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2002-2003
2003-2004
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The question you gave me was quite difficult to answer, because the piece of Ave Maria has undergone many modifications and many versions currently exist. I am pretty sure the info that follows is correct. The Lyrics of the original version of Ave Maria actually correspond to the famous Marian Prayer known as the "Hail Mary". This is the one sung by Gregorian monks. The Latin version is given below: Ave Maria, gratia plena, Dominus tecum. Benedicta tu in mulieribus, et benedictus fructus ventris tui, Iesus. Sancta Maria, Mater Dei, ora pro nobis peccatoribus, nunc, et in hora mortis nostrae. Amen. In English, this translates to: Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now, and at the hour of our death. Amen. This classical Ave Maria is perhaps the most popular of all the Marian prayers. It is composed of two distinct parts, a "biblically based part" and an "additional part". The biblical part is taken from the Gospel of St. Luke and joins together the words of the Angel Gabriel at the Annunciation (Luke 1:28) together with Elizabeth's greeting to Mary at the Visitation (Luke 1:42). The joining of these two passages can be found as early as the fourth or fifth century in the eastern liturgies of St. James of Antioch and St. Mark of Alexandria. It is also recorded in the ritual of St. Severus (538 AD). In the west it was in use in Rome by the 7th century. The great popularity of the phrase by the 11th century is attested to in the writings of St. Peter Damian (1007-1072) and Hermann of Tournai d.c. 1147). Later, probably by Pope Urban IV around the year 1262, Jesus' name was inserted at the end of the two passages. The second half of the prayer (Holy Mary..), the "additional part" can be traced back to the 15th century where two endings exist. One ending, Sancta Maria, Mater Dei, ora pro nobis peccatoribus, is found in the writings of St. Bernardine of Siena (1380-1444 AD) and the Carthusians. A second ending, Sancta Maria, Mater Dei, ora pro nobis nunc et in hora mortis nostrae, can be found in the writings of the Servites, in a Roman Breviary, and in some German Dioceses. The current form of the prayer became the standard form in the 16th century and was included in the reformed Breviary put forward by Pope St. Pius V in 1568. The prayer is symbolic of Mary's importance, as God chose her to incarnate her son Jesus as a human being. She is truly blessed, if God saw her as worthy to carry our God Jesus. The next version I found is a Shakesperian version. Ave Maria! Maiden mild! O listen to a maiden's prayer! For thou canst hear amid the wild ( For thou canst hear though from the wild) Tis thou, tis thou canst save amid despair. We slumber safely 'til the morrow, (Safe may we sleep beneath thy care,) Tho' we, by men, outcast, reviled; (Tho' banish'd, outcast, and reviled;) O maiden! See a maiden's sorrow - O mother, hear a suppliant child! Ave Maria! Ave Maria! Undefiled! The flinty couch whereon we're sleeping (The flinty couch we now must share) Shall seem with down of eider piled, If thou above, sweet, watch our keeping (If thy protection hover there.) The murky cavern's air's so heavy (The murky cavern's heavy air) Shall breathe of balm if thou hast smiled; O maiden! Hear a maiden's pleading! (Then, Maiden! hear a maiden's prayer;) O mother, hear a suppliant child! Ave Maria! Ave Maria! Stainless styled! O fiends of air and earth the essence (Foul demons of the earth and air) From this their wonted haunt exiled Shall flee before thy holy presence (Shall fee before thy presence fair) We bow beneath our care so laden (We bow us to our lot of care) To thy dear guidance reconciled; (Beneath thy guidance reconciled;) Then hear, O maiden, simple maiden! (Hear for a maid, a maiden's prayer;) And for a father hear a child! Ave Maria! I thought it might interest you. The final version I found is by Josquin Desprez (ca. 1440-1521) | ||
Ave Maria
gratia plena
dominus tecum,
virgo serena.
Ave, cuius conceptio,
solemni plena gaudio,
coelestia terrestria
nova replet laetitia.
Ave, cuius nativitas
nostra fuit solemnitas,
ut lucifer lux oriens
verum solem praeveniens.
Ave, pia humilitas,
sine viro fecunditas,
cuius annuntiatio
nostra fuit salvatio.
Ave, vera virginitas,
immaculata castitas,
cuius purificatio
nostra fuit purgatio.
Ave, praeclara omnibus
angelicis virtutibus,
cuius assumptio
nostra glorificatio.
O mater Dei,
memento mei. Amen. |
Hail Mary, full of grace the Lord is with thee, serene Virgin. Hail, whose conception, full of great jubilation, fills Heaven and Earth with new joy. Hail, whose birth brought us joy, as Lucifer, the morning star went before the true sun. Hail, pious humility, fruitful without a man, whose Annuciation brought us salvation Hail, true virginity, immaculate chasity, whose purification brought our cleansing. Hail, glorious one in all angelic virtues, whose Assumption was our glorification. O Mother of God, remember me. Amen. | |
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This version again stresses the beauty and humility of this wonderful women. Because, through her birth, she gave birth to our God Jesus, the redeemer of all mankind. This is why her conception, "fills heaven and earth with new joy", and holds lucifer (=devil) helpless. Because she is our mother also, it asks her to watch over us and protect us. The version states that her assumption is our glorification. Her assumption indicated the completion of her task on earth, the final step in our salvation: the union of a glorious mother and her divine and pure son. Ths version also stresses the virginity of Mary, "true virginity" and "immaculate chastity without a man". Both are important Catholic Doctrines. Another good site with the history of "Ava Maria" is www.newadvent.org/cathen/07110b.htm. | ||