Have you ever noticed the number of Marian feasts in Advent? The Archdiocese of Denver has recognized them in a local tradition of Days of Prayer to Mary in one form or another since at least 1984. This arc of feast days in the middle of Advent is full of Marian feasts common to all Catholics and one particular to the Archdiocese of Denver.
The Archdiocese points out that “December is full of Mary’s radiant presence.” Their Days of Prayer starts with the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception on December 8, a natural place to start as we contemplate God’s plan for Mary’s life and how she was “conceived without sin.”
The next day is the feast day of St. Juan Diego on December 9, the man to whom Our Lady of Guadalupe appeared on Tepeyac Hill in Mexico.
December 10 is the feast day of Our Lady of Loreto. This title refers to the house in which Mary grew up and also where the Annunciation and Mary’s “yes” to God occurred.
Tradition has it that her house was moved (either by people or angels depending on who tells the story) from Palestine to Loreto, Italy, in the 13th century. This memorial holds special meaning for the Archdiocese of Denver as Our Lady of Loreto is the patroness of a parish in Foxfield, Colorado.
December 12 is the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, the patroness of the Americas. According to the Archdiocese, she is also considered a special patroness of their region, which includes “the Archdiocese of Denver and the Archdiocese of Santa Fe, embracing Colorado, Wyoming, New Mexico and Arizona.”
Completing what the Archdiocese calls a “Marian corridor” is a local Memorial of Our Lady of the New Advent, celebrated on December 16.
According to the Archdiocese, this is “a liturgical celebration found only here, reflecting our local devotion to Mary as the one who carried the Incarnate Word into the world.”
The Memorial developed from devotion to an icon that was written by Fr. William McNichols in the early 1990s and was recognized by St. Pope John Paul II during his visit to Denver in 1993.
The Our Lady of the New Advent icon shows Mary standing amidst the Rocky Mountains, bringing us the Christ child who is holding columbine flowers, Colorado’s state flower.
A prayer to Our Lady of the New Advent reads:
O Lady and Mother
of the One who was and is
and is to come,
dawn of the New Jerusalem,
we earnestly beseech you,
bring us by your intercession
so to live in love that the Church,
the Body of Christ,
may stand in this world’s dark
as fiery icon
of the New Jerusalem.We ask you to obtain for us
this mercy through Jesus Christ,
your Son and Lord,
who lives and reigns
with the Father
in the Holy Spirit,
one God forever and ever.
Amen.
After the memorial of Our Lady of the New Advent begins the O Antiphons on December 17, recognizing names for the Messiah in the days leading up to Christmas.
The Archdiocese of Denver’s Days of Prayer to Mary emphasizes this time of Advent when we recall Mary’s role in salvation history, saying yes to God’s plan for her life and carrying the Savior of the World in her womb.
The Archdiocese doesn’t celebrate the Days of Prayer to Mary with formalized events, but instead encourages Catholics to observe these days in a way of their choosing. Suggestions include praying a Hail Mary or decade of the Rosary daily; praying a Marian novena; attending an extra Mass during this time; or making a small sacrifice in honor of Mary.
The Archdiocese sums up the meaning of this special opportunity to draw closer to the Blessed Virgin Mary during these days of Advent, “Mary is the first disciple, the one who waited, pondered, trusted and welcomed Christ with her whole heart. When we enter the Days of Prayer to Mary, we walk with her through the mysteries of salvation, allowing her to help us anticipate the joy of Christmas with faith and tenderness.”
