The faith of our fathers - Carmel Apologetics

"206 THE FAITH OF OUR FATHERS.In the liturgy ascribed to St. James, Mary is commemorated as "our most holy, immaculate, and mostglorious lady, mother of God and ever VirginMary."In the Maronite Ritual she is invoked asourholy, praiseworthy, and immaculate lady."Iii the Alexandrian liturgy of St. Basil she is addressed as "mostholy, most glorious, immaculate." 8The Feast of Mary s Conception commenced to becelebrated in the East in the fifth, and in the Westin the seventh century. It was not introduced intoRome tillprobably towards the end of the fourteenth century. Though Rome isalways the firstthat is called on to sanction a new festival, she isoften the last to take part in it. She is the firstthat isexpected to give the keynote, but frequentlythe last to join in the festive song. While she issilent, the notes are faint and uncertain ;when hervoice joins in the chant, the song of praise becomesconstant and universal.It is scarcely necessary for me to add that the introduction of the Festival of the Conception afterthe lapse of so manycenturies from the foundationof Christianity, no more implies2a novelty of doctrine than the erection of a monument in 1875 toArminius, the German hero who flourished in thefirst century, would be an evidence of his recent1Bibliotheca Max. Patrum, t. 2, p. 3.8De sac. ordinal., p. 313.3Kenaudot. Lit. Orient.