Truly it is fitting and just, right and profitable to salvation, that we give Thee thanks always, here and in every place, Lord, Holy Father, almighty and eternal God, illuminator and redeemer of our souls. Who, when the law of abstinence was transgressed by the first Adam, and we had been cast out of Paradise, did call us back through grace to the blessedness of our ancient fatherland by the remedy of a stronger fast; and by Thy holy instruction, did teach by what observances we might be set free. Through Christ our Lord. Through whom the Angels praise, the Archangels venerate Thy majesty, Thrones, Dominations, Virtues, Principalities and Powers adore. Whom the Cherubim and Seraphim celebrated with one rejoicing. To whom we pray that Thou command our voices also be joined, as we say with humble confession: Holy... (
The Ambrosian Preface of Quinquagesima Sunday.)
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| A folio of the Bedford Hours, an illuminated book of Hours produced in France ca. 1420, now in the British Library. At the upper left, God brings the animals to Adam to be named; to the right, on the other side of the tower, God creates Eve. To the lower left of the tower, God brings Eve to Adam; to the lower right, the Temptation of Adam and Eve. Below the tower, God finds Adam and Eve after the Fall (note the serpent represented as a very oddly shaped creature.) At the lower right; the expulsion from the Garden; at the upper right of the image as a whole, the sacrifices of Abel and Cain, and below that, the murder of Abel. At the bottom of the image, God carries the body of dead Adam and lays it to rest outside the gates of Paradise. In each case, God is shown with three faces, to represent the three persons of the Trinity. |
Vere quia dignum et iustum est, aequum et salutáre, nos tibi semper, hic et ubíque gratias ágere, Dómine, Sancte Pater, omnípotens aeterne Deus, illuminátor et redemptor animárum nostrárum. Qui nos, per primum Adam abstinentiae lege violáta, Paradíso ejectos, fortióris ieiunii remedio ad antíquae patriae beatitúdinem per gratiam revocasti: nosque pia institutióne docuisti, quibus observatiónibus liberémur. Per Christum, Dóminum nostrum. Per quem maiestátem tuam laudant Angeli, venerantur Archángeli, Throni, Dominatiónes, Virtútes, Principátus, et Potestátes adorant. Quem Chérubim et Séraphim socia exsultatióne concélebrant. Cum quibus et nostras voces, ut admitti iúbeas, deprecámur, súpplici confessióne dicentes: Sanctus...
