In the "Heliand" (about A.D. 830) she
is called "the most beautiful of all women, the loveliest of all
maidens"; and the monk Otfried, of Weissenburg (860), calls her, "Of all
women to God the most pleasing, the white jewel, the radiant maid."
Mary had now taken her place by the side of God, and was commonly
addressed as divine. Anselm of Canterbury explains: "God is the Father
of all created things, Mary the Mother of all things recreated.... God
begat the creator of the world, Mary gave birth to its Saviour." Peter
of Blois declared that the Virgin was the only mediatress between Christ
and humanity. "We were sinners and afraid of the wrath of the Father,
for He is terrible; but we have the Virgin, in whom there is nothing
terrible, for in her is the fulness of mercy and purity." The twelfth
century produced the _Ave Maria_, the angelic salutation, the principal
prayer to Mary, which was introduced into all churches. The Italian
Franciscan monk, Bonaventura, and Peter Damiani, were above all others
instrumental in spreading the worship of the Virgin, and Damiani said of
her: "To Thee has been given all power in heaven and on earth.
Pages:
242
243
244
245
246
247
248
249
250
251
252
253
254
255
256
257
258
259
260
261
262
263
264
265
266