22 May 2007

Te matrem dei laudamus


The Te matrem dei laudamus, by Saint Bonaventure, is a Marian paraphrase of the Te Deum laudamus that was popular during the Renaissance.
You are our Mother: we praise you;
You are our Blessed Lady: we acclaim you:
All creation reveres you,
the daughter of the Eternal Father.
To you all angels, all the powers of heaven,
Cherubim and Seraphim, sing in endless praise:
Holy, holy, holy is the great Mother of God,
Mary most holy;
the blessed Fruit of your womb
fills heaven and earth with his glory.

The glorious company of apostles praise you.
The noble fellowship of prophets praise you.
The white-robed army of martyrs praise you.
Throughout the world the holy Church acclaims you;
Daughter, of majesty unbounded,
the Mother of the true and only Son of God,
the bride of the Spirit our advocate and guide.

You bore Christ, the king of glory,
the eternal Son of the Father.
When he became man to set us free
he did not shun your virgin womb.
He overcame the sting of death
and assumed you into the kingdom of heaven.
With your Son you are seated at
God's right hand in glory.
Intercede for us, O Virgin Mary
when he will come and be our judge.
Come then, and help your people,
bought with the price of your Son’s precious blood,
and bring us with you and all the saints
to glory everlasting.
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I am grateful to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Orthodox Christian Fellowship for graciously permitting others to use the free icon clip art at their iconography archive. Thank you very much indeed for allowing me to use your icon of the Theotokos.

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