the-glories-of-mary

788 GLORIES OP MARY.
was lost in wonder, and beside himself at tht
sight of so stupendous a miracle of beauty, in
which the beauty of heaven and earth was con
tained, and he said : And there appeared a great
sign in heaven: "Signum magnum apparuit in
ccelo." There appeared a great wonder in
heaven, that amazed the angels
and terrified
the earth. And that miracle was a woman
clothed from head to foot with light and splen
dor, whom the resplendent sun ohose for
his mother, and he placed himself in her womb,
and to her the fair moon serves as a robe encir
cled with silver, and innumerable stars crown
her temples, and are emulous of encircling her
locks,
and adorn her head with a wreath of
precious gems: And on her head a crown of
twelve stars j **Et in capite ejus corona duodecim
stellarum."
And thus the saints, oh most sacred Virgin,
marvelling at so great splendor which surpasses
the brightness of the sun, and the graceful love
liness of the moon, though they be the perfect
flower and ideal of all beauty, and considering
the acclamations that burst forth from the
heavens, never ceased to admire thy beauty, and
do nothing but exclaim, and extol thee also, with
acclamations of wonder and amazement. St.
Peter Damian, paying to thee his homage, says :
"Oh
holy, and m*t holy of all the sainte, and
the richest treasure of all !"
sancthy And St.
Bernard : "Oh admirable Virgin
! Oh woman,
the glory of all other women ! The best and
greatest that the world has ever possessed 1*