Saint of the Day: Our Lady of Perpetual Help

The story behind the celebration

+ The picture of “Our Lady of Perpetual Succour” is a Byantine icon written in the thirteenth century and housed in the Roman Church of Saint Alphonsus.

+ The image depicts the Mother of God holding the Divine Child while the archangels Michael and Gabriel show him the instruments of the Passion.

+ Once entrusted to the Order of Hermits of St. Augustine, the image and its devotion were entrusted to the Redemptorists by Blessed Pope Pius IX.

+ The image and the feast of Our Lady of Perpetual Help invite Christians to remember Mary’s maternal and protecting love and her unfailing intercession on behalf of those in need.

For reflection

“As the Council teaches, the Mother of God is the Christian's model in faith, love and perfect union with Christ; and in a special way she is the Mother and model of those who live the consecrated life.”—Pope Saint John Paul II

Spiritual bonus

On this day, the Church also celebrates the memory of the Bishop and Doctor of the Church Saint Cyril of Alexandria. A participant in the Council of Ephesus, he fought to defend the Church’s teachings of the two natures of Christ.

Prayer

Grant us, O merciful God,
protection in our weakness,
that we, who keep the Memorial of the holy Mother of God,
may, with the help of her intercession,
rise up from our iniquities.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever. Amen.

(From The Roman Missal: Common of the Blessed Virgin Mary)
Saint profiles prepared by Fr. Silas Henderson, S.D.S.