Justine told me yesterday that she had visited the Cathedral at Canterbury with her son, my godson. It was somewhere I used to pray a lot when I was at school. I'll leave her to write about it if she wishes, but thinking about that wonderful place brought this prayer forth from me. It's not what I say every time I kneel before that beautiful statue of the Black Virgin in the darkened, underground crypt, but it is the kind of imagery I use. I used to spend hours there, and I miss it.
* * *
Blessed Lady
And hidden treasure,
Black brightness
And star-enwoven bower,
Fragrance of myrrh
and dew of the sea,
From all who suffer,
Hide not thy face.
Most holy Mother,
gentled by candles
and soft smoke of prayers,
Here in this darkness,
Hide not thy face.
2 comments:
Beautiful prayer. I've been a fan of the Black Virgin ever since reading Penelope Shuttle & Peter Redgrove's book about Her.
Canterbury Cathedral is apparently in danger of falling down - they need 50 million quid to repair it.
I meant to mention to you, Bishop Kallistos has apparently written a book called "To the Creator through the Creation" which may be of interest to you.
Oh, thanks! I met him once. The little church in Oxford is beautiful (wierd little octagonal building). I'll look up the book!
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