Friday, August 22
Coronation of Mary by Enguerrand Quarton (1410-1461), 1454.
Regina Coeli Laetare, Alleluja
Today we remember the Queenship of Mary, promulgated by Pope Pius XII in 1954 in his encyclical Ad Caeli Reginam: "[T]he Blessed Virgin Mary should be called Queen, not only because of her Divine Motherhood, but also because God has willed her to have an exceptional role in the work of our eternal salvation." And furthermore, he tells us, "We ask that on the feast day be renewed the consecration of the human race to the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Upon this is founded a great hope that there may arise an era of happiness which will rejoice in the triumph of religion and Christian peace. Therefore let all approach, with greater confidence than ever before, to the throne of mercy and grace of our Queen and Mother, to beg help in difficulty, light in darkness and solace in trouble and sorrow." Thus Pius. As a member of the Knights of the Immaculata, who make the consecration to Jesus Christ through the Virgin, I can think of no more fitting devotion.
Today is also the feast of St. Gunifort of Pavia, an Englishman martyred at Pavia in unknown times and circumstances. His legends resemble that of the curious figure of St. Richard the King from Lucca, and by no means should be confused with the spurious "St." Guinefort who seems to have been a greyhound (why do I keep bringing that up? Because I am incorrigible).
Today we also recall St. John Kemble and St. John Wall, two of the Forty Martyrs of England and Wales who were executed for their alleged complicity in the trumped-up Titus Oates plot in 1678. Also on the calendar today are St. Sigfrid of Wearmouth, a Benedictine abbot who died this day in 686 and St. Arnulf of Eynesbury, a hermit who seems to have been forgotten about the turn of the last millenium and may actually be identified with St. Arnulf or Arnold of Metz, the patron saint of beer and protector of brewers.
Lastly, today is the feast day of the ninth-century churchman St. Andrew of Ireland, sometimes called Andrew of Fiesole or of Tuscany. He seems to have been an Irish travelling-companion of St. Donatus of Fiesole and later his archdeacon or the restorer of the abbey of San Martino in Mensula. In art, he is portrayed as a deacon curing a paralytic girl. Sometimes he is shown appearing to a sleeping priest; with his sister St. Brigid miraculously transported to his death-bed by angels; or with an Irish wolfhound at his feet. (What is it with dogs and saints this week, anyway?) His cultus is largely confined to the environs of Florence.
Nonetheless, our primary joy today flows from Mary: Ora pro nobis Deum. Alleluja!
![[SMMMHDH]](http://www.mgilleland.com/music/smmmhdh.png){kind=small}
