Singing in church: the truth about the text of Schubert’s Ave Maria
Many people used to think that the Church refuses to have some seemingly sacred songs sung during Mass, especially Schubert’s Ave Maria. Some believe that priests do not allow this because various denominations consider these profane and unsuitable for a church.
Most people are convinced that the underlying reason for censoring these songs at weddings lies in the fact that the Mary Schubert sings about does not correspond to Mary, mother of Jesus, of Christian culture. Rather to another woman, Elena, The Lady of the Lake.
Schubert in fact took his inspiration from Walter Scott’s “The Lady of the Lake.” Such a poem is fundamentally pagan and therefore its reproduction or even inspired reprise is forbidden by Catholic priests.
Schubert wrote this composition not for Maria but for his mistress, and the German poet F. Schiller added the words that are still sung today.
The truth is another…
Recent vicariate regulations have banned the performance of Schubert’s Ave Maria (the most famous) because the text is not liturgical. There is no other reason. However, it may well be sung at the time of signatures at the end of Mass. Liturgists advise against its inclusion in the Mass because it has no specific relationship to the moments of the celebration: e.g., presentation of gifts, communion…
Songs written specifically for the liturgy and that can be sung by the assembly are preferred. This is intended to emphasize the content of the mystery being celebrated and the communal aspect of prayer.
Why did Schubert compose the Ave Maria?
As a sacred lied dedicated to the Virgin (Op.52 No.6 D839 “Ellens Gesang III: Hymne an die Jungfrau”), contrary to the common opinion that it was originally secular music. Circulating for the rumor that the canareas would be … Of love. Not is so: those who do not trust and can read German (or English) can check the original text for themselves , at this address:
Actually, apart from a few cases of obtuse ignorance, the reasons why pastors often do not favor the Hail Mary is that the marriage rite is almost always included within the Holy Mass. Liturgically speaking, the invocation to the Virgin is not part of the themes of the Eucharistic sacrifice. In short, the Hail Mary should not be sung either at the Offertory or at Communion simply because it is a prayer unsuitable for the occasion.
In any case, to the bride and groom who do not want to give up Schubert’s Ave Maria can be performed at the end of the wedding ceremony during the signatures. Another alternative is to perform Schubert’s Ave Maria during the offertory, in an instrumental version (with organist and violinist)
If the priest is “forward,” there is nothing to prevent inserting the Hail Mary at the entrance (before the celebration), at the signatures (after the celebration), or even as an isolated moment of prayer just after the marriage rite proper, before resuming the celebration of Mass.
