History of Our Lady of Perpetual Succour
The picture of Our Lady of Perpetual
Succour is painted on wood, with background of gold. It is Byzantine in style
and is supposed to have been painted in the thirteenth century. It represents
the Mother of God holding the Divine Child while the Archangels Michael and
Gabriel present before Him the instruments of His Passion. Over the figures in
the picture are some Greek letters which form the abbreviated words Mother of
God, Jesus Christ, Archangel Michael, and Archangel Gabriel respectively. It
was brought to Rome towards the end of the fifteenth century by a pious
merchant, who, dying there, ordered by his will that the picture should be
exposed in a church for public veneration. It was exposed in the church of San
Matteo, Via Merulana, between St. Mary Major and St. John Lateran. Crowds
flocked to this church, and for nearly three hundred years many graces were
obtained through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin. The picture was then
popularly called the Madonna di San Matteo. The church was served for a time by
the Hermits of St. Augustine, who had sheltered their Irish brethren in their
distress. These Augustinians were still in charge when the French invaded Rome
(1812) and destroyed the church. The picture disappeared; it remained hidden
and neglected for over forty years, but a series of providential circumstances
between 1863 and 1865 led to its discovery in an oratory of the Augustinian
Fathers at Santa Maria in Posterula.
The
pope, Pius IX, who as a boy had prayed before the picture in San Matteo, became
interested in the discovery and in a letter dated 11 Dec., 1865 to Father
General Mauron, C.SS.R., ordered that Our Lady of Perpetual Succour should be
again publicly venerated in Via Merulana, and this time at the new church of
St. Alphonsus. The ruins of San Matteo were in the grounds of the Redemptorist
Convent. This was but the first favour of the Holy Father towards the picture.
He approved of the solemn translation of the picture (26 April, 1866), and its
coronation by the Vatican Chapter (23 June, 1867). He fixed the feast as duplex
secundae classis, on the Sunday before the Feast of the Nativity of St. John
the Baptist, and by a decree dated May, 1876, approved of a special office and
Mass for the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer. This favour later on was
also granted to others. Learning that the devotion to Our Lady under this title
had spread far and wide, Pius IX raised a confraternity of Our Lady of
Perpetual Succour and St. Alphonsus, which had been erected in Rome, to the rank
of an arch-confraternity and enriched it with many privileges and indulgences.
He was amongst the first to visit the picture in its new home, and his name is
the first in the register of the arch-confraternity.
Two
thousand three hundred facsimiles of the Holy Picture have been sent from St.
Alphonsus's church in Rome to every part of the world. At the present day not
only altars, but churches and dioceses (e.g. in England, Leeds and
Middlesborough; in the United States, Savannah) are dedicated to Our Lady of
Perpetual Succour. In some places, as in the United States, the title has been
translated Our Lady of Perpetual Help.
Feast of Our Lady of Perpetual Help
Within
the Octave of the Nativity
of St. John the Baptist
White vestments
Missa "Gaudeamus omnes"
INTROITUS - Psalm 44: 2
Gaudeamus omnes in Domino, diem
festum celebrántes sub honóre beátæ Mariæ Vírginis Regínæ: de cujus solemnitáte
gaudent Angeli, et collaudant Fílium Dei. Ps. 44. 2. Effundit
cor meum verbum bonum: dico ego carmen meum Regi. Gloria Patri.
INTROIT
Let us all rejoice in the Lord,
celebrating a feast in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary: at whose solemnity the
angels rejoice and join in praising the Son of God Ps. 44: 2 My heart hath uttered a good word; I speak my works to the King. Glory
be.
Let us all rejoice…
COLLECT
Almighty and merciful God, Who hast
given us a picture of Thy most blessed Mother to venerate under the special
title of Perpetual Succor, mercifully grant us to be so fortified, among all
the vicissitudes of this wayfaring life, by the protection of the same
immaculate, ever virgin Mary, that we may deserve to attain the rewards of
Thine everlasting redemption. Who livest and reignest.
Commemoration of the Feria
Sixth Sunday after Pentecost
O God, Who hast prepared for them
that love Thee such good things as pass understanding: pour into our hearts
such love towards Thee, that we, loving Thee in all things, and above all
things, may obtain Thy promises which exceed all that we can desire. Through
our Lord.
Octave of St. John the Baptist
O God, Who hast made this day
honorable to us on account of the birth of blessed John, grant Thy people the
grace of spiritual joys, and direct the minds of all the faithful in the way of
eternal salvation. Through our Lord.
EPISTLE
Ecclesiasticus 24: 23-31
As the vine I have brought forth a
pleasant odor, and my flowers are the fruit of honor and riches. I am the
mother of fair love, and of fear, and of knowledge, and of holy hope. In me is
all grace of the way and of the truth, in me is all hope of life and of virtue.
Come over to me, all ye that desire me, and be filled with my fruits; for my
spirit is sweet above honey, and my inheritance above honey and the honeycomb.
My memory is unto everlasting generations. They that eat me, shall yet hunger;
and they that drink me, shall yet thirst. He that hearkeneth to me shall not be
confounded, and they that work by me shall not sin. They that explain me shall
have life everlasting.
GRADUAL AND ALLELUIA
Thou art all lovely and sweet, O
daughter of Sion, beautiful as the moon, bright as the sun, terrible as an army
in battle array. V. (Judith 13: 22) The Lord hath blessed thee by His power, because by thee He hath brought
to naught our enemies. Alleluia, alleluia. V. (Luke 1: 28) Hail, Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed art thou among
women. Alleluia.
GOSPEL - John 19: 25-27
Now there stood by the cross of
Jesus, His mother, and His mother's sister, Mary of Cleophas, and Mary
Magdalen. When Jesus therefore had seen His mother and the disciple standing
whom He loved, He saith to His mother: "Woman, behold thy son." After
that, He saith to the disciple: "Behold thy mother." And from that
hour, the disciple took her to his own.
OFFERTORY - Jeremiah 18: 24
Remember, O Virgin Mother, that thou
speak good things for us in the sight of God, that He turn away His wrath from
us.
SECRET
By Thy clemency, O Lord, and the
intercession of blessed Mary, ever a virgin, may this oblation profit us unto
eternal and also present well being and peace. Through our Lord.
Commemoration for the Feria
Be appeased, O Lord, by our humble
prayers, and favorably receive the offerings of Thy people: and that the
prayers of none be vain, no one petition void, grant, that what we ask
faithfully, we may obtain effectually. Through our Lord.
Octave St. John the Baptist
We heap Thine altars with gifts, O
Lord, celebrating with fitting honour the nativity of him who heralded the
coming of the Saviour, and pointed Him out when He had come, Our Lord Jesus Christ,
Thy Son: Who liveth and reigneth.
PREFACE OF BLESSED VIRGIN MARY
It is truly meet and just, right and
for our salvation, that we should at all times and in all places, give thanks
unto Thee, O holy Lord, Father almighty, everlasting God and that we should
praise and bless, and proclaim Thee, on the Visitation of the Blessed Mary,
ever Virgin: Who also conceived Thine only-begotten Son by the over-shadowing
of the Holy Ghost, and the glory of her virginity still abiding, gave forth to
the world the everlasting light, Jesus Christ our Lord. Through whom the angels
praise Thy Majesty, the Dominations worship it, and the Powers stand in awe.
The Heavens and the Heavenly hosts together with the blessed Seraphim in
triumphant chorus unite to celebrate it. Together with them we entreat Thee,
that Thou mayest bid our voices also to be admitted, while we say with lowly
praise:
COMMUNION
O Mary, ever Virgin, who because of
thy great worth, God set up as Queen of the whole world, pray for our peace and
salvation, for Thou hast brought forth Christ the Lord, the Savior of us all.
POSTCOMMUNION
May the august intercession of Mary,
Thy glorious Mother, ever-virgin, help us, O Lord, that those whom it hath
heaped with benefits it may deliver from all peril and by her tender kindness,
make to be of one mind. Who livest and reignest.
For the Commemoration for the Feria
We have been filled, Lord, with Thy
gifts: grant we beseech thee, that we may both be cleansed by their effects,
and defended by their aid. Through the same Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son.
Octave of the Nativity, St. John the Baptist
May Thy Church, O God, be joyful at
the birth of blessed John the Baptist: through whom she knew the Author of her
regeneration, our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son: Who with Thee livest and
reignest.
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