Hymn of Welcome to the Month of May

 "Devotion to Mary is a characteristic of salvation."--St. John Damascenes



Welcome to this world of woe,
 To each plilgrim here below,
 Nature's voice o'er hill and dale,
 Bids you, Month of Mary, hail;
 Come, ye children of the spring,
 Fair and fragrant flow'rets bring;
 Welcome, Month of Mary!

 Mystic Rose! that precious name
 Mary from the Church doth claim;
 In the lily's silver bells
 The purity of Mary dwells.
 In the myrtle's fadeless green
 Mary's constancy is seen.
 Welcome, Month of Mary!

 
Come, that from your treasures sweet
 We may twine a chaplet meet
 To be offered at the shrine
 Of the Mother-Maid Divine;
 Bring the rose, for in its hue
 Mary's ardent love we view.
 Welcome, Month of Mary!

 Month of bright and radiant skies!
 Tribute flowers to greet you rise.
 Come, for we are weary here,
 Till your music greets the ear;
 Till your rosy fingers fair
 Scatter perfumes on the air.
 Welcome, Month of Mary!

 


We do love you, Month, most fair,
 For the precious name you bear;
 And we hail you with delight;
 Mary's name sheds lustre bright;
 Every flow'ret seems to say,
 Mary's is the month of May.
 Welcome, Month of Mary!