Shrine to the Holy Sophia
Welcome to this shrine to the Holy Sophia, personification of the Divine Wisdom, the Comforter, Counselor, and Paraclete who is always with us, the Holy Spirit which became one with Mary and conceived the Christ.
Please enjoy this beautiful song, Caritas Abundat, by Hildegard von Bingen, as you contemplate the images and words below.
Holy Sophia, Divine Wisdom, You were brought forth as the first of God’s works, before the Creator’s deeds of old; You were formed long ages ago, at the very beginning, when the world came to be. Then You were constantly at the Creator’s side. You were filled with delight day after day, rejoicing always in God’s presence, rejoicing in the whole world and delighting in humanity. Now, we Your children, listen to You; for blessed are those who keep Your ways. We listen to Your instruction and become wise; we do not disregard it. Blessed are those who listen to You, watching daily at Your doors, waiting at Your doorway. For those who find You find life and receive favor from God. (Proverbs 8:22-23, 30-35)
For in You, Sophia, is the spirit of understanding: holy, one, manifold, subtle, eloquent, active, undefiled, sure, sweet, loving that which is good, quick, which nothing hinders, beneficent, gentle, kind, steadfast, assured, secure, having all power, overseeing all things, and containing all spirits, intelligible, pure, subtle. For You, Sophia, are more active than all active things, and reach everywhere by reason of Your purity. For You are a vapor of the power of God, and a certain pure emanation of the glory of the almighty God, and therefore no defiled thing comes into You. For You are the brightness of eternal light, and the unspotted mirror of God’s majesty, and the image of God’s goodness. For You are more beautiful than the sun, and above all the order of the stars; being compared with the light, You are found before it. (Wisdom 7:22-26, 29)
Under thy protection we seek refuge, Holy Mother of God; despise not our petitions in our needs, but from all dangers deliver us always, Virgin Glorious and Blessed. Amen.
(This prayer, known in Latin as “Sub tuum Praesidium” and first found in a Greek papyrus, c. 250 AD, is the oldest known prayer to the Virgin.)
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with Thee. Blessed art Thou among women and blessed is the Fruit of Thy Womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, bless us now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
In our weakness we turn to you, trusting that You are here to help us. So often we don’t know what to pray for, but You always pray for us in ways too profound for words. (Romans 8:26)
Oh, fair immaculate rose of the world, rose of my dream, my Rose!
Beyond the ultimate gates of dream I have heard thy mystical call:
It is where the rainbow of hope suspends and the river of rapture flows—
And the cool sweet dews from the wells of peace for ever fall.
And all my heart is aflame because of the rapture and peace,
And I dream, in my waking dreams and deep in the dreams of sleep,
Till the high sweet wonderful call that shall be the call of release
Shall ring in my ears as I sink from gulf to gulf and from deep to deep—
Sink deep, sink deep beyond the ultimate dreams of all desire—
Beyond the uttermost limit of all that the craving spirit knows:
Then, then, oh then I shall be as the inner flame of thy fire,
O fair immaculate rose of the world, Rose of my dream, my Rose!
(The Rose of Flame, by William Sharp)
Rosa Mystica, ora pro nobis.
Maranatha
Agape
Amen
