Sub tuum praesidium

"Beneath Thy Protection" (Greek: Ὑπὸ τὴν σὴν εὐσπλαγχνίαν; Latin: Sub tuum praesidium) is a Christian hymn. It is the oldest preserved extant hymn to the Blessed Virgin Mary as Theotokos. The hymn is well known in many Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox countries, and is often a favourite song used along with Salve Regina.

1784 processional banner of the Lisbon Holy House of Mercy depicting the Virgin of Mercy protecting all social classes; the first verse of the hymn is quoted underneath.

History
Earliest known manuscript of Sub tuum praesidium in Greek, dated between 3rd to 4th centuries.

The earliest text of this hymn was found in a Coptic Orthodox Christmas liturgy. The papyrus records the hymn in Greek, dated to the 3rd century by papyrologist E. Lobel and by scholar C.H. Roberts to the 4th century.[1][2][3][4] According to scholar Serafim Seppälä "there are no determinate theological or philological reasons to reject the 3rd century dating."[5]

The hymn is used in the Coptic liturgy to this day, as well as in the Armenian, Byzantine, Ambrosian, and Roman Rite liturgies. It was part of Sulpician custom that all classes ended with a recitation of this prayer.[6] Besides the Greek text, ancient versions can be found in Coptic, Syriac, Armenian and Latin.[7]

Henri de Villiers finds in the term "blessed" a reference to the salutation by Elizabeth in Luke 1:42.[7] "Praesidium" is translated as "an assistance given in time of war by fresh troops in a strong manner."[8]

The former medieval and post-medieval practice in several dioceses, especially in France, was to use the Sub tuum as the final antiphon at Compline instead of the Salve Regina[7] and in the Rite of Braga where it is sung at the end of Mass.

Modern use
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In the Byzantine Rite used by the Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholic Churches, the hymn occurs as the last dismissal hymn of daily Vespers in Great Lent. In Greek practice it is usually sung in Neo-Byzantine chant.

In the Armenian Rite, the hymn is sung on the Eve of Theophany and is also used as an acclamation (մաղթանք) in the daily compline service known as the Rest Hour (Հանգստեան Ժամ). A slightly different version of the hymn is appended to the Trisagion when the latter is chanted in the daily Morning (Առաւօտեան) and Evening (Երեկոյեան) Hours of the Daily Office.

The Slavonic version of the hymn is also often used outside of Great Lent, with the triple invocation «Пресвѧтаѧ Богородице спаси насъ» ("Most Holy Theotokos, save us") appended. Other than the traditional and modern chant settings, which are the most commonly used, the most well-known musical setting is perhaps that of Dmytro Bortniansky.

In the Roman Rite of the Catholic Church it is used as the antiphon for the Nunc Dimittis at Compline in the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and in the Liturgy of the Hours may be used as the Marian antiphon after Compline outside of Eastertide.

The Latin version has also been set to music in the West many times, notably by Marc-Antoine Charpentier,[9] H 20, H 28, H 352, Antionio Salieri, Ludwig van Beethoven and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.[6]

The prayer has a special significance for Marists,[6] and it is often heard in Marist schools and groups around the world. It is also commonly used by the Salesians in honor of Mary Help of Christians.

Pope Francis asked to pray this Hymn along with the Rosary and the Prayer to Saint Michael asking for the unity of the Church during October (2018) in the face of diverse scandals and accusations. In the official comuniqué he added that "Russian mystics and the great saints of all the traditions advised, in moments of spiritual turbulence, to shelter beneath the mantle of the Holy Mother of God pronouncing the invocation 'Sub Tuum Praesidium'”.[10]

Recensions

Greek
Greek TextEnglish Translation
Ὑπὸ τὴν σὴν εὐσπλαγχνίαν,
καταφεύγομεν, Θεοτόκε.
Τὰς ἡμῶν ἱκεσίας,
μὴ παρίδῃς ἐν περιστάσει,
ἀλλ᾽ ἐκ κινδύνων λύτρωσαι ἡμᾶς,
μόνη Ἁγνή, μόνη εὐλογημένη.
Beneath your compassion,
We take refuge, O Theotokos [God-bearer]:
do not despise our petitions in time of trouble:
but rescue us from dangers,
only pure, only blessed one.

Church Slavonic

The earliest Church Slavonic manuscripts have the prayer in the following form:

Church SlavonicEnglish Translation
Подъ твою милость,
прибѣгаемъ богородице дѣво,
молитвъ нашихъ не презри в скорбѣхъ.
но ѿ бѣдъ избави насъ,
едина чистаѧ и благословеннаѧ.
Beneath thy mercy,
we take refuge, O Virgin Theotokos:
disdain not our supplications in our distress,
but deliver us from perils,
O only pure and blessed one.

This version continues to be used by the Old Believers today. In the 17th century, under the liturgical reforms of Patriarch Nikon of Moscow, the Russian Orthodox Church adopted a new translation (but parishes continue to use the form given above):

Church SlavonicEnglish Translation
Подъ твое благоѹтробїе
прибѣгаемъ Богородице,
моленїѧ наша не презри во ωбстоѧнїй,
но ѿ бѣдъ исбави ны,
едина Чистаѧ, и Благословеннаѧ
Beneath thy tenderness of heart
we take refuge, O Theotokos,
disdain not our supplications in our necessity,
but deliver us from perils,
O only pure and blessed one.

This second version continues in use today.

Latin

The Latin translation, likely derived from the Greek, dates from the 11th century:

Latin TextEnglish Translation
Sub tuum praesidium
confugimus,
Sancta Dei Genetrix.
Nostras deprecationes ne despicias
in necessitatibus nostris,
sed a periculis cunctis
libera nos semper,
Virgo gloriosa et benedicta
We fly to Thy protection,
O Holy Mother of God;
Do not despise our petitions
in our necessities,
but deliver us always
from all dangers,
O Glorious and Blessed Virgin.[11]

Some of the Latin versions have also incorporated the following verses often attributed to Saint Bernard of Clairvaux[12] to the above translation:

Domina nostra, Mediatrix nostra, Advocata nostra (Our Lady, our Mediatrix, Our Advocate)

tuo Filio nos reconcilia (Reconcile us to your Son)

tuo Filio nos recommenda (Recommend us to your Son)

tuo Filio nos representa (Represent us to your Son)[13][14]

Musical settings

Marc-Antoine Charpentier, 3 settings, H.20, for 3 voices and bc (1670), H.28, for 3 voices unaccompanied (1681 - 82), H.352, for 1 voice and bc (late1680s).

References
  1. Matthewes-Green, Frederica (2007). The Lost Gospel of Mary: The Mother of Jesus in Three Ancient Texts. Brewster MA: Paraclete Press. pp. 85–87. ISBN 978-1-55725-536-5.
  2. See the Leuven Database of Ancient Books, P. Ryl. 470. About the date of the papyrus Rylands III 470, see also Hans Förster, «Die älteste marianische Antiphon - eine Fehldatierung? Überlegungen zum "ältesten Beleg" des Sub tuum praesidium», in Journal of Coptic Studies 7 (2005), pp. 99-109.
  3. O'Carroll, Michael (1982). Theotokos. A Theological Encyclopedia of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Wilmington: Michael Glazier Inc. p. 336.
  4. Mercenier, François (1939). L'Antienne mariale grecque la plus ancienne (in French). Le Muséon 52. pp. 229–233.
  5. Seppälä, Serafim (2010). Elämän Äiti. Neitsyt Maria varhaiskristillisessä teologiassa [Mother of Life. Virgin Mary in early Christian theology] (in Finnish). Helsinki: Maahenki. p. 84.
  6. "Green, Michael. "The History of the Sub Tuum"" (PDF). Static.squarespace.com. Retrieved 22 February 2019.
  7. "The Sub Tuum Praesidium". Newliturgicalmovement.org. Retrieved 22 February 2019.
  8. "Help of Christians : University of Dayton, Ohio". Udayton.edu. Retrieved 22 February 2019.
  9. Charpentier, Marc-Antoine (2017) [ca. 1687]. "Sub tuum praesidium, H.352". Imslp.org. Retrieved 20 April 2018.
  10. "Pope Francis invites the faithful to pray the Rosary in October". Vaticannews.va. 2018-09-29. Retrieved 2018-10-02.
  11. ""Sub tuum Praesidium", KofC" (PDF). Kofc.org. Retrieved 22 February 2019.
  12. Schneider, Josephus (1900). Manuale Sacerdotum (in Latin). J. P. Bachem.
  13. Crowther, Arthur Anselm (1663). Jesus, Maria, Joseph: Or, The Devout Pilgrim of the Ever Blessed Virgin Mary. In His Holy Exercises Upon the Sacred Mysteries of Jesus, Maria, Joseph. p. 187.
  14. Gebet- und Gesang-Buch für die Schüler des Znaimer Gymnasiums (in German). Lenck. 1865. p. 116.


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