EsIt
is very common to establish December 8th as the day of the Virgin Mary
(In her many devotions). This is almost a tradition in the Church when
one cannot define a certain day. There was a time when the celebrations
were done on December 25th but was changed to “December 8th”, by one of
the ancient councils , influence of the Pope’s advisor. In reality
these dates are very close together, this is done only to establish a ”feast
day” to commemorate some of the titles of the Virgin Mary. These dates
are so close together that when the church changed its calendar to the
Gregorian system, some places continued with their religious festivities
on that year, but with that famous 10day difference.
In
what I have narrated about the facts of the origin of the devotion to the
Virgin Mary Untier of Knots, the date must have been on the 28th in the
beginning of the fall of that year ("...das Anfangen des Herbstes..").
In
the Chapel of the Jesuits and Monastery of Ingostadt the venerable
Father Jacob Rem and the nobleman Wolgang Langenmantel played an important
role in this devotion.
In
the story I write as follows : “ It was the last day of August, it had
been a very hot summer.” The nobleman decides to go to Ingolsdadt to see
Father Rem and to pray for his marriage. It is said that they began to
make their petitions before the “Virgin Mary under the title of Our Lady
of the Snows (this image is one of the seven copies made of “St. Mary Mayor
of Rome” The meetings lasted a period of “28 days” (see Rite of 28 days
with the Virgin Mary)..as we were saying “This lasted a period of 4 weeks
, were the nobleman we are referring to and Father Rem, prayed with great
fervor, making Saturdays in the afternoon the time in which he would pray
with Father Rem.
Each
Saturday an unusual thing would happen, the moon would change its lunar
phase. The nobleman took this as a sign from “Our Lady” , meanwhile the
priest continued with his ritual, incensing the altar, undoing the knots
and smoothing our the ribbon. For this reason we can easily say that on
September 28th of the year 1915 the following event happened: “ On this
day the venerable Jacob took the ribbon into his hands and untied up to
the last knot , smoothing the ribbon before the image of the Virgin
Mary with strong emphasis and prayers for the couple. Father Rem prays
out loud, repeating many phrases to an almost musical rhythm. He said so
many words, words that could have touched anyone’s soul.
As
Father Rem lifts the ribbon, the painter (Hans, who is the father of the
one who made the painting of (Maria als Knotenlöserin) was able to
see thru his own tears how “the ribbon became so white and pure, that not
even his palate could ever produced”. These are the words of the painter
who witness the event and passed on to his son Johann (Georg Melchior Schmidtner
painter of Maria als Knotenlöserin) many years later.
The
ribbon had the same color of white as in the first day when Wolfgang and
Sophie made their marriage vows, splendid white as the moon who guided
the nobleman at night and as pure as the lilies of Ingolstadt. On the night
of twenty eighth , Wolfgang returns to Augsburg very happy and moved for
what had happened.
This
is the story of a nobleman who saved his marriage when it was on the verge
of a divorce. Through the years the story was forgotten, yet thru this
forgotten story which took place in the year 1699, the son and the grandson
make use of it to give meaning to our devotion.
As
we mention in the book of the true history. “the venerable Jacob Rem J.P.
passed away on Friday October 12 (his feast day ) in Ingolstadt in 1618.
His canonization is still pending in Rome. Wolfgang passed away in the
year 1637 and Sophie in 1649. The same year that Wolfgang died , their
last son was born, his name was Hieronymous Ambrosius who later became
Provost and canonical doctor of St. Peter am Perlach church between the
years 1666 and 1709. “ Hieronymous was the intellectual author of the work
of art we are now telling you about. He entrusted the work to painter Johann
Georg Melchior Schmidtner to make the painting which we now venerate as
a family altar piece dedicated to “ Blessed Virgins of Good Counsel” and
was constructed in the Church of St. Peter am Perlach in Augsburg. The
exact date was not able to be established due the lack of documents that
were destroyed in the Second War World. The only thing we know is that
is was made in the beginning of the year 1700 and in some writings the
word “Herbst” (fall) is written, although I cannot say this with exactitude.
In
the year 1699 and in commemoration of the turn of the century, during the
summer ,the young man Hieronymus wishes to make a donation to the church
of St. Peter am Perlach as an act of thanksgiving on behalf of his family.
The donation consisted of a family altar similar to the ones that already
exist in that church.
None
the less , and taking into consideration the historical value of the events
that took place in Ingolstadt in the year 1615, and also the facts mentioned
to me by Father Erich Reithmeier J.P. parish priest of St. Peter am Perlach
in Augsburg (year 2000) in where he states the following “ I cannot assure
of this” but in a conversation I had with Father Paul Kathol J.P. he mentioned
to me that in the biography on the life of Father Jacob Rem, he had read
stories almost exactly as the ones you have written. Taking this
principle into consideration that the Mother of God “As the Untier of Knots”
of marriages, and according to the above mentioned events, we have decided
to establish September 28th as the “Day of the Virgin Mary Untier of Knots”.
The
fact that this miraculous image of the Virgin Mary is now venerated and
petitioned by all ,to untie the knots of our lives, of the people and of
the nations, does not take away the value of Our Lady as our counsel, our
advocate, our helper and mediatrix before Our Lord Jesus Christ our only
mediator who with His help we can untie all the knots in our lives,
the knots that have us attached to error and sin” Our Lady will bless us
with her help in all our needs.
Any
other version on this story is made by chance and is lacking in the truth.
On
this day we suggest prayer for the reconciliation of marriages and marriage
vows may be renewed.
Brothers
and Sisters, pray with confidence, fervor and honesty and with solidarity
hearts, with humility and never lacking in generosity when praying for
others.
Amen
Mario
H. Ibertis Rivera – September 2005
This
facts are taken from my book: The Virgin Mary Untier of Knots – The True
History
I.S.B.N
Number 987-98887-0-7 – Printed in Argentina – September 2001
DECRETO
DEL IMPRIMATUR CENSOR OTORGADO POR EL ARZOBISPADO DE DE
BUENOS AIRES - ARGENTINA A LA OBRA: "Nuestra Virgen María Como Desatadora
de Nudos" de Mario H.Ibertis Rivera Protocolo:Nro. 636/01 - FIRMAS: Rvdo.Mons.JOSÉ
LUIS DUHOURQ CENSOR - S.E.R, Mons. MARIO J. SERRA Vicario
General del Arzobizpado de Buenos Aires
S.E,R.
Mons. FERNANDO R. RISSOTO Canciller - SIGUEN FIRMAS.
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