Thursday, 15 July 2010

Saturday devotion - Flos Carmeli


16th July is the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. To celebrate, here is the beautiful sequence, Flos Carmeli. The authorship of this sequence is attributed to St Simon Stock, the 13th century English Carmelite, who was honoured by the vision of Our Lady revealing the Brown Scapular to him, and promising that those who faithfully wear the scapular will not suffer eternal perdition.

Part of the relics of St Simon Stock were returned to Aylesford, in Kent, in 1951. There is also a relic of the saint at the Carmelite Church in Kensington High Street.

This chant is sung in the traditional Carmelite rite as the Sequence at mass - that is, the chant before the Gospel - on the Feast of St Simon Stock, and also on the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel.

Flos Carmeli,
vitis florigera,
splendor caeli,
virgo puerpera
singularis.

Mater mitis
sed viri nescia
Carmelitis
esto propitia
stella maris.

Radix Jesse
germinans flosculum
nos ad esse
tecum in saeculum
patiaris.

Inter spinas
quae crescis lilium
serva puras
mentes fragilium
tutelaris.

Armatura
fortis pugnantium
furunt bella
tende praesidium
scapularis.

Per incerta
prudens consilium
per adversa
juge solatium
largiaris.

Mater dulcis
Carmeli domina,
plebem tuam
reple laetitia
qua bearis.

Paradisi
clavis et janua,
fac nos duci
quo, Mater, gloria
coronaris. Amen.


Flower of Carmel,
Tall vine blossom laden;
Splendor of heaven,
Childbearing yet maiden.
None equals thee.

Mother so tender,
Who no man didst know,
On Carmel's children
Thy favors bestow.
Star of the Sea.

Strong stem of Jesse,
Who bore one bright flower,
Be ever near us
And guard us each hour,
who serve thee here.

Purest of lilies,
That flowers among thorns,
Bring help to the true heart
That in weakness turns
and trusts in thee.

Strongest of armour,
We trust in thy might:
Under thy mantle,
Hard pressed in the fight,
we call to thee.

Our way uncertain,
Surrounded by foes,
Unfailing counsel
You give to those
who turn to thee.

O gentle Mother
Who in Carmel reigns,
Share with your servants
That gladness you gained
and now enjoy.

Hail, Gate of Heaven,
With glory now crowned,
Bring us to safety
Where thy Son is found,
true joy to see.


Listen to the chant here - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1yoxgmG9PB4

2 comments:

  1. The Brown Scapular is part of the uniform of a Traditional Catholic - indispensable to identify you as one of the army of Christ the King fighting for His reign, and against the forces of Modernism, Liberalism, and Indifferentism. Have you enrolled yet?

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  2. WELCOME TO BLOG - www.virgemdeguadalupe.blogspot.com

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