Espousals of the Blessed Virgin Mary

For the subject in art, see Marriage of the Virgin.

Christian feast day

Marriage of the Virgin, Saint-Quiriace de Provins

The Espousals of the Blessed Virgin Mary or Marriage of the Virgin Mary is a Christian feast is celebrated by certain parts of the Roman Catholic Church such as the Oblates of Saint Joseph. It was formerly generally observed on January 23, but was removed from many local calendars by the Sacred Congregation of Rites.

## History

[edit]

In Matthew 1:16, Joseph is described as the husband of Mary. It is probable that Joseph and Mary were betrothed in Nazareth.[1] The term "betrothal" indicates more than an engagement. It was customary in that time and place to celebrate marriage in two stages, the first being the contractual arrangements culminating in consent or "betrothal". After a period of around one year in which the couple were preparing for conjugal living, the second stage of actually conveying the wife to their new home would be accompanied by a great feast such as the Marriage Feast at Cana recounted in the John 2:1-11.[2]

## Feast day

[edit]

In 1416 Jean Gerson, Chancellor of the University of Paris urged the Council of Constance to establish a feast day honouring the Betrothal of Mary and Joseph, for which he wrote an office.[3]

The first definite knowledge of a feast in honour of the espousals of Mary dates from August 29, 1517, when with nine other Masses in honour of Mary, it was granted by Leo X to the Nuns of the Annunciation, founded by Saint Jeanne de Valois.[4] In certain particular churches the espousals of the Virgin Mary and St. Joseph are honoured with an office on January 23.[5] The Oblates of St. Joseph celebrate January 23 as the feast of “The Holy Spouses Mary and Joseph”.[6]

Gaspar Bertoni, founder of the Stigmatines, chose Mary and Joseph, in the context of their espousals, as patrons of the Congregation of the Sacred Stigmata.[7]

## In art

[edit]

Main article: Marriage of the Virgin

In art the subject can be covered in several different scenes, and the betrothal of Mary, with Joseph's blossoming rod, is often shown. Wedding processions are also shown, especially in the Early Medieval period. The scene, or scenes, is a common component in larger cycles of the Life of the Virgin and thus very frequently found, especially in the Middle Ages; it is not found in the typical cycle in a Book of hours.

The marriage scene has been painted by, among others, Giotto, Perugino, Raphael, Domenico Ghirlandaio (1485–90, at the Tornabuoni Chapel), Bernardo Daddi (now in the Royal Collection), Veronese (in San Polo church, Venice), and Pieter van Lint (1640, Antwerp Cathedral). The subject is depicted in a fresco in the German Chapel at the Shrine of the Holy House in Loretto, Italy;[8] in a sculpture in the left portico of Sagrada Família Basilica in Barcelona, Spain;[9] and in a stained glass window at St. Rita Basilica, Cascia, Italy.[10]

* Giotto, c 1305

* Domenico Ghirlandaio (1485–90, at the Tornabuoni Chapel)

* by Perugino

* by Raphael

* Betrothal of the Virgin, Rosso Fiorentino, 1523

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Souvay, Charles. "St. Joseph." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 8. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1910. 7 Aug. 2013
2. ^ "Background of Betrothal and Divorce", Oblates of St. Joseph
3. ^ Black, Charlene Villaseñor. Creating the Cult of St. Joseph: Art and Gender in the Spanish Empire (Princeton University Press, 2006)
4. ^ Holweck, Frederick. "Espousals of the Blessed Virgin Mary." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 5. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1909. 7 Aug. 2013
5. ^ Butler, Alban. The Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs and Other Principal Saints, Vol. III
6. ^ "A5:Feast of the Espousals", Oblates of St. Joseph
7. ^ ""The Holy Spouses Mary and Joseph, our Patrons", Congregation of the Sacred Stigmata". Archived from the original on 2014-03-28. Retrieved 2014-03-26.
8. ^ Seitz, Ludovic. "The Matrimony", Shrine of the Holy House, Loretto, Italy
9. ^ Gaudi, Antoni. "The Betrothal", Holy Family Basilica, Barcelona, Spain
10. ^ Consadori, Silvio. "The Betrothal", St. Rita Basilica, Cascia, Italy

## External links

[edit]

* Aquinas, Thomas. "Summa Theologica III q29. Of the espousals of the Mother of God"
* Sansonvino, Andrea. "The Wedding", marble sculpture, Loretto, Italy, (1526)

* v
* t
* e

Mary, mother of Jesus

Family|

* Joseph (husband)
* Jesus (son)
* Joachim (father)
* Anne (mother)
* Elizabeth
* Brothers of Jesus

Life|

| Tradition: early life|

* Immaculate Conception
* Birth
* Presentation
* Marriage to Joseph
* Perpetual virginity

|

In the Bible|

* Annunciation
* Virginal motherhood
* Visitation
* Nativity of Jesus
* Presentation of Jesus
* Flight into Egypt
* Return to Nazareth
* Finding of Jesus in the Temple
* Miracle at the Wedding at Cana
* Passion of Jesus
* Crucifixion
* Deposition
* Resurrection
* Pentecost

Tradition: later life|

* Bilocation to Saint James
* Dormition
* Tomb
* Assumption
* Coronation
* Queenship
* Woman of the Apocalypse

Apocryphal|

* Protoevangelium of James

Mariology|

| Christian|

* Anglican
* Catholic
* history
* papal
* Orthodox
* Protestant
* Lutheran

|

Other|

* Islamic

Veneration|

* Apparitions
* list
* Catholic churches
* Christmas
* Devotions
* month of May
* Feast days
* Patronage
* Shrines
* Veneration of Mary in the Catholic Church

Titles|

* Christotokos
* Coredemptrix
* Help of Christians
* Immaculate Heart
* Life-giving Spring
* Mediatrix (of all graces)
* New Eve
* Panagia
* Our Lady of Navigators
* Our Lady of Sorrows
* Our Lady of Victory
* Star of the Sea
* Seat of Wisdom
* Theotokos

Prayers|

* Angelus
* Antiphons
* Alma Redemptoris Mater
* Ave Regina caelorum
* Salve Regina
* Regina caeli
* Ave Maria
* Fátima prayers
* Hymns
* Akathist
* Ave maris stella
* Sub tuum praesidium
* Litany
* Loreto
* Magnificat
* Maria mater gratiae
* Memorare
* Rosary
* Three Hail Marys

Art|

| West|

* Assumption
* Black Madonna
* Golden Madonna of Essen
* The Golden Virgin
* Pietà
* Queen of Heaven
* Stabat Mater

|

East|

* Agiosoritissa
* Madonna del Rosario
* Derzhavnaya
* Eleusa
* Theotokos of Vladimir
* Hodegetria

Related|

* Life of the Virgin
* Saint Luke painting the Virgin

* Category
* Saints Portal

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template