OLD POLISH ON-LINE
MIDDLE AGES
RENAISSANCE
BAROQUE
GUESTBOOK
SPECIAL THANKS
WHAT'S NEW
UNDER
E Y E
T H E
Anonym (XV/XVI c.)
Anonym - O Mary, Virginal Flower...
O MARY, VIRGINAL FLOWER
O Mary, virginal flower,
Look upon Christian people,
Immersed in deep sorrow,
Redeemed by your Son.
O Mary, you are God's daughter,
Great joy to all sinners,
Unstained by the original sin,
Protected by the Holy Trinity.
O Mary, giving joy to the world,
Born of the holy Anna,
Offered to serve in the temple,
Then betrothed to Joseph.
O Mary, you are full of joy,
Greeted by the angel,
You gave birth to God's Son,
Did not lose your virginity.
O Mary, greetings to you,
Blessed by Elizabeth;
John knew in God's wisdom
That God's Son dwelled in you.
O Mary, delightful shoot,
Bringing forth a glorious flower,
Jesus Christ the Savior,
Redeemer of all people.
O Mary, star of the sea,
Pointing towards Jesus;
The three kings made their way,
They recognized the Lord, your Son.
O Mary, Virgin most pure,
Received by Simeon,
You presented the Child,
Heard of the sword of dolor there.
O Mary, glorious Virgin,
You are filled with sorrow,
When you escaped with the Child,
You lived with him in Egypt seven years.
O Mary, man's consolation,
You were in great distress,
When your Son strayed behind,
You found him after three days.
O Mary, mournful under the cross,
All can behold you lamenting,
When you saw your Son wounded
And in the throes of death.
O Mary, you are a bright light,
Consoled when your Son rose from the dead,
He commended to God's care
All those he redeemed by his suffering.
O Mary, man's intercessor,
Taken to heaven with soul and body,
You are glorified by your Son,
And placed on his right hand side.
O Mary, good Mother of God,
Your majesty is great,
That of angels is not equal to it,
Because you are above their choirs.
O Mary, full of grace,
Give us help, o merciful one,
Make our lives better,
Pray to your Son for our salvation.
Translated by Michael J. Mikoś
Note
The song comes from manuscript 84 in the Krasiński Library, dated from ca. 1520, destroyed during the 1944 Warsaw Uprising. An anonymous author came most likely from the Bernardine community. The song reflects upon the joyful and dolorous mysteries in the life of Mary. It also articulates clearly the concept of immaculacy. We quote the text from Mikołaj Bobowski,
Polskie pieśni katolickie od najdawniejszych czasów do końca XV wieku
. T. 19. Kraków: Rozprawy Akademii Umiejętności, Wydział Filologiczny, 1893, pp. 69-71.