The Monks of Solesmes in France chanting the Mass
St. Gregory, born at Rome
about the year 540, was the son of Gordianus, a wealthy senator, who later
renounced the world and became one of the seven deacons of Rome. His mother was St Silvia. After Gregory had
acquired the usual thorough education, Emperor Justin the Younger appointed
him, in 574, Chief Magistrate of Rome, though he was only thirty-four years of
age. After the death of his father, he built six monasteries in
Sicily and founded a seventh in his own house in Rome, which became the
Benedictine Monastery of St. Andrew. Here, he himself assumed the monastic
habit in 575, at the age of thirty-five. After the death of Pelagius, St. Gregory was chosen Pope by
the unanimous consent of priests and people. Now began those labors which
merited for him the title of Great. His zeal extended over the entire known
world, he was in contact with all the Churches of Christendom and, in spite of
his bodily sufferings, and innumerable labors, he found time to compose a great
number of works. He
is known above all for his magnificent contributions to the Liturgy of the Mass
and Office. The mainstream form of Western plainchant, standardized in the late
9th century, was attributed to Pope Gregory I and so took the name of Gregorian
chant. Gregory wrote over 850 letters in the last 13 years of his life
(590–604) that give us an accurate picture of his work. He is one of the four
great Doctors of the Latin Church. He died on March 12, 604. St Gregory is the
patron saint of musicians, singers, students, and teachers.I am happy to share the first video in the new Blog format. One can hear the famous monks of the Abbey of St. Peter in Solesmes chanting the Mass in Gregorian Chant.
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