This is an English translation of a liturgical prayer found in the Rite of the Holy Sepulchre, commonly called the Carmelite Rite. A rite is a form of the Prayer of the Church – the largest and most familiar in North America is the Roman Rite, but there are a number of other rites within the Catholic Church, such as the Byzantine Rite and the Maronite Rite.
The Carmelite Rite is associated with Jerusalem, and its origins are somewhat mysterious – in some ways it seems descended from the French Gallican Rite, but it also shows certain signs of possibly being extremely ancient. (And it’s still celebrated occasionally by the Ancient Observance of the Carmelite Order.)
The prayer given as a song here is from the Carmelite Rite’s prayers on the feast of Saint Simon Stock, who was the superior-general of the Carmelites at a time in the thirteenth century, when the order was in danger of being suppressed. Our Lady appeared to him and promised that anyone who died wearing the Brown Scapular would be saved.
Flower of Carmel, tall vine blossom-laden;
Splendour of heaven, child-bearing yet maiden,
None equals thee,
None equals thee.Mother so tender, whom no man didst know,
On Carmel’s children, thy favours bestow,
Star of the Sea,
Star of the Sea!Strong stem of Jesse, who bore one bright flower,
Be ever near us, and guard us each hour,
Who serve thee here,
Who serve thee here.O gentle Mother, who in Carmel reigns,
Share with your servants that gladness you gained,
And now enjoy,
And now enjoy.Hail, Gate of Heaven, with glory now crowned,
Bring us to safety where thy Son is found,
True joy to see,
True joy to see.
