From: truecatholicstaff@truecarpentry.org   
      
   > THE APOCALYPSE OF THE VIRGIN   
   >   
   > The present translation of this Apocalypse(1) is made from the text   
   > as published by Mr. M. R. James in Texts and Studies, ii., 3, from a   
   > Ms. in the Bodleian Library, which he assigns to the eleventh   
   > century. The original he conjecturally assigns to the ninth century,   
   > and regards it as a late and clumsy compilation based on(1) the   
   > Assumption Legends and(2) the Apocalypse of Paul. Its main feature,   
   > intercession for the lost, it has in common with the Testament of   
   > Abraham, the Apocalypse of Paul, 4 Esdras, the Apocalypse of Baruch,   
   > the Apocalypse of Esdras and the Apocalypse of Sedrach. Parallels are   
   > pointed out in the notes.   
   >   
   > THE APOCALYPSE OF THE HOLY MOTHER OF GOD CONCERNING THE   
   > CHASTISEMENTS   
   >   
   > I. The all-holy mother of God was about to proceed to the Mount of   
   > Olives to pray; and praying to the Lord our God she said: In the name   
   > of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit; let the archangel   
   > Gabriel descend, that he may tell me concerning the chastisements and   
   > concerning things in heaven and on the earth and under the earth. And   
   > as she said the word the archangel Michael descended with the angels   
   > of the East and the West and angels of the South and the North, and   
   > they saluted the highly favoured one and said to her: Hail,   
   > reflection of the Father, hail dwelling of the Son, hail command of   
   > the Holy Spirit, hail firmament of the seven heavens, hail firmament   
   > of the eleven strongholds, hail worship of the angels, hail loftier   
   > than the prophets unto the throne of God. And the holy mother of God   
   > said to the angel: Hail Michael, commander-in-chief, the minister of   
   > the invisible Father, hail Michael, commander-in-chief, associate of   
   > my Son, hail Michael, commander-in-chief, most dread of the   
   > six-winged, hail Michael, commander-in-chief, who rules through all   
   > things and art worthy to stand beside the throne of the Lord, hail   
   > Michael, commander-in-chief, who art about to sound the trumpet and   
   > awaken those who have been asleep for ages: hail Michael,   
   > commander-in-chief, first of all unto the throne of God. II. And   
   > having greeted all the angels in like manner, the highly favoured one   
   > prayed the commander-in-chief regarding the chastisements, saying:   
   > Tell to me all things on the earth. And the commander-in-chief said   
   > to her: If thou askest me, highly favoured one, I will tell thee. And   
   > the highly favoured one said to him: How many are the chastisements   
   > with which the race of man is chastised? And the archangel said to   
   > her: The chastisements are innumerable. And the highly favoured one   
   > said to him: Tell me the things in heaven and on the earth. III. Then   
   > the commander-in-chief, Michael, commanded the Western angels that   
   > revelation should be made, and Hades opened, and she saw those who   
   > were chastised(1) in Hades: and there lay there a multitude of men   
   > and women, and there was a great lamentation. And the highly favoured   
   > one asked the commander-in-chief: Who are these and what is their   
   > sin? And the commander-in-chief said: These, all holy, are those who   
   > did not worship the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit and for   
   > this cause they are thus chastised here. IV. And she saw in another   
   > place(2) a great darkness: and the all holy said: What is this   
   > darkness and who are they who are being chastised? And the   
   > commander-in-chief said: Many souls are lying in this darkness. And   
   > the all holy one said: Let this darkness be taken away in order that   
   > I may see this chastisement also. And the commander-in-chief said to   
   > the highly favoured one: It is not possible, all holy, that thou   
   > shouldst see this chastisement also. And the angels guarding them   
   > answered and said: We have a command from the invisible Father that   
   > they shall not see the light till thy blessed Son shall shine forth.   
   > And plunged in grief the all holy lifted up her eyes to the angels   
   > touching the undefiled word of the Father, and said: In the name of   
   > the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit let the darkness be taken   
   > away, that I may see this chastisement also. And straightway that   
   > darkness was lifted up and covered the seven heavens: and there lay a   
   > great multitude of both men and women, and there arose   
   >   
   > 170   
   >   
   > a great lamentation and a great cry began. And seeing them the all   
   > holy wept and said to them: What are ye doing, wretched ones? Who are   
   > ye? And how are ye found there? and there was no voice or hearkening.   
   > And the angels guarding them said: Why do ye not speak to the highly   
   > favoured one? And those who were under chastisement said to her: O   
   > highly favoured one, from eternity we see not the light, and we are   
   > not able to keep off that up there. And splashing pitch flowed down   
   > upon them: and seeing them the all holy wept. And again those who   
   > were being chastised said to her: How dost thou ask concerning us,   
   > holy lady, Mother of God? Thy blessed Son came to The earth and did   
   > not make enquiry concerning us, neither Abraham the patriarch, nor   
   > John the Baptist, nor Moses the great prophet, nor the Apostle Paul,   
   > and unto us their light shone not: and now, all holy Mother of God,   
   > the armour of the Christians, the bringer of great comfort on account   
   > of the Christians, how dost thou ask concerning us? Then the all holy   
   > Mother of God said to Michael, the commander-in-chief: What is their   
   > sin? And Michael, the commander-in-chief, said: These are they who   
   > did not believe in the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, and   
   > did not confess thee(1) to be the Mother of God, and that the Lord   
   > Jesus Christ was born of thee and took flesh, and for this cause they   
   > are chastised there. And again weeping, the all holy Mother of God   
   > said to them: Why did ye so greatly err, wretched ones? Did ye not   
   > hear that the whole creation names my name? And having said these   
   > words the darkness felt over them as it was from the beginning. V.   
   > And the commander-in-chief said: Whither wouldst thou go, highly   
   > favoured one? to the West or to the South? And the highly favoured   
   > answered: Let us go to the South. And immediately there appeared the   
   > cherubim and the seraphim and four hundred angels, and led out the   
   > highly favoured one to the South, where came out the river of   
   > fire,(2) and there there lay a multitude of men and women, some up to   
   > the girdle, others up to the neck, and others up to the crown of the   
   > head: and seeing them the all holy Mother of God cried out with a   
      
   [continued in next message]   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)