Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

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XXX. XXVIII Kalendas Septembris: Assumptio Sancte Marie Virginis
30. August 15: The Assumption of Saint Mary the Virgin
 Preface_Align_Text-Preface_Align 1. Hieronimus se halga sacerd[1] awrat ænne pistol be forðsiðe þære eadigan Marian, Godes cennestran, to sumum halgan mædene, hyre nama wæs Eustochium, and to hyre meder Paulam, seo wæs gehalgod wydewe. To þysum twam wifmannum awrat se ylca Hieronimus, menigfealde trahtbec, for þan ðe hi wæron haliges lifes men, and swiðe gecneordlæcende on boclicum smeagungum. Þes Hieronimus wæs halig sacerd, and getogen on Hebreiscum gereorde, and on Greciscum, and on Ledenum fulfremedlice; and he awende ure bibliothecan of Hebreiscum bocum to Leden spræce. He is se fyrmesta wealhstod betwux Hebreiscum, and Grecum, and Ledenwarum. Twa and hundseofontig boca þære ealdan æ and þære niwan he awende on Leden to anre Bibliothecan, buton oðrum menigfealdum trahtbocum ðe he mid gecneordum andgite deopðancollice asmeade. 1. The holy cleric Jerome wrote a letter concerning the assumption of the Blessed Mary Theotokos[2] to a certain holy maiden named Eustochium, and to her mother Paula, who was a holy widow.[3] Saint Jerome wrote several tracts to these two women, because they led holy lives and were exceptionally diligent in their studies of the Book. Jerome was a holy priest and well-taught in the Hebrew language, fully conversant in Greek and Latin, and he translated our library of Hebrew texts into Latin. He is the foremost interpreter of Hebrew and Greek and Latin. He translated seventy-two books of the old and new law into Latin as one collection, not counting the many other treatises which he has deeply pondered out with diligent understanding. AssumptionMaryOE-AssumptionMaryME 2. Ða æt nextan he dihte þisne pistol to þære halgan wydewan Paulam, and to þam Godes mædene Eustochium, hyre dehter, and to eallum þam mædenlicum werode, þe him mid drohtnigende wæron, þus cweðende: 2. Jerome once wrote a letter to the holy widow Paula and her daughter Eustochium, the maiden of God, and to all the cloistered women in the convent with them, saying: AssumptionMaryOE-AssumptionMaryME 3. Witodlice ge neadiað me þæt ic eow recce hu seo eadige Maria, on ðisum dægðerlicum dæge to heofonlicere wununge genumen wæs, þæt eower mædenlica heap hæbbe þas lac Ledenre spræce, hu þes mæra freolsdæg geond æghwylces geares ymbryne beo aspend mid heofonlicum lofe, and mid gastlicere blisse gemærsode sy, þylæs þe eow on hand becume seo lease gesetnys ðe þurh gedwolmen wide tosawen is, and ge þonne þa gehiwedan leasunge for soðre race underfon. 3. Truly, you have compelled me to expound on how the Blessed Mary was taken up to her heavenly dwelling on this very day, so that your company of women might have this teaching translated from Latin, how in the course of each year this feast-day is spent in heavenly praise and celebrated with spiritual bliss; lest the false tradition which is widely sown by heretics should come into your hand, and you accept that invented story as the truth. AssumptionMaryOE-AssumptionMaryME 4. Soðlice fram anginne þæs halgan godspelles ge geleornodon hu se heahengel Gabriel þam eadigan mædene Marian þæs heofonlican Æðelinges acennednysse gecydde, and þæs Hælendes wundra, and þære gesæligan Godes cennestran þenunge, and hyre lifes dæda on þam feower godspellicum bocum geswutollice oncneowon. Iohannes se Godspellere awrat on Cristes þrowunge, þæt he sylf and Maria stodon mid dreorigum mode wið ðære halgan rode, þe se Hælend on gefæstnod wæs. Ða cwæð he to his agenre meder, “Ðu fæmne, efne her is þin sunu.” Eft he cwæð to Iohanne, “Loca nu, her stent þin modor.” Syððan, of þam dæge, hæfde se Godspellere Iohannes gymene þære halgan Marian, and mid carfulre þenunge, swa swa agenre meder, gehyrsumode. 4. From the beginning of the holy gospels, you learned about how the Archangel Gabriel announced to the Blessed Virgin Mary the birth of the Heavenly Prince, and about the miracles of the Savior, and about the ministry of the blessed Theotokos and her life’s works; all this is in the four evangelical books you clearly know so well. John the Evangelist wrote about the passion of Christ, how he and Mary stood with anguished spirits before the holy cross where the Savior was hung. Then He said to His own mother, “Woman, look, here is your son.” Next He said to John, “Look now, here stands your mother.” From that day, John the Evangelist looked after Saint Mary, and with attentive service obeyed her as his own mother.[4] AssumptionMaryOE-AssumptionMaryME 5. Drihten, þurh his arfæstnysse, betæhte þæt eadige mæden his cennestran þam clænan men Iohanne, seðe on clænum mægðhade symle[5] wunode; and he forðy synderlice þam Drihtne leof wæs, to ðan swiðe, þæt he him þone deorwurðan maðm, ealles middangeardes cwene, betæcan wolde; gewislice þæt hire clænesta mægðhad þam clænan men geþeod wære mid gecwemre geferrædene on wynsumre drohtnunge. On him bam wæs an miht ansundes mægðhades, ac oðer intinga on Marian; on hire is wæstmbære mægðhad, swa swa on nanum oðrum. Nis on nanum oðrum men mægðhad, gif þær bið wæstmbærnys; ne wæstmbærnys, gif þær bið ansund mægðhad. Nu is forði gehalgod ægðer ge Marian mægðhad ge hyre wæstmbærnys þurh þa godcundlican acennednysse; and heo ealle oðre oferstihð on mægðhade and on wæstmbærnysse. Ðeahhwæðere, þeah heo synderlice Iohannes gymene betæht wære, hwæðere heo drohtnode gemænelice, æfter Cristes upstige, mid þam apostolicum werode, infarende and utfarende betwux him, and hi ealle mid micelre arwurðnysse and lufe hire þenodon, and heo him cuðlice ealle þing ymbe Cristes menniscnysse[6] gewissode; for þan þe heo fram frymðe gewislice þurh þone Halgan Gast hi ealle geleornode, and mid agenre gesihðe geseah; þeah ðe þa apostoli þurh þone ylcan Gast ealle þing undergeaton, and on ealre soðfæstnysse gelærede wurdon. Se heahengel Gabriel hi ungewemmede geheold, and heo wunode on Iohannes and on ealra þæra apostola gymene, on þære heofonlican scole, embe Godes æ smeagende, oðþæt God on þysum dæge hi genam to ðam heofonlican þrymsetle, and hi ofer engla weredum geufrode. 5. The Lord, through His goodness, entrusted the Blessed Virgin, His mother, to that upright man John, who had ever lived in perpetual virginity; and therefore he was specially dear to the Lord, to the point that He would entrust him with the most precious treasure, the queen of all the world—undoubtedly so that her own most pure chastity might be joined with that of this upright man, with pleasing companionship and agreeable conversation. They shared the virtue of unbroken chastity, but in Mary there was something else: her virginity was fruitful, like no one else’s. No other person has kept their virginity after they’ve been fruitful, nor could they be fruitful if they’ve kept their virginity. Now both Mary’s virginity and her fruitfulness are revered in the divine birth, and she surpasses all others in virginity and in fruitfulness. However, though she was specially entrusted to John’s care, she lived in the company of the apostles after Christ’s ascension, going in and out among them, and they all served her with much devotion and love. She also told them plainly all manner of things about Christ’s humanity, for she had learned all these things from the beginning through the Holy Ghost and had seen them with her own eyes. The apostles understood all these things through the same Spirit, and were learned in all truth. The Archangel Gabriel kept her undefiled, and she dwelled in the care of John and all the apostles, in that communion of saints, meditating on God’s law: until God, on this day, called her to the heavenly throne and exalted her over the multitude of angels. AssumptionMaryOE-AssumptionMaryME 6. Nis geræd on nanre bec nan swutelre gewissung be hire geendunge, buton þæt heo nu todæg wuldorfullice of þam lichaman gewat. Hyre byrigen is swutol eallum onlociendum oð þysne andweardan dæg, on middan þære dene Iosaphat. Seo dene is betwux þære dune Sion and þam munte Oliueti, and seo byrigen is æteowed open and emtig, and þæron-uppon on hire wurðmynte is aræred mære cyrce mid wundorlicum stangeweorce. Nis nanum deadlicum men cuð hu, oððe on hwylcere tide hyre halga lichama þanon gebroden wære, oððe hwider he ahafen sy, oððe hwæðer heo of deaðe arise: cwædon þeah gehwylce lareowas, þæt hyre Sunu, seðe on þam þriddan dæge mihtilice of deaðe aras, þæt he eac his moder lichaman of deaðe arærde, and mid undeadlicum wuldre on heofonan rice gelogode. Eac swa gelice forwel menige lareowas on heora bocum setton, be ðam geedcucedum mannum þe mid Criste of deaðe arison, þæt hi ecelice arærede synd. Witodlice hi andetton þæt ða aræredan men næron soðfæste gewitan Cristes æristes, buton hi wæron ecelice arærede. Ne wiðcweðe we be þære eadigan Marian þa ecan æriste, þeah, for wærscipe gehealdenum geleafan, us gedafenað þæt we hit wenon swiðor þonne we unrædlice hit geseþan þæt ðe is uncuð buton ælcere fræcednysse. 6. Her end is not written about in any book more clearly than this, that she departed from the body in glory. Her tomb can be seen by all who look even to this present day in the middle of the Valley of Jehosophat: the valley is between Mount Zion and the Mount of Olives, and the tomb is visibly open and empty. In her honor a church has been raised upon it with wondrous stonework. No mortal man knows how or when her holy body was taken away from there, or where it was carried, or whether she rose from the dead—though some scholars say that her Son, who mightily arose from the dead on the third day, also raised His mother’s body from the dead, and with immortal splendor placed it in the heavenly kingdom. Likewise, many scholars have set in their books how regenerated men, risen with Christ from the dead, are raised forever. Indeed, they confess that these raised men are not true witnesses of Christ’s resurrection unless they themselves are raised forever.[7] Nor do we reject the eternal resurrection of the Blessed Mary, though for caution’s sake, preserving our faith, it behooves us that we merely hope for it rather than foolishly and without reproach state as fact that which is unknowable. AssumptionMaryOE-AssumptionMaryME 7. We rædað gehwær on bocum, þæt forwel oft englas comon to godra manna forðsiðe, and mid gastlicum lofsangum heora sawla to heofonum gelæddon. And, þæt gyt swutollicor is, men gehyrdon on þam forðsiðe wæpmanna sang and wifmanna sang, mid micclum leohte and swetum breðe: on ðam is cuð þæt þa halgan men þe to Godes rice þurh gode geearnunga becomon, þæt hi on oðra manna forðsiðe heora sawla underfoð, and mid micelre blisse to reste gelædað. Nu gif se Hælend swilcne wurðmynt on his halgena forðsiðe oft geswutelode, and heora gastas mid heofonlicum lofsange to him gefeccan het, hu miccle swiðor wenst þu þæt he nu todæg þæt heofonlice werod togeanes his agenre meder sendan wolde, þæt hi mid ormætum leohte and unasecgendlicum lofsangum hi to þam þrymsetle gelæddon þe hire gegearcod wæs fram frymðe middangeardes. 7. We read everywhere in our books how angels often appeared at the death of good men, and with spiritual hymns of love led their souls to heaven. It is even more certain that those people heard the songs of men and of women at their death too, accompanied by a great light and a sweet smell. By this we know that holy people who have come to God’s kingdom accompanied by good deeds receive the souls of other people at their deaths, and with great joy lead them to rest. Now, if the Savior has shown such honor so often to His holy departed and commands that their souls be fetched to Him with heavenly singing, how much more do you think that He would send that heavenly host to gather His own mother, that with blinding light and unutterable hymns they should lead her to the throne which was prepared for her from the beginning of the world? AssumptionMaryOE-AssumptionMaryME 8. Nis nan twynung þæt eall heofonlic þrym þa mid unasecgendlicere blisse hire tocymes fægnian wolde. Soðlice eac we gelyfað þæt Drihten sylf hire togeanes come, and wynsumlice mid gefean to him on his þrymsetle hi gesette: witodlice he wolde gefyllan þurh hine sylfne þæt he on his æ bebead, þus cweðende, “Arwurða þinne fæder and þine moder.” He is his agen gewita þæt he his Fæder gearwurðode, swa swa he cwæð to þam Iudeiscum, “Ic arwurðige minne Fæder, and ge unarwurðiað me.” On his menniscnysse he arwurðode his moder, þaða he wæs, swa swa þæt halige godspel segð, hire underðeod on his geogoðhade. Micele swiðor is to gelyfenne þæt he his modor mid unasecgendlicere arwurðnysse on his rice gewurðode, þaða he wolde æfter ðære menniscnysse on þysum life hyre gehyrsumian. 8. There is no doubt that all the heavenly multitude would rejoice with unspeakable joy at her coming. In fact, we also believe that the Lord Himself came to meet her and delighted to set her next to Him on His throne with gladness. Indeed, He would fulfill in Himself that which He commanded in His law, saying, “Honor your father and your mother.”[8] He is His own witness that He honored His Father, as he said to the Jews, “I honor my Father, and you dishonor me.”[9] In His humanity He honored His mother when He was obedient to her in His youth, as the holy gospel says. It is much more to be believed that He honored His mother with even greater unspeakable reverence in His kingdom, than He could have when He was obedient to her in this life according to His humanity. AssumptionMaryOE-AssumptionMaryME 9. Ðes symbeldæg oferstihð unwiðmetenlice ealra oðra halgena mæssedagas swa micclum swa þis halige mæden, Godes modor, is unwiðmetenlic eallum oðrum mædenum. Ðes freolsdæg is us gearlic, ac he is heofonwarum singallic. Be ðysre heofonlican cwene upstige wundrode se Halga Gast on lofsangum, ðus befrinende, “Hwæt is ðeos ðe her astihð swilce arisende dægrima, swa wlitig swa mona, swa gecoren swa sunne, and swa egeslic swa fyrdtruma?” Se Halga Gast wundrode, for þan ðe he dyde þæt eal heofonwaru wundrode ðysre fæmnan upfæreldes. Maria is wlitigre ðonne se mona, for þan ðe heo scinð buton æteorunge hire beorhtnysse. Heo is gecoren swa swa sunne mid leoman healicra mihta, for þan ðe Drihten, seðe is rihtwisnysse sunne, hi geceas him to cennestran. Hire fær is wiðmeten fyrdlicum truman, for þan ðe heo wæs mid halgum mægnum ymbtrymed, and mid engla þreatum. 9. This feast-day surpasses beyond compare all the other holy mass-days, inasmuch as this holy maid, the mother of God, is beyond the compare of all other maidens. This day of celebration comes to us once a year, but it is perpetual to those in heaven. At the assumption of the heavenly queen, the Holy Ghost magnified her in hymns, wondering, “Who is this that here ascends like the rising dawn, as beautiful as the moon, as excellent as the sun, and as awesome as a war-troop?”[10] The Holy Ghost wondered, and therefore caused all the host of heaven to wonder, at the veneration of this virgin. Mary is more beautiful than the moon, because she shines without her brightness waning; she is as excellent as the sun with mighty beams of glorious light, because the Lord who is the sun of righteousness chose her to be His mother; her ascension is likened to a war-troop, because she was surrounded by holy power and a throng of angels. AssumptionMaryOE-AssumptionMaryME 10. Be ðissere heofonlican cwene is gecweden gyt þurh ðone ylcan Godes Gast: he cwæð, “Ic geseah ða wlitegan swilce culfran astigende ofer streamlicum riðum, and unasecgendlic bræð stemde of hire gyrlum; and, swa swa on lengctenlicere tide, rosena blostman and lilian hi ymtrymedon.” Ðæra rosena blostman getacniað mid heora readnysse martyrdom, and ða lilian mid heora hwitnysse getacniað ða scinendan clænnysse ansundes mægðhades. Ealle ða gecorenan ðe Gode geþugon ðurh martyrdom oððe þurh clænnysse, ealle hi gesiðodon mid þære eadigan cwene; for þan ðe heo sylf is ægðer ge martyr ge mæden. Heo is swa wlitig swa culfre, for þan ðe heo lufode ða bilewitnysse, þe se Halga Gast getacnode, þa þa he wæs gesewen on culfran gelicnysse ofer Criste on his fulluhte. Oðre martyras on heora lichaman þrowodon martyrdom for Cristes geleafan, ac seo eadige Maria næs na lichamlice gemartyrod, ac hire sawul wæs swiðe geangsumod mid micelre þrowunge, þaða heo stod dreorig foran ongean Cristes rode, and hire leofe cild geseah mid isenum næglum on heardum treowe gefæstnod. Nu is heo mare þonne martyr, for þan ðe heo ðrowode þone martyrdom on hire sawle ðe oðre martyras ðrowodon on heora lichaman. Heo lufode Crist ofer ealle oðre men, and forðy wæs eac hire sarnys be him toforan oðra manna, and heo dyde his deað hire agenne deað, for þan ðe his ðrowung swa swa swurd ðurhferde hire sawle. 10. Concerning this heavenly queen, the same Spirit of God said, “I saw the beauteous one climb like a dove over rivers of water, and an indescribable scent came from her garments, and, as in Lenten-tide, rose and lily blossoms encircled her.”[11] The rose blossoms with their redness symbolize martyrdom, and the lilies with their whiteness symbolize the shining purity of undefiled maidenhood. All the chosen who have been sanctified by God through martyrdom or purity journey with the blessed queen, because she herself is both martyr and maiden. She is as lovely as a dove, because she loved that meekness which the Holy Ghost symbolized when He was seen in the likeness of a dove over Christ at His baptism. Other martyrs suffered martyrdom in their bodies for their faith in Christ; the Blessed Mary was not bodily martyred, but her soul was sorely vexed with much suffering when she stood sorrowful at the foot of the cross of Christ and saw her beloved child hung with iron nails on the hard tree. Therefore, she is more than a martyr, because she suffered martyrdom in her soul, while other martyrs suffered in their bodies. She loved Christ above all other men, and so her affliction with Him was also greater than that of other men, and she made His death as her own death because His suffering pierced her soul like a sword. AssumptionMaryOE-AssumptionMaryME 11. Nis heo nanes haliges mægnes bedæled, ne nanes wlites, ne nanre beorhtnysse; and forðy heo wæs ymbtrymed mid rosan and lilian, þæt hyre mihta wæron mid mihtum underwriðode, and hire fægernys mid clænnysse wlite wære geyht. Godes gecorenan scinað on heofonlicum wuldre ælc be his geðingcðum; nu is geleaflic þæt seo eadige cwen mid swa micclum wuldre and beorhtnysse oðre oferstige, swa micclum swa hire geðincðu oðra halgena unwiðmetenlice sind. 11. She is not deprived of any holy virtue, nor of any beauty, nor of any brightness, and therefore she was adorned with roses and lilies, that her virtue would be supported by their virtue, and her fairness increased by the beauty of purity. God’s chosen shine in heavenly splendor, each according to their rank; thus it is to be believed that the blessed queen so greatly exceeds others in glory and brightness, inasmuch as her rank is incomparable to the other saints. AssumptionMaryOE-AssumptionMaryME 12. Drihten cwæð ær his upstige, þæt on his Fæder huse sindon fela wununga: soðlice we gelyfað þæt he nu todæg þa wynsumestan wununge his leofan meder forgeafe. Godes gecorenra wuldor is gemetegod be heora geearnungum, and nis hwæðere nan ceorung ne anda on heora ænigum, ac hi ealle wuniað on soðre lufe and healicere sibbe, and ælc blissað on oðres geðincðum swa swa on his agenum. 12. The Lord said before His ascension that in his Father’s house there are many mansions[12]; truly we believe that on this day He gave to His dear mother the most wonderful mansion. The glory of God’s chosen is measured by their merits, and yet there is no complaining or envy in any of them. Rather, they all dwell in true love and sublime peace, and each delights in the honor of the other as if it were their own. AssumptionMaryOE-AssumptionMaryME 13. Ic bidde eow, blissiað on ðyssere freolstide: witodlice nu todæg þæt wuldorfulle mæden heofonas astah, þæt heo unasecgendlice mid Criste ahafen on ecnysse rixige. Seo heofenlice cwen wearð todæg generod fram ðyssere manfullan worulde. Eft ic cweðe, fægniað for þan ðe heo becom orsorhlice to ðam heofonlicum botle. Blissige eal middangeard, for þan ðe nu todæg us eallum is ðurh hire geearnunga hæl geyht. Þurh ure ealdan modor Euan us wearð heofonan rices geat belocen, and eft ðurh Marian hit is us geopenod, þurh þæt heo sylf nu todæg wuldorfullice inferde. God ðurh his witegan us bebead þæt we sceolon hine herian and mærsian on his halgum, on ðam he is wundorlic: micele swiðor gedafenað þæt we hine on ðisre mæran freolstide his eadigan meder mid lofsangum and wurðfullum herungum wurðian sceolon; for þan ðe untwylice eal hire wurðmynt is Godes herung. 13. I entreat you to delight in this feast-day: indeed, on this day the wonderful maiden ascended into heaven, that she, exalted beyond description with Christ, might reign for eternity. On this day, the heavenly queen was delivered from this evil world. Again, I say, be glad: for she has been freed from sorrow in her heavenly mansion. Rejoice, all the world: on this day happiness is added to us all through her glorification. Through our former mother Eve the gates of heaven locked us out, but now through Mary they are opened, because she herself entered them in glory today. God commanded us through His prophets that we should praise and proclaim Him in His saints, in whom He excites our admiration.[13] It is much more fitting that we should worship Him on this glorious feast-day of His blessed mother, with hymns and honorable praises: for undoubtedly, all honor to her is praise to God. AssumptionMaryOE-AssumptionMaryME 14. Uton nu forði mid ealre estfulnysse ures modes ðas mæran freolstide wurðian, for þan ðe þæt siðfæt ure hæle is on lofsangum ures Drihtnes. Þa ðe on mæigðhade wuniað blission hi, for þan ðe hi geearnodon þæt beon þæt hi heriað: habbon hi hoge þæt hi syn swilce þæt hi wurðfullice herigan magon. Þa ðe on clænan wudewanhade sind, herion hi and arwurðion, for þan ðe swutol is þæt hi ne magon beon clæne buton ðurh Cristes gife, seoðe wæs fulfremedlice on Marian ðe hi herigað. Herigan eac and wurðian ða ðe on sinscipe wuniað, for þan ðe ðanon flewð eallum mildheortnys and gifu þæt hi herigan magon. Gif hwa synful sy, he andette, and nalæs herige, ðeah ðe ne beo wlitig lof on ðæs synfullan muðe; hwæðere ne geswice he ðære herunge, for þan ðe ðanon him is behaten forgyfenys. 14. Let us now, therefore, with all the devotion of our minds, honor this great feast: for the way of our salvation is in the praises of our Lord. Let those of us who continue in maidenhood rejoice: for they are blessed to be that which they praise, and let them take care that they might be worthy of such praise. Let those of us who are in pure widowhood praise and honor her: for it is evident that they cannot be pure without the grace of Christ, which was perfect in Mary whom they praise. Let those of us who are married also praise and honor her: for all compassion and grace flow from them that we might praise her. If anyone is sinful, let them confess it, and no less praise her: for although praise is not beautiful in the mouth of the sinful, nevertheless do not let them cease from praise, for from it they are granted forgiveness. AssumptionMaryOE-AssumptionMaryME 15. Þes pistol is swiðe menigfeald us to gereccenne, and eow[14] swiðe deop to gehyrenne. Nu ne onhagað us na swiðor be ðam to sprecenne, ac we wyllað sume oðre trimminge be ðære mæran Godes meder gereccan, to eowre gebetrunge. Soðlice Maria is se mæsta frofer and fultum cristenra manna, þæt is forwel oft geswutelod, swa swa we on bocum rædað. 15. This letter is very complicated for us to explain, and very difficult for you to understand. We are not at leisure now to speak more about it, but we would teach some other edification concerning the great mother of God for your betterment. In truth, Mary is the greatest solace and support for Christian men, and she is ever discussed in the books we read. AssumptionMaryOE-AssumptionMaryME 16. Sum man wæs mid drycræfte bepæht, swa þæt he Criste wiðsoc, and wrat his handgewrit þam awyrgedan deofle, and him mannrædene befæste. His nama wæs Theophilus. He ða eft syððan hine beðohte, and ða hellican pinunge on his mode weolc; and ferde ða to sumere cyrcan þe wæs to lofe ðære eadigan Marian gehalgod, and ðærbinnan swa lange mid wope and fæstenum hire fultumes and ðingunge bæd, oðþæt heo sylf mid micclum wuldre him to com, and cwæð, þæt heo him geðingod hæfde wið þone Heofenlican Deman, hire agenne Sunu. 16. One man was so seduced by witchcraft that he renounced Christ, and signed a contract with the cursed devil, selling his soul—his name was Theophilus.[15] He later remembered himself, and contemplated the torments of hell in his mind, and went to a certain church that was hallowed in praise of the Blessed Mary, and therein prayed so long with weeping and fasting for her help and intercession, until she herself came to him with much splendor, and said that she had interceded for him with the heavenly judge, her own son. AssumptionMaryOE-AssumptionMaryME 17. We wyllað eac eow gereccan be geendunge ðæs arleasan Godes wiðersacan Iulianes. Sum halig biscop wæs Basilius gehaten, se leornode on anre scole, and se ylca Iulianus samod. Þa gelamp hit swa þæt Basilius wearð to biscope gecoren to anre byrig ðe is gehaten Cappadocia, and Iulianus to casere, þeah ðe he æror to preoste bescoren wære. Iulianus ða ongann to lufigenne hæðengyld, and his cristendome wiðsoc, and mid eallum mode hæðenscipe beeode, and his leode to ðan ylcan genydde. 17. We would also tell you of the death of the wicked apostate of God, Julian.[16] There was a holy bishop named Basil[17] who learned in the same school as this Julian. It so happened that Basil was chosen to become the bishop of a place called Cappadocia, while Julian was chosen to be emperor, even though he had earlier been prepared for priesthood. Julian fell in love with idolatry and renounced his Christianity, and with all his heart practiced heathenry, and compelled his people to the same. AssumptionMaryOE-AssumptionMaryME 18. Þa æt suman cyrre tengde he to fyrde ongean Perscisne leodscipe, and gemette ðone biscop, and cwæð him to, “Eala, ðu Basili, nu ic hæbbe ðe oferðogen on uðwitegunge.” Se biscop him andwyrde, “God forgeafe þæt ðu uðwitegunge beeodest:” and he mid þam worde him bead swylce lac swa he sylf breac, þæt wæron ðry berene hlafas, for bletsunge. Þa het se wiðersaca onfon ðæra hlafa, and agifan ðam biscope togeanes gærs, and cwæð, “He bead us nytena fodan, underfo he gærs to leanes.” Basilius underfeng þæt gærs, ðus cweðende, “Eala ðu casere, soðlice we budon ðe ðæs ðe we sylfe brucað, and ðu us sealdest to edleane ungesceadwisra nytena andlyfene, na us to fodan, ac to hospe.” Se Godes wiðersaca hine ða gehathyrte, and cwæð, “Þonne ic fram fyrde gecyrre ic towurpe ðas burh, and hi gesmeðige, and to yrðlande awende, swa þæt heo bið cornbære swiðor þonne mannbære. Nis me uncuð þin dyrstignys, and ðissere burhware, ðe ðurh ðine tihtinge ða anlicnysse, ðe ic arærde and me to gebæd, tobræcon and towurpon.” And he mid ðisum wordum ferde to Persciscum earde. 18. At some point he hastened with an army against the nation of Persia, and there he met the Bishop Basil and said to him, “Hail, Basil. Now I have surpassed you in philosophy.” The bishop answered him, “God granted that you should grow in philosophy,” and with that word offered him such a gift as he had for himself, that is, three barley loaves, as a blessing. The apostate commanded that the loaves be received, and grass be given to the bishop in return, saying, “He offered us food for animals; let him receive grass in return.” Basil accepted the grass, saying, “Hail, Emperor. Truly we have given you that which we ourselves eat: and you have given us in return the sustenance of irrational beasts, not as food for us, but as an insult.”[18] The apostate of God grew hot-hearted and said, “When I return from this expedition, I will destroy this city and level it and plough it, so that it’s fit only for raising corn instead of people. Your arrogance is not unknown to me, nor that of these people, who at your urging broke and tore down the statue that I raised and prayed to.” And with these words he left, and went into the land of the Persians. AssumptionMaryOE-AssumptionMaryME 19. Hwæt ða Basilius cydde his ceastergewarum ðæs reðan caseres ðeowrace, and him selost rædbora wearð, þus cweðende, “Mine gebroðra, bringað eowre sceattas, and uton cunnian, gif we magon, ðone reðan wiðersacan on his geancyrre gegladian.” Hi ða mid glædum mode him to brohton goldes, and seolfres, and deorwurðra gimma ungerime hypan. Se bisceop ða underfeng ða madmas, and bebead his preostum and eallum ðam folce, þæt hi heora lac geoffrodon binnon ðam temple ðe wæs to wurðmynte ðære eadigan Marian gehalgod, and het hi ðær-binnon andbidigan mid ðreora daga fæstene, þæt se Ælmihtiga Wealdend, þurh his moder ðingrædene towurpe þæs unrihtwisan caseres andgit. Þa on ðære ðriddan nihte ðæs fæstenes geseah se bisceop micel heofenlic werod on ælce healfe ðæs temples, and on middan ðam werode sæt seo heofenlice cwen Maria, and cwæð to hire ætstandendum, “Gelangiað me ðone martyr Mercurium, þæt he gewende wið ðæs arleasan wiðersacan Iulianes, and hine acwelle, seðe mid toðundenum mode God minne Sunu forsihð.” Se halga cyðere Mercurius gewæpnod hrædlice com, and be hyre hæse ferde. Þa eode se bisceop into ðære oðre cyrcan, þær se martyr inne læig, and befran ðone cyrcweard hwær ðæs halgan wæpnu wæron? He swor þæt he on æfnunge æt his heafde witodlice hi gesawe. And he ðærrihte wende to Sancta Marian temple, and ðam folce gecydde his gesihðe, and ðæs wælhreowan forwyrd. Þa eode he eft ongean to ðæs halgan martyres byrgenne, and funde his spere standan mid blode begleddod. 19. So Basil made known to the people of that place the savage emperor’s threat, and became the most advisable counselor to them, saying: “My brothers, bring your goods and let us see if we might appease this cruel apostate on his return.” This seemed agreeable to them, so they brought him a massive pile of gold and silver and precious gems. The bishop received the treasure and commanded his priests and all the people to offer their sacrifice within the temple which was dedicated to the veneration of the Blessed Mary, and commanded them to wait inside, fasting for three days, that the Almighty Ruler, at the intercession of His mother, might overturn the unrighteous emperor’s plans. On the third night of the fast, the bishop saw a great heavenly host on either side of the temple, and in the midst of that troop sat the heavenly queen Mary, who said to her attendants: “Call for the martyr Mercurius,[19] that he might go to the wicked apostate Julian and kill him who, puffed up with pride, has renounced God my son.” Saint Mercurius the Martyr quickly came armed, and went off at her bidding. Then the bishop went into the other church where the martyr had been buried, and asked the churchward where the saint’s weapons had gone; he swore that he had certainly seen them at the martyr’s head earlier that evening. He immediately returned to the temple of Saint Mary and told the people what he had seen, including the prophecy of the bloodthirsty tyrant’s destruction. Basil went again to the tomb of the holy martyr and found his spear returned, covered in blood. AssumptionMaryOE-AssumptionMaryME 20. Þa æfter ðrim dagum com an ðæs caseres ðegna, Libanius hatte, and gesohte ðæs bisceopes fet, fulluhtes biddende, and cydde him and ealre ðære buruhware þæs arleasan Iulianes deað: cwæð þæt seo fyrd wicode wið ða ea Eufraten, and seofon weardsetl wacodon ofer ðone casere. Þa com ðær stæppende sum uncuð cempa, and hine hetelice ðurhðyde, and ðærrihte of hyra gesihðum fordwan; and Iulianus ða mid anðræcum hreame forswealt. Swa wearð seo burhwaru ahred þurh Sancta Marian wið ðone Godes wiðersacan. Þa bead se bisceop ðam ceastergewarum hyra sceattas, ac hi cwædon þæt hi uðon ðæra laca þam undeadlican Cyninge, ðe hi swa mihtelice generede, micele bet ðonne ðam deadlican cwellere. Se bisceop ðeah nydde þæt folc þæt hi ðone ðriddan dæl þæs feos underfengon, and he mid þam twam dælum þæt mynster gegodode. 20. After the third day, one of the emperor’s soldiers called Libanius[20] came and fell at the bishop’s feet, praying for baptism. The man told him and all the people in the city of the death of the evil Julian; he said that the army was encamped along the river Euphrates and seven sentries kept watch over the emperor. Then an unknown warrior walked into the camp and violently stabbed him, and in an instant disappeared from their sight; Julian died with a horrible cry. And so the people were delivered from the apostate of God because of Saint Mary. The bishop offered the treasures back to the people, but they said that they would much rather give those gifts to the Immortal King who had so mightily saved them than to their mortal tormentor. The bishop, however, urged the people to receive a third of the money, and presented the other two thirds to the monastery. AssumptionMaryOE-AssumptionMaryME 21. Gif hwa smeage hu ðis gewurde, þonne secge we, þæt ðes martyr his lif adreah on læwedum hade; ða wearð he ðurh hæðenra manna ehtnysse for Cristes geleafan gemartyrod; and cristene men syððan his halgan lichaman binnon ðam temple wurðfullice gelogedon, and his wæpna samod. Eft, þa þa seo halige cwen hine asende, swa swa we nu hwene ær sædon, þa ferde his gast swyftlice, and mid lichamlicum wæpne ðone Godes feond ofstang, his weardsetlum onlocigendum. 21. If anyone wonders how this took place, we teach that this martyr had lived as a member of the laity, until he was martyred for his faith in Christ through the persecution of heathens. Afterward, Christian men placed his holy body inside the temple with much honor, together with his weapons. Later then, when the holy queen sent him, as we have already described, his spirit swiftly went forth and stabbed the fiend of God with a physical weapon, while the guards looked on. AssumptionMaryOE-AssumptionMaryME 22. Mine gebroðra ða leofostan, uton clypigan mid singalum benum to ðære halgan Godes meder, þæt heo us on urum nydþearfnyssum to hire Bearne geðingige. Hit is swiðe geleaflic þæt he hyre miceles ðinges tiðian wylle, seðe hine sylfne gemedemode þæt he ðurh hi, for middangeardes alysednysse, to menniscum men acenned wurde, seðe æfre is God butan anginne, and nu ðurhwunað, on anum hade, soð man and soð God, a on ecnysse. Swa swa gehwilc man wunað on sawle and on lichaman an mann, swa is Crist, God and mann, an Hælend, seðe leofað and rixað mid Fæder and Halgum Gaste on ealra worulda woruld.[21] Amen. 22. My most beloved brothers, let us cry out with unceasing prayer to the holy mother of God, that she might intercede for us with her son at our hour of need. We ought to believe that he will grant many things to her through whom He Himself deigned to be born as a human for the redemption of the world, He Who has ever been God without beginning and now continues in one person, true human and true God, unto the ages of ages. Just as every man exists in soul and in body as one person, so is Christ God and man as one Savior, who lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Ghost, forever and ever, world without end. Amen.

Notes

  1. OE sacerd can mean ‘priest,’ but it is not confined to the Christian priesthood. It derives from Latin sacerdos ‘priest, priestess, cleric.’ To me, it seems as though Ælfric is emphasizing Jerome’s entire religious role, and not just his priesthood (which could be expressed with OE preost). ^

  2. OE cennestre is a particularly profound word. Generally speaking, it means ‘one who has borne a child; mother,’ but it also carries a sense of ‘one who produces; one who brings forth.’ The term seems to unite carrying a child and then delivering. The importance of ‘carrying’ leads me to translate the word as Theotokos, from the Greek meaning ‘God-bearer.’  (See also note 11 in the homily on the Nativity of All Saints.) ^

  3. St. Paula of Rome was an aristocrat who established a convent and a monastery in Bethlehem after her husband’s death. Paula was the abbess, followed by her daughter Eustochium. The pair traveled and worked alongside Jerome, who had himself settled in the monastery Paula had established. ^

  4. Cf. John 19:25–27. ^

  5. ‘Unbroken chastity’ is likely the most literal translation. ^

  6. It is literally ‘mannishness,’ and it seems wrong to do away with that compounding. ^

  7. Cf. 1 Corinthians 15:13. ^

  8. Exodus 20:12; Ephesians 6:2. ^

  9. John 8:49. ^

  10. Song of Songs 6:10. ^

  11. This reference is harder to place. Ælfric seems to draw from various descriptions of the lovers in Song of Songs, applying them to Mary (cf. Song of Songs 2:1, 4:11, 5:12, etc.) ^

  12. Cf. John 14:2. ^

  13. Cf. Psalm 22:2; 52:9. ^

  14. Ælfric’s attention returns to the people he is writing to. ‘You’ here moves away from Paula, Eustochium, and the other women. ^

  15. Theophilus of Adana. ^

  16. Julian the Apostate. ^

  17. Basil the Great. ^

  18. That is, Basil says that Julian must consider himself an irrational beast, if that’s the food he offers in return. ^

  19. Saint Mercurius, a Saracen soldier who became a Christian saint and martyr. ^

  20. Libanius was a friend of Julian, who taught rhetoric in the Eastern Roman Empire. ^

  21. The OE worulda woruld evokes the same spatio-temporal sense of the Greek εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων [eis toùs aionas ton aiṓnōn]. This is variously translated: ‘unto the ages of ages’; ‘forever and ever’; ‘from eternity to eternity’; or perhaps, ‘as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be.’ Ælfric uses this construction regularly in these homilies, and I’ve selected the Church of England’s ‘world without end’; this captures both the temporal and spatial components. ^

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