Colm Tóibín’s blasphemous novel The Testament of Mary has been adapted into an opera by Tarik O’Regan. Under the title Testament, this opera has already been shown in a few places, including Galway back in July.
Our Lady as an ‘angry widow’
Reviewing the play for the Irish Examiner, Alan O’Riordan in his article, Opera review: Testament takes on Colm Tóibín’s account of Christ’s mother Mary, writes that Our Lady is seen ‘more like an angry widow out of Greek myth’, calling her ‘a lone voice against a chorus of believers’.
Our Lady is also scandalously described as being ‘incredulous’ at the ideas that God can perform miracles, despite this claim having no basis in history.
Hatred of the Cross
However, the most egregious offence against God is the play’s treatment of the Crucifixion of Our Lord Jesus Christ. O’Riordan describes that a ‘crucifix… sits inverted, broken and black at stage left’, a sacrilegious use of an image of the Redemption. Going even further, Our Lady is implied to have denied the Redemption itself. ‘“It was not worth it.” …this remains Mary’s interpretation’, according to O’Riordan.
An Insult Devoid of Facts
The fact is that not one of these depictions is based in history. Our Lady was present with Our Lord during His Crucifixion and patiently awaited His Resurrection as Our Lord had foretold. As Scripture attests, the Apostles were joined with “Mary, the mother of Jesus” (Acts 1:14), praying for the coming of the Holy Ghost.
Thus, in light of this grievous insult, Catholics ought to pray in reparation for this blasphemy, but also act against it with all legitimate means. A petition of Irish Society for Christian Civilisation is available to sign, asking the organisers to stop this play from a planned showing at The Gaiety Theatre in Dublin from the 8th to the 10th of October.
As Our Lady never delays in helping mankind, offering her prayers to God, should not mankind come to her defence when She is mocked by wicked men?
