LITAHT 288 UTAHY
wonl for word from the first aud third of the "Ser- and of gradually shortening the text, it was not long
mones Dubii'* of St. Ildcphonsus. until the idea occurred of employing them for public
The earliest genuine text of a Marian litany thus far devotion, especiidly in cases of epidemic, as had been
known is in a twelfth-century codex in the Mainz the practice of the Church with thie litanies of the
Library^ with the title Letania de domina nostra Saints, which were sung in penitential processions and
Dei genitrice virgine Maria: oratio valde bona: cotti- during public calamities. Hence it must be empha-
die pro quacumque tribulatione recitanda est". It is sized that the earliest certain mention we have of a
fairly long, and was published in part by Mone, and in pubUc recital of Marian Litanies is actually related to
its entirety by the present writer. It opens with the A time of pestilence, particularly in the fifteenth oen-
usual '^ Kyrie Eleisou"; then follow the mvocations of tury. An incunabulum of the Casanatensian Librarv in
the Trinity, but w^ith amplifications, e. g. ** Pater de Rome, which contains the Venice litanies referrea to
celis deus, qui elegisti Mariam semper virginem, mise- above, introduces them with the following words:
rere nobis"; these are followed by invocations of the "Oraciones devote contra imminentes tribulaciones
Virgin Mary in a long series of praises, of which a brief et contra pestem". At Venice, in fact, these same
selection will be enough: Sancta Maria, stirps patri- litanies were finally adopted for Uturgical use in pro-
archarum, vaticinium prophetarum, solatium aposto- cessions for plague and mortality and asking for rain
lonim, rosa martirum, predicatio confessorum, lilium or for fair weather. Probably they began to be
virginum, ora pro nobis benedictum ventris tui fruc- sung in this connexion during the calamities of the
tum"; " Sancta Maria, spes humilium^ refugium pau- fifteenth century; but in the following century we
perum, portus naufragantium, mediema infirmorum, find them prescribed, as being an ancient custom, in
ora pro nobis benedictum ventris tui fructum", etc. the ceremonials of St. Mark's, and they were hence-
This goes on for more than fifty times, always repeat- forth retained until after the fall of the republic, i. e.
ing the invocation "Sancta Maria", but varying the until 1820.
laudatory titles given. Then, after the manner of the In the second half of the fifteenth century we meet
litanies of the saints, a series of petitions occur, e. g.: another type of litany which was to be pubhcly chanted
" Per mundissimum virgineum partum tuum ab omni tempore pestis sive epydimie. The invocations are
immundicia mentis et corporis liberet nos benedictus very simple and all begm, not with the words "Sancta
ventris tui fructus"; and farther on, "Ut ecclesiam Maria", but with "Sancta mater", e. g.: Sancta
suam sanctam pacificarc, custodire, adunare et regere mater Creatoris; Sancta mater Salvatoris; Sancta ma-
dignetur benedictus ventris tui fructus, ora mater ter munditie; Sancta mater auxilii; Sancta mater con-
virgo Maria." The litany concludes with the "Ag- solationis: Sancta mater intemerata; Sancta mater in-
nus", also amplified, " Agne dei, filius matris virginis violata; Sancta mater virginum, etc. At the end.
Marie qui toUis peccata mundi, parce nobis Domine", however, are a few short petitions such as those found
etc. in the litanies of the saints.
Lengthy and involved litanies of this type do not Before going further, it may be well to say a few seem to have won popularity, though it is possible to words on the composition of the litanies we have been find other examples of a like kind. However, during considering. With regard to their content^ which con- the two centuries that followed, many Marian litanies sists mainly of praises of the Blessed Virgm, it would were composed. Their form remains uncertain and seem to have been taken not so much from the Scrip- hesitating, but the tendency is always towards brevity tures and the Fathers, at least directly, 21s from popu- and simplicity. To each invocation of " Sancta lar medieval Latin poetry. To be convinced of tnis, Maria" it becomes customary to add only one praise, it suffices to glance through the Daniel and Mone and these praises show in general a better choice or a collections, and especially through the Analecta better arrangement. The petitions are often omitted H>Tnnica medii »vi of Dreves-Blume. In the earlier or are changed into ejaculations in honour of the and longer litanies whole rhythmic strophes are to be Blessed Virgin. found, ^en bodily from such poetry, and emploved
A Utany of this new form is that of a codex in the as praises of the Blessed Virgin. With regard to their
Library of St. Mark's, Venice, dating from the end of form, it is certain that those who first composed the
the tmrteenth or the beginning of the fourteenth Marian litanies aimed at imitating the litanies of the
century. It is found, though with occasional vari- Saints which had been in use in the Church since the
ants, in many manuscripts, a sure sign that this text eighth century. During the Middle Ages, as is well
was especially well known and favourably received. known,itwascustomarytorcpeatover and over single
It omits the petitions, and consists of seventy-five invocations in the litanies of the saints, and thus we
praises joined to the usual invocation, '^Sancta Maria", find that the basic principle of the Marian litanies ia
Here is a short specimen, showing the praises to be met this constant repetition of the invocation. Sancta
with most frequently also in other litanies of that or of Maria, ora pro nobis." And in order that this repeti-
later times: " Holy Manr , Mother and Spouse of Christ, tion might not prove monotonous in the Middle Ages
pray for me [other MSS. have "pray for us" — the recourse was had to an expedient since then univer-
"pray" is always repeated]; Holy Mary^ Mother in- sally used, not only in private devotions but even in
violate; Holy ^iary, Temple of the Holy Ghost; Holy liturgical prayer, that ot amplifying by means of what
Mary, Queen of Heaven; Holy Mary, Mistress of the are called tropes or farcUura, They had a model in the
Angels; Holy Mary, Stair of Heaven; Holy Mary, Kyrie of the Mass, e. g. "Kyrie,?ons bonitatis, pater
Gate of Paradise; Iloly Mar\', Mother of True Coun- ingenite, a quo bona cuncta procedunt, eleison. It
eel; Holy Mar>', (late of Celestial Life; Holy Mary, was an easy matter to improvise between the "Sancta
Our Advocate; Holy Mary, brightest Star of Heaven; Maria" and the "Ora pro nobis", repeated over BnA
Holy Mary, Fountain of True Wisdom; Holy Mary, over, a series of tropes consisting of different praises,
unfading Rose; Holy Mary, Beauty of Angels; Holy with an occasional added petition, imitated however
Mar}', Flower of Patriarchs; Holy Mary, Desire of broadly from the Utanies of the saints. Thus the
Prophets; Holy Mary, Treasure of Apostles; Holy Marian litany was evolved.
Maiy, Praise of Martyrs; Holy Maiy , Glorification of Gradually the praises became simpler; at times the
Priests; Holy Mary, Inmiaculate Virgin; Holy Mary, petitions were omitted, and, from the second half of
Splendour of Virgins and Example of Chastity", etc. the fifteenth century, the repetition of the "Sancta
The first Marian litanies must have been composed Maria" began to l>e avoided, so that the praises alone
to foster private devotion, as it is not at all prooable remained, with the accompaniment "Ora pro nobis",
that they were written for use in public, by reason of This made up the new group of litanies which we must
their drawn-out and heavy style. But once the now consider. The connecting link between the
custom grew up of reciting Marian litanies privately, litanies we have disouased and this new group may
