Celebrate Our Lady of Loreto

For the first time, the universal Catholic Church will have the option to celebrate the memorial of the Blessed Virgin of Loreto on December 10. This past October 7, the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary, Cardinal Robert Sarah announced that Pope Francis had decreed that the celebration should be inscribed on the Roman Calendar as an optional memorial. 

The celebration is rooted in a Marian shrine located in Loreto, Italy, where within the Basilica della Santa Casa is a house that tradition holds was the site where Mary was born, and where the Annunciation took place. The house, brought from the Holy Land to Italy toward the end of the thirteenth century, has been visited by hundreds of thousands of pilgrims, including famous historical figures like Galileo and Mozart, and saints like Thérèse of Lisieux. 

Within the house is a beautiful shrine to Our Lady, with a statue of the Madonna and Child carved from Lebanon cedar wood, which calls to mind the words of the psalmist: “The just shall flourish like the palm tree, shall grow like a cedar of Lebanon” (Psalm 92:13). Mary is the just one who flourishes like the palm tree in her fruitfulness, bringing forth the Savior of the world from her virgin womb.

Today, we can honor Our Lady of Loreto by praying the well-known Litany of Loreto. Or, perhaps we can choose two or three of the titles of Mary from this beautiful prayer and contemplate what it means to refer to the Blessed Virgin Mary as: Seat of Wisdom, Mystical Rose, or Ark of the Covenant.

Our Lady of Loreto, pray for us.

Litany of Loreto

Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, hear us.
Christ, graciously hear us.

God the Father of heaven,
have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world,
God the Holy Spirit,
Holy Trinity, one God,

Holy Mary,
pray for us.
Holy Mother of God,
Holy Virgin of virgins,
Mother of Christ,
Mother of the Church,
Mother of divine grace,
Mother most pure,
Mother most chaste,
Mother inviolate,
Mother undefiled,
Mother most amiable,
Mother admirable,
Mother of good counsel,
Mother of our Creator,
Mother of our Savior,
Mother of mercy,
Virgin most prudent,
Virgin most venerable,
Virgin most renowned,
Virgin most powerful,
Virgin most merciful,
Virgin most faithful,
Mirror of justice,
Seat of wisdom,
Cause of our joy,
Spiritual vessel,
Vessel of honor,
Singular vessel of devotion,
Mystical rose,
Tower of David,
Tower of ivory,
House of gold,
Ark of the covenant,
Gate of heaven,
Morning star,
Health of the sick,
Refuge of sinners,
Comfort of the afflicted,
Help of Christians,
Queen of Angels,
Queen of Patriarchs,
Queen of Prophets,
Queen of Apostles,
Queen of Martyrs,
Queen of Confessors,
Queen of Virgins,
Queen of all Saints,
Queen conceived without original sin,
Queen assumed into heaven,
Queen of the most holy Rosary,
Queen of families,
Queen of peace.

Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world,
spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, 
graciously hear us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world,
have mercy on us.

Pray for us, O holy Mother of God,
that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray.
Grant, we beseech thee, O Lord God,
that we, your servants, 
may enjoy perpetual health of mind and body; 
and by the intercession of the Blessed Mary, ever Virgin,
may be delivered from present sorrow,
and obtain eternal joy.
Through Christ our Lord.
Amen. 

Featured Image: Didier Descouens; CC-BY-SA-4.0.