Editorial Editorial text, pending human review. Sources are cited; no quotes are invented.
Immaculate Conception
From the first moment of her conception Mary was preserved free from all stain of original sin, by a singular grace of God in view of the merits of Jesus Christ.
Editorial Editorial text, pending human review. Sources are cited; no quotes are invented.
Titles of Our Lady
New Eve
By her obedience of faith Mary cooperated in the work of salvation, as the Fathers of the Church taught.
CCC 494; Lumen Gentium 56
Mother of the Church
Proclaimed by Paul VI in 1964; a memorial on the Monday after Pentecost since 2018.
CCC 963; JHN.19.26-27
Queen of Heaven
Mary is honored as Queen because she is the Mother of Christ the King; memorial of the Queenship on 22 August.
CCC 966; Pius XII, Ad Caeli Reginam (1954)
Ark of the Covenant
A title from the Litany of Loreto: Mary bore the Word made flesh within her.
CCC 2676; Litany of Loreto
Help of Christians
Invocation of the Litany of Loreto, traditionally linked to the victory of Lepanto (1571); Pius VII instituted the feast of Mary Help of Christians (24 May) in 1815.
Litany of Loreto; Catholic Encyclopedia (1907), “Help of Christians”
Star of the Sea
Ancient title (Stella Maris) sung in the hymn Ave Maris Stella.
Ave Maris Stella (9th century)
Apparitions approved by the Church
Church approval of an apparition means it is worthy of belief and may be honored; private revelations do not belong to the deposit of faith (CCC 67).
1531 · Tepeyac, Mexico
Our Lady of Guadalupe
Our Lady appeared to Juan Diego on the hill of Tepeyac in December 1531; her image on his tilma is venerated in the Basilica of Guadalupe.
Seers
Saint Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin
Source
Recognized by the Church; Juan Diego canonized in 2002.
Feast
December 12
1830 · Rue du Bac, Paris, France
Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal
Our Lady appeared to the novice Catherine Labouré and asked that a medal be struck, now known as the Miraculous Medal.
Seers
Saint Catherine Labouré
Source
Medal approved by the Archbishop of Paris (1832); Catherine canonized in 1947.
1846 · La Salette, France
Our Lady of La Salette
Two shepherd children reported an apparition of a weeping Lady calling to conversion.
Seers
Maximin Giraud, Mélanie Calvat
Source
Approved by the Bishop of Grenoble, 1851.
1858 · Lourdes, France
Our Lady of Lourdes
Eighteen apparitions to Bernadette at the grotto of Massabielle, from 11 February to 16 July 1858; the Lady named herself “the Immaculate Conception”.
Seers
Saint Bernadette Soubirous
Source
Approved by the Bishop of Tarbes, 1862.
Feast
February 11
1879 · Knock, Ireland
Our Lady of Knock
A silent apparition of Our Lady, Saint Joseph and Saint John beside an altar with a lamb, seen at the parish church.
Seers
Fifteen villagers
Source
Investigated by Church commissions (1879, 1936); a national Marian shrine.
1917 · Fátima, Portugal
Our Lady of Fatima
Six apparitions to three shepherd children from 13 May to 13 October 1917, asking for prayer of the Rosary and penance.
Seers
Lúcia dos Santos, Saints Francisco and Jacinta Marto
Source
Approved by the Bishop of Leiria, 1930; Francisco and Jacinta canonized in 2017.
Feast
May 13
1932–1933 · Beauraing, Belgium
Our Lady of Beauraing
Thirty-three apparitions of the Virgin with a golden heart to five children.
Seers
Five children
Source
Approved by the Bishop of Namur, 1949.
1933 · Banneux, Belgium
Our Lady of Banneux
Eight apparitions of the “Virgin of the Poor” to an eleven-year-old girl beside a spring.
Seers
Mariette Beco
Source
Approved by the Bishop of Liège, 1949.
1981–1989 · Kibeho, Rwanda
Our Lady of Kibeho
Apparitions to three schoolgirls as “Mother of the Word”, calling to prayer and conversion.
Seers
Alphonsine Mumureke, Nathalie Mukamazimpaka, Marie Claire Mukangango
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
Latin
Ave Maria, gratia plena, Dominus tecum. Benedicta tu in mulieribus, et benedictus fructus ventris tui, Iesus. Sancta Maria, Mater Dei, ora pro nobis peccatoribus, nunc et in hora mortis nostrae. Amen.
Hail, holy Queen, Mother of mercy, our life, our sweetness, and our hope! To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve; to thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears. Turn, then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us; and after this our exile show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus. O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary! V. Pray for us, O holy Mother of God. R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Latin
Salve, Regina, Mater misericordiae, vita, dulcedo, et spes nostra, salve. Ad te clamamus, exsules filii Hevae. Ad te suspiramus, gementes et flentes in hac lacrimarum valle. Eia ergo, advocata nostra, illos tuos misericordes oculos ad nos converte. Et Iesum, benedictum fructum ventris tui, nobis post hoc exsilium ostende. O clemens, O pia, O dulcis Virgo Maria. V. Ora pro nobis, sancta Dei Genetrix. R. Ut digni efficiamur promissionibus Christi.
Public domain Latin antiphon, 11th century. English and Spanish: traditional catechism wordings. Public domain.
Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thy intercession, was left unaided. Inspired by this confidence, I fly unto thee, O Virgin of virgins, my Mother; to thee do I come, before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in thy mercy hear and answer me. Amen.
Latin
Memorare, O piissima Virgo Maria, non esse auditum a saeculo, quemquam ad tua currentem praesidia, tua implorantem auxilia, tua petentem suffragia, esse derelictum. Ego tali animatus confidentia, ad te, Virgo Virginum, Mater, curro, ad te venio, coram te gemens peccator assisto. Noli, Mater Verbi, verba mea despicere; sed audi propitia et exaudi. Amen.
Public domain Traditional; popularized by Fr Claude Bernard (17th century). English and Spanish: 19th-century prayer-book wordings. Public domain.
V. The Angel of the Lord declared unto Mary. R. And she conceived of the Holy Ghost. Hail Mary… V. Behold the handmaid of the Lord. R. Be it done unto me according to thy word. Hail Mary… V. And the Word was made flesh. R. And dwelt among us. Hail Mary… V. Pray for us, O holy Mother of God. R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ. Let us pray. Pour forth, we beseech thee, O Lord, thy grace into our hearts; that we, to whom the Incarnation of Christ thy Son was made known by the message of an angel, may by his Passion and Cross be brought to the glory of his Resurrection. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.
Latin
V. Angelus Domini nuntiavit Mariae. R. Et concepit de Spiritu Sancto. Ave Maria… V. Ecce ancilla Domini. R. Fiat mihi secundum verbum tuum. Ave Maria… V. Et Verbum caro factum est. R. Et habitavit in nobis. Ave Maria… V. Ora pro nobis, sancta Dei Genetrix. R. Ut digni efficiamur promissionibus Christi. Oremus. Gratiam tuam, quaesumus, Domine, mentibus nostris infunde; ut qui, Angelo nuntiante, Christi Filii tui incarnationem cognovimus, per passionem eius et crucem ad resurrectionis gloriam perducamur. Per eundem Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen.
Queen of heaven, rejoice, alleluia. For he whom thou didst merit to bear, alleluia, hath risen, as he said, alleluia. Pray for us to God, alleluia. V. Rejoice and be glad, O Virgin Mary, alleluia. R. For the Lord hath risen indeed, alleluia. Let us pray. O God, who by the resurrection of thy Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, hast vouchsafed to give joy to the whole world; grant, we beseech thee, that through his Mother, the Virgin Mary, we may obtain the joys of everlasting life. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.
Latin
Regina caeli, laetare, alleluia. Quia quem meruisti portare, alleluia. Resurrexit, sicut dixit, alleluia. Ora pro nobis Deum, alleluia. V. Gaude et laetare, Virgo Maria, alleluia. R. Quia surrexit Dominus vere, alleluia. Oremus. Deus, qui per resurrectionem Filii tui, Domini nostri Iesu Christi, mundum laetificare dignatus es: praesta, quaesumus; ut per eius Genetricem Virginem Mariam, perpetuae capiamus gaudia vitae. Per eundem Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen.
Public domain Latin antiphon (12th century), said in Easter time in place of the Angelus. English and Spanish: traditional wordings. Public domain.
My soul doth magnify the Lord. And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. Because he hath regarded the humility of his handmaid; for behold from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. Because he that is mighty hath done great things to me; and holy is his name. And his mercy is from generation unto generations, to them that fear him. He hath shewed might in his arm: he hath scattered the proud in the conceit of their heart. He hath put down the mighty from their seat, and hath exalted the humble. He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away. He hath received Israel his servant, being mindful of his mercy: as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his seed for ever.
Latin
Magnificat anima mea Dominum, et exsultavit spiritus meus in Deo salutari meo, quia respexit humilitatem ancillae suae. Ecce enim ex hoc beatam me dicent omnes generationes, quia fecit mihi magna qui potens est, et sanctum nomen eius, et misericordia eius in progenies et progenies timentibus eum. Fecit potentiam in brachio suo, dispersit superbos mente cordis sui; deposuit potentes de sede et exaltavit humiles. Esurientes implevit bonis et divites dimisit inanes. Suscepit Israel puerum suum, recordatus misericordiae suae, sicut locutus est ad patres nostros, Abraham et semini eius in saecula.
Public domain Luke 1:46–55. Latin: Vulgate. English: Douay-Rheims (Challoner revision, 1752). Public domain. Spanish: open the passage in the reader (public-domain Spanish wording not yet verified).
