Te Deum Marianum

Te Deum Marianum During the later Middle Ages an increasing devotion to the Virgin Mary inspired the composition of many Marian chants. Among them were paraphrases of the ‘Te Deum’* which turned it into a song of praise for the Blessed Virgin. These paraphrases, opening with words like ‘Te matrem Dei laudamus’ or ‘Te celi reginam laudamus’, can be traced back to the late 12th century and from then on enjoyed a growing popularity. Several texts exist, their differences being so large that they must have originated independently. They often follow the structure of the regular ‘Te Deum’, and are similarly composed of praises and supplications. As well as paraphrasing the words of the ‘Te...