August 15 is the feast day of Mary, the mother of Jesus, on the Episcopal calendar of saints, though some Anglo-Catholic churches apparently celebrate on December 8. On the Roman Catholic calendar, where Mary has a number of days devoted to her, today is the Assumption of Mary, whereupon she was taken into heaven. Though this does not appear to be a movable feast, I know we will be celebrating it on Sunday in my Episcopal parish, and singing my favorite hymn for the day, Sing we of the blessed mother by George Timms (somewhat rewritten for Episcopal worship in the Hymnal 1982). But since that modern hymn is still under copyright, here is another one we will probably sing, though with a different tune (some would say that this is the only correct tune, and that the Hymnal 1982 is wrong to have another).
Ye who claim the faith of Jesus,
Sing the wonders that were done
When the love of our Creator
Over death the victory won,
When God made the Virgin Mary
Mother of the Promised One.
Hail Mary, hail Mary,
Hail Mary, full of grace.
Blessed were the chosen people
Out of whom the Christ did come;
Blessed was the land of promise
Fashioned for an earthly home;
But more blessed was the mother,
Bearing Jesus in her womb.
Hail Mary, hail Mary,
Hail Mary, full of grace.
Wherefore let all faithful people
Tell the honor of her name;
Let the Church, in her foreshadowed,
Part in her thanksgiving claim;
What Christ's mother sang in gladness
Let Christ's people sing the same.
Hail Mary, hail Mary,
Hail Mary, full of grace.
Vincent Stuckey Stratton Coles, 1906; alt.
Tune: DAILY, DAILY (8.7.8.7.D.)
Traditional French melody
The Hymnal 1982 has a new additional verse by F. Bland Tucker, a metrical Magnificat which logically follows the lines in the third verse "What Christ's mother sang in gladness/Let Christ's people sing the same."
V.S.S. Coles was a priest in the Church of England, but as you may guess he was firmly in the Anglo-Catholic camp. He wrote a few more verses of this hymn which are unlikely to be sung today outside the Roman Catholic church, or perhaps the most Catholic of Anglo-Catholic churches. Even the mention of the Virgin Mary outside the Christmas or Good Friday stories is sometimes controversial in many Protestant churches, so these hymns are not often used.
UPDATE 8/17/08: As expected, we did sing those two hymns, as well as Jerusalem, my happy home (which includes the line Our Lady sings Magnificat...) Ye who claim the faith of Jesus was sung to the tune DEN DES VATERS SINN GEBOREN (with apologies to the fans of DAILY, DAILY). When this tune is used, the first two "Hail Mary"s are left out. Thanks to commenter Leland for the sound file!
The Assumption of the Virgin, 15th century painting by Francesco Botticini
