SAINT Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina??
  • stulte
    Posts: 355
    This quote is from the book, “The Life of St. Philip Neri, Apostle of Rome: Volume 2" by Alfonso Capecelatro. Wouldn't it be great if Palestrina were canonized?

    “The fame of Palestrina grew and spread rapidly, so that his name was in renown all over Europe, and Philip II. of Spain deemed it an honour that some of his Masses were dedicated to him. But in 1594, a year before S. Philip's death, he died in the arms of our dear saint, and the circumstances of his death are related in a manuscript quoted by Baini. On the 26th January 1594, Pierluigi had an attack of pleurisy which confined him to his bed. Finding his strength diminish, he sent for S. Philip, who ran eagerly to cheer him with his presence, and soothe him with his ineffable charity. The next day Philip heard his general confession; on the 28th he received Holy Viaticum, and on the 31st the sacrament of Extreme Unction. Philip scarcely quitted the Vatican, in which Palestrina was lodged, and was always at the side of his tenderly loved disciple, with words of consolation and of hope. Finding himself worse on the 31st, Pierluigi sent for his son Igino, embraced him and blessed him, and gave him counsel beseeming a Christian father on the threshold of eternity. He then added: "I charge you that all my unpublished works be printed, as soon as may be, for the glory of God most high, and for His worship in His holy temples." Then he blessed him once more, and bade him farewell. On the 1st February the inflammation and fever had greatly increased, but he was still able to pass the whole day in prayer and converse with his dear father Philip. At dawn of day on the Feast of the Purification, Palestrina remembered with gratitude and joy that, but a few days before, he had composed and printed the Laudi of Mary, and this remembrance gave him renewed fervour and hope. And then Philip said to him, with a countenance lighted up with the love of God: "Oh my son, would it gladden you to go to enjoy the feast which to-day is held in heaven, in honour of the Queen of angels and of saints?" A thrill of tender emotion passed through the heart of the dying man, he paused awhile and then answered: "Yes, surely, I do most eagerly desire it; may Mary my advocate obtain for me this grace from her divine Son!" Scarcely had he uttered these words, says Baini, when, in fullest possession of all his powers, full of peace and trust in the mercy of the Lord, he gently breathed out his soul to God, and went, as I trust, through the intercession of the blessed Virgin Mary, and the prayers of his holy confessor Philip, where the song of divine praise flows on unceasingly."
  • JulieCollJulieColl
    Posts: 2,465
    Extremely edifying. Thanks for sharing. Can you imagine what a Palestrina canonization Mass would be like? It bloweth the mind. : )
    Thanked by 1Ben
  • Liam
    Posts: 5,093
    yes, the Becker Litany of Saints, of course.
    Thanked by 4Adam Wood Heath Gavin Ben
  • stulte
    Posts: 355
    JulieColl: I'd hope they'd sing...Palestrina! :) The Missa Papae Marcelli perhaps?

    I remember reading numerous quotes by several Popes praising his music. I'd love to find them all and compile them.
  • JulieCollJulieColl
    Posts: 2,465
    That is a fine idea, stulte. (Although I suspect your handle ought to be more like sapienter.) : )
    Thanked by 1stulte
  • Jeffrey Quick
    Posts: 2,086
    Funny, I was just telling my choir that "With due respect to Caecilia and Gregory, there are no professional musician saints. There may be a reason for that." If I bring my recruitment issues to SoG Giovanni Pierluigi, and my choir size triples, will it count as a miracle?
  • Liam
    Posts: 5,093
    Well, an example from the visual arts is Fra Angelico, who was beatified as Beatus Ioannes Faesulanus, nuncupatus “Beato Angelico”, in October 1982. It helped that he was a Dominican - it always helps to be a religious when it comes to having a postulator and a cause. The decree of beatification is not online.

    http://www.nydominicannuns.org/blog/today-we-remember-our-brother-fra-angelico-2/
  • matthewjmatthewj
    Posts: 2,700
    Our Diocesan chapel has a lovely stained glass window of Fra Angelico. I played at the Mass for the blessing of the window and our Bishop did a fantastic homily reflecting on his life and the arts. I wish it had been recorded.
  • ghmus7
    Posts: 1,483
    I believe that this has been mentioned before by others, and I is something we ought pray for.
  • francis
    Posts: 10,825
    I is something we ought pray for.
    ghmus... are you gunning for the saintly music position? (lol)
  • stulte
    Posts: 355
    are you gunning for the saintly music position?


    Shouldn't we all? :)
  • StimsonInRehabStimsonInRehab
    Posts: 1,933
    "With due respect to Caecilia and Gregory, there are no professional musician saints."


    Pope Saint Pius X. QED
  • Protasius
    Posts: 468
    Although Pius X. has done great things for the sake of sacred music (Tra le sollecitudini, Editio Vaticana), I doubt he can be called a professional musician. Yes, he directed the student chant choir as a seminarian and taught courses on sacred music and chant to seminarians after his ordination. But I haven't heard of him performing any direct musical activity after he was appointed parish priest.
  • Adam WoodAdam Wood
    Posts: 6,482
    Hildegard.
    Thanked by 2CHGiffen Gavin
  • melofluentmelofluent
    Posts: 4,160
    Hildegard.

    It's true, Little Joe! I have one of her 1099's from the monastery. It's so cool, she approved her own invoice!
  • stulte
    Posts: 355
    I think that the upshot to this is that, while Saints Hildegard and Pius X did great things for sacred music, Palestrina worked in a position far closer to what most people on here are in. He had his troubles with his employers from time to time as well. If he were canonized, we'd go from just reading the writings of the Saints to singing the writings of a Saint! :)
  • CHGiffenCHGiffen
    Posts: 5,193
    If he were canonized, we'd go from just reading the writings of the Saints to singing the writings of a Saint!

    With Saint Hildegard of Bingen, why not do both? ... read her writings AND sing her writings!
    Thanked by 1Adam Wood
  • stulte
    Posts: 355
    We can...though, that's not quite what I'm getting at (unless I've misunderstood you). It would strengthen the argument for using his music in parishes. The trouble with St. Hildegard's music (and may she forgive me for saying this) is that much of it that I've seen is both difficult to sing and not that much of it is of texts currently in use in the Liturgy. Palestrina is a whole other ball of wax.
  • SalieriSalieri
    Posts: 3,177
    And St. Thomas Aquinas.
    And St. Ambrose.
    Thanked by 1Adam Wood