Today, May 31st, is the Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Mary visits her relative Elizabeth; they are both pregnant. Mary is pregnant with Jesus and Elizabeth is pregnant with John the Baptist. Mary left Nazareth immediately after the Annunciation and went to attend to her cousin Elizabeth. Elizabeth was in the sixth month before Mary came (Luke
1:36). Mary stayed three months, and most scholars hold she stayed for the birth of John.
It is held that the purpose of this visit was to bring divine grace to both Elizabeth and her unborn child. Even though he was still in his mother's womb, John became aware of the presence of Christ, and leapt for joy as he was cleansed from original sin and filled with divine grace. Elizabeth also responded and recognised the presence of Jesus, and thus Mary exercised her function as mediatrix between God and man for the first time.
And she [Elizabeth] spoke out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed [art] thou among women, and blessed [is] the fruit of thy womb. For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. And blessed [is] she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord. (Luke
1:42–45)
In response to Elizabeth, Mary proclaims the Magnificat (My soul doth magnify the Lord), Luke
1:46–55, the canticle that has traditionally been reserved for this feast day.
This hymn is appropriate for Festivals of the BVM, but it is not an actual "proper hymn of the day," of which there are several.
The music is from La Féille, "Méthode," 1808, and is obviously derived from plainsong.
The text is by Venantius Fortuntus, and the translation is by (mostly) John Mason Neale (1818-1866).
The hymn is preceded by the ringing of the carillon. I just did a simplified "change ring," interspersed with the hymn melody. I also rang the hour - which was 2 PM!
A photo of Jacques Daret's altar piece, c. 1435, is attached.
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