The Magnificat

The Magnificat

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for He has looked with favor on His lowly servant. From this day all generations will call me blessed: the Almighty has done great things for me, and holy is His Name.

His mercy reaches from age to age on those who fear Him. He has shown strength with His arm; He has scattered the proud in their conceit. He has cast down the mighty from their thrones and has lifted up the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich He has sent away empty.

He has come to the help of His servant Israel, for He has remembered His promise of mercy, the promise He made to our fathers, to Abraham and his children forever.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end.

Amen.

The Magnificat, also known as the Song of Mary or Canticle of Mary, is a significant canticle within Christian liturgy. Its name originates from the Latin word for "magnifies," referring to the opening line, "My soul magnifies the Lord." This hymn is widely used in the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox Church, Lutheran Church, and Anglican Communion.

The text of the Magnificat is found in the Gospel of Luke (1:46–55), where Mary recites it during her Visitation to her cousin Elizabeth, who is pregnant with John the Baptist. Upon Mary's greeting, John the Baptist leaps in Elizabeth's womb, and Elizabeth praises Mary's faith, prompting Mary's response with the Magnificat. Some ancient interpretations, however, attribute the Magnificat to Elizabeth rather than Mary. It is considered one of the oldest Christian hymns and possibly the earliest Marian hymn.

Liturgical Use

The Magnificat is frequently recited in the Liturgy of the Hours. In Western Christianity, it is commonly sung or recited during the main evening prayer service, known as Vespers in Catholic and Lutheran traditions, and Evening Prayer (or Evensong) in Anglicanism. The traditional form appears in various editions of the Book of Common Prayer. In Eastern Christianity, the Magnificat is always sung at Matins. It is also sung during worship services, particularly during the Advent season.

Context and Structure

Mary's Magnificat is one of four hymns in Luke's infancy narrative, which also include Zechariah's Benedictus, the angels' Gloria in Excelsis Deo, and Simeon's Nunc dimittis. These canticles reflect ancient Jewish hymnology, featuring synonymous parallelism in their praise of God. The Magnificat echoes several biblical passages, most notably the Song of Hannah from the Books of Samuel (1 Samuel 2:1–10).

The canticle is structured around several key themes:

• Mary's rejoicing at the privilege of giving birth to the promised Messiah (Luke 1:46–48).

• Her glorification of God for His power, holiness, and mercy (Luke 1:49–50).

• Mary's anticipation of God transforming the world through the Messiah, bringing down the proud and exalting the humble, feeding the hungry and sending the rich away empty (Luke 1:51–53).

• Her exaltation of God for His faithfulness to His promise to Abraham (Luke 1:54–55).

The Magnificat is a song of salvation with profound political, economic, and social dimensions. The German theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer described it as "the most passionate, the wildest, one might even say the most revolutionary Advent hymn ever sung." Its subversive nature has led to its banning in certain historical contexts, such as in Guatemala in the 1980s and under British rule in India, due to its message of God's concern for the poor and the overturning of societal hierarchies.

Musical Settings

Given its liturgical importance, many composers have set the Magnificat to music, often for Vespers services or celebrations of the Visitation. Notable composers include Claudio Monteverdi, Henry Dumont, André Campra, Antoine-Esprit Blanchard, Marc-Antoine Charpentier, Vivaldi, Johann Sebastian Bach, C.P.E. Bach, Jan Dismas Zelenka, Anton Bruckner, Rachmaninoff, John Rutter, Arvo Pärt, and Kim André Arnesen. In Anglican tradition, the "Mag and Nunc" (Magnificat and Nunc dimittis) are a regular part of Evensong, with numerous settings by composers like Thomas Tallis, Ralph Vaughan Williams, Herbert Sumsion, Charles Wood, and John Tavener.

Text

The Latin text begins with "Magnificat anima mea Dominum," which translates to "My soul magnifies the Lord." The Greek version, considered the oldest, starts with "Μεγαλύνει ἡ ψυχή μου τὸν Κύριον." The canticle is also available in various translations, including traditional and modern English versions, Amharic, and Church Slavonic.