O Mary, you shine continuously on our journey as a sign of salvation and hope.

We entrust ourselves to you, Health of the Sick.

At the foot of the Cross you participated in Jesus’ pain,

with steadfast faith.

You, Salvation of the Roman People, know what we need.

We are certain that you will provide, so that,

as you did at Cana of Galilee,

joy and feasting might return after this moment of trial.

Help us, Mother of Divine Love,

to conform ourselves to the Father’s will

and to do what Jesus tells us:

He who took our sufferings upon Himself, and bore our sorrows to bring us,

through the Cross, to the joy of the Resurrection. Amen.*

We seek refuge under your protection, O Holy Mother of God.

Do not despise our pleas – we who are put to the test – and deliver us from every danger, O glorious and blessed Virgin.

Pope Francis prayed this prayer in the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Divine Love on Wednesday. https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2020-03/pope-francis-prayer-our-lady-protection-coronavirus.html

Yesterday, one of my Schola members brought it to my attention and asked if it might be used in some way at tonight's Compline. Of course, a read prayer in an otherwise-fully-sung liturgy would have stuck out like a sore thumb – and I wondered if it might be made into an anthem.

Late last night, I poked around a bit and created this setting for solo baritone and three exceedingly simple choral parts, so that it could replace a Gibbons anthem at Compline tonight, with the ensemble reduced to the bare minimum and spread throughout the sanctuary 6' away from each other.

I set the Pope's words in an improvisatory style in mode VII for the soloist, accompanied by expanding drones in the other parts. Then, where the Pope continues to Sub tuum praesidium (at the *), we sang that Mode 7 antiphon in unison.

It might be useful to you at some point in this strange time. The three men and three women volunteers I had tonight read it half an hour before and made it work.

PDF and warty live recording attached.