Our Morning Offering – 31 May – The Queenship of Mary
Queen on Whose Starry Brow Doth Rest
By St Venantius Fortunatus (c 530-c 609)
Translation by Monsignor Ronald A Knox (1888 – 1957)
Queen, on whose starry brow doth rest
The crown of perfect maidenhood,
The God who made thee, from thy brest
Drew, for our sakes, His earthly food.
The grace that sinful Eve denied,
With thy Child-bearing, re-appears;
Heaven’s lingering door, set open wide,
Welcomes the children of her tears.
Fate, for such royal progress meet,
Beacon, whose rays such light can give,
Look, how the ransomed nations greet
The virgin-womb that bade them live!
O Jesus, whom the Virgin bore,
Be praise and glory unto Thee.
Praise to the Father evermore
And His life-giving Spirit be.
Amen!
Saint Venantius Fortunatus (c 530 – c 609) Bishop, Poet, Hymnist, Writer – born c 530 at Rreviso, Italy and died c 609 at Poitiers, modern France of natural causes.
St Venantius was unique, first a travelling lay poet, he later became a Priest and then a Bishop. But he always remained a professional author of poetry, a “Troubadour” of Christ. He is the attributed author of the Ave Maris Stella, amongst many others.
AnaStpaul 