Page:The Nestorians and their rituals, volume 2.djvu/83

unto her. The chiefs among the angels lauded her; and the powers strengthened her strength. The archangels spread out clouds of light for her, and the dominions rejoiced over her. The principalities delighted in her, and the thrones joined in her praises. The seraphim declared her body blessed, and the cherubim, when they beheld her enter their ranks, chanted hallelujahs to her. The firmament and the expanse above worshipped her, and the lightning and thunder magnified her, and her Son. The rain and dew which nourish the seed that is sown emulated her breasts; but she it was who nourished Him Who is the Lord of all seed. The morning stars worshipped her, and the sun and moon bowed the head to her. The heavens called her blessed, and the heaven of heavens joined in the beatitude. The Apostles bare her body, and the prophets and priests followed her bier. Angels wove crowns for her, and the mouths of fire extolled her. The sick and afflicted called upon her name and were healed, and when she rested [died] her prayers were a tower of help to all the distressed. The Jews, however, that generation of vipers, wished to burn her body, and collected heaps of fuel around the abode of the Virgin; but ere they kindled it a fire issued therefrom and consumed them, so their priests and scribes were burnt, as were also the sons of Aaron. The hair of their chiefs was burnt, and their hanging locks were singed. But the Virgin came forth, and fled away in a cloud, and with her choirs of angels playing on their trumpets and horns, saying: 'Blessed art thou, O Mary,' and all joined in this beatitude. 'Blessed art thou, O Virgin, who wert affianced but never married, and never known of man. Blessed art thou, O woman, who hadst a Son, and yet whose virginity was never loosed by man. Blessed art thou, O mother, without a father, and to whose Son no man was father. Blessed art thou, O earth, from which was moulded the Lord of Adam Who dwelt in thee bodily. Blessed art thou, O unploughed garden, in which no man cultivator ever entered. Blessed art thou, O unsowed ground, which wast never sowed by the sower. Blessed art thou, O wonderful tree, which broughtest forth a most wonderful fruit. Blessed art thou, O wonderful bush, which wast not burnt by the flame. Blessed art thou, since the rod of