Sunday, May 8, 2011

St. Lawrence crowns Mary

Trophîme Bigot. Supper at Emmaus ( Le repas d'Emmaüs ). c. 1640's? Chantilly.
Et coëgérunt illum, dicéntes : Mane nobíscum, quóniam advesperáscit, et inclináta est jam dies. Et intrávit cum illis. Et factum est, dum recúmberet cum eis, accépit panem, et benedíxit, ac fregit, et porrigébat illis. Et apérti sunt óculi eórum, et cognovérunt eum : et ipse evánuit ex óculis eórum.

But they constrained him; saying: Stay with us, because it is towards evening, and the day is now far spent. And he went in with them. And it came to pass, whilst he was at table with them, he took bread, and blessed, and brake, and gave to them. And their eyes were opened, and they knew him: and he vanished out of their sight. — Luke xxiv. 29-31.
To celebrate a Mass you need a table for an altar and two candles, the location is not of essence; one can be in the forest, or in an hidden room, or their parish church. Saint Lawrence held Mass for the 3rd Sunday of Easter, about 150 gathered in a room of the Slovenian National Home. The consecrated high altar that had been in the church of Saint Lawrence is now at (what had been) St. Hedwig's Lakewood as part of the museum now there.
A popular devotion of many people is a May Crowning. Marian hymns and prayers were sung in Slovene and in English. To-day was also secular Mothers Day, a happy co-incidence in celebrations. Some parishes crown Mary on the first Sunday of May, some on the second (Mother's Day), some on first Communion. The May Crowning is not liturgical, it is a sentimental, popular devotion that many fondly enjoy.
After Mass there was a brunch served. The confiscated parish grounds was having its side lawn mowed.

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