the presentation of our blessed virgin mary

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Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

• November 21
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Image:   Presentation of Mary in the Temple  | Alfonso Boschi | photo by sailko

Saint of the day for november 21.

The Story of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Mary’s presentation was celebrated in Jerusalem in the sixth century. A church was built there in honor of this mystery. The Eastern Church was more interested in the feast, but it does appear in the West in the 11th century. Although the feast at times disappeared from the calendar, in the 16th century it became a feast of the universal Church.

As with Mary’s birth, we read of Mary’s presentation in the temple only in apocryphal literature. In what is recognized as an unhistorical account, the  Protoevangelium of James  tells us that Anna and Joachim offered Mary to God in the Temple when she was 3 years old. This was to carry out a promise made to God when Anna was still childless.

Though it cannot be proven historically, Mary’s presentation has an important theological purpose. It continues the impact of the feasts of the Immaculate Conception and of the birth of Mary. It emphasizes that the holiness conferred on Mary from the beginning of her life on earth continued through her early childhood and beyond.

It is sometimes difficult for modern Westerners to appreciate a feast like this. The Eastern Church, however, was quite open to this feast and even somewhat insistent about celebrating it. Even though the feast has no basis in history, it stresses an important truth about Mary: From the beginning of her life, she was dedicated to God. She herself became a greater temple than any made by hands. God came to dwell in her in a marvelous manner and sanctified her for her unique role in God’s saving work. At the same time, the magnificence of Mary enriches her children. They—we—too are temples of God and sanctified in order that we might enjoy and share in God’s saving work.

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Feast of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Feast day: Nov 21

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Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

The Memorial of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Temple recalls – according to the apocryphal gospels, the day on which Mary, while still a child, was brought to the temple in Jerusalem to be offered to God. The Church wants to emphasize not so much the historical event in itself, of which there is no trace in the Gospels, but the total gift that Mary made of herself, by listening: “ Blessed are those who hear the Word of God and observe it” (Lk. 11:28). This experience prepared the young girl from Nazareth to become the “temple of the Son of God”.

The celebration of this feast dates back to the 6 th century in the East with the dedication of the Basilica of Saint Mary the New built by the Emperor Justinian I near the ruins of the temple in Jerusalem. There is evidence that various monasteries in Italy celebrated the feast in the 9 th century. It was not until the 15 th century that it was included in the Roman Missal.

This is also the on which the Church celebrates the World Day of Cloistered Life, established by Pope Pius XII in 1953.

While he was still speaking to the people, behold, his mother and his brothers stood outside, asking to speak to him. But he replied to the man who told him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother, and sister, and mother”. (Mt. 12:46-50)

Bonds of love, not of blood

For the Memorial of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the liturgy proposes the passage from Matthew that speaks about how we are “related” to Jesus. It is a relationship not formed by blood, but by imitation: “ Whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother, and sister, and mother”. To become a member of “His family”, one must do so not by blood or belonging to a particular religion. Rather, it is a free and personal choice that translates into a commitment to do the will of the Father.

Mary, the first disciple

Confirming what has just been said, Jesus Himself said this in responding thus to a woman who was praising His Mother: “ ‘ Blessed is the womb that carried you and the breasts at which you nursed.’ He replied, ‘Rather, blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it.’ ” Mary is the woman who knows how to listen, who knows how to contemplate, who knows how to refer everything to her Son – “ Do whatever He tells you” (Jn. 2:5). Mary is the One who never abandoned her Son Jesus, not even along the way of the Cross. She “stood” under the Cross. She is a disciple who never abandons the Lord Jesus, who always “stands behind” Him.

Mary, model for Christians

All of this can help us imitate the Virgin Mary. Every Christian is called to look at Mary so as to learn from her, to entrust themselves to her intercession and to guard the “purity of the faith” against any idols that surround us.

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.

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The Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

When Mary was asked to be the mother of the Savior, she was completely free to accept or reject the offer. Her response, “Let it be done to me,” was a great act of faith. Because she did not understand what was happening, she must have known that there would be difficulties ahead.

She replied yes to the angel's announcement and agreed to become the mother of Jesus, and the Church has declared Mary to be the Mother of God. Because she was the first to say yes to the Messiah, the Church has declared her to be the Mother of the Church.

The feast of the presentation of Mary dates back to the 6th century in the East and the 15th century in the West. It is based on an ancient tradition that says Mary was taken to the temple in Jerusalem when she was 3-years-old and dedicated to God. What we celebrate on this day is the fact that God chose to dwell in Mary in a very special way. In response, Mary placed her whole self at the service of God. Every moment since your Baptism, God invites you to be open to his grace and dedicate yourself to him, as Mary did.

from Saints and Feast Days , by Sisters of Notre Dame of Chardon, Ohio

Image credit: Presentation of Mary by Titian, 1538. Public Domain via Wikimedia.

This Week's Stories

Saint philip neri, saint augustine of canterbury, bernard of montjoux, saint joan of arc, 1412-1431.

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The Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Religious parents never fail by devout prayer to consecrate their children to the divine service and love, both before and after their birth. Some amongst the Jews, not content with this general consecration of their children, offered them to God in their infancy, by the hands of the priests in the temple, to be lodged in apartments belonging to the temple, and brought up in attending the priests and Levites in the sacred ministry. It is an ancient tradition, that the Blessed Virgin Mary was thus solemnly offered to God in the temple in her infancy. This festival of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin, or, as it is often called by the Greeks, the entrance of the Blessed Virgin into the Temple, is mentioned in the most ancient Greek Menologies extant.

By the consecration which the Blessed Virgin made of herself to God in the first use which she made of her reason, we are admonished of the most important and strict obligation which all persons lie under, of an early dedication of themselves to the divine love and service. It is agreed amongst all masters of Christian morality, that everyone is bound in the first moral instant of the use of reason to convert his heart to God by love; and if divine faith be then duly proposed to him (which is the case of Christian children) by a supernatural assent to it, he is bound then to make an act of faith; also an act of hope in God as a supernatural rewarder and helper, and an act of divine charity. Who can be secure that in the very moment in which he entered into his moral life and was capable of living to God, did not stain his innocence by a capital omission of this duty? How diligent and solicitous are parents bound to be in instructing their children in the first fundamental mysteries of faith, and in the duty of prayer, and in impressing upon their tender minds a sense of spiritual things in a manner in which their age may be capable of receiving it. These first fruits of the heart are a sacrifice of which God is infinitely jealous, an emblem of which were all the sacrifices of first fruits prescribed in the old law, in token that he is our beginning and last end. Such a heart, adorned with the baptismal grace of innocence, has particular charms. Grace recovered by penance is not like that of innocence which has never been defiled; nor is it the same happiness for a soul to return to God from the slavery of sin, as for one to give him her first affections, and to open her understanding and will to his love before the world has found any entrance there. The tender soul of Mary was then adorned with the most precious graces, an object of astonishment and praise to the angels, and of the highest complacence to the adorable Trinity, the Father looking upon her as his beloved daughter, the Son, as one chosen and prepared to become his mother, and the Holy Ghost as his darling spouse.

Her first presentation to God, made by the hands of her parents and by her own devotion, was then an offering most acceptable in his sight. Let our consecration of ourselves to God be made under her patronage, and assisted by her powerful intercession and the union of her merits. If we have reason to fear that we criminally neglected this duty at the first dawning of our reason, or, if we have since been unfaithful to our sacred baptismal engagements, such is the mercy and goodness of our gracious God, that he disdains not our late offerings. But that these may be accepted by him, we must first prepare the present he requires of us, that is, our hearts. They must be washed and cleansed in the sacred laver of Christ's adorable blood, by means of sincere compunction and penance; and all inordinate affections must be pared away by our perfectly renouncing in spirit, honours, riches, and pleasures, and being perfectly disengaged from creatures, and ready to do and suffer all for God, that we may be entirely his, and that neither the world nor pride, nor any irregular passion may have any place in us. What secret affections to this or that creature lurk in our souls, which hinder us from being altogether his, unless they are perfectly cut off or reformed! This Mary did by spending her youth in holy retirement, at a distance from the commerce and corruption of the world, and by the most assiduous application to all the duties and exercises of a religious and interior life. Mary was the first who set up the standard of virginity; and, by consecrating it by a perpetual vow to our Lord, she opened the way to all virgins who have since followed her example. They, in particular, ought to take her for their special patroness, and, as her life was the most perfect model of their state, they ought always to have her example before their eyes, and imitate her in prayer, humility, modesty, silence, and retirement.

Mary lived retired until she was introduced into the world and espoused to St. Joseph. Some think her espousals were at first only a promise or betrothing: but the ends assigned by the fathers, seem rather to show them to have been a marriage. These are summed up by St. Jerome as follows: that by the pedigree of Joseph, the descent of Mary from the tribe of Juda, might be demonstrated; that she might not be stoned by the Jews as an adulteress; that, fleeing into Egypt, she might have the comfort and protection of a spouse. A fourth reason, says St. Jerome, is added by the martyr Ignatius: that the birth of the Son of God might be concealed from the devil. The words of that apostolic father are: "Three mysteries wrought by God in silence were concealed from the prince of this world. the virginity of Mary, the bringing forth of her Son, and the death of the Lord." Not that God could fear any impediment to his designs from the devil; but he was pleased to effect these mysteries in silence and without worldly show and noise, that pride and hell might, by his all-wise and sweet providence, be more meetly triumphed over, whilst the devil himself hastened his own overthrow by concurring to the mystery of the cross. From the marriage of the Blessed Virgin and St. Joseph, St. Austin shows that marriage requires no more than the mutual consent of the will between parties who lie under no impediment or inability to an indissoluble individual society of life. In this holy marriage we admire the incomparable chastity of Mary and Joseph; and the sanctity and honour, as well as the patronage and example, which that holy state receives from this mystery. In certain particular churches the espousals of the Virgin Mary and St. Joseph are honoured with an office on the 23rd of January.

Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Novena

Sts Joachim and Ann presented their daughter, the Blessed Virgin Mary, in the Temple in Jerusalem when she was a little girl, consecrating her to God. Pray this novena for consecrating your children to God through Our Lady’s intercession.

You can pray the full Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Novena below.

Day 1 Prayer

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Intro Prayer

O great Virgin and dear Mother! by the marvelous promptitude with which you dedicated your earliest years to the service of God, obtain that we may from this time forward be enabled to consecrate our hearts to the divine service without ever being diverted from our purpose. Pray one Hail Mary now. O great Virgin and dear Mother! by that seraphic zeal with which in your childhood you served in the temple, thereby becoming an object of admiration to angels and men, obtain for us that we may approach the holy Sacraments with the true spirit of devotion. Pray one Hail Mary now. O great Virgin and dear Mother! by the admirable courage with which you subdued your attachment to home and parents, in your first years of life, that you might devote yourself to the service of God, obtain for us that, no longer seduced by the deceits of our enemies, we may be able to keep our hearts detached from all earthly things, seeking for our true and perfect good alone, and may enjoy one day with you the eternal delights of Paradise. Pray one Hail Mary now.

Concluding Prayer

Our Father Hail Mary Glory Be Blessed Mother, pray for us!

Day 2 Prayer

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More About Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Read more about the patron saint of consecrating your children to God through Our Lady's intercession on the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Saint Page .

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Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

November 21: Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary—Memorial

Liturgical Color: White

Quote: And the child was three years old, and Joachim said: Invite the daughters of the Hebrews that are undefiled, and let them take each a lamp, and let them stand with the lamps burning, that the child may not turn back, and her heart be captivated from the temple of the Lord. And they did so until they went up into the temple of the Lord. And the priest received her, and kissed her, and blessed her, saying: The Lord has magnified your name in all generations. In you, on the last of the days, the Lord will manifest His redemption to the sons of Israel. And he set her down upon the third step of the altar, and the Lord God sent grace upon her; and she danced with her feet, and all the house of Israel loved her. And her parents went down marveling, and praising the Lord God, because the child had not turned back. And Mary was in the temple of the Lord as if she were a dove that dwelt there, and she received food from the hand of an angel. ~Protoevangelium of James

Reflection: There are three “gospels” which are believed to have heavily influenced today’s memorial—the Protoevangelium of James, the Gospel of Pseudo-Matthew, and the Gospel of the Nativity of Mary. The earliest of these writings was the Protoevangelium of James (also called the “Apocryphal Gospel of James”), which was most likely written sometime in the second century. It is not considered to be part of the inspired word of God, i.e., the canon of Scripture, because it does not appear to have actually been written by the Apostle James. Nonetheless, like many early Christian documents, this apocryphal gospel held great influence in the early Church. It is from this writing that the Church takes the traditional names of the Blessed Virgin Mary’s parents—Saints Joachim and Anne—since that is the only record of their names we have.

The Protoevangelium of James gives a detailed account of the Blessed Virgin Mary’s life. It details her Immaculate Conception, birth, presentation in the Temple, and her life in the Temple where she prayed continuously and was ministered to by angels until the age of twelve. The story continues with her miraculously arranged marriage to Saint Joseph, Jesus’ birth, Herod’s encounter with the Magi, the slaughter of the Holy Innocents, and the martyrdom of Zechariah, Saint John the Baptist’s father. Though the Apocryphal Gospel of James does not contradict anything in the canonical Gospels, many more details are added that could be true.

At the time of the birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary, it was not uncommon for some children to be presented in the Temple at a young age, to be raised there, and to enter into service at the Temple. They assisted the priests and acted as servants of charity. Though every firstborn boy was ritually presented to the priest in the Temple eight days after birth so as to be consecrated to God, sometimes girls were also presented, but for the purpose of entering into the Temple’s service. Saint Alphonsus Liguori, an eighteenth-century Doctor of the Church who wrote extensively on the Blessed Virgin Mary, offers this description of her presentation in the Temple, which mirrors the aforementioned apocryphal gospel accounts:

Having barely reached the age of three years, the holy child Mary entreated her parents that she might be placed in the temple according to the promise they had made. The appointed day having arrived, the immaculate young Virgin left Nazareth with St. Joachim and St. Anne, accompanied by a host of angels attending that holy child destined to become the mother of their Creator…Upon their arrival at the temple in Jerusalem, the holy child turned to her parents. Kneeling, she kissed their hands, asked for their blessing, and then, without looking back, ascended the steps of the temple. There, renouncing the world and all it could offer her, she wholly offered and consecrated herself to God. From then on, Mary’s life in the temple was a continuous exercise of love, offering her entire being to her Lord…As a young virgin in the temple, Mary did nothing but pray, desiring to be the servant of the blessed Virgin chosen to be the mother of God ( Glories of Mary , On the Feast of the Presentation of Mary).

It is believed that this feast originated in the Eastern Byzantine liturgy around the sixth century at the time that Byzantine Roman Emperor Justinian I built a church in Jerusalem near the ruins of the Temple called the Basilica of Saint Mary the New. By the ninth century, several monasteries in the Latin Church began to observe this feast, and it was added to the Universal Church calendar in the fifteenth century. 

In 1953, Pope Pius XII tied this memorial of the Presentation of Mary to an annual commemoration of the World Day of Cloistered Life. He did so because of the belief that the Blessed Virgin Mary was not only presented in the Temple as a child, she then lived out her childhood in constant prayer and solitude, becoming the most excellent model for those in the cloister.

In 1974, Pope Saint Paul VI wrote a beautiful apostolic exhortation, Marialis Cultus (For the Right Ordering and Development of Devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary) , in which he speaks of the development of Marian devotion in the life of the Church. Regarding feasts like today’s, which come to us in part from apocryphal sources, he says, “There are still others [feasts] which, apart from their apocryphal content, present lofty and exemplary values and carry on venerable traditions having their origin especially in the East.”

As we celebrate the liturgical memorial of the Presentation of Mary in the Temple, we especially honor the fact that, regardless of the lack of certainty of the historical details, the Blessed Virgin Mary lived a life of profound prayer and contemplation from her earliest years and continued to do so throughout her life. She always has been, and continues to be, the Immaculate One, the sinless Spouse of the Holy Spirit, the first contemplative, and one who dedicated her whole life to the service of the will of God. Even if the account of her presentation and childhood service in the Temple is not accurately represented in these early sources, the spiritual reality of her total dedication to the will of God throughout her life is an indisputable dogma of our faith.

As we ponder the early life and dedication of the Blessed Virgin Mary to God’s will today, reflect upon the fact that every child is capable of a profound faith and commitment to God’s will. For those who are entrusted with the guardianship and raising of children, allow your prayerful reflection on the holy life of Blessed Mary as a child to inspire you to help all young people imitate her profound faith and holiness.

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Our feast today is known in the Western Roman Catholic Church as the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary and in the Eastern Churches as the Entry of the Most Holy Theotokos into the Temple.

It is a Catholic Liturgical feast celebrated on November 21 every year.

This feast is not derived from the New Testament of the Holy Bible but from the Protoevangelium of James , which was discovered in the 2nd century AD.

In this writing, James says that Mary’s parents, Joachim and Anne , were old, and wealthy but childless. After much prayer and fasting, they received a message from heaven that they would be blessed with a child.

The couple were blessed with a daughter and named her Mary, and after three years, in thanksgiving , they consecrated her to God and took her to the temple of the Lord in Jerusalem and remained there. This was after they had made a vow to dedicate their child to God if they were blessed with one.

The Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the temple is likened to that of Samuel who was offered as a gift to God and presented to the temple by her mother Hannah, who was also barren.

Mary remained in the temple until she was 12 years when she was taken under the care of St Joseph . It is said that her father Joachim died when she was 6 years and her mother died when she was eight years old.

This feast of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary was first held in the Eastern Church around the 6th century but the Western Roman Catholic Church did not embrace it until the 15th century.

The feast started to be celebrated by the Byzantines after the dedication of the newly-built Basilica of Saint Mary in 543 AD in Jerusalem. However, the basilica was destroyed during the Siege of Jerusalem in 614 AD.

Even after the siege, the Eastern Church continued to celebrate the feast. In 1372, Pope Gregory XI introduced this feast to the Roman Catholic Church, and in 1472 it was included in the Roman Missal.

However, in 1568, Pope Pius V suppressed this feast but it was reintroduced in 1585 by Pope Sixtus V.

The feast of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary signifies the lifelong and total devotion that Mary made to God through her Immaculate Conception.

She listened to the voice of God while still in her childhood and agreed to become the temple of Jesus Christ, the Son of God .

Related Links

• Catholic Daily Readings for The Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, 2nd February 2020, Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A – Sunday Homily
• Catholic Daily Mass Readings for February 2 2024, Friday, Feast of the Presentation of the Lord – Homily
• Presentation of the Lord at the Temple – Luke 2:22-40
• Bible Verse of the Day for April 2 2023 – Palm Sunday, Jesus Enters Jerusalem in Jubilation
• 2nd February 2019: Feast of the Presentation of the Lord Year C

Saints Whose Feast Days are in November

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Memorial of the Presentation of the Virgin Mary

Lectionary: 680

Below are the readings suggested for today's Memorial. However, readings for the Memorial may also be taken from the Common of the Blessed Virgin Mary, #707-712.  

Responsorial Psalm

Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

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How Do We Know About the Presentation of Mary?

When we celebrate the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we give honor and respect to the Purest Virgin, who is an example for all of us in our struggle for holiness

It’s easy to conceptualize the Presentation of the Lord because we find it in Scripture. Luke’s Gospel tells of the Holy Family’s journey to the Temple when Jesus was 8 days old. According to Jewish custom, Jesus was to be circumcised and Mary purified. There Mary and Joseph meet the prophets Anna and Simeon, who recognized the Child as the Messiah who would bring about the fall and rise of many, become a sign of contradiction and the cause of a sword that would one day pierce Mary’s heart. We celebrate the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord annually on Feb. 2.

The Presentation of Mary, however, is not found in Scripture. Instead, we learn about Mary’s presentation from accounts that have come to us from apostolic times. What we know is found mainly in Chapter 7 of the Protoevangelium of James , which has been dated by historians before the year A.D. 200.

The Protoevangelium of James was ostensibly written by the apostle of the same name. It gives a detailed account in which Mary’s father, Joachim, tells his wife, Anna, that he wishes to bring their daughter to the Temple and consecrate her to God. Anna responds that they should wait until Mary is 3 years old so that she will not need her parents as much. On the agreed day for Mary to be taken to the Temple, Hebrew virgins accompanied the family with burning lamps. The Temple priest received Mary, kissed her, and blessed her. According to James’ writing, the priest then proclaimed, “The Lord has magnified thy name in all generations. In thee, the Lord will manifest his redemption to the sons of Israel.” After that, Mary was placed on the third step of the Temple and danced with joy. All the House of Israel loved Mary, and she was nurtured from then on in the Temple while her parents returned to their Nazareth home, glorifying God.

The celebration of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary grew slowly over the years. On Nov. 21, 543, Emperor Justinian dedicated a church to Mary in the Temple area of Jerusalem. Many of the early church Fathers celebrated this feast day, such as St. Germanus and St. John Damascene. In 1373, it was formally celebrated in Avignon, France, and in 1472, Pope Sixtus IV extended it to the universal Church. The Byzantine Church considers Mary’s Presentation one of the 12 great feasts of the liturgical year.

In 1974, Pope Paul VI wrote about this feast in his encyclical Marialis Cultus , saying, “despite its apocryphal content, it presents lofty and exemplary values and carries on the venerable traditions having their origins in the Eastern churches.”

The Memorial of the Presentation of Mary has been noted in the Church since its early years and yet is easily forgotten or misunderstood. Since it’s classified as a memorial and not a solemnity or holy day of obligation, it doesn’t draw much attention to itself other than a special opening prayer in the Mass. With this memorial, we celebrate the fact that God chose to dwell in Mary in a unique way. In response, she placed her whole self at his service. By our Baptism, God invites us, too, into his service.

But there’s more to celebrating the Presentation of Mary! This feast gives us cause for great joy since Mary is truly our Mother, given to us by Christ as he hung dying on the Cross. Because we are part of her Son’s body, she loves us with as much devotion and tenderness as she loves Jesus. When we celebrate Mary’s Presentation, we are giving Mary the honor she deserves and witnessing to her perfect purity as the Virgin of Nazareth, the Mother of God, and our Mother.

Sts. Joachim and Anne surrendered their only daughter to God so that she would be completely free to follow his holy will. Although they loved her dearly, they knew that in the Temple Mary would always be near the Holy of Holies, surrounded by an atmosphere of godliness and grace. She would be instructed in Scripture and the history of the Jewish people. She would be under the guardianship and tutelage of the holy women of the Temple who had given their lives to God. One of them, Scripture scholars believe, was Anna — the woman who prophesied at the Presentation of Our Lord. In the Temple, Mary would be completely focused on God and well prepared for becoming the Mother of the Savior and Mother of the Body of Christ.

When we celebrate the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we remember the tremendous sacrifice Sts. Joachim and Anne made for our sakes. We give honor and respect to the Purest Virgin, who is an example for all of us in our struggle for holiness. It is a privilege and an opportunity to express our gratitude for the gift of a pure, tender and always-loving Mother.

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Marge Fenelon Marge Steinhage Fenelon is an award-winning author, international speaker, and professional life coach. She has written several books on Marian devotion and Catholic spirituality. As life coach, she is passionate about helping others grow personally and spiritually. Her podcast, Simply Holy, airs on many popular podcast platforms. Learn more about Marge at MargeFenelon.com .

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• The Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
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The Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, celebrated every year on November 21, commemorates (in the words of the Liturgy of the Hours, the daily prayer of the Roman Rite of the Catholic Church) "that dedication of herself which Mary made to God from her very childhood under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit who filled her with grace at her Immaculate Conception." Also known as the Dedication of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the feast originated in the East, where it is called the Entry of the Most Holy Theotokos Into the Temple.

Quick Facts

• Date: November 21.
• Type of Feast:
• Readings: Revelation 4:1-11; Psalm 150:1b-2, 3-4, 5-6; Luke 19:11-28 (full text here)
• Prayers: The Hail Mary
• Other Names for the Feast: The Dedication of the Blessed Virgin Mary; The Presentation of Mary; The Entry of the Most Holy Theotokos Into the Temple

Jewish law required the ritual dedication of first-born sons to God in the Temple. It is probable that a similar custom, if not a law, called for Jewish girls to also be so dedicated. It is the likely presentation of the child Mary in such a ceremony that we celebrate today.

"Sacred Scripture contains no text concerning the event commemorated in today's liturgy. For something of a historical background one may consult the apocryphal works, particularly the  Protoevangel of St. James  (ch. 4:1ff). After an angel had revealed her pregnancy, Anna is said to have vowed her future child Mary to the Lord. Soon after birth the infant was brought to the sacred precincts at which only the best of Israel's daughters were admitted. At the age of three she was transferred to the temple proper (7:2). According to legend, here she was reared like a dove and received her nourishment from the hand of an angel (8:1).

As we venerate the glorious memory of the most holy Virgin Mary, grant, we pray, O Lord, through her intercession, that we, too, may merit to receive from the fullness of your grace. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

From: Learn Religion , Divine Mercy and Catholic Culture web sites.

Written by St. Margaret Mary Catholic Church

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The Feast of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, celebrated annually on November 21st, commemorates the presentation of the Blessed Virgin as a child by her parents in the Temple in Jerusalem. Before Mary’s birth, her parents received a heavenly message that they would bear a child. In thanksgiving for the God’s gift of Mary’s birth, they brought her to the Temple to consecrate their only daughter to The Lord.The celebration of the Feast is first documented in the 11th century within the Byzantine Catholic Church. It was introduced into the Roman Catholic Church in the 15th century by Pope Gregory XI, then removed from the calendar by Pope Pius V in the mid 16th century. Pope Sixtus V later reestablished the feast in 1585, and it is still celebrated today, commemorating the faith of her parents, Joachim and Anne, and the purity of Mary.

Prayer for the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

As we venerate the glorious memory of the most holy Virgin Mary, grant,

we pray, O Lord, through her intercession, that we, too, may merit to receive the fullness of your grace.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.

A prayer to Our Lady to celebrate the Feast of her Presentation in the Temple, by St Alphonsus Liguori from ‘the Glories of Mary’

Oh holy Lady know that already through thy prayers the Son of God is hastening to come and redeem the world, and know that thou art the blessed one chosen to be the Mother of God, most holy Child, thou prayest for all, pray also for me. Thou hast consecrated thyself wholly even from infancy to the love of thy God. Obtain for me at least during the remaining years of my life that I may live for God alone. Today, together with thee, I renounce all creatures, and consecrate myself to the love of my Lord. I also offer myself to thee, oh my queen to serve thee forever. Accept me for thy special servant and obtain for me the grace to be faithful to thee and to thy Son, so that I may come one day to praise thee and love thee in paradise. Amen.

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 to 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.

Prayer to the Blessed Virgin Mary

O blessed Virgin Mary! who can duly thank thee, or herald forth thy praises, who, by the assent of thy single will, didst rescue a fallen world? What honor can be paid to thee by our weak human nature, which, by thy intervention alone, hath found the way to return to grace and life? Accept then, such poor thanks as we have here to offer, unequal to thy merits though they be; and, accepting our good desires, obtain by thy prayers the remission of our offenses. Graciously hear our prayers, and obtain for us the remedy of reconciliation.

May the offering we make to God through thee, through thee be acceptable in his sight; and may that be granted which we ask with trustful heart. Accept our offerings, grant us our petitions, banish our fears; for thou art the sole hope of sinners. Through thee we hope for forgiveness of our sins; and in thee, most blessed Lady, is the hope of our reward.

Holy Mary, succor the wretched, help the fainthearted, comfort the sorrowful, pray for the people, shield the clergy, intercede for holy women; let all who celebrate thy holy commemoration feel thy protection. Be thou at hand, ready to aid our prayers, and obtain for us what we desire. Make it thy care, blessed Lady, to intercede ever for the people of God–thou who didst deserve to bear the Redeemer of the world, who liveth and reigneth, forever and ever. Amen.

Prayer on Presentation of Mary

Eternal Father, we honor the holiness and glory of the Virgin Mary. May her prayers bring us the fullness of your life and love. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

Prayer for the Feast of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

O God, Who didst will that on this day the blessed ever Virgin Mary, the dwelling-place of the Holy Ghost, should be presented in the temple: grant, we beseech Thee, that through her intercession, we may be made worthy to be presented in the temple of Thy glory. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, one God, world without end. Amen.

Short Prayer on the Presentation of Mary

Heavenly Father, the Blessed Virgin Mary was dedicated to You by her parents when she was three. In the temple, she joined the girls who spent their days praying, reading Scripture, and serving the temple priests. Her holiness was very evident, and the high priest thought that You probably had great plans for her. I ask Mary to pray for the plans You have for my life. Where I have strayed onto a road of my own choosing, give me her hand to guide me back to where You want me. Where I need to wait for a new plan to begin, give me the grace remain patient and say, “Your will be done.” Blessed Virgin Mary, pray for me. Amen.

Novena for the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

This Novena begins November 13th and ends November 21st, the Feast of Presentation of the Blessed virgin Mary.

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen

1. O great Virgin and dear Mother! by the marvellous promptitude with which you dedicated your earliest years to the service of God, obtain that we may from this time forward be enabled to consecrate our hearts to the divine service without ever being diverted from our purpose. Pray one Ave Maria

2. O great Virgin and dear Mother! by that seraphic zeal with which in your childhood you served in the temple, thereby becoming an object of admiration to angels and men, obtain for us that we may approach the holy Sacraments with the true spirit of devotion. Pray one Ave Maria

3. O great Virgin and dear Mother! by the admirable courage with which you subdued your attachment to home and parents, in your first years of life, that you might devote yourself to the service of God, obtain for us that, no longer seduced by the deceits of our enemies, we may be able to keep our hearts detached from all earthly things, seeking for our true and perfect good alone, and may enjoy one day with you the eternal delights of Paradise. Pray one Ave Maria

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.

Novena in Honor of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

(Beginning November 12)

[i. 300 Days each day. ii. Plenary on the Feast or during the Octave. I, II, IV. (See Instructions, p. 1.)]

1st, 4th and 7th Days – November 12, 15, and 18

Mary, Mother of God, tradition tells us that when you were three years of age, your parents, Joachim and Anne, took you to the Temple in Jerusalem to fulfill their vow. The holy couple offered you to God by the ministry of the priest in charge, who invoked the blessing of God upon you and your parents. How fervently your mother and father thanked God for having given you to them and begged Him to accept the offering that they were making! They then left a small offering of silver required by the Law of Moses.

What a beautiful example for parents to imitate! Their children also belong to God, for they are His gift. Teach parents to care for their children as God’s sacred trust, to guard them from sin and to lead them in the way of virtue. May they consider it to be the greatest privilege bestowed upon them by God to dedicate their sons and daughters to His holy service. Help them to become worthy of this blessing through their own prayers and good example.

Mary, my Mother, your first presentation to God, made by the hands of your parents, was an offering most acceptable in His sight. Let my consecration of myself to God be made under your patronage and assisted by your intercession and in union with your merits. Amen.

Then follows Pater, Ave, Gloria Patri, and the Litany of Loreto, Memorare, and Act of Consecration.

Mary, Mother of God, and Mother of Mercy, pray for me and the departed.

2nd, 5th, and 8th Days – November 13, 16, and 19

Mary, Mother of God, already in your childhood you dedicated yourself to the love and service of God. Led by divine inspiration to His house, you prepared yourself for your sublime dignity of Divine Motherhood in silence and solitude with God. Though the designs of God were unknown to you, you nevertheless detached your heart from the world in order to give all your love to God.

Consecrated to the Lord, you may have remained in the Temple until the age of 12. When you later returned to your home, you were under the loving care of your mother, Saint Anne. With her you loved to sing the psalms and canticles of the inspired authors of your nation. From Anne you heard the touching story of the Chosen People. You learned to read the sacred books by yourself and tried to penetrate their hidden meaning. You often discussed the coming of the Messiah, since you knew He would be of your race and family.

Mary, my Mother, you were laying the foundation of that hidden life in which, by the practice of the highest virtues, you were to reach that sublime degree of holiness to which you were predestined as Mother of the Son of God and Mother of all the souls for whom He was to die. Attentive to the voice of the Holy Spirit, you diligently gathered up all His lessons, preserving them in your soul with zealous care. Amen.

3rd, 6th and 9th Days – November 14, 17, and 20

Mary, Mother of God, may the perfect gift of yourself to God through love in your presentation in the temple be an inspiration to me. You loved God with your whole heart and mind and strength. Obtain for me the grace to love God with my whole heart—so that all the love my heart is capable of may be consecrated to Him, and all other affection subordinated to the love I owe God.

Help me to love God with my whole soul—so that all the faculties of my soul may be consecrated to Him, and that I may make use of them only to make Him known, loved and served.

Help me to love God with my whole mind—so that my mind may be habitually occupied with God and that I may value His good pleasure above everything else, above my convenience, above all earthly treasures, above all knowledge and friendship, above health and life.

Help me to love God with my whole strength—so that I may consecrate undividedly, unreservedly and continually to His service, my life, my health and all I am and have.

Mary, my Mother, pray that the love of God above all things and detachment from the world and its false pleasures, may also make my soul the temple of the living God. After your example, I desire to be known to God and unknown to men, to possess God and to be forgotten by creatures. May God dwell in me and may I live to Him alone through frequent Holy Communion and still more frequent prayer so that God may direct my whole life—my thoughts, words and actions—to His greater honor and glory. Amen.

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A Novena for the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Mary, the New Temple of the Lord

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This Novena for the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary calls to mind a central theme of the feast of the  Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary  (November 21): that Mary is the new Temple, in whom God has come to dwell in the person of Jesus Christ.

This novena  is particularly appropriate to pray in the nine days leading up to the feast of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Begin the novena on November 12 to end it on November 20, the eve of the feast. Like any novena, however, it can be prayed at any time of the year, when you have a special favor to ask of the Blessed Virgin .

Novena for the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Gracious and lovable art thou in thy splendor, O holy Mother of God! Show me thy countenance. Let thy words sound in my ears, for thy voice is sweet and thy countenance is beautiful. Turn to us in thy beauty and loveliness! Come forth in majesty and reign!

O blessed Mother of God, Mary ever Virgin, Temple of the Lord, sanctuary of the Holy Ghost, thou alone, without an equal, hast pleased our Lord Jesus Christ!

Blessed indeed art thou, O holy Virgin Mary, and most worthy of all praise, for from thee arose the Sun of Justice, Christ our Lord. Draw us, O Immaculate Virgin; we shall come after thee, breathing the sweet fragrance of thy virtues! 

[Here state your petition.]

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 to 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.

Definitions of Words Used in the Novena

Here are the meanings of words used in the Novena for the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary that you might not be familiar with:

• Gracious: filled with grace , the supernatural life of God within our souls
• Thou: You (singular, as the subject of a sentence)
• Splendor: magnificence and grandeur
• Countenance: a person's face
• Majesty: royal power
• Reign: to rule
• Blessed: holy
• Ever Virgin: always a virgin, both before and after the birth of Jesus Christ
• Temple of the Lord: containing Christ in her womb, similar to the Ark of the Covenant or the tabernacle that holds the Eucharistic Body of Christ
• Sanctuary: a holy place
• Holy Ghost: another name for the Holy Spirit, less commonly used today than in the past
• Thee: You (as the object of a preposition)
• Immaculate: free from sin
• Fled:  normally, to run from something; in this case, though, it means to run to the Blessed Virgin for safety
• Implored:  asked or begged sincerely or desperately
• Intercession:  intervening on behalf of someone else
• Unaided:  without help
• Virgin of virgins:  the most saintly of all virgins; the virgin who is the example for all others
• The Word Incarnate:  Jesus Christ, the Word of God made flesh
• Despise:  look down on, spurn
• Petitions:  requests; prayers
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Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Following the Annunciation in which the angel Gabriel came to Mary and pronounced she would become the mother of our Lord, Mary traveled from Galilee to Judea to visit her cousin Elizabeth, an elderly woman, who after a lifetime with a barren womb had conceived a child. Elizabeth, whose pregnancy also followed a message from the angel Gabriel, would give birth to John the Baptist.

And while Gabriel greeted Mary with the words, “Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women,” Elizabeth proclaimed, “Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.” These two moments recorded in Scripture form the first part of the Hail Mary prayer we say today. The entire Visitation account is recorded in Luke 1:39-56.

Here, scripture goes on to tell us that John the Baptist, still unborn, leapt for joy in Elizabeth’s womb and she was filled with the Holy Spirit. We are shown in this passage the transition between the Old and the New Covenant. On the one hand, we have a woman too old to conceive a child through ordinary means, yet through the extraordinary power of the Holy Spirit, her womb is prepared and granted the grace to bear the last prophet of the Old Covenant. On the other hand, we have a woman quite young and not ready to conceive a child through ordinary means, but again through the extraordinary power of the Holy Spirit her womb is chosen and prepared to bear the New Covenant Himself.

It is through this powerful encounter between these two holy women that the Old and New Covenant intersect and the totality of salvation history is made clear.

This feast was formerly celebrated on July 2, but was changed to fall between the solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord and the birth of John the Baptist to more closely mirror the gospel accounts.

1. How did Elizabeth know that Mary was carrying our Lord? What made her understand that her young cousin would be the most blessed woman of all time? She knew it because she recognized the Holy Spirit’s presence within her signified through the extraordinary life “leaping for joy” in her womb.

2. We must learn to recognize the Holy Spirit’s presence in our own lives and mirror the experience of Elizabeth and Mary. Through the submission of will and the acceptance of extraordinary grace, Christ can grow within each of us and we will be driven more and more to act and react with peace, thanksgiving, and joy.

O God who didst lead the Blessed Virgin Mary to visit Elizabeth, to their exceeding joy and comfort: Grant unto thy people, that as Mary rejoiced to be called the Mother of the Lord, so they may ever rejoice to believe the incarnation of thine only begotten Son; to whom with the Holy Ghost be all honour and glory, world without end. Amen.

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PRESENTATION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

God, come to my assistance.  - Lord, make haste to help me. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:  -  as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia.

H YMN - O Mary of all women, you are the chosen one, Who, ancient prophets promised, would bear God’s only Son; All Hebrew generations prepared the way to thee, That in your womb the God-man might come to set us free.

O Mary, you embody all God taught to our race, For you are first and foremost in fullness of his grace; We praise this wondrous honor that you gave birth to Him Who from you took humanity and saved us from our sin. Melody: Au fort detresse 76.76D; Music: 17th century Flemish Melody Text: Michael Gannon Or: - Mary the dawn, Christ the Perfect Day; Mary the gate, Christ the Heavenly Way!

Mary the root, Christ the Mystic Vine; Mary the grape, Christ the Sacred Wine!

Mary the wheat, Christ the Living Bread; Mary the stem, Christ the Rose blood-red!

Mary the font, Christ the Cleansing Flood; Mary the cup, Christ the Saving Blood!

Mary the temple, Christ the temple's Lord; Mary the shrine, Christ the God adored!

Mary the beacon, Christ the Haven's Rest; Mary the mirror, Christ the Vision Blest!

Mary the mother, Christ the mother's Son By all things blest while endless ages run. Amen. Melody: Mary the Dawn; Music: Anon Text: Anon, alt. by the Dominican Sisters of Summit Or: - Praise to Mary, Heaven's Gate, Guiding Star of Christians' way, Mother of our Lord and King, Light and hope to souls astray.

When you heard the call of God Choosing to fulfill his plan, By your perfect act of love Hope was born in fallen man.

Help us to amend our ways, Halt the devil's strong attack, Walk with us the narrow path, Beg for us the grace we lack.

Mary, show your motherhood, Bring your children's prayers to Christ, Christ, your son, who ransomed man, Who, for us, was sacrificed.

Virgin chosen, singly blest, Ever faithful to God's call, Guide us in this earthy life, Guard us lest, deceived, we fall.

Mary, help us live our faith So that we may see your son; Join our humble prayers to yours, Till life's ceaseless war is won.

Praise the Father, praise the Son, Praise the holy Paraclete; Offer all through Mary's hands, Let her make our prayers complete. Melody: Gott sei dank 77.77 Music: Freylinghausen's , 1670-1739 Text: V.S.S. Coles, 1845-1929 P SALMODY

Antiphon 1 : Blessed are you, O Mary, for the world's salvation came forth from you; now in glory, you rejoice forever with the Lord. Intercede for us with your Son. Psalm 63:2-9 A soul thirsting for God Whoever has left the darkness of sin yearns for God O God, you are my God, for you I long; for you my soul is thirsting. My body pines for you like a dry, weary land without water. So I gaze on you in the sanctuary to see your strength and your glory.

For your love is better than life, my lips will speak your praise. So I will bless you all my life, in your name I will lift up my hands. My soul shall be filled as with a banquet, my mouth shall praise you with joy.

Antiphon 1 Blessed are you, O Mary, for the world's salvation came forth from you; now in glory, you rejoice forever with the Lord. Intercede for us with your Son. Antiphon 2 You are the glory of Jerusalem, the joy of Israel; you are the fairest honor of our race. Canticle  -  Daniel 3:57-88,56 Let all creatures praise the Lord All you servants of the Lord, sing praise to him (Revelation 19:5) Bless the Lord, all you works of the Lord. Praise and exalt him above all forever. Angels of the Lord, bless the Lord. You heavens, bless the Lord. All you waters above the heavens, bless the Lord. All you hosts of the Lord, bless the Lord. Sun and moon, bless the Lord. Stars of heaven, bless the Lord.

Every shower and dew, bless the Lord. All you winds, bless the Lord. Fire and heat, bless the Lord. Cold and chill, bless the Lord. Dew and rain, bless the Lord. Frost and chill, bless the Lord. Ice and snow, bless the Lord. Nights and days, bless the Lord. Light and darkness, bless the Lord. Lightnings and clouds, bless the Lord.

Let the earth bless the Lord. Praise and exalt him above all forever. Mountains and hills, bless the Lord. Everything growing from the earth, bless the Lord. You springs, bless the Lord.

Seas and rivers, bless the Lord. You dolphins and all water creatures, bless the Lord. All you birds of the air, bless the Lord. All you beasts, wild and tame, bless the Lord. You sons of men, bless the Lord.

O Israel, bless the Lord. Praise and exalt him above all forever. Priests of the Lord, bless the Lord. Servants of the Lord, bless the Lord. Spirits and souls of the just, bless the Lord. Holy men of humble heart, bless the Lord. Hananiah, Azariah, Mishael, bless the Lord. Praise and exalt him above all forever.

Let us bless the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Let us praise and exalt him above all forever. Blessed are you, Lord, in the firmament of heaven. Praiseworthy and glorious and exalted above all forever.

Antiphon 2 You are the glory of Jerusalem, the joy of Israel; you are the fairest honor of our race. Antiphon 3 O Virgin Mary, how great your cause for joy; God found you worthy to bear Christ our Savior. Psalm 149 The joy of God's holy people Let the sons of the Church, the children of the new people, rejoice in Christ, their King (Hesychius) Sing a new song to the Lord, his praise in the assembly of the faithful. Let Israel rejoice in its maker, let Zion’s sons exult in their king. Let them praise his name with dancing and make music with timbrel and harp.

For the Lord takes delight in his people. He crowns the poor with salvation. Let the faithful rejoice in their glory, shout for joy and take their rest. Let the praise of God be on their lips and a two-edged sword in their hand,

Antiphon 3 O Virgin Mary, how great your cause for joy; God found you worthy to bear Christ our Savior. R EADING       See Isaiah 61:10 I rejoice heartily in the Lord,   in my God is the joy of my soul; For he has clothed me with a robe of salvation,   and wrapped me in a mantle of justice,   like a bride bedecked with her jewels. R ESPONSORY The Lord has chosen her, his loved one from the beginning.  - The Lord has chosen her, his loved one from the beginning. He has taken her to live with him,  - his loved one from the beginning. Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.  - The Lord has chosen her, his loved one from the beginning. B ENEDICTUS (Canticle of Zechariah) Antiphon: Blessed are you, Mary, because you believed that the Lord's words to you would be fulfilled, alleluia. I NTERCESSIONS Let us glorify our Savior, who chose the Virgin Mary for his mother. Let us ask him:

                   May your mother intercede for us, Lord.

Son of Justice, the immaculate Virgin was the white dawn announcing your rising.  – grant that we may always live in the light of your coming.

Lord, help us imitate Mary, your mother, who chose the best part,  - may we seek the food that will sustain us for ever.

Savior of the world, by your redeeming might you preserved your mother before-hand from all stain of sin,  - keep watch over us, lest we sin.

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Gospel in Art: Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

• Father Patrick van der Vorst
• May 30th, 2024

The Visitation of the Virgin to Saint Elizabeth, Workshop of Goossen van der Weyden, 1525 © National Gallery, London

Source: Christian Art

Gospel of 31 May 2024 Luke 1:39-56

Mary set out and went as quickly as she could to a town in the hill country of Judah. She went into Zechariah's house and greeted Elizabeth.

Now as soon as Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the child leapt in her womb and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. She gave a loud cry and said, 'Of all women you are the most blessed, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. Why should I be honoured with a visit from the mother of my Lord? For the moment your greeting reached my ears, the child in my womb leapt for joy. Yes, blessed is she who believed that the promise made her by the Lord would be fulfilled.'

And Mary said:

'My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord and my spirit exults in God my saviour; because he has looked upon his lowly handmaid.

Yes, from this day forward all generations will call me blessed, for the Almighty has done great things for me. Holy is his name, and his mercy reaches from age to age for those who fear him.

He has shown the power of his arm, he has routed the proud of heart. He has pulled down princes from their thrones and exalted the lowly. The hungry he has filled with good things, the rich sent empty away. He has come to the help of Israel his servant, mindful of his mercy - according to the promise he made to our ancestors - of his mercy to Abraham and to his descendants for ever.'

Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months and then went back home.

Reflection on the painting

The Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary was established in the Catholic Church to commemorate the biblical event described in today's Gospel reading. The feast originated in Byzantium, where the Gospel reading of Mary's visit to Elizabeth was included in the celebration of the "Deposition in the Basilica of the Holy Garment of the Theotokos." Later, in 1263, the Franciscans adopted this Marian feast and named it the Visitation of Mary. Pope Urban VI officially established it in 1389. Today, the Feast of the Visitation is observed on 31st of May, concluding the month dedicated to Mary.

Our painting, from the workshop of Goossen van der Weyden in Flanders, beautifully depicts the Visitation. While some details are artistic inventions, the essence of the biblical account is captured. Elizabeth, dressed in red with a rosary at her belt, kneels before Mary in reverence. The other figure in the background is the elderly man leaning on a stick, representing Elizabeth's husband, Zacharias. The woods and hills behind are criss-crossed with paths. The way to Jesus is not a straightforward one. It can be involve twists, turns and obstacles.

The rolling hills topped with small towns, the medieval cities and the green wooded landscape bear little resemblance to first-century Palestine - or to the surroundings of Antwerp, where Goossen ran his workshop. For medieval Christians, the events of the Bible took place outside normal time and space, but were understood as 'here and now' rather than 'then and there'.

Gospel in Art: https://christian.art/ Today's Reflection: https://christian.art/daily-gospel-reading/luke-1-39-56-2024/

and Art and Christianity on Songs of Praise: www.indcatholicnews.com/news/49830

Tags: Christian Art , Fr Patrick van der Vorst , Goossen van der Weyden

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Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

“let mary’s soul be in you.”.

Domenico Ghirlandaio | CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

+ The Feast of the Visitation recalls the journey made by the Blessed Virgin to see her relative, Elizabeth, who was pregnant with Saint John the Baptist.

+ This feast dates back to the 6 th century and was formerly celebrated on July 2. In 1969, it was moved to today’s date so that it can be celebrated between the Solemnity of the Annunciation (on March 25) and the Solemnity of the birth of Saint John the Baptist (on June 24).

+ This feast invites us to always be open to the workings of the Holy Spirit and we have Mary as our model of humility, obedience, and service.

For prayer and reflection

“In your relations with one another clothe yourselves with humility, God is stern with the arrogant but to the humble he shows kindness . Bow humbly under God’s mighty hand, so that in due time he may lift you high. Cast all your care on him because he cares for you.”—1 Peter 5:5b-7

Spiritual bonus

On May 31 we also remember Saint Camilla Battista Varano. Leaving behind her noble status, she became a Poor Clare nun and helped work for the spread of her order and served as abbess of various monasteries. Remembered as a mystic and visionary, she died in 1524 and was canonized in 2010.

Almighty ever-living God, who, while the Blessed Virgin Mary was carrying your Son in her womb, inspired her to visit Elizabeth, grant us, we pray, that, faithful to the promptings of the Spirit, we may magnify your greatness with the Virgin Mary at all times. 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 ) Saint profiles prepared by Brother Silas Henderson, S.D.S.

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Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Today the Church celebrates the Feast of the Visitation, when Mary went to visit her cousin Elizabeth, who was pregnant with John the Baptist.

The Gospels tell us that when John felt the presence of Jesus in Mary’s womb, he leaped for joy in his own mother’s womb. At this moment, John was cleansed of original sin, and filled with the grace of God.

The earliest evidence of this feast’s celebration in the Church is its adoption by the Franciscan Chapter in 1263, under advisement from St. Bonaventure. The feast spread to many churches, but was celebrated on various dates. On April 6, 1389, Pope Urban VI extended the feast to the entire Church, with the hope that Christ and Our Lady would put an end to the Great Schism that was threatening the Church at the time.

The feast was originally assigned to July 2, the day after the octave of St. John, which is estimated to be around the time that Mary returned to Nazareth. However, during the Schism, many opposing bishops refused to adopt the feast, until it was confirmed at the Council of Basle in 1441. Pius IX raised the feast to the rank of a double of the second class on May 13, 1850.

Article Tags

Blessed Virgin Mary , Saints , Visitation

Angelus Staff

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