Composer: Alfonso x, el Sabio
Genre: Sacred Music
Language: Galician-Portuguese
Origin: CSM no. 426, ff. 146v-147r (13th century)

To commemorate the solemnity of the Ascension of Jesus, I leave you with another Santa Maria song dedicated to this event, about "how Our Lord ascended to heaven before his disciples" (epigraph). This song can be found in the Codex de Toledo (acronym: To) - formerly in Toledo, now in Madrid - which is one of the four preserved codices of the Cantigas de Santa Maria. It is also the least known work, perhaps because it's the least embellished with the rich illuminations that set off the others, but nonetheless important or valuable. Altogether, it contains 100 miracle songs, to which are added another 22 compositions, including songs of "loor" (praise) to Our Lady. Within this collection, there is a sub-collection of "festive songs", which includes five songs dedicated to the "Festas de Santa Maria" (Feasts of St Mary), as well as another five songs dedicated to the "Festas de Nosso Senhor Jesus Cristo" (Feasts of Our Lord Jesus Christ). This particular song is the fourth of the five songs dedicated to the solemnities of Our Lord.

The song is, in fact, a poetic expression that echoes the narrative of the Ascension of Jesus Christ as described in the canonical gospels. Particularly, the Lord's words on the Mount of Olives when he ascends to heaven in front of his disciples are based on Mk 16: 15-28, in which he reminds them that all those who believe shall be welcomed into the kingdom of heaven and their path shall be free from evil. Similarly, the verse "Onde foi assí que en Jerussalên" alludes to the narrative in Lk 24: 50-51, which describes how Jesus took his disciples to Bethany, blessed them and was then raised to heaven. Furthermore, this event is also referenced in the passage from the Acts of the Apostles 1: 9-11. Indeed, this Cantiga not only retells the narrative of the Ascension, but also invites the listeners to reflect on its spiritual significance and to prepare for Jesus' second coming, as promised in the scriptures.

Cantiga 426 To (pp. 293-294): [ Ссылка ]

Song Source: [ Ссылка ]

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