Maria, breit den Mantel aus

"Maria, breit den Mantel aus" (Mary, spread out your cloak) is one of the most popular Marian hymns in German, first printed in 1640.

The oldest extant print of "Maria, breit den Mantel aus" is in a booklet of four Marian hymns published by the Innsbruck music publisher Michael Wagner, under the header "Vier schöne newe geistliche Lieder, Von vnser lieben Frawen der Himmelkönigin Maria vnnd Muetter der Barmhertzigkeit, Gemacht vnnd gesungen zue ehren der Wunderthättigen Bildtnuß vnser lieben Frawen von Foy, welche zue Ynßprugg in der Kirchen der Societet Jesu, von jedermeniglich mit grosser Andacht verehrt wirdt, vnder dem Tittel der Muetter der Barmhertzigkeit" (Four beautiful new spiritual songs, of our dear Lady Queen of Heaven Mary and Mother of mercy, made and sung to honour the miraculous image of our dear Lady of Foy, which is honoured by everybody at the church of the Society of Jesus in Innsbruck with great devotion, under the title Mother of mercy.).

[3]: 333–337 The Jesuit Guido Maria Dreves published a revision of the text in 1885,[4] and Fr.

Joseph Hermann Mohr published a revised text with a new melody in 1891.

Georg Thurmair and Adolf Lohmann united in 1934 Dreves' melody with the text by Mohr.

First print, from Innsbruck , 1640)