O Gloriosa Domina, Andrea Gabrieli

O Gloriosa Domina (O Glorious Lady) is the famous Marian hymn sung at Lauds on Feasts of Our Lady in the Roman Breviary. It forms the second part of the hymn Quem terra, pontus, aethera written by Venantius Fortunatus, Bishop of Poitiers.

Below is a translation of an excerpt from the famous Año Virgineo, published in Spanish in 1716, which tells the story of a priest who was saved from trouble by this hymn:

"In Madrid, the year 1573 saw the [death] of Ven. Father Fray Ananio de Segura, of the most exemplary Order of the Discalced Friars Minor, first Guardian of the Convent [Monastery] of Madrid. He was most devoted to the Great Queen, and for this the Devil hated him very much: For he is the Dragon with seven heads, who vomits poison, against which St. John in the Apocalypse saw Our Lady adorned with Stars. And he still hurls this [poison] at the children whom Our Lady is giving to the Church.

"One day, [the Devil] took on the form of a horrendous and bloody boar, which with its bare fangs threatened to tear him to pieces. The Holy Guardian [Fray Ananio] became frightened and called on the Merciful Virgin, telling her: 'My Lady and Mother, drive this beast away from me!" On his knees, he began the Hymn that says O Gloriosa Domina, excelsa super sidera: O Glorious Lady, whose dominion is elevated above the Stars; and upon hearing these voices, the demon fled.

"The demon appeared to him again some days later, making grimaces at him and telling him: 'Thank the Gloriosa Domina, [because] if it were not for her, I would take my revenge on you.' Fray Ananio immediately intoned the Gloriosa Domina, as one who already knows the remedy for his affliction, with which on this and other occasions he was freed from the infernal beast." (1)

It is also a well known fact that O Gloriosa Domina was the favorite hymn of St. Anthony, who learned it from his mother as a child. He would sing this hymn so often that the Jesuit Fr. Manuel de Azevedo wrote: "It could be said that he had this hymn on his lips at every breath." (2) St. Anthony also sung this hymn on his deathbed: after receiving the Sacrament of Confession: "Like a swan approaching death, he began to sing the hymn, which he was accustomed to pray many times against the demons." (3)

Translation

O glorious lady! throned on high

Above the star-illumined sky;

Thereto ordained, thy bosom lent

To thy Creator nourishment.

Through thy sweet offspring we receive

The bliss once lost through hapless Eve;

And heaven to mortals open lies

Now thou art portal of the skies.

Thou art the door of heaven's high King,

Light's gateway fair and glistering;

Life through a Virgin is restored;

Ye ransomed nations, praise the Lord!

All honour, laud, and glory be,

O Jesu, Virgin-born, to thee;

All glory, as is ever meet,

To Father and to Paraclete.

Amen.

The Gregorian melody of the hymn is beautiful in its simplicity:

Notes

1. Taken from Año virgineo: cuyos dias son finezas de la Gran Reyna del Cielo Maria Santissima Virgen, by Esteban Dolz del Castellar, published 1716.

2. Taken from Vida del taumaturgo portugues San Antonio de Padua, written by Fr. Manuel de Azevedo S. J., published 1790.

3. Ibid., p. 139.