THE ESPOUSAL OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY - 23 JANUARY

 

ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN JANUARY

Saints celebrated on the 23rd of January

Marian Feast Days

O glorious Virgin, Mother of God, blessed among all nations, worthy of praise and the greatest of praise, intercede for me with thy beloved Son. O honoured Lady, Mother of the King of Angels and Archangels, assist and deliver me from every difficulty and danger.

O Blossom of the Patriarchs, the Virgins and the Angels, Hope of Glory, Beauty of Virgins, Admiration of the Angels and Archangels, remember me, and forsake me not, I beseech thee, at the terrible hour of my death. O Star of the Sea, Gate of Heaven, Temple of God, Palace of Jesus Christ, Harbour of Safety, Power of all Nations, Pearl of all Sweetness, Hope of the Faithful; O Queen who shelters the guilty, who surpasses in radiance the Virgins and the Angels, thy presence gives joy to all the hosts of Heaven.

Therefore, O Mother of Mercy, I place in the protection of thy holy hands my going out, my coming in, my sleeping, my waking, the sight of my eyes, the touch of my hands, the speech from my lips, the hearing of my ears, so that in everything I may be pleasing to thine own beloved Son. Amen.

THE ESPOUSAL OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

It is certain that a real matrimony was contracted by Joseph and Mary. Still Mary is called "espoused" to Joseph ("his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph", Matthew 1:18 [The Annunciation]) because the matrimony was never consummated. The term spouse is applied to married people until their marriage is consummated (Colvenerius, Cal. Marian., January 23). 

COMMEMORATING THE VIRGINAL ESPOUSAL OF MARY AND JOSEPH

Peter d'Ailly, chancellor of the University of Paris (died 1420), and his famous disciple, Jean Charlier, called Gerson, were the first energetic propagators of the devotion in honour of St Joseph. Gerson worked many years to effect the institution of a special votive feast, the object of which should be the virginal espousal of Mary and Joseph. 

Gerson's friend, Henry Chicoti, canon of the cathedral chapter of Chartres, had bequeathed a certain sum for the celebration in the cathedral of this votive feast, for which Gerson had composed a proper Office. It seems that Gerson carried out the will of his friend, but tradition does not tell us on what day the feast was celebrated.

WHEN DID IT BECOME A VOTIVE FEAST?

The first definite knowledge of a feast in honour of the espousals of Mary dates from August 29, 1517, when with nine other Masses in honour of Mary, it was granted by Leo X to the Nuns of the Annunciation, founded by Saint Jeanne de Valois. This feast was celebrated on October 22 as a double of the second class. 

IT IS KEPT ON JANUARY 23

In our days it is kept in nearly the entire Latin Church on January 23, in the Spanish-speaking countries on November 26, but it has never been extended to the Universal Church. Since Pius V abolished the Office of Pierre Dore and introduced the modern Office, it is again a feast of Mary. The commemoration of St Joseph in Mass, Vespers, Lauds (decree May 5, 1736) can only be made by a special privilege. 

(From Catholic Encyclopedia, 1913)