5/4/13

Causa Nostrae Laetitiae


Our Lady is presented as autonomous figure, possibly pregnant as seems to indicate the Visitation scene in the lower half of this illustration. The medallion with Our Lady is flanked by Judith with the head of Holofernes and Esther dancing and playing the tambourine. The captions invite celebration and joy (Esther 10:10 and Nehemiah 12:43).

Separated by a bunch of musical instruments, the scene of the encounter between Mary and Elizabeth illustrates why Mary is cause of our joy. The moment Mary’s greeting sounded in Elizabeth’s ear, the baby leapt in her womb for joy (Luke 1:44). Mary’s role as announcer and cause of joy, the joy of redemption for all, is further visualized in two lateral scenes, one depicting the souls in purgatory, the other a group of Old Testament figures (among them Moses and David) awaiting the Messiah. "Our sadness will be changed into joy," says the lemma, meaning that there is hope for all who believe in the Good News made flesh in Mary, the cause of our joy. 
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