

syrtes dolósas ámove,

fluctus tot inter, déviis

tutam reclúde sémitam.

Quæ labe nostræ oríginis

intácta splendes única,

serpéntis artes æmuli

elúde vindex ínclita.

Patri sit et Paráclito

tuóque Nato glória,

qui sanctitátis únicæ

te munerárunt grátia. Amen.

1.       Innuba this line read originally intacta mater numinis; innuba ‘unmarried’ is a much weaker word than intacta but probably what is rejected here is the classicalism in the mode of Urban VIII.

2.      rubeta thorns, the red unripe fruit of bramble bushes.

3.      Canticle of Canticles 2.10, 5.2.

4.      The tower of David, Cant. 4.4.

5.      ‘a welcome star to the shipwrecked’.

Glorious guardian of virgins, pure  Mother of God, door of the heavenly courts, our Hope, the joy of heaven.  Lily among thorns, most beautiful dove,  a branch springing from the rod of Jesse, the cure for our wound. Tower impervious to the dragon, friendly star to the shipwrecked, defend us from deceit, and direct us by your light. Dispel the shadows of darkness, remove the treacherous shoals, in the midst of so many waves show to the lost a safe path. You who alone shine brightly, free from the fall of our origin; an illustrious vindicator you escape the envious arts of the serpent.  Glory to the Father and to the Paraclete and to your Son, who granted you the grace of a singular holiness. Amen.

At the Office of Readings: Leo XIII?

Formerly used at Matins for the Apparition of the Immaculate Virgin at Lourdes

Te dícimus præcónio,

mater Dei puríssima;

nostris benígna láudibus

tuam repénde grátiam.

Sontes Adámi pósteri, (1)

infécta proles gígnimur;

labis patérnæ néscia

tu sola, Virgo, créderis.

Caput dracónis ínvidi

tu cónteris vestígio,

gerísque sola glóriam

intaminátæ oríginis.

Nostræ decus propáginis,

quæ tollis Evæ oppróbrium,

tu nos tuére súpplices,

tu nos labántes érige. (2)

Serpéntis antíqui potens

astus retúnde et ímpetus, (3)

ut cælitum perénnibus

per te fruámur gáudiis.

Patri sit et Paráclito

tuóque Nato glória,

qui sanctitátis únicæ

te munerárunt grátia. Amen.

1. Sontes: from sons, -it is: guilty. 
2. labantes: those who totter, waver.
3. astus: craft, cunning.

Mother of God most pure, we sing your praise; kindly return our lauds with your grace. Sinners, the  offspring of the posterity of Adam, are brought forth corrupted; you alone are believed to know no  fall of this father. The head of the envious dragon you crushed under your feet and you alone have the glory of an uncontaminated beginning. The honor of our race who took away the shame of Eve: watch over us who pray to you and raise up those of us who have wavered. Powerfully blunt the wiles and attacks of the ancient serpent that through you we may enjoy the eternal happiness of heaven. Glory to the Father and to the Paraclete and to your Son,  who granted you the grace of a singular holiness. Amen.

At Lauds:  15^th Century ?

In plausu grati cárminis

adsit nova lætítia,

dum Dei matris Vírginis

sumit vita princípia.

María, mundi glória,

lucis ætérnæ fília,

te præservávit Fílius

ab omni labe pénitus.

Originális mácula

cuncta respérsit sæcula;

sola post Natum vítiis

numquam contácta díceris.

Caput serpéntis cálidi

tuo pede contéritur;

fastus gigántis pérfidi

David funda devíncitur.

Colúmba mitis, húmilis,

fers, carens felle críminis,

signum Dei cleméntiæ,

ramum viréntis grátiæ.

Patri sit et Paráclito

tuóque Nato glória,

qui sanctitátis únicæ

te munerárunt grátia. Amen.

There is a new joy in stricking  up a song of thanks, when the Virgin Mother of God first begins her life. Mary, the glory of the world, the daughter of eternal light, your Son completely preserved you within from any fall.  The original stain has fallen on every generation; Only you with your Son are said to have never contracted sin. Gentle and humble dove, lacking the bitterness of sin, a sign of God’s mercy,  bearing the branch of flourishing grace.  Glory to the Father and to the Paraclete and to your Son,  who granted you the grace of a singular holiness. Amen.