Sandals & Fiddlebacks

...a perfect combination if I do say so myself.

Ecco, behold, a wonderful video produced by the Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate of the celebration of the Traditional Latin Mass:



Gorgeous, simply gorgeous. Oh, and no - that wasn't Latin you were hearing, the singing was in Italian! (The community's order of Sisters in Italy recorded the "soundtrack")

They are singing a setting of St. Francis of Assisi's "Prayer in Praise of Mary".

Here is the Italian, and then the most common of the English translations:

Ave, Signora, santa regina, santa Madre di Dio, Maria, che sei vergine fatta Chiesa ed eletta dal santissimo Padre celeste, che ti ha consacrata insieme col santissimo suo Figlio diletto e con lo Spirito Santo Paraclito; tu in cui fu ed è ogni pienezza di grazia e ogni bene.

Ave, suo palazzo,
Ave suo tabernacolo.
Ave, sua casa.
Ave, suo vestimento, ave, sua ancella.
Ave, sua Madre.
E saluto voi tutte, sante virtù,
che per grazia e illuminazione dello Spirito Santo
venite infuse nei cuori dei fedeli,
perché da infedeli,
fedeli a Dio li rendiate.

Hail, holy Lady, most holy Queen,
Mary, Mother of God, ever Virgin.
You were chosen by the Most High Father in heaven,
consecrated by Him, with His most Holy Beloved Son
and the Holy Spirit, the Comforter.

On you descended and still remains all the fullness of grace and every good.
Hail, His Palace.
Hail His Tabernacle.
Hail His Robe.
Hail His Handmaid.
Hail, His Mother.
and Hail, all holy Virtues, who, by grace and inspiration of the Holy Spirit,
are poured into the hearts of the faithful
so that from their faithless state,
they may be made faithful servants of God through you.

Bellissima, eh?