presentation of the virgin

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Presentation of the Virgin Mary

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• EWTN - The Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Presentation of the Virgin Mary , feast celebrated in the Roman Catholic and Eastern churches on November 21. It was held in the Eastern church in the 6th century but did not become widely accepted in the West until the 15th century. The pope St. Pius V (1566–72) suppressed it, but in 1585 Pope Sixtus V reestablished the feast. Generally considered a feast of popular piety, it signifies Mary ’s total and lifelong devotion to God, as anticipated by her Immaculate Conception , and heralds her future vocation as the sacred vessel for the Incarnation .

The feast is based on a legend contained in the Protevangelium of James , a 2nd-century work not included in the Bible . It commemorates a visit by the three-year-old Mary to the Temple in Jerusalem , where she was dedicated to the service of God and left to be raised as a consecrated virgin. This act was done in fulfillment of a sacred promise made by her parents, Saints Anne and Joachim , during their long struggle with childlessness.

The Presentation of the Virgin in the Temple, 1534-38 by Titian

This vast canvas still decorates the wall for which it was created in the Sala dell'Albergo of the Scuola Grande di Santa Maria della Carita - which was transformed into the galleries of the Accademia early in the last century. The original commission had been awarded in 1504 to a little-known Venetian painter, Pasqualino Veneto, who died, however, before carrying it out; not until thirty years later did the confraternity return to the project. The prehistory behind Titian's painting may be particularly significant, since it has often been observed that the master here invoked an archaic compositional tradition, that of the narrative tableaux developed in the late fifteenth century. The brothers of the Carita had indeed retained Pasqualino's design and perhaps insisted that certain of its aspects be followed. However that may be, Titian accepted the challenge; working within the context of that conservative heritage, he transformed the inherited material, elevating it to new levels of formal monumentality and expressive subtlety.

The flowing procession of the narrative line, the basic parallelism of the spatial structure, the asymmetry of the backdrop, the mixing of contemporary portraits (of the officers of the scuola) and architecture with a historically distant subject - these devices are all characteristic of the art of an older generation, that of Gentile Bellini and Carpac-cio. Measured against this background, Titian's variations stand out in high relief: the rhythms of his procession are more dynamic and, within the constraints of the processional format with its insistent regularity, his figures move with energy and variety, distinguishing themselves by the quality of their poses and gestures. Dominating the varied crowd, however, and focusing its diverse energies, is the diminutive figure of Mary ascending the steps of the temple; she is the unifying factor in this disparate assembly, whose members either actually accompany her on this historical occasion (her parents, the attendant virgins, the welcoming priests), bear witness to the event (the sixteenthcentury followers of the procession), or, like us, observe the full spectacle from a certain distance (the spectators watching from the palace windows and balcony above).

Throughout the composition Titian has emphasized the plane, and elements of spatial recession have been deliberately muted. The progress of the procession is plotted against the structural coordinates of the architecture which pace the rhythm across the length of the field - a movement measured by the clear modular units of the staircase wall, and again by the smaller rectangles of the diaper masonry in the middle distance. The foreground wall has been fitted with precision to the actual door of the room, its drafted masonry adapted to form the lintel (the door to the left was cut into the painting later, in 1572). Such pictorial artifice, immediately juxtaposing the fictive and the real, also implies an identification of the painted stone wall with the surface of the canvas - and hence with the wall of the albergo itself.

Before the painted wall Titian set two forms, an old woman and an antique torso. Because they are so deliberately isolated in an ambiguous zone, they acquire very special status. The old egg seller, in particular, placed below the Virgin and so pointedly looking in the opposite direction, counters the basic flow of the pageant's narrative impulse, while the torso remains hidden in the corner darkness. By their placement outside the space of the event, they represent, with the imaginative concreteness with which Titian endowed abstractions, the worlds of the Old Testament and of Greco-Roman antiquity, the era before Christian grace.

The Assumption of the Virgin

Bacchus and ariadne, christ carrying the cross, self portrait, equestrian portrait of charles v, the death of actaeon, pesaro madonna, flaying of marsyas, annunciation, noli me tangere, an allegory of prudence, venus and adonis, the crowning with thorns.

PRESENTATION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

God, come to my assistance.  - Lord, make haste to help me. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:  -  as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia.

H YMN - O Mary of all women, you are the chosen one, Who, ancient prophets promised, would bear God’s only Son; All Hebrew generations prepared the way to thee, That in your womb the God-man might come to set us free.

O Mary, you embody all God taught to our race, For you are first and foremost in fullness of his grace; We praise this wondrous honor that you gave birth to Him Who from you took humanity and saved us from our sin. Melody: Au fort detresse 76.76D; Music: 17th century Flemish Melody Text: Michael Gannon Or: - Mary the dawn, Christ the Perfect Day; Mary the gate, Christ the Heavenly Way!

Mary the root, Christ the Mystic Vine; Mary the grape, Christ the Sacred Wine!

Mary the wheat, Christ the Living Bread; Mary the stem, Christ the Rose blood-red!

Mary the font, Christ the Cleansing Flood; Mary the cup, Christ the Saving Blood!

Mary the temple, Christ the temple's Lord; Mary the shrine, Christ the God adored!

Mary the beacon, Christ the Haven's Rest; Mary the mirror, Christ the Vision Blest!

Mary the mother, Christ the mother's Son By all things blest while endless ages run. Amen. Melody: Mary the Dawn; Music: Anon Text: Anon, alt. by the Dominican Sisters of Summit Or: - Praise to Mary, Heaven's Gate, Guiding Star of Christians' way, Mother of our Lord and King, Light and hope to souls astray.

When you heard the call of God Choosing to fulfill his plan, By your perfect act of love Hope was born in fallen man.

Help us to amend our ways, Halt the devil's strong attack, Walk with us the narrow path, Beg for us the grace we lack.

Mary, show your motherhood, Bring your children's prayers to Christ, Christ, your son, who ransomed man, Who, for us, was sacrificed.

Virgin chosen, singly blest, Ever faithful to God's call, Guide us in this earthy life, Guard us lest, deceived, we fall.

Mary, help us live our faith So that we may see your son; Join our humble prayers to yours, Till life's ceaseless war is won.

Praise the Father, praise the Son, Praise the holy Paraclete; Offer all through Mary's hands, Let her make our prayers complete. Melody: Gott sei dank 77.77 Music: Freylinghausen's , 1670-1739 Text: V.S.S. Coles, 1845-1929 P SALMODY

Antiphon 1 : Blessed are you, O Mary, for the world's salvation came forth from you; now in glory, you rejoice forever with the Lord. Intercede for us with your Son. Psalm 63:2-9 A soul thirsting for God Whoever has left the darkness of sin yearns for God O God, you are my God, for you I long; for you my soul is thirsting. My body pines for you like a dry, weary land without water. So I gaze on you in the sanctuary to see your strength and your glory.

For your love is better than life, my lips will speak your praise. So I will bless you all my life, in your name I will lift up my hands. My soul shall be filled as with a banquet, my mouth shall praise you with joy.

Antiphon 1 Blessed are you, O Mary, for the world's salvation came forth from you; now in glory, you rejoice forever with the Lord. Intercede for us with your Son. Antiphon 2 You are the glory of Jerusalem, the joy of Israel; you are the fairest honor of our race. Canticle  -  Daniel 3:57-88,56 Let all creatures praise the Lord All you servants of the Lord, sing praise to him (Revelation 19:5) Bless the Lord, all you works of the Lord. Praise and exalt him above all forever. Angels of the Lord, bless the Lord. You heavens, bless the Lord. All you waters above the heavens, bless the Lord. All you hosts of the Lord, bless the Lord. Sun and moon, bless the Lord. Stars of heaven, bless the Lord.

Every shower and dew, bless the Lord. All you winds, bless the Lord. Fire and heat, bless the Lord. Cold and chill, bless the Lord. Dew and rain, bless the Lord. Frost and chill, bless the Lord. Ice and snow, bless the Lord. Nights and days, bless the Lord. Light and darkness, bless the Lord. Lightnings and clouds, bless the Lord.

Let the earth bless the Lord. Praise and exalt him above all forever. Mountains and hills, bless the Lord. Everything growing from the earth, bless the Lord. You springs, bless the Lord.

Seas and rivers, bless the Lord. You dolphins and all water creatures, bless the Lord. All you birds of the air, bless the Lord. All you beasts, wild and tame, bless the Lord. You sons of men, bless the Lord.

O Israel, bless the Lord. Praise and exalt him above all forever. Priests of the Lord, bless the Lord. Servants of the Lord, bless the Lord. Spirits and souls of the just, bless the Lord. Holy men of humble heart, bless the Lord. Hananiah, Azariah, Mishael, bless the Lord. Praise and exalt him above all forever.

Let us bless the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Let us praise and exalt him above all forever. Blessed are you, Lord, in the firmament of heaven. Praiseworthy and glorious and exalted above all forever.

Antiphon 2 You are the glory of Jerusalem, the joy of Israel; you are the fairest honor of our race. Antiphon 3 O Virgin Mary, how great your cause for joy; God found you worthy to bear Christ our Savior. Psalm 149 The joy of God's holy people Let the sons of the Church, the children of the new people, rejoice in Christ, their King (Hesychius) Sing a new song to the Lord, his praise in the assembly of the faithful. Let Israel rejoice in its maker, let Zion’s sons exult in their king. Let them praise his name with dancing and make music with timbrel and harp.

For the Lord takes delight in his people. He crowns the poor with salvation. Let the faithful rejoice in their glory, shout for joy and take their rest. Let the praise of God be on their lips and a two-edged sword in their hand,

Antiphon 3 O Virgin Mary, how great your cause for joy; God found you worthy to bear Christ our Savior. R EADING       See Isaiah 61:10 I rejoice heartily in the Lord,   in my God is the joy of my soul; For he has clothed me with a robe of salvation,   and wrapped me in a mantle of justice,   like a bride bedecked with her jewels. R ESPONSORY The Lord has chosen her, his loved one from the beginning.  - The Lord has chosen her, his loved one from the beginning. He has taken her to live with him,  - his loved one from the beginning. Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.  - The Lord has chosen her, his loved one from the beginning. B ENEDICTUS (Canticle of Zechariah) Antiphon: Blessed are you, Mary, because you believed that the Lord's words to you would be fulfilled, alleluia. I NTERCESSIONS Let us glorify our Savior, who chose the Virgin Mary for his mother. Let us ask him:

                   May your mother intercede for us, Lord.

Son of Justice, the immaculate Virgin was the white dawn announcing your rising.  – grant that we may always live in the light of your coming.

Lord, help us imitate Mary, your mother, who chose the best part,  - may we seek the food that will sustain us for ever.

Savior of the world, by your redeeming might you preserved your mother before-hand from all stain of sin,  - keep watch over us, lest we sin.

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This painting is divided into three vertical panels that show people gathered in different parts of a temple, which spans the composition. Each panel is framed by a white and blue latticed arch. The people’s pale skin is tinged with green and they have rosy cheeks. Almost all of their robes, cloaks, and dresses are edged with gold. The central panel is the widest, about half again as wide as each side panel, and a bit taller than the other two. In it, a young blond girl, Mary, stands with her hands folded together in front of two bearded men. Mary leans slightly away from one of the men and looks off to our left. She wears a pale blue garment densely patterned with glimmering gold. She and one of the men next to her have shiny gold halos. The haloed man slightly bows toward Mary, hands out. His gold robe is lined with red, and he wears a white peaked hat with a gold band around the base. The second man stands behind this pair, his hands lifted, palms out. A rose-pink robe is covered by a crimson-red cloak, and a white cloth covers most of his balding head. This trio stands on a raised platform accessed on three sides by seven steps. Coral-red columns with white capitals hold up gray arches above, which in turn support a rose window at the top center of this panel. Two small boys stand at the base of the steps, their backs to us. Both have blond hair and wear red stockings. One wears a white and gold polka-dotted, high-necked robe and the other wears red and points at Mary. Six people fill the arch to our left. A woman with her head and neck covered by a white veil holds up one hand as she clutches her muted blue, gold-edged cloak around her body. She and the bearded, balding man next to her, who wears blue and pink, both have shiny halos. Three more people are barely visible next to and beyond this pair. The sixth person kneels and crosses the left and center panels. They wear a laurel-green robe and look up at Mary. In the panel to our right, two men stand in front of a balcony occupied by eight blond women. Both men are bearded. One has brown hair covered by a black hood, and he wears a pale blue robe under a shell-pink cloak. He looks off to our left, at Mary, and holds his hands clasped down in front of his torso. The other man looks at the first with one hand raised, the thumb pointing toward the center. He has gray hair covered by a white hood, and wears butterscotch-yellow and red. The women above wear dresses in red, pink, yellow, marine blue, or white dotted with gold. The spaces behind the groups on either side panel are backed by gray stone archways lined with coral-red molding. The floor across all three is patterned with squares and rectangles in red, black, and white. Low, white stone walls span the width of the side panels and open up to the center.

Paolo di Giovanni Fei

The Presentation of the Virgin in the Temple, 1398-1399

West Building, Main Floor — Gallery 3

tempera on wood transferred to hardboard

painted surface: 146.1 × 140.3 cm (57 1/2 × 55 1/4 in.) overall: 147.2 × 140.3 cm (57 15/16 × 55 1/4 in.)

Credit Line

Samuel H. Kress Collection

Accession Number

Artists / makers.

Paolo di Giovanni Fei (painter) Sienese, c. 1335/1345 - 1411

This image is in the public domain. Read our full Open Access policy for images .

Copy-and-paste citation text:

Miklós Boskovits (1935–2011), “Paolo di Giovanni Fei/ The Presentation of the Virgin in the Temple /1398-1399,” Italian Paintings of the Thirteenth and Fourteenth Centuries , NGA Online Editions, https://purl.org/nga/collection/artobject/46103 (accessed September 04, 2024).

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Exhibition History

Technical summary, bibliography, related content.

This engaging narrative scene was the center panel of an altarpiece commissioned in 1398 for the Chapel of Saint Peter, near the high altar of the cathedral in Siena. It would have been flanked, in all probability, by standing saints—one of them Peter—and surmounted by other saints shown half-length. Originally, the structure would have been gabled at the top, with elaborate gold moldings framing each section.

According to legend, the Virgin entered the temple in Jerusalem at age three and remained until she was 14. In this depiction, she stands at the top of the long stair with a last sidelong look at her parents, yet she remains fearless and strong. Like those of the high priest who receives her, Mary’s robes are splendid gold brocade. These were created with a technique called sgraffito , in which paint is scraped away in patterns to reveal gilding below that is then textured with tiny punches. Equally lavish is the interior of Solomon’s temple, which is treated as a Gothic church. The complex space is easily read, airy with lots of light and a brilliant palette—cool blues, salmony pinks, and glassy greens. A gallery at the right is filled with the girls who will be Mary’s companions. One, at the back, seems to be on tiptoe, trying hard to see this girl who would be fed each day by an angel. On the other side, near Mary’s parents, Anna and Joachim, another onlooker cranes for a glimpse and a woman kneels, her face half hidden by a pillar. Such rich details enliven and humanize a sacred event, making it more accessible to a contemporary viewer.

The legend of the childhood of Mary, mother of Jesus, had been formed at a very early date, as shown by the apocryphal Gospel of James, or Protoevangelium of James (second – ​third century), which for the first time recounted events in the life of Mary before the Annunciation. The iconography Iconography, or Iconology   Terms that refer broadly to the study of subjects and themes in works of art. Iconology, which is based on the results of iconography, is the more wide-ranging and comprehensive. One of the principal concerns of iconography is the discovery of symbolic and allegorical meanings in a work of art. —Willem F. Lash, Grove Art © Oxford University Press of the presentation of the Virgin that spread in Byzantine art was based on this source. In the West, the episodes of the birth and childhood of the Virgin were known instead through another, later apocryphal source of the eighth – ​ninth century, attributed to the Evangelist Matthew. [1]     [1] The apocryphal text has the title De Ortu Beatae Mariae et Infantia Salvatoris ; on the origin of the legend and on its sources see Jacqueline Lafontaine-­Dosogne, Iconographie de l’enfance de la Vierge dans l’Empire byzantin et en Occident , 2 vols. (Brussels, 1964 – ​1965), 2:112 – ​128. According to this account of her childhood, Mary, on reaching the age of three, was taken by her parents, together with offerings, to the Temple of Jerusalem, so that she could be educated there. The child ascended the flight of fifteen steps of the temple to enter the sacred building, where she would continue to live, fed by an angel, until she reached the age of fourteen. [2]     [2] Jacqueline Lafontaine-Dosogne, Iconographie de l’enfance de la Vierge dans l’Empire byzantin et en Occident , 2 vols. (Brussels, 1964–1965), 2:128–134. The legend linked the child’s ascent to the temple and the flight of fifteen steps in front of it with the number of Gradual Psalms. [3]     [3] Gertrud Schiller, Ikonographie der christlichen Kunst , 6 vols. (Gütersloh, 1966 – ​1990), 4, pt. 2: 68. On the fifteen Gradual Psalms (Psalms 120 – ​134), see Frank L. Cross, ed., The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church (London and New York, 1958), 578. The image of so long a flight of steps does not in general appear in fourteenth-century Sienese painting, which instead follows other details of the narrative of the Pseudo-­Matthew: it describes the surprise of those present on seeing the infant girl spontaneously ascend the steps on her own and shows the high priest Zacharias, the father of John the Baptist (haloed), welcoming the child. [4]     [4] Gertrud Schiller, Ikonographie der christlichen Kunst , 6 vols. (Gütersloh, 1966–1990), 4, pt. 2:67–68. The other girls who are being brought up in the temple are represented in a separate zone. One endeavor to which Sienese painters, on the other hand, paid constant attention was that of expressing the splendor of Solomon’s Temple, generally represented as a grand and complex building. The importance of the event was further underlined by the presence of ever more numerous onlookers.

The painting now in the National Gallery of Art appeared in the London exhibition in 1928 as a work by Bartolo di Fredi, an attribution perhaps proposed by Bernard Berenson Berenson, Bernard   (June 26, 1865–October 6, 1959) Art historian and connoisseur. Son of a Lithuanian timber merchant who emigrated to the United States with his family in 1875, he was educated at the Latin School, Boston, and at Harvard University, where he studied Greek, Latin, Sanskrit, Hebrew, and German. In an unsuccessful application for a traveling fellowship to Europe, he wrote, ‘Art prevails in this programme because it is there that I feel myself weakest. One can study literature here . . . but art not at all.’ On his subsequent visit to Europe in 1885, financed by friends, his rapid visual self-education led to the decision to settle in Italy and to devote his life to the study of Italian art. —William Mostyn-Owen, Grove Art © Oxford University Press , who privately confirmed it in 1951. [5]     [5] Fern Rusk Shapley, Catalogue of the Italian Paintings , 2 vols. (Washington, DC, 1979), 1:176. William Suida and Fern Rusk Shapley accepted this opinion in their catalog of the Kress Collection (NGA 1956), commenting that “the attribution to Bartolo​ . . . ​is not likely to be doubted.” [6]     [6] National Gallery of Art, Paintings and Sculpture from the Kress Collection (Washington, DC, 1956), 28. That attribution was reaffirmed in the 1959 catalog of the Gallery and by Jaqueline Lafontaine-Dosogne (1965). [7]     [7] National Gallery of Art, Paintings and Sculpture from the Samuel H. Kress Collection (Washington, DC, 1959), 35; Jacqueline Lafontaine-Dosogne, Iconographie de l’enfance de la Vierge dans l’Empire byzantin et en Occident , 2 vols. (Brussels, 1964–1965), 2:30 n. 1. As early as 1951, however, Millard Meiss broke ranks, identifying the hand of Paolo di Giovanni Fei in the painting. [8]     [8] Millard Meiss, Painting in Florence and Siena after the Black Death (Princeton, 1951), 28. All the more recent literature, apart from the above-cited exceptions, recognizes Meiss’s proposal as correct, including Berenson’s own posthumous edition of Italian Pictures (1968). [9]     [9] Bernard Berenson, Italian Pictures of the Renaissance. Central Italian and North Italian Schools , 3 vols. (London, 1968), 2:130. Confirmation of the attribution came with the discovery that the panel now in Washington comes from Siena Cathedral; documents of 1398 – ​1399 record payments made to Paolo di Giovanni Fei that undoubtedly refer to this painting. [10]     [10] Vittorio Lusini, Il Duomo di Siena (Siena, 1911), 321 n. 2, and Provenance, note 1. The various inventories of the cathedral later described it as “tauola dipenta colla Ripresentationi al Tempio di Nostra Donna et di sancto Pietro et di sancto Pauolo et di più altri sancti e sancte” (a painted panel with the Presentation of Our Lady and with Saint Peter and Saint Paul and many other saints). [11]     [11] Quoted by Michael Mallory, Paolo di Giovanni Fei (PhD diss., Columbia University, 1965), 124. It remained on the altar of the chapel of San Pietro at least until 1482 and probably until the early 1580s (see Provenance ).

The composition of Paolo’s altarpiece Altarpiece   An image-bearing structure set on the rear part of the altar, abutting the back of the altarblock, or set behind the altar in such a way as to be visually joined with the altar when viewed from a distance. It is also sometimes called a retable, following the medieval term retrotabulum. The altarpiece was never officially prescribed by the Church, but it did perform a prescribed function alternatively carried out by a simple inscription on the altarblock: to declare to which saint or mystery the altar was dedicated. In fact, the altarpiece did more than merely identify the altar; its form and content evoked the mystery or personage whose cult was celebrated at the altar. This original and lasting function influenced the many forms taken by the altarpiece throughout its history. —Alexander Nagel, Grove Art © Oxford University Press would have followed the scheme prescribed for the altarpieces of the various chapels in the cathedral, a church dedicated to the Virgin: namely, a scene representing a Marian feast at the center, flanked by full-length, standing saints in the lateral panels, including the titular of the altar. As we know from the example of other polyptychs Polyptych   Type of object with several panels, usually an altarpiece, although it may also fulfil other functions. The polyptych normally consists of a central panel with an even number of side-panels, which are sometimes hinged to fold. Although in principle every object with two panels or more may be called a polyptych, the word is normally used as a general term for anything larger than a triptych. As with diptychs and triptychs, the size and material can vary. —Victor M. Schmidt, Grove Art © Oxford University Press with a provenance from the cathedral, the saints were portrayed one on each side. Moreover, the polyptychs, in contrast to the present appearance of The Presentation of the Virgin in the Temple , were always enriched with gables comprising half-figure images of other saints above the main register. Though none of these components of Paolo’s altarpiece have yet been identified, there seems no reason to doubt their existence. [12]     [12] On the compositional scheme prescribed for altarpieces in Siena Cathedral, beginning with that of Sant’Ansano painted by Simone Martini (Sienese, active from 1315; died 1344) and Lippo Memmi (Sienese, active 1317/1347) in 1333 (now in the Uffizi, Florence) and continuing through the fourteenth century, see Kavin Frederick, “A Program of Altarpieces for the Siena Cathedral,” The Rutgers Art Review 4 (1983): 18 – ​38; Hendrik W. van Os, Sienese Altarpieces 1215 – ​1460: Form, Content, Function , vol. 2, 1344 – ​1460 (Groningen, 1990), 99 – ​139. The only one of these altarpieces to retain the paintings of its upper register (except for the one originally at its center) is that for the altar of Sant’Ansano, with busts of prophets in its gable panels, but it does not seem justified to suppose that in this respect the polyptychs of the cathedral were any different from the altarpieces of the main Sienese churches. In fact, in recent times the existence of gable panels has been conjectured both for the polyptych of San Vittore painted by Bartolomeo Bulgarini (Italian, c. 1300 - 1378) around 1351 and now divided among the Fogg Museum in Cambridge, Massachusetts; the Statens Museum for Kunst in Copen­hagen; and other collections. See Elisabeth H. Beatson, Norman E. Muller, and Judith B. Steinhoff, “The St. Victor Altarpiece in Siena Cathedral: A Reconstruction,” The Art Bulletin 68 (1986): 610 – ​631; Judith Steinhoff-­Morrison, Bartolomeo Bulgarini and Sienese Painting of the Mid-­Fourteenth Century , 2 vols. (PhD diss., Princeton University, 1990), 2: fig. 20h. For that of San Crescenzio, painted by Ambrogio Lorenzetti in 1342, of which the main panel is now in the Uffizi, Florence, see Sonia Chiodo, “Attorno a un dipinto inedito di Ambrogio Lorenzetti,” Arte cristiana 91 (2003): 1 – ​6; Erling S. Skaug, “Two New Paintings by Ambrogio Lorenzetti: Technical Criteria and the Complexity of Chronology,” Arte cristiana 91 (2003): 7 – ​17. Andrea De Marchi made the point that the carpenter Paolo Bindi, having realized the wooden structure for the polyptych that Ambrogio Lorenzetti had been commissioned to paint, was paid for constructing not only the predella but also the “cholonne” and the “civori” (possibly to be interpreted as gables); Andrea De Marchi, “La tavola d’altare,” in Storia delle arti in Toscana: Il Trecento , ed. Max Seidel (Florence, 2004), 29.

The documents, therefore, not only confirm the attribution of the panel in the National Gallery of Art to Paolo di Giovanni Fei but also reveal that it is the fragment of a larger complex. It remains uncertain, however, whether Paolo was the sole author of the dispersed polyptych. According to another piece of documentary evidence dating to 1393, in fact, another painter, Bartolo di Fredi, received a payment “per la tavola d’altare di San Pietro che fa.” [13]     [13] Gaetano Milanesi, Documenti per la storia dell’arte senese , 3 vols. (Siena, 1854 – ​1856), 2:37; Gaudenz Freuler, Bartolo di Fredi Cini: Ein Beitrag zur sienesischen Malerei des 14. Jahrhunderts (Disentis, 1994), 428; Monica Butzek, “Chronologie,” in Die Kirchen von Siena , vol. 3, Der Dom S. Maria Assunta , bk. 1, Architektur , pt. 1, ed. Walter Haas and Dethard von Winterfeld (Munich, 2006), 98. Commenting on this information, Michael Mallory observed, “probably the document​ . . . ​is designating a panel depicting St. Peter rather than one made for the chapel of S. Pietro, or possibly it refers to an altarpiece for the chapel that [Bartolo di] Fredi did actually execute, but which was moved or destroyed,” and he added, “it is even possible that [Bartolo di] Fredi did begin the triptych from which the Presentation of the Virgin remains, but that his work was executed on one of the missing panels.” See Michael Mallory, Paolo di Giovanni Fei (PhD diss., Columbia University, 1965), 128. In the view of the present writer, this latter hypothesis seems the more plausible; in any case, it should be recalled that only one of the chapels in the cathedral was dedicated to Saint Peter. According to some, this means that the execution of the polyptych had already begun in 1392 – ​1393, but for some reason Bartolo’s work was not completed. So the commission was then apparently transferred to Paolo. It was believed in the past that the lost laterals of our Presentation could be identified in two panels by Bartolo di Fredi representing Saint Peter and Saint Paul, but the hypothesis was then shown to be mistaken. [14]     [14] Hendrik W. van Os, “Tradition and Innovation in Some Altarpieces by Bartolo di Fredi,” The Art Bulletin 67 (1985): 50 – ​66; Gaudenz Freuler, “Bartolo di Fredis Altar für die Annunziata-­Kapelle in S. Francesco in Montalcino,” Pantheon 43 (1985): 21. For a correction of the proposal, see Gaudenz Freuler, Bartolo di Fredi Cini: Ein Beitrag zur sienesischen Malerei des 14. Jahrhunderts (Disentis, 1994), 341. So, in this case, the problem of the collaboration between the two Sienese painters still remains open. [15]     [15] Recently it was conjectured that the payment to Bartolo referred not to the altarpiece but to the tabernacle commissioned in 1380 to hold the statue of the saint, and destined for the same altar; Monica Butzek, “Chronologie,” in Die Kirchen von Siena , vol. 3, Der Dom S. Maria Assunta , bk. 1, Architektur , pt. 1, ed. Walter Haas and Dethard von Winterfeld (Munich, 2006), 99 n. 1285 and 1286. However, as Monica Butzek verbally advised me, she excluded this eventuality.

Paolo’s painting in Washington has always met with a flattering reception from art historians. Millard Meiss (1951) hailed it as an “important panel”; Enzo Carli (1979), as one of the masterpieces of late-fourteenth-century Sienese painting (“uno dei capolavori della pittura senese del tardo Trecento”); while the Dutch expert on Sienese painting, Henk van Os (1990), described it as “a magnificent painting.” [16]     [16] Millard Meiss, Painting in Florence and Siena after the Black Death (Prince­ton, 1951), 28 n. 58; Enzo Carli, Il Duomo di Siena (Genoa, 1979), 85; Hendrik W. van Os, Sienese Altarpieces 1215 – ​1460: Form, Content, Function , vol. 2, 1344 – ​1460 (Groningen, 1990), 136. Michael Mallory (1965) was the first to recognize its identity with the documented panel by Paolo di Giovanni Fei in Siena Cathedral. He also subjected it to a meticulous stylistic and iconographic analysis. He observed inter alia that “the series of spaces that the artist has opened up beyond the figures is more complex than anything that he attempted in the Nativity [that is, in the other polyptych by the artist similarly having a scene thronged with figures at the center, now in the Pinacoteca Nazionale in Siena] or in the Visitation [that is, in the scene frescoed by Paolo in the church of San Francesco, also in Siena], and at the same time the architecture is rendered accurately enough so that we can understand the plan of this church with its polygonal apse and vaulted chapels.” The Washington Presentation, Mallory concluded, “is the most ambitious and successful Sienese painting of the late Trecento as regards interior setting.” [17]     [17] Michael Mallory, Paolo di Giovanni Fei (PhD diss., Columbia University, 1965), 119.

Miklós Boskovits (1935–2011)

March 21, 2016

Commissioned in 1398[1] for the chapel of San Pietro in Siena Cathedral,[2] where it remained at least until 1482.[3] It is probable, however, that the altarpiece was removed only between 1580 (when a new, richly decorated marble altar was commissioned for the chapel) and 1582 (when the decoration of the new altar was completed). At this time it was then either consigned to the cathedral’s storerooms or sold.[4] H.M. Clark, London, by 1928.[5] Edward Hutton [1874-1969], London.[6] (Wildenstein & Co., New York), by 1950;[7] sold February 1954 to the Samuel H. Kress Foundation, New York;[8] gift 1961 to NGA.

[1] Gaetano Milanesi, Documenti per la storia dell'arte senese , 3 vols., Siena, 1854: 2:37; Scipione Borghesi and Luciano Banchi, Nuovi documenti per la storia dell'arte senese 1, Siena, 1898: 62; Monica Butzek, "Chronologie," In Die Kirchen von Siena , multi-vol., ed. Waltee Haas and Dethard von Winterfeld, vol. 3, part 1.1.2, Munich, 2006: 102. Payments to Paolo di Giovanni Fei “per la tavola di sancto Piero et sancto Pavolo, per sua fatiga e colori” were made, specifies Monica Butzek (2006), between 1398 and April 1399.

[2] Pietro Lorenzetti’s altarpiece of the Birth of the Virgin , also painted for the Cathedral of Siena in 1342 (see Carlo Volpe, Pietro Lorenzetti , ed. Marco Lucco, Milan, 1989: 152-154), is surmounted, like The Presentation of the Virgin discussed here, by three arches included in a heavy frame. The present appearance of these paintings is misleading, however. Fourteenth-century altarpieces were generally realized on rectangular panels, not silhouetted like these, and integrated above by triangular or trapezoidal gables partially overlapped by the integral frame. See Monika Cämmerer George, Die Rahmung der toskanischen Altarbilder in Trecento , Strasbourg,1966: 144-165; Christoph Merzenich, Vom Schreinerwerk zum Gemälde. Florentiner Altarwerke der ersten Hälfe des Quattrocento , Berlin, 2001: 43-56.

[3] Enzo Carli, Il Duomo di Siena , Genoa, 1979: 85-86.

[4] On 9 September 1579, the Congrega di San Pietro, patron since 1513 of the chapel dedicated to this saint (the second altar from the entrance in the north aisle), commissioned the stonecutters Girolamo del Turco and Pietro di Benedetto da Prato to realize a new marble structure around the altar. This sculptural decoration was completed in April 1582. It is presumed that between the two dates Paolo’s panel, considered antiquated, was removed. See Butzek 2006, 197.

[5] Daily Telegraph Exhibition 1928, 162. Concerning the unknown whereabouts of the painting between 1582 and 1928, a handwritten note on a photograph of the painting, formerly owned by Bernard Berenson (now in the Biblioteca Berenson at Villa I Tatti, Florence), suggests a provenance from the collection at Corsham Court, Wiltshire, which the British diplomat Sir Paul Methuen (1672–1757) had formed in the eighteenth century, and which, by the mid-nineteenth century, had been enriched with paintings from the collection of the Rev. John Sanford (1777-1855) through the 1844 marriage of Sanford’s daughter and sole heir, Anna Horatia Caroline Sanford (1824–1899), to Frederick H.P. Methuen, 2nd baron Methuen (1818-1891). See Benedict Nicolson, "The Sanford Collection," The Burlington Magazine 98 (1955): 207–214. However, this suggestion appears to be in error. James Methuen-Campbell, who inherited Corsham Court in 1994 and has extensively researched the family collections, kindly reviewed the manuscript material for both the Sanford and Methuen collections, and found no reference to the painting (see his e-mail to Anne Halpern, of 15 February 2012, in NGA curatorial files). The painting also does not appear among those disposed of by Sanford on the occasion of two London sales: a sale by private contract under the auspices of George Yates (24 April 1838, and days following), and a sale at Christie & Manson (9 March 1839).

[6] Information given in Paintings and Sculpture from the Kress Collection , National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., 1956.

[7] According to the handwritten note on the photograph referenced above (see note 5), the painting was with Wildenstein by October 1950.

[8] The bill of sale (copy in NGA curatorial files) is dated 10 February 1954, and was for fourteen paintings, including Presentation of the Virgin by Bartolo di Fredi; payments by the foundation continued to March 1957. See also The Kress Collection Digital Archive, https://kress.nga.gov/Detail/objects/2275.

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Feast of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Please help support the mission of New Advent and get the full contents of this website as an instant download. Includes the Catholic Encyclopedia, Church Fathers, Summa, Bible and more — all for only $19.99... The Protoevangel of James, the Gospel of Pseudo-Matthew, the Gospel of the Nativity of Mary, and other apocryphal writings (Walker, "Apocryph. Gosp.", Edinburgh, 1873) relate that Mary, at the age of three, was brought by her parents to the Temple, in fulfillment of a vow , there to be educated . The corresponding feast originated in the Orient, probably in Syria , the home of the apocrypha. Card. Pitra (Anal. Spici. Solesmensi, p. 265) has published a great canon (liturgical poem) in Greek for this feast, composed by some "Georgios" about the seventh or eighth century. The feast is missing in the earlier Menology of Constantinople (eighth century); it is found, however, in the liturgical documents of the eleventh century, like the "Calend. Ostromiranum" (Martinow, "Annus græco-slav.", 329) and the Menology of Basil II ( e’ísodos tes panagías Theotókon ). It appears in the constitution of Manuel Comnenos (1166) as a fully recognized festival during which the law courts did not sit. In the West it was introduced by a French nobleman, Philippe de Mazières, Chancellor of the King of Cyprus , who spent some time at Avignon during the pontificate of Gregory XI . It was celebrated in the presence of the cardinals (1372) with an office accommodated from the office chanted by the Greeks. In 1373 it was adopted in the royal chapel at Paris , 1418 at Metz , 1420 at Cologne. Pius II granted (1460) the feast with a vigil to the Duke of Saxony. It was taken up by many dioceses , but at the end of the Middle Ages , it was still missing in many calendars (Grotefend, "Zeitrechnung", III, 137). At Toledo it was assigned (1500) by Cardinal Ximenes to 30 September. Sixtus IV received it into the Roman Breviary , Pius V struck it from the calendar, but Sixtus V took it up a second time (1 September, 1585). In the province of Venice it is a double of the second class with an octave (1680); the Passionists and Sulpicians keep it as a double of the first class; the Servites , Redemptorists , Carmelites , Mercedarians , and others as a double of the second with an octave. In the Roman Calendar it is a major double. The Greeks keep it for five days. In some German dioceses , under the title "Illatio", it was kept 26 November (Grotefend, III, 137). KELLNER, Heortologie (Freiburg, 1901); NILLES, Kal. Man. (Innsbruck, 1897); HOLWECK, Fasti Mariani (Freiburg, 1892). About this page APA citation. Holweck, F. (1911). Feast of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. In The Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/12400a.htm MLA citation. Holweck, Frederick. "Feast of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 12. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1911. <http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/12400a.htm>. Transcription. This article was transcribed for New Advent by WGKofron. With thanks to St. Mary's Church, Akron, Ohio. Ecclesiastical approbation. Nihil Obstat. June 1, 1911. Remy Lafort, S.T.D., Censor. Imprimatur. +John Cardinal Farley, Archbishop of New York. Contact information. The editor of New Advent is Kevin Knight. My email address is webmaster at newadvent.org. Regrettably, I can't reply to every letter, but I greatly appreciate your feedback — especially notifications about typographical errors and inappropriate ads. . Dedicated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. CONTACT US | ADVERTISE WITH NEW ADVENT Feast of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Mary, at the age of three, was brought by her parents to the temple, in fulfilment of a vow, there to be educated. Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary , FEAST of THE.—The Protoevangel of James, the Gospel of Pseudo-Matthew, the Gospel of the Nativity of Mary, and other apocryphal writings (Walker, “Apocryph. Gosp.”, Edinburgh , 1873) relate that Mary, at the age of three, was brought by her parents to the Temple , in fulfilment of a vow, there to be educated. The corresponding feast originated in the Orient, probably in Syria , the home of the apocrypha. Card. Pitra (Anal. Spici. Solesmensi, p. 275) has published a great canon (liturgical poem) in Greek for this feast, composed by some “Georgios” about the seventh or eighth century. The feast is missing in the earlier Menology of Constantinople (eighth century); it is found, however, in the liturgical documents of the eleventh century, like the “Calend. Ostromiranum” (Martinow, “Annus graeco-slay.”, 329) and the Menology of Basil II (Greek: eisodos tes panagias Theotokon). It appears in the constitution of Manuel Comnenos (1166) as a fully recognized festival during which the law courts did not sit. In the West it was introduced by a French nobleman, Philippe de Mazieres, Chancellor of the King of Cyprus , who spent some time at Avignon during the pontificate of Gregory XI . It was celebrated in the presence of the cardinals (1372) with an office accommodated from the office chanted by the Greeks. In 1373 it was adopted in the royal chapel at Paris , 1418 at Metz , 1420 at Cologne . Pius II granted (1460) the feast with a vigil to the Duke of Saxony . It was taken up by many dioceses, but at the end of the Middle Ages , it was still missing in many calendars (Grotefend, “Zeitrechnung”, III, 137). At Toledo it was assigned (1500) by Cardinal Ximenes to September 30. Sixtus IV received it into the Roman Breviary , Pius V struck it from the calendar, but Sixtus V took it up a second time (September 1, 1585). In the province of Venice it is a double of the second class with an octave (1680); the Passionists and Sulpicians keep it as a double of the first class; the Servites, Redemptorists , Carmelites, Mercedarians , and others as a double of the second with an octave. In the Roman Calendar it is a major double. The Greeks keep it for five days. In some German dioceses, under the title “Illatio”, it was kept November 26 (Grotefend, III, 137). Catholic Daily Readings Catholic readings, daily reflections, bible verse of the day, healing prayer, morning prayer, saint of the day, the presentation of the blessed virgin mary – feast day – november 21 2023, translate to your language. Our feast today is known in the Western Roman Catholic Church as the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary and in the Eastern Churches as the Entry of the Most Holy Theotokos into the Temple. It is a Catholic Liturgical feast celebrated on November 21 every year. This feast is not derived from the New Testament of the Holy Bible but from the Protoevangelium of James , which was discovered in the 2nd century AD. The Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the temple is likened to that of Samuel who was offered as a gift to God and presented to the temple by her mother Hannah, who was also barren. The feast started to be celebrated by the Byzantines after the dedication of the newly-built Basilica of Saint Mary in 543 AD in Jerusalem. However, the basilica was destroyed during the Siege of Jerusalem in 614 AD. However, in 1568, Pope Pius V suppressed this feast but it was reintroduced in 1585 by Pope Sixtus V. The feast of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary signifies the lifelong and total devotion that Mary made to God through her Immaculate Conception. Related Links Subscribe to receive catholic daily readings via email, daily catholic readings app download, welcome to our catholic daily readings app installation page – download from google play store. Widow’s Window to the Presentation: Prophetess Anna in the Temple February 8, 2018 by Jessica Savage Throughout the Middle Ages, the feast of the Presentation of Christ was observed on February 2 nd , where it gradually absorbed the rites of the Purification of the Virgin. [1] Incorporating blessed candles and certain songs, the feast came to be known as Candlemas . The only gospel writer to describe the Presentation of Christ in the Temple was Luke in the second chapter of his Gospel account (Luke 2:22–39). Luke writes that, in accordance with Jewish tradition, parents were required to bring an acceptable offering in exchange for the priest’s redemptive blessing on their child. Luke notes that “a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons” would fulfill the sacrifice (Luke 2:24). In Presentation scenes, the gathered doves, usually held by Joseph, signal Christ’s restoration under Mosaic Law. Over time, lit candles at this same ritual came to mark the Virgin’s cleansing and reentry into the temple. [2] In a stained-glass window in Canterbury Cathedral, we find Joseph holding both implements at the far left, a visual sign of the combined purpose of their visit (Figure 1). When the Holy Family approaches the altar, Luke records two mystical occurrences that concern key witnesses in the temple. First, Simeon, the named priest from Jerusalem, prophesies the divinity of the Christ Child. [3] Another prophetic utterance comes from the lips of an unlikely source, the temple’s aged widow, Anna the prophetess. Luke tells us that Anna fasted and prayed there without ceasing. Anna is the New Testament’s only prophetess, and her privileged glimpse of the important ritual uniquely connects her to the childhood of Christ. The Presentation is Anna’s one shining moment in the Gospels. In the Index of Medieval Art there are over 960 examples of the subject Christ: Presentation , and at least 330 include Anna as a secondary figure in the scene. We discover varied depictions of Anna in these medieval images. She is depicted as a scroll-bearing prophetess; as proxy to the presentation ritual, handling the different ritual items; or she may be simply shown among the other women surrounding the Virgin Mary. Despite her prominent role at the Presentation of Christ, Anna’s portrayal in medieval images can be perplexing. It seems medieval artists, who knew about her visionary role at the Presentation, could choose to emphasize or de-emphasize Anna as a prophetess based on tradition, context, or perhaps even their own interpretations of her significance. Several Presentation scenes also include a woman near the altar, and Indexers have often identified her as a female attendant, questioning her identity as the prophetess in iconographic descriptions. [4] Thus was born the usual Index reading of this female figure: “probably Anna.” Because of the inconsistency of representations of the Presentation, it is not always easy to identify Anna in medieval images. Moreover, Luke’s account offers few details about her, other than that she is: the daughter of Phanuel of the tribe of Aser “far advanced in years” long widowed (for over 84 years) found in the temple, both day and night, fasting and praying one of the first testifiers of the divinity of Christ and declares it during the presentation (not elaborated further) Analysis of Presentation scenes does reveal a few key details consistently associated with Anna: the presence of a halo; her scroll, which expounds her part in the prophecy; her interaction with presentation/purification implements, including the doves and candles; and her advanced age, sometimes suggested by her modest wimple. One or more of these details could be enough for a positive ID of our prophetess. Another sign is her speaking gesture, as in the Presentation miniature in the Romanesque Mont-Saint-Michel Sacramentary , in which Anna’s hands are shown outstretched in a wide statement of praise (Figure 2). This miniature also exemplifies an iconographic conundrum that sometimes accompanies Anna: a second nimbed and veiled female figure stands just behind Joseph, and she is carrying two doves in draped hands. Is this a second Anna? Or is this simply a sanctified female attendant? This female assistant is doing what many later Annas do in bearing the sacrificial birds, so the context with which we identify Anna becomes increasingly important. Anna is one of the first people, even the first woman, to reveal Christ’s destiny, but her exact words are omitted from Luke’s account. We know that she “spoke of him to all that looked for the redemption of Israel” (Luke 2:38). However, since Anna’s actual words are not recorded, her scrolls present a number of different inscriptions. An Index search reveals some of the most intriguing ones. In the fifth-century sanctuary apse mosaic at Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome, Anna’s scroll is inscribed BEATVS VENTER QVI TE PORTAVIT (Luke 11:27), meaning “Blessed is the womb that bore thee.” In a late twelfth-century mosaic in the Cathedral of Monreale, Anna holds a scroll inscribed POSIT(US) EST HIC I(N) RVINA(M) (Luke 2:34), repeating the words first said by Simeon, “This child is set for the fall.” In a fifteenth-century panel by the artist known as the “Byzantine Painter,” Anna holds a scroll inscribed (in Greek) “This child created Heaven and Earth” (Figure 3). And in one emotive declaration in a ca. 1240 Psalter from Hildesheim, Anna’s scroll is inscribed in Latin, EXULTATUIT COR MEUM (I Samuel, 02:01, also known as the Canticle of Anna ), meaning “My heart hath rejoiced” (Stuttgart, Landesbibliothek, Cod. Don. 309, fol. 37r). Anna’s scroll has even been used to identify her by name, as in the presentation scene on the ca. 1365 Florentine Ashmolean Predella , from a private collection in Tuscany, with a scroll inscribed “ANNA PROFETESSA DEO GRATIAS AMEN” (“Prophetess Anna, Thanks be to God”). In this case, Anna’s index finger is elegantly lifted upward to indicate from whom her proselytizing originates. In other examples, Anna’s scroll can be completely blank, or filled with a pseudo-inscription. In the Armenian T’oros Roslin Gospels , the scroll expands into neat folds revealing simple red rulings (Figure 4). The new advanced filter options offered by the Index database can reveal interesting trends within the Anna images recorded by the Index. I performed a keyword search for “Anna,” filtering by the subject Christ: Presentation , and restricted the search to fifteenth century examples (setting the date slider at 1400 to 1499). I limited these examples further with the Work of Art Type filter set to “Manuscript.” This way, I found over 60 records of interest describing fifteenth century illuminations that include this scene. I narrowed these results further by adding a second subject filter with one of the Index’s grouped terms, Candle: held by Prophetess Anna . I found that, with each refinement, I was able to reconstruct Anna’s changing representation in medieval iconography. Curiously, in several of these late medieval examples, Anna is holding both a candle and a dove, and she is directly behind the Virgin Mary (not Simeon), displacing Joseph completely. These three-character scenes of the Presentation make up a good portion of later examples, and they underscore Anna’s union with the Holy Family’s first official appearance. In one such image, a fifteenth-century Book of Hours made in Paris, Anna is holding a candle in her right hand while playfully balancing a basket of birds on her head. A talented multitasker, Anna has, in a sense, usurped Joseph’s gift-bearing role (Figure 5). No matter how she appears—as a wise widow bearing her scroll, or as a female witness bearing the implements of the impending ritual—the prophetess Anna is an exemplary New Testament woman. Through her time-honored vows of chastity, piety, and obedience to God, virtuous qualities brought out in her varied iconography, she presents a model of behavior for the young mother. Further Reading Shorr, Dorothy C. “The Iconographic Development of the Presentation in the Temple.” The Art Bulletin 28, no. 1 (1946): 17–32. Schiller, Gertrud. Iconography of Christian Art , vol. 2, The Presentation of Christ in the Temple , trans. Janet Seligman (Greenwich, Conn.: New York Graphic Society, 1972): 90–94. Elliott, J. K. “Anna’s Age (Luke 2:36–37).”  Novum Testamentum , 30, Fasc. 2 (Apr., 1988), 100–102. Hammond, Joseph. “Tintoretto and the ‘Presentation of Christ’: The Altar of the Purification in Santa Maria Dei Carmini, Venice.”  Artibus Et Historiae  34, no. 68 (2013): 203–217. “Presentation of the Christ Child in the Temple.” In The Oxford Dictionary of Christian Art & Architecture , edited by Murray, Peter, Linda Murray, and Tom Devonshire Jones: Oxford University Press, 2013. Witherington III, Ben. “Mary, Simeon or Anna: Who First Recognized Jesus as Messiah.” Accessed 2 February 2018: https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/biblical-topics/new-testament/mary-simeon-or-anna-who-first-recognized-jesus-as-messiah/ [1] From at least the fourth century this ritual was celebrated as a post-purification feast, known as Hypapante , which Justinian set 40 days after the feast of the Epiphany, or on February 14. [2] For the best study of the development of this iconography, see Dorothy C. Shorr, “The Iconographic Development of the Presentation in the Temple,” Art Bulletin 28 (1946): 20–46. [3] Simeon holds the infant in his arms and instantly says to the Virgin Mary, “Behold this child is set for the fall, and for the resurrection of many in Israel…,” and representations of Simeon are associated with the text Nunc Dimittis , also known as the Canticle of Simeon (Luke 2:34–35). [4] Shorr notes that, in most northern medieval examples after the thirteenth-century, Anna’s place was taken over by a young handmaiden (Shorr, 1946, p. 27). The Database Access the Database Recent Posts CFP for Field Seminar in Naples: “Unruly Iconographies / Iconografie Indisciplinate” “Breaking the Mirror”: Index-Sponsored Session at the ICMS Kalamazoo (2025) Save the Date for the Fall Index Conference: “Unruly Iconography? 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It is true that right from the start, God had already chosen Mary to be the Holy Mother of Our Lord.  But what gives this feast of her Presentation more meaning is the discipleship of her holy parents. For a couple who had been childless for a long time, offering and dedicating their only precious child to the Lord was an act of free will, obedience, and trust to God’s plan of salvation for mankind.  This serves as a holy example and inspiration to parents to present their children to the Lord through the Sacrament of Baptism. Showing the same zeal and devotion as her parents, Mary’s nod of “Yes” or “Amen” was a testament of her faith in the fulfillment of God’s Word with the Incarnation of His Son in her womb.  She was the first disciple of Jesus.  The life of Our Blessed Mother Mary, from her conception, to her presentation in the temple, to her unwavering presence throughout the life of Jesus, shows us all the holy way of being disciples and following the Lord. Concluding Prayer As we venerate the glorious memory of the most holy Virgin Mary, grant, we pray, O Lord, through her intercession, that we, too, may merit to receive from the fullness of your grace. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. — Amen. Recent Posts Mass Readings For September 4, 2024 – Wednesday - September 3, 2024 Mass Readings For September 3, 2024 – Tuesday, Memorial of Saint Gregory the Great - September 3, 2024 Mass Readings For September 2, 2024 – Monday - September 2, 2024 Be the first to comment Leave a reply cancel reply. Your email address will not be published. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Notify me of new posts by email. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed . Copyright © 2015-2024 The Best Catholic. All rights reserved. From: 'Guide to St. Peter's Basilica' Before this altar was dedicated to St. Pius X, it was known as the altar of the Presentation of the Virgin Mary in the Temple. She is portrayed as a little girl joyfully going up the steps to the temple with her parents Anne and Joachim. Below the altar, is a crystal coffin containing the body of St. Pius X (1904-1914), "pauper et dives, mitis et humilis corde". The body is dressed in pontifical robes, while the face and hands are covered with silver. The world greatly admired his wisdom and firm government. He helped restore Christian life by issuing wise laws on the religious education of children, youths and adults. His catechism gives clear answers to many religious questions. He allowed young children to take Communion, promoted the practice of daily communion as a source of virtue and holiness, he reformed the liturgy in the Missal and Breviary as well as sacred music and Gregorian chant. He fought against and condemned modernism which is still the cause of many evils. He was, however, unable to convince the reigning monarch and heads of state of his era to avoid the conflict that would shed blood throughout Europe for four long years. From: 'Seminarians Guide' Under the altar the crystal casket contains the body of Pope Pius X. St. Pius X (1904-1914) was a great Pope of the twentieth century who allowed young children to receive communion, promoted daily communion, reformed the missal, breviary, and canon law, and issued a catechism for the instruction of children. From 'St. Peter's - Guide to the Basilica and Square' Then on the right is the Chapel of the Presentation, named after the marble retablero over the main altar from a painting by Giovanni Francesco Romanelli (1610-1662) of the Presentation of the Virgin. In the gilded bronze and crystal casket beneath the altar is the body of St. Pius X (1904-1914), clad in solemn papal robes. From: 'St. Peter's Basilica - A Virtual Tour' by Our Sunday Visitor Continuing on we reach the Presentation Chapel, the last in the Marian cycle. Its mosaic decoration in fact concerns the prefigurations in the Old Testament, referring to the gifts of the Virgin. The author of the original drawings was C. Maratti, a master who, for the number of his works present in the Basilica, was second only to Pietro da Cortona, the undisputed leader of the painting school in Rome in the last decades of the 17th century. Maratti was helped by his favorite pupil G. Chiari. The mosaics, which are of good chromatic and decorative quality, were executed by F. Cristofari, Ottaviani and others. The vault shows the fall of Lucifer, in contraposition with the one on the other side depicting the coronation of the Queen of the Most High above the Choirs of Angels. On the corbels are Isaiah looking at the cloud, Joshua stopping the sun, Jael stabbing Sisera, Judith with the head of Holofernes. In the lunettes are Mary, the sister of Moses, singing the freedom of the Israelites, Moses removing his sandals before the burning bush, Noah with his arc and the dove of peace, Aaron anointing the Holy Arc, Balaam showing Jacob's star, Gideon with the mystic fleece bathed in dew. In 1727 a mosaic copy by Cristofari of the Presentation of the Virgin Mary at the Temple by G. F. Romanelli, painted by this artist from Viterbo in 1622, was placed above the altar of the Chapel. This work replaced a deteriorated work by Passignano. From: 'THE NEW SAINT PETER'S' Next we approach the Cappella della Presentazione: over the altar is the Presentation of Mary in the Temple, from an original by Romanelli. The other lovely decorative works were done by the 18th century painter Carlo Maratta. Under the altar is the body of Saint Pius X. To the right of the altar is the place where the bodies of deceased Popes are kept until their final burial. To the left is the monument of Pope Benedict XV (1914-1922), a fine work by Pietro Canonica which attains a great effectiveness in rendering the expression of the Pontiff's face in prayer. Opposite is placed the large bronze bas-relief by Emilio Greco, portraying and developing some themes of the pontificate of John XXIII already treated in the door made for the Cathedral at Orvieto. Daily Readings November 20, 2024 November 21, 2024 November 22, 2024 Readings for the Memorial of the Presentation of the Virgin Mary View Calendar Get Daily Readings E-mails Memorial of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Lectionary: 500 I, John, saw a scroll in the right hand of the one who sat on the throne. It had writing on both sides and was sealed with seven seals. Then I saw a mighty angel who proclaimed in a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?” But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to examine it. I shed many tears because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to examine it. One of the elders said to me, “Do not weep. The lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David, has triumphed, enabling him to open the scroll with its seven seals.” Then I saw standing in the midst of the throne and the four living creatures and the elders a Lamb that seemed to have been slain. He had seven horns and seven eyes; these are the seven spirits of God sent out into the whole world. He came and received the scroll from the right hand of the one who sat on the throne. When he took it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each of the elders held a harp and gold bowls filled with incense, which are the prayers of the holy ones. They sang a new hymn: “Worthy are you to receive the scroll and break open its seals, for you were slain and with your Blood you purchased for God those from every tribe and tongue, people and nation. You made them a kingdom and priests for our God, and they will reign on earth.”   Responsorial Psalm Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner. Get the Daily Readings Every Morning Prayer For The Presentation Of The Blessed Virgin Mary Troparion of the Vigil Today Anne brings us glad tidings, bearing in her arms the precious fruit that dispels all sorrow, the one being ever-precious fruit that dispels all sorrow, the one being ever-virginal. In fulfillment of her vow, she joyfully presents on this day in the Lord's temple the true tabernacle of the Word of God, His immaculate Mother. Troparion Today is the prelude to God's munificence and the announcement of the salvation of men: in the temple of God the Virgin is visible to all foretelling the coming of Christ. Wherefore let us cry out to her with all our strength: Hail, fulfillment of the Creator's plan. Kontakion The most pure temple of the Saviour, the most precious bridal chamber, the Virgin, the sacred treasury of God's glory, enters today into the house of the Lord, bringing with her the grace of the divine Spirit. Wherefore the angels of God sing to her: Behold the heavenly Tabernacle. Hirmos The angels were stunned as they beheld the most pure one coming in, and they said: O Wonder. The Virgin enters into the Holy of Holies. O Mother of God, you are the precious Ark of God: no profane hand may touch you. But the lips of the faithful will never cease to sing your praise, repeating with joy the angel's word: O pure Virgin, you are indeed raised above all creatures. Kinonikon I will take the chalice of salvation and call upon the name of the Lord. Alleluia. O blessed Virgin Mary! who can duly thank thee, or herald forth thy praises, who, by the assent of thy single will, didst rescue a fallen world? What honor can be paid to thee by our weak human nature, which, by thy intervention alone, hath found the way to return to grace and life? Accept then, such poor thanks as we have here to offer, unequal to thy merits though they be; and, accepting our good desires, obtain by thy prayers the remission of our offenses. Graciously hear our prayers, and obtain for us the remedy of reconciliation. May the offering we make to God through thee, through thee be acceptable in his sight; and may that be granted which we ask with trustful heart. Accept our offerings, grant us our petitions, banish our fears; for thou art the sole hope of sinners. Through thee we hope for forgiveness of our sins; and in thee, most blessed Lady, is the hope of our reward. Holy Mary, succor the wretched, help the fainthearted, comfort the sorrowful, pray for the people, shield the clergy, intercede for holy women; let all who celebrate thy holy commemoration feel thy protection. Be thou at hand, ready to aid our prayers, and obtain for us what we desire. Make it thy care, blessed Lady, to intercede ever for the people of God--thou who didst deserve to bear the Redeemer of the world, who liveth and reigneth, for ever and ever. Amen. O God, Who didst will that on this day the blessed ever Virgin Mary, the dwelling-place of the Holy Ghost, should be presented in the temple: grant, we beseech Thee, that through her intercession, we may be made worthy to be presented in the temple of Thy glory. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, one God, world without end. Praise to Mary, Heaven's Gate, Guiding Star of Christians' way, Mother of our Lord and King, Light and hope to souls astray. When you heard the call of God Choosing to fulfill his plan, By your perfect act of love Hope was born in fallen man. Help us to amend our ways, Halt the devil's strong attack, Walk with us the narrow path, Beg for us the grace we lack. Mary, show your motherhood, Bring your children's prayers to Christ, Christ, your son, who ransomed man, Who, for us, was sacrificed. Virgin chosen, singly blest, Ever faithful to God's call, Guide us in this earthy life, Guard us lest, deceived, we fall. Mary, help us live our faith So that we may see your son; Join our humble prayers to yours, Till life's ceaseless war is won. Praise the Father, praise the Son, Praise the holy Paraclete; Offer all through Mary's hands, Let her make our prayers complete. Mary the dawn, Christ the Perfect Day; Mary the gate, Christ the Heavenly Way! Mary the root, Christ the Mystic Vine; Mary the grape, Christ the Sacred Wine! Mary the wheat, Christ the Living Bread; Mary the stem, Christ the Rose blood-red! Mary the font, Christ the Cleansing Flood; Mary the cup, Christ the Saving Blood! Mary the temple, Christ the temple's Lord; Mary the shrine, Christ the God adored! Mary the beacon, Christ the Haven's Rest; Mary the mirror, Christ the Vision Blest! Mary the mother, Christ the mother's Son By all things blest while endless ages run. Amen. O Mary of all women, you are the chosen one, Who, ancient prophets promised, would bear God's only Son; All Hebrew generations prepared the way to thee, That in your womb the God-man might come to set us free. O Mary, you embody all God taught to our race, For you are first and foremost in fullness of his grace; We praise this wondrous honor that you gave birth to Him Who from you took humanity and saved us from our sin. When she was only three years old, the Blessed Virgin Mary was taken to the Temple in Jerusalem by her parents, St. Joachim and St. Anne. (We celebrate their feast day on July 26.) Mary's whole life was to belong to God. He had chosen her to be the Mother of his Son, Jesus. The Blessed Virgin was happy to begin serving God in the Temple. And St. Joachim and St. Anne were pleased to offer their saintly little girl to God. They knew that God had sent her to them. In the Temple, the high priest received the child Mary. She was placed among the girls who were dedicated to prayer and Temple service. The high priest kissed and blessed the holy child. He realized that the Lord had great plans for her. Mary did not weep or turn back to her parents. She came so happily to the altar that everyone in the Temple loved her at once. St. Joachim and St. Anne went back home. They praised God for their blessed daughter. And Mary remained in the Temple, where she grew in holiness. She spent her days reading the Bible, praying and serving the Temple priests. She made beautiful linens and splendid vestments. Mary was loved by all the other girls because she was so kind. Mary tried to do each of her duties well, to please God. She grew in grace and gave great glory to the Lord. Heavenly Father, the Blessed Virgin Mary was dedicated to You by her parents when she was three. In the temple, she joined the girls who spent their days praying, reading Scripture, and serving the temple priests. Her holiness was very evident, and the high priest thought that You probably had great plans for her. I ask Mary to pray for the plans You have for my life. Where I have strayed onto a road of my own choosing, give me her hand to guide me back to where You want me. Where I need to wait for a new plan to begin, give me the grace remain patient and say, "Your will be done." Blessed Virgin Mary, pray for me. Amen Related prayers Prayer For The Prodigal Prayer For The Priests Prayer For The President Of The United States Prayer For The Presidential Election Prayer For The President FEAST OF SAINT EDMUND, MARTYR – 20th NOVEMBER FEAST OF THE PRESENTATION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY – 21 NOVEMBER Special Day Blessed are those who hear the Word of God and observe it – (Lk. 11:28) This feast is associated with an event recounted not in the New Testament, but in the apocryphal Protoevangelium of James. According to that text, Mary’s parents, Joachim and Anne, who had been childless, received a heavenly message that they would have a child. In thanksgiving for the gift of their daughter, they brought her, when still a child, to the Temple in Jerusalem to consecrate her to God. Later versions of the story (such as the Gospel of Pseudo-Matthew and the Gospel of the Nativity of Mary) indicate that Mary was taken to the Temple at around the age of three in fulfillment of a vow. Tradition held that she was to remain there to be educated in preparation for her role as Mother of God. The account of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Temple is principally based on the Protoevangelium of James, which has been dated by historians prior to the year 200 AD. The story relates that in thanksgiving for the birth of their daughter Mary, Joachim and Anne decide to consecrate her to God, and bring her, at the age of three years, to the temple in Jerusalem. Mary’s presentation in the temple draws parallels to that of the prophet Samuel, whose mother Hannah, like Anne, was also thought to be barren, and who offered her child as a gift to God at Shiloh. Mary remained in the Temple until her twelfth year, at which point Joseph was assigned to be her guardian. According to Coptic tradition, her father Joachim died when Mary was six years old and her mother when Mary was eight. It is from this account that arose the feast of Mary’s Presentation. The feast originated as a result of the dedication of the Basilica of Saint Mary the New, built in 543 by the Byzantines under Emperor Justinian I near the site of the ruined Temple in Jerusalem. This basilica was destroyed by the Sassanid Persians under Khosrau II after the Siege of Jerusalem (614). The feast continued to be celebrated throughout the East, was celebrated in the monasteries of Southern Italy by the ninth century, and was introduced into the Papal Chapel in Avignon in 1372 by decree of Pope Gregory XI. The feast was included in the Roman Missal in 1472, but was suppressed by Pope Pius V in 1568. As a result, it did not appear in the Tridentine Calendar. Pope Sixtus V reintroduced it into the Roman Calendar in 1585. Pope Clement VIII made this feast a greater double in 1597. The feast also continued as a memorial in the Roman Calendar of 1969. Religious parents never fail by devout prayer to consecrate their children to the divine service and love, both before and after their birth. Some amongst the Jews, not content with this general consecration of their children, offered them to God in their infancy, by the hands of the priests in the Temple, to be lodged in apartments belonging to the Temple, and brought up in attending the priests and Levites in the sacred ministry. It is an ancient tradition that the Blessed Virgin Mary was thus solemnly offered to God in the Temple in her infancy. The tender soul of Mary was then adorned with the most precious graces, an object of astonishment and praise to the angels, and of the highest complacence to the adorable Trinity; the Father looking upon her as his beloved daughter, the Son as one chosen and prepared to become his mother, and the Holy Spirit as his darling spouse. Mary was the first who set up the standard of virginity; and, by consecrating it by a perpetual vow to our Lord, she opened the way to all virgins who have since followed her example. Sacred Scripture contains no text concerning the event commemorated. For something of a historical background one may consult the apocryphal works, particularly the Protoevangel of St. James. After an angel had revealed her pregnancy, Anna is said to have vowed her future child Mary to the Lord. Soon after birth the infant was brought to the sacred precincts at which only the best of Israel’s daughters were admitted. At the age of three she was transferred to the temple proper. According to legend, here she was reared like a dove and received her nourishment from the hand of an angel. What we celebrate on this day is the fact that God chose to dwell in Mary in a very special way. In response, Mary placed her whole self at the service of God. Every moment since our Baptism, God invites us to be open to his grace and dedicate ourself to him, as Mary did. “ Blessed are you, Mary, because you believed that the Lord’s words to you would be fulfilled, Alleluia.” From the beginning of your life, dear Mary, you were dedicated to God. You willingly became a greater temple than any made by hands. God came to dwell in you in a marvelous manner and you were sanctified for your unique role in God’s saving work. At the same time, your magnificenc enriches your earthly children. We too are temples of God and sanctified in order that we might enjoy and share in God’s saving work. As we venerate the glorious memory of you, most holy Virgin Mary, grant, we pray, that through your intercession, we, too, may merit to receive from the fullness of God’s grace. Dear Father God, may we, through the intercessory pleas made by our Mediatrix, the Blessed Virgin Mary, receive the goodness of your mercy. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen Related posts MEMORIAL OF THE PASSION OF SAINT JOHN THE BAPTIST, MARTYR – 29th AUGUST MEMORIAL OF DEDICATION OF THE BASILICA OF SAINT MARY MAJOR IN ROME – FEAST OF OUR LADY OF THE SNOWS – 5th AUGUST FEAST OF SAINT JOHN MARIE VIANNEY – 4th AUGUST Post your prayer cancel reply. Your email address will not be published. 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An official website of the United States government Here’s how you know The .gov means it’s official. Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site. The site is secure. The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely. National Integrated Drought Information System Southeast Climate Monthly Webinar: August 27, 2024 “Feast or famine” was the theme for the Southeast this past month, with most of the region either very wet or very dry. Significant flooding occurred in coastal areas impacted by Hurricane Debby. The region’s interior increasingly dried out after a wet July, with some locations on track to record their driest summer on record. Hurricane Ernesto brought heavy rain and high winds to Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. We are still waiting  for La Niña to appear , which is now expected in the fall.  Looking ahead, above-average temperatures are expected across most of the region. Drought is expected to develop and expand in the interior including northern Alabama and Tennessee. Some wet patterns are expected after next week, which will help reverse the trend of dryness these past few weeks. While tropical activity is quiet now, a continued active hurricane season is still expected. The potential for flooding is highly dependent on where tropical storms develop and impact the area.  Check out the recording below to hear more on Southeast climate conditions and a special presentation,  "The New National Water Prediction Service,”  from Laura Belanger at the National Weather Service (NWS) Peachtree City Weather Forecast Office.  Introduction and Welcome Speaker: Chris Fuhrmann, Southeast Regional Climate Center This webinar contains a special presentation on "The New National Water Prediction Service." Climate Conditions  Temperatures this past month were near average across much of the region, except for Florida, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, which were above average. Some locations in Florida recorded their all-time warmest minimum temperatures. Other parts of the region experienced their coolest August temperatures in over a decade. Wetter-than-average conditions were found across the Florida Peninsula, eastern portions of Georgia and the Carolinas, and southern Virginia. Much of this was related to Hurricane Debby. Precipitation was above average across Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Much of this was related to Hurricane Ernesto. Drier-than-average conditions were found across northwest Florida, much of Alabama, central Tennessee, and western Georgia.  Drought conditions were eliminated across Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas where small areas of dryness remained. Drought in Northern Virginia improved, and further improvement is expected over the next 3 months. Drought and abnormal dryness persisted across parts of Alabama and Tennessee and is expected to persist over the next 3 months. Dry conditions in northern Alabama are at risk to worsen into a flash drought over the next two weeks, although this may be short-lived because precipitation amounts are expected to increase in Week 2. Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands remained drought-free. No new development is expected across the Southeast or Caribbean. ENSO-neutral conditions persisted. La Niña is expected to develop later this fall and persist through the upcoming winter. The next two weeks   are expected to be warmer and wetter than average. Cooler temperatures are expected across the northern tier of the region during Week 2.  Over the next month, above-average temperatures are expected, with wetter-than-average conditions over the eastern two-thirds of the region. Over the next three months , temperatures and precipitation are expected to be above average across most of the Southeast and Caribbean. Precipitation is expected to be near average across the interior of the region. A highly active Atlantic hurricane season   is likely to continue . Near-record sea surface temperatures and the possibility of La Niña are key factors.  For more information, contact  Chris Fuhrmann . Southeast Regional Climate Center (SERCC), which includes  Monthly Drought Summaries and  Quarterly Climate Reports .  Follow the SERCC on Facebook and Twitter to receive notifications of monitoring reports and other products.  U.S. Drought Portal ( Drought.gov ), which includes drought information and outlooks at city, state, and national levels.  Local Drought Information Statements from the National Weather Service. Water Resources Outlook Speaker: Todd Hamill, Southeast River Forecast Center, National Weather Service Hurricane Debby significantly affected parts of Florida and the Atlantic Seaboard, and it has taken time to recover in those areas that received heavy rain. With a continued active Atlantic hurricane season predicted, the areas that were affected by Debby will be more vulnerable to potential flooding due to that rainfall.  Dryness since then has allowed it to mostly recover but still remains slightly above normal for flooding risk. Parts of Mississippi, Alabama, the Florida panhandle, Georgia, and the western Carolinas into Virginia were mostly dry in the last month, but remain at normal risk of flooding due to an active tropical season. The  28-day U.S. Geological Survey streamflows are mostly above normal in areas along the path of Hurricane Debby, and below normal in areas that did not receive that rainfall. Only a few rivers remain in flood from Debby. The Florida peninsula remains very vulnerable to flooding due to continued rain after the storm keeping the area wet.     Looking ahead: For the next three months, the potential for flooding is highly dependent on where tropical storms develop and impact the area. The only exception to this is the central Florida area that typically sees flooding this time of year due to frequent thunderstorm activity as part of the area’s climatology. Southeast River Forecast Center Lower Mississippi River Forecast Center Mid-Atlantic River Forecast Center Ohio River Forecast Center Watch a recording of the  August 2024 NWS Water Resources Outlook for the Southeast . For more information, contact  Todd Hamill . Agriculture Impact and Outlook Speaker: Pam Knox, University of Georgia Hurricane Debby impacted many crops in the eastern half of the region with very heavy rain and gusty winds. Crops impacted include tobacco, corn, vegetables, cotton, peanuts, and pecans. Estimated losses are still being collected. Growing degree days are running near to a little behind the long-term average and well above 2023, according to  the Growing Degree Days calculator from AgroClimate. After a wet July, the Southeast region (other than Florida) returned to dry conditions, and irrigation in those areas has been heavy, even where Debby dropped more than a foot of rain. Lack of tropical moisture has led to increasing dry conditions. There is more pest and disease pressure this year, and farmers have had trouble getting into the fields. For more information, contact  Pam Knox . Report  drought conditions . Sign up to receive updates from the  Climate and Agriculture in the Southeast: Blog . Special Presentation: The National Water Prediction Service Speaker: Laura Belanger, Atlanta Weather Forecast Office, National Weather Service The  National Water Prediction Service (NWPS) is the new hub for water data, products, and services, combining local and regional water data and forecasts with new capabilities, such as flood inundation maps and the National Water Model. The site leverages modern software, geospatial technology, and cloud infrastructure to improve the user experience before, during, and after flood events. As with its predecessor, the Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service, NWPS continues to provide tools to deliver actionable hydrologic information, such as  precipitation estimates ,  River Forecast Center forecasts , and  long range outlooks .  New key features integrated into NWPS further enhance the level of water services, including a dynamic national map with expansive layers and flexible options, improved hydrographs, the National Water Model guidance forecast, a phased roll out of real-time comprehensive Flood Inundation Maps, and API services. Additional information is available from the Office of Water Prediction’s  resource page , including a  Quick Start Guide ,  API flyer , and walk-through recordings.  Any questions, comments or suggestions can be directed to  [email protected] .  For more information, contact  Laura Belanger. Q&A and Closing Speaker: Meredith Muth, NOAA’s National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS) September 24, 2024: Fire Weather Portal for the Southeast  October 22, 2024: Review of the 2024 Growing Season November 19, 2024: El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and Winter Outlook About This Webinar The Southeast Climate monthly webinar series is hosted by the Southeast Regional Climate Center, the National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS), and the NOAA National Weather Service. These webinars provide the region with timely information on current and developing climate conditions such as drought, floods, and tropical storms, as well as climatic events like El Niño and La Niña. Speakers may also discuss the impacts of these conditions on topics such as agriculture production, water resources, wildfires, and ecosystems National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS) National weather service (nws). NWS River Forecast Centers Southeast Regional Climate Center University of Georgia Intermountain west september drought & climate outlook webinar, north central u.s. climate and drought summary and outlook webinar: september 2024, california-nevada september 2024 drought & climate outlook webinar. We've detected unusual activity from your computer network To continue, please click the box below to let us know you're not a robot. Why did this happen? Please make sure your browser supports JavaScript and cookies and that you are not blocking them from loading. For more information you can review our Terms of Service and Cookie Policy . For inquiries related to this message please contact our support team and provide the reference ID below. 340 IMAGES The Presentation of the Virgin, 1553 Feast of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Presentation of the Virgin in the Temple The Presentation of the Virgin Mary La Présentation de la Vierge au temple The Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary COMMENTS Presentation of Mary Presentation of Mary. The Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, known in the East as The Entry of the Most Holy Theotokos into the Temple, is a liturgical feast celebrated on November 21 [ 1] by the Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, and some Anglo-Catholic Churches. The feast is associated with an event recounted not in the New Testament, but in ... Presentation of the Virgin Mary Presentation of the Virgin Mary, feast celebrated in the Roman Catholic and Eastern churches on November 21. It was held in the Eastern church in the 6th century but did not become widely accepted in the West until the 15th century. The pope St. Pius V (1566-72) suppressed it, but in 1585 Pope Sixtus V reestablished the feast. Generally considered a feast of popular piety, it signifies Mary ... The Presentation of the Virgin in the Temple, 1534-38 by Titian The Presentation of the Virgin in the Temple, 1534-38 by Titian. This vast canvas still decorates the wall for which it was created in the Sala dell'Albergo of the Scuola Grande di Santa Maria della Carita - which was transformed into the galleries of the Accademia early in the last century. The original commission had been awarded in 1504 to a ... The Presentation of the Virgin at the Temple (Titian) Learn about the 1534-1538 artwork by Titian that depicts the three year-old Mary entering the Temple of Jerusalem. Find out how it was restored and awarded by Save Venice Inc. Titian's Presentation of the Virgin in the Temple in the Sala dell Titian executed this canvas depicting the Presentation of the Virgin in the Temple between 1534 and 1538 for the Sala dell'Albergo of the Carità confraternity.Responding to the setting, Titian's long, rectangular composition acknowledges the tradition of earlier narrative painting cycles in Venetian confraternities. Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Blessed are you, Lord, in the firmament of heaven. Praiseworthy and glorious and exalted above all forever. Antiphon 2 You are the glory of Jerusalem, the joy of Israel; you are the fairest honor of our race. Antiphon 3 O Virgin Mary, how great your cause for joy; God found you worthy to bear Christ our Savior. The Presentation of the Virgin in the Temple [2] Pietro Lorenzetti's altarpiece of the Birth of the Virgin, also painted for the Cathedral of Siena in 1342 (see Carlo Volpe, Pietro Lorenzetti, ed. Marco Lucco, Milan, 1989: 152-154), is surmounted, like The Presentation of the Virgin discussed here, by three arches included in a heavy frame. The present appearance of these paintings is ... Feast of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary It was celebrated in the presence of the cardinals (1372) with an office accommodated from the office chanted by the Greeks. In 1373 it was adopted in the royal chapel at Paris, 1418 at Metz, 1420 at Cologne. Pius II granted (1460) the feast with a vigil to the Duke of Saxony. It was taken up by many dioceses, but at the end of the Middle Ages ... Feast of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, FEAST of THE.—The Protoevangel of James, the Gospel of Pseudo-Matthew, the Gospel of the Nativity of Mary, and other apocryphal writings (Walker, "Apocryph.Gosp.", Edinburgh, 1873) relate that Mary, at the age of three, was brought by her parents to the Temple, in fulfilment of a vow, there to be educated. PDF Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Rv 14:1-3, 4b-5 Lk 21:1-4. Today we celebrate the feast of the presentation of Mary in the temple. Although we don't find this event in the bible, we know from apocryphal scripture, from the 7th chapter of the protoevangelium of James, that Mary's parents, Anna and Joachim, brought Mary to the temple ... The Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary The Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the temple is likened to that of Samuel who was offered as a gift to God and presented to the temple by her mother Hannah, who was also barren. Mary remained in the temple until she was 12 years when she was taken under the care of St Joseph. It is said that her father Joachim died when she was 6 ... Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary If Morning Prayer is the first Office of the day, begin below. Lord, open my lips. - And my mouth shall proclaim your praise. Psalm 95 is the traditional Invitatory Psalm. Psalm 24, 67, or 100 may be substituted. Antiphon: Let us sing to the Lord as we celebrate this feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Psalm 95. Psalm 24. Widow's Window to the Presentation: Prophetess Anna in the Temple Throughout the Middle Ages, the feast of the Presentation of Christ was observed on February 2 nd, where it gradually absorbed the rites of the Purification of the Virgin. Incorporating blessed candles and certain songs, the feast came to be known as Candlemas.The only gospel writer to describe the Presentation of Christ in the Temple was Luke in the second chapter of his Gospel account (Luke ... Presentation of the Virgin at the Temple (Cima) The Presentation of the Virgin Mary at the Temple is a painting by the Italian Renaissance master Cima da Conegliano, c. 1496-1497, in the Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister of Dresden, Germany, of the Presentation of Mary. The work presents the theme, apocryphal, but common in Christian art, of the presentation of the Virgin Mary in the Temple of ... Memorial of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary November 21, 2016 The Best Catholic Saints. On this day, 21st of November, the Catholic Church celebrates the Memorial of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. This feast recounts the day when Saint Joachim and Saint Anne, Mary's parents, presented their young child to the Lord in the temple. These events were based on the apocryphal ... St. Peter's The mosaic altarpiece is the Presentation of the Virgin Mary in the Temple by her parents. Below the altar is the body of St. Pius X (1904-1914), the last pope to be canonized. From: 'Guide to St. Peter's Basilica' Before this altar was dedicated to St. Pius X, it was known as the altar of the Presentation of the Virgin Mary in the Temple. ... Memorial of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary a Lamb that seemed to have been slain. He had seven horns and seven eyes; these are the seven spirits of God sent out into the whole world. He came and received the scroll from the right hand. of the one who sat on the throne. When he took it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders. Feast of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary This feast commemorates the presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary as a child by her parents, Joachim and Anne, in the temple of Jerusalem. Presentation of Jesus The Presentation of Jesus is an early episode in the life of Jesus Christ, describing his presentation at the Temple in Jerusalem.It is celebrated by many churches 40 days after Christmas on Candlemas, or the "Feast of the Presentation of Jesus".The episode is described in chapter 2 of the Gospel of Luke in the New Testament. [1] Within the account, "Luke's narration of the Presentation in the ... Prayer For The Presentation Of The Blessed Virgin Mary Prayer For The Presentation Of The Blessed Virgin Mary. Troparion of the Vigil Today Anne brings us glad tidings, bearing in her arms the precious fruit that dispels all sorrow, the one being ever-precious fruit that dispels all sorrow, the one being ever-virginal. In fulfillment of her vow, she joyfully presents on this day in the Lord's temple the true tabernacle of the Word of God, His ... Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary The Virgin Mary's presentation in the temple is a powerfu... Today's feast celebrates the day Mary was dedicated to the service of God in the temple as a child. Feast of The Presentation of The Blessed Virgin Mary The account of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Temple is principally based on the Protoevangelium of James, which has been dated by historians prior to the year 200 AD. The story relates that in thanksgiving for the birth of their daughter Mary, Joachim and Anne decide to consecrate her to God, and bring her, at the age of ... Southeast Climate Monthly Webinar: August 27, 2024 2024-08-27: "Feast or famine" was the theme for the Southeast this past month, with most of the region either very wet or very dry. Significant flooding occurred in coastal areas impacted by Hurricane Debby. The region's interior increasingly dried out after a wet July, with some locations on track to record their driest summer on record. Hurricane Ernesto brought heavy rain and high ... Presentation of the Virgin (Tintoretto) Presentation of the Virgin (c. 1551-1556) by Tintoretto. Presentation of the Virgin is an oil on canvas painting of the Presentation of Mary by Tintoretto, created c. 1551-1556, in the church of Madonna dell'Orto in Venice. [1] Its diagonals aim to provide a stark contrast to Titian's 1534-1538 work of the same subject. [2] Vasari's Lives of the Artists calls it "A finished work, and the best ... Deepfake Porn Crackdown: South Korea Asks Telegram to Delete Explicit The South Korean government has asked messaging app Telegram and other social media companies to delete sexually explicit deepfake sex images from their platforms after a surge in such content. assignment essay homework paper phd report resume review speech thesis