On 26 June the feast of Our Lady of Perpetual Help is celebrated, which means the novena in honour of the famous icon begins today (18 June).
For nine consecutive days the following prayer is said, followed by three Hail Marys:
O Mother of Perpetual Help, grant that I may ever invoke your…
This novena devotion is most beneficial to those who practise it.
Ave Maria, Mater de Perpetuo Succurso!
Novena Devotions In Honor of Our Mother of Perpetual Help
The cover of an American booklet with prayers for the novenas of Our Lady of Perpetual Help and St Gerard Majella.
St Anthony of Padua in the basilica of Santa Prassade, Rome.
Virgen del Socorro
The statue of Our Lady of Succour in the Real Oratorio del Caballero de Gracia, a 17th century church in Madrid.
Mary is shown as the protectress and refuge of small children under attack from Satan, represented by a dragonlike creature. As the demon tries to attack the infant Mary lifts a spear to scare it off.
S. Maria del Buon Consiglio
The image of Our Lady of Good Counsel venerated in Portici in the province of Naples, Italy.
An engraving from the book ‘Diva Virgo Savonensis beneficia ejus, et miracula’, which describes the apparition of Mary in Savona, Italy.
Mary is shown appearing to the shepherd Antonio Botta. The apparition took place in 1536, which was a time of war between the cities Savona and Genoa. In order to bring on peace, Mary told Antonio to encourage both parties to show “Misericordia e non giustizia” (“Mercy and not justice”). It is for this reason Mary is venerated as the Mother of Mercy in Savona.
(Source: books.google.co.uk)
Our Lady of Lourdes in the church of Santa Maria dei Miracoli on the Piazza del Popolo in Rome.
Show thyself to be a Mother!
An 18th century engraving of the miraculous image of Our Lady with the Bowed Head, venerated in the church of the Ursuline convent in Landshut, Bavaria.
The words ‘Monstra te esse Matrem’ (Show thyself to be a Mother) are traditionally added to every copy of the image. They are taken from the hymn Ave Maris Stella.
(Source: puerperia, via occident)
Our Lady of Hope of Macarena in Sevilla, Spain. Her Good Friday procession will begin soon.
(Source: allaboutmary)
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The altar of the Madonna del Pozzo (Our Lady of the Well) in the church of Santa Maria in Via, Rome.
The small image of Mary came to light after the overflowing of a well during the night of 26 and 27 September 1256. Pope Alexander IV had a chapel built in honour of this miraculous event. The current chapel dates from 1591 and is located to the right of the entrance to the church.
Water continues to flow from the well, which is distributed to visitors in small cups and bottles. The shrine is sometimes referred to as ‘la piccola Lourdes’, or little Lourdes.
The church of Santa Maria in Via is located close to the Via del Corso, one of Rome’s main shopping streets. It is common for shoppers to pop into the chapel to drink a cup of miraculous water and for a moment of prayer before the Madonna. It is one of those places where the love of the Roman people for Mary really becomes apparent; men and women of all ages find joy and comfort in the small miraculous image of Our Lady of the Well.
A vintage postcard of St Peter’s basilica, Vatican City.
The Papal Altar and Bernini’s baldacchino in St Peter’s basilica just before a papal Mass, Rome.
The Papal Altar and Bernini’s baldacchino in St Peter’s basilica, Rome.