Vigil of the Solemnity of Mary Mother of God

Mother of the Creator
The One who created me
has rested in my tabernacle. ~ Eccl. 24

Klauber engraving

A green shoot came forth
from the Root of Jesse 

and moved forth from the roots
her to climb.

VIRGIN MARY, MOTHER OF GOD 

Elevated above the heart of Angels and above all Saints

Mother of the Angels

Near to Jesus one finds happiness.

Hand colored Bouasse Lebel

May your soul, like a mystical bee, 

never abandon the dear little King 

and may everything within it be for Him. 

~ St. Francis de Sales

Come my Jesus, come into my heart. Let us prepare for him a bed of roses and lilies! ... 

Angels of the Lord, come help me to worship the Lord of heaven and earth.

Bouasse Lebel 916

OH, MY SON! OH, MY GOD!

HE DESCENDS FROM HEAVEN, THE LITTLE CHILD

He weeps for your sins.

He smiles on your tears.

Christians together,

Happy together.

The Joys of Divine Advent.
I come, Jesus says, to bring fire to the earth.

Innocence watches over...

The Little Jesus

Blessed be the Most Holy and Immaculate Conception
of the Blessed Virgin Mary!

Indulgenced Prayer Pope Pius VI. 21 Nov. 1793

Fourth Sunday in Advent

As the deer longs for streams of living water, 

so my soul longs for you, O God.

Psalm 42 

Queen Conceived Without Sin

Our Lady of Lourdes.

Immaculate Conception

She will arise from the midst of her people; 

she will be admired in the assembly of the saints. Ecc. 24:3  

Bouasse Lebel 75B

IMMACULATA!

Mother of love, cover with your mantle my poor flower.

Life-Giving Fountain

This image is based on the icon by this name venerated in the Christian East.
collage - hand colored and hand made 
in the mid 1800's

THIS IS THE QUEEN OF HEAVEN

the moon under her feet
and on her head a crown of 12 stars ~ Rev. 12:1

Bouasse Lebel 585

St. John of the Cross: Carmelite Solemnity, December 14

St. John of the Cross, Doctor of Mystical Theology

(Spiritual Canticle music)

Third Sunday in Advent

As the deer thirsts for the source of living water 

so my soul for you, Lord. I fly away to you, and I arrive.    Based on Psalm 21:2

Benzieger Brothers, Einseideln

Feast of Our Lady of Guadelupe, December 12

Immaculate Conception after Murillo

Dopter

Translation of the Holy House of Loreto: Feast Day, December 10

Flemish engraving by Lodewyk Joseph Fruytiers hand-colored Amsterdam, circa late 1700's

LINKS:

Holy House of Loreto

A touching story

VIRGIN CONCEIVED WITHOUT SIN

Deign to accept that I publish your praises.  
Felix

The Immaculate Conception: Solemnity, December 8

Immaculate Mary

Breval

For additional images that celebrate this great Mystery visit

small album ~ Virgin Mary, Love's Pure Light

Vigil of the Feast of the Immaculate Conception

FLOWERS OF THE EARTH

I breathed the fragrance of their virtue, and drew them to myself 

to form the heart of my Mother.

Bouasse Lebel 103

2nd Sunday in Advent

As the deer longs for streams of living water

so my soul longs for you, O God.

~ Psalm 42

Saint Nicholas Day, December 6th

St. Nicholas, Bishop of Myra Greek (270 –  346) Because his relics were translated to Bari in southern Italy in 1087, he is also known as St. Nicolas of Bari. His holy relics poured healing myrrh, and even today, fragrant myrrh  streams through many of his icons.

Sermon by St. Augustine for the
Feast of St. Nicholas

Under the sweet influence of her radiance,

 the lilies of innocence grow and the flowers of other virtues. 

Bouasse Lebel 632

First Friday

My God, receive me into your Divine Heart.

Bouasse Lebel

St. John of Damascus, Doctor of the Church: Memorial, December 4

The Icon of Three Hands
St. John Damascene was the great defender of icons. Because of his defense of the holy images and because of his great ability as a writer, the order was given by the iconoclasts that his right hand be cut off at the wrist. St. John asked for the severed hand and prayed before the icon known as the Hodegetria or She Who Shows the Way. Asking fervently that his hand might be restored, he fell asleep exhausted.  Virgin Mary came to him in a dream; when awoke his hand was miraculously restored with only a red line showing.  In gratitude, St. John composed the hymn "In thee, O Full of Grace, all creation rejoices" The icon before which St. John prayed exists to this day on Mount Athos in the Hilander Monastery. It is called Tricherousa, or Panagia "Of  Three Hands" due to the silver hand which St. John placed on the icon as a testament to the above miracle.  See: The Icon of the Three Hands Additional links: small album ~ Doctors of the Church

• The Image Doctor -  Doctor of the Church
•  John Damascene: The Incarnation Reveals the Goodness and Wisdom, the Justice and Might 
• Saint John of Damascus, Priest, Religious, Doctor of the Church 
• Peering Through the Windows 
• St. John of Damascus
• St. John of Damascus
• Full of Grace and Truth
• Righteous St. John of Damascus 
• Icons are Dynamic Love Letters between God and Man

Works:
Apologia Against Those Who Decry Holy Images)

 

Mary, Queen of Lilies

More brilliant than the roses, more pure than the lilys,

your heavenly fragrance has touched the heart of God.

Saintin 372

untitled painting [Virgin in prayer]

Untitled engraving [garden enclosed]

Ven. Leon DuPont, Apostle of the Holy Face: December 1st.

Ven. Leon DuPont, Apostle of the Holy Face Dec.1

Small album ~ The Holy Face 

HOLY FACE OF OUR SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST
Exact copy of the Image of the Holy Face conserved in the Basilica of St. Peter in Rome. Bouasse Lebel 667 

The Feast Day of the Holy Face is observed on Shrove Tuesday, a movable feast celebrated next on Tuesday, February 12, 2013

DECEMBER: Devotion, The Immaculate Conception

The Advent Season -  Christmas and the beginning of Christmastide
 Feast Days:
1. Ven. Leon DuPont, Apostle of the Holy Face Dec.1
4. St. John Damascene: (M) Dec. 4
6. St. Nicholas (M) Dec. 6
8. Immaculate Conception (S) Dec. 8
10. Translation of the Holy House of Loreto, Dec. 10
12. Our Lady of Guadalupe (M) Dec. 12
14. St. John of the Cross (M) Dec. 14
24. Christmas Eve
25. Christmas (S) Dec. 25
27. St. John, Apostle & Evangelist (F) Dec. 27
31. Vigil of Mary, Mother of God (S)

Advent Dates for 2015

• December 6 - Second Sunday of Advent
• December 13 - Third Sunday of Advent
• December 20 - Fourth Sunday of Advent

25 -  Christmas - Holy Day of Obligation

Small Albums ~ through December 23:

• Most Holy Virgin
• Virgin Mary, Love's Pure Light 
• As the Deer Yearns for the Living Water 

Small albums for Christmastide (Feast of the Nativity until Baptism of the Lord)

• Christus Natus Est
• Petit Jésus
• Come Let us Adore Him!
• Mass of the Dawn
• Gloria in Excelsis Deo
• Music for the Feast of Christmas
• Post Card Album