FEAST DAY: June 27, 2015 (Sat.)
ABOUT:
- also known as Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Our Lady of Perpetual Succour
- has been venerated across many cultures and thus bears several titles in different languages, such as "Mother of Perpetual Succour", Mutter von immerwährenden hilfe, Nuestra Señora del Perpetuo Socorro, Notre-Dame du Perpétuel Secours, Mater del Perpetuo Succursu, and Ina ng Laging Saklolo
- is a Roman Catholic title of the Blessed Virgin Mary as represented in a celebrated 15th-century Byzantine icon
- the artist was probably a monk who lived in Crete. An ancient legend attributes the first icon of the Virgin of the Passion to St. Luke the Evangelist. In this way the artists of Marian icons established a connection between their works and the first Christian community that had personally known Christ and His Mother. This legend is more a theological resource than a historical affirmation, since the techniques used in paintings of the 1st century are quite different than those used in the painting of icons. the earliest icons were painted in the 6th century, while most of the known icons are actually dated from the 12 century and later.
- some believe the icon to be a true copy of a painting that according to legend was painted by Saint Luke using the meal table of the Holy Family in Nazareth, and in Eastern Orthodox tradition was often identified with the Hodegetria icon, and consider it to be a miraculous imprint of the Virgin Mary both in the Latin and Orthodox communities.
- the original wooden icon measures 17 × 21 inches
- this icon have been venerated for centuries
ORIGIN AND DISCOVERY:
The earliest written account of the image comes from a Latin and Italian plaque placed in the church of San Matteo in Via Merulana where it was first venerated by the public in 1499. The writer of the icon is unknown, but according to a parchment attached to the painting that accompanied the icon, it was stolen by a merchant sailing to Rome from the island of Crete, also sometimes referred to as Candia or Heraklion.
After stealing the icon, the ageing merchant sailed and hid the icon while traveling at sea, until a storm hit hard and the sailors prayed with the icon for help. When the merchant arrived in Rome he fell ill, and as a dying wish he asked a second merchant to place the icon in a church where it could serve for veneration.
Initially, the merchant was reluctant to give the icon away and took four instances until the second merchant confided to his wife about the icon. Upon seeing the beautiful icon, the woman refused to give it to the church but instead hung it in their home.
Later on, the Virgin Mary is said to have appeared to the merchant's daughter, grandmother and neighbor, who implored that the icon be turned over to a parish. The Virgin Mary allegedly appeared to the little girl that the icon ought to be placed between the basilicas of St. Mary Major and St. John Lateran. The wife gave the icon to the Augustinian Friars. On March 27, 1499, the icon was transferred to the church of San Matteo where it remained for 300 years. The picture was then popularly called the Madonna di San Matteo.
GREEK INSCRIPTIONS:
MP-ΘΥ (Μήτηρ Θεοῦ, Mother of God)
OAM (Ὁ Ἀρχάγγελος Μιχαήλ, Michael the Archangel)
OAΓ (Ὁ Ἀρχάγγελος Γαβριήλ, Gabriel the Archangel)
IC-XC (Ἰησοῦς Χριστός, Jesus Christ)
SYMBOLISM:
Blessed Virgin Mary:
---> large eyes = for all our troubles; turned towards us always
---> small mouth = silent recollection/contemplation; she speaks little
---> dark red dress (red tunic)= representing the Passion of Jesus; color worn by virgins at the time of Christ (AD33)
---> dark blue mantle = representing her perpetual virginity; color worn by mothers in Palestine. Mary is both Virgin and Mother.
---> cloaked veil = represents her pure modesty
---> star on her veil/forehead = signifying her role as Star of the Sea who brought the light of Christ to the darkened world
---> left hand supporting Christ possessively = that means She is His Mother. a comforting hand for everyone who calls on her. She is the universal Mother upon whom all may receive succor.
---> the cross on the side has been claimed as referring to the school which produced the icon
---> The Byzantine depictions of the Blessed Virgin Mary in art have three stars, one star each on the shoulder and one on the forehead. This type of icon is called Hodegetria, where Mary is pointing to her Son, known as a Theotokos of the Passion
---> halo and the crown in the picture were added later. In those days, a halo was not commonly painted around the head. It is now found on replicas of the original by order of the Holy See in 1867; it is a token of the many miracles wrought by invoking Mary under the title, "Our Lady of Perpetual Help"
Jesus Christ:
---> who is frightened by the instruments of crucifixion
---> Christ's hands turned palms down to into His Mother's = indicate that the Graces of Redemption are in her keeping
---> foot with fallen sandal = symbolizes Christ's Divine nature, barely clinging to the earth. His human nature is symbolized in the other Foot to which the sandal is more firmly bound. Christ has 2 natures (Hypostatic Union of the natures of Christ) - human and Divine - in One Divine Person.
Saint Michael the Archangel (left side):
---> carrying the lance of the Passion and the sponge of the crucifixion of Jesus
Saint Gabriel the Archangel (right side):
---> carrying a 3-bar cross used by Popes at the time and nails
gold leaf background:
---> represents the Kingdom of God; heaven
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CONSECRATION PRAYER TO OUR MOTHER OF PERPETUAL HELP
source: http://www.baclaranchurch.org/prayers.html
Immaculate Virgin Mary, * Mother of God and Mother of the Church, * you are also our Mother of Perpetual Help. * With hearts full of love for you * we consecrate ourselves to your Immaculate Heart * so that we may be your devoted children. * Obtain for us true sorrow for our sins * and fidelity to the promises of our Baptism.
We consecrate our minds and hearts to you * that we always do the Will of our heavenly Father. * We consecrate our lives to you * that we may love God better * and live not for ourselves * but for Christ, your Son * and that we may see Him * and serve Him in others.
By this humble act of consecration, * dear Mother of Perpetual Help, * we pledge to model our lives on you, * the perfect Christian, * so that, consecrated to you in life and in death * we may belong to your Divine Son for all eternity. Amen.
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LINKS/ SOURCES:
- "Our Lady of Perpetual Help" (Wikipedia):
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Our_Lady_of_Perpetual_Help
- "Our Lady of Perpetual Succour" (Catholic Encyclopedia):
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/11699b.htm
- "Novena to Our Mother of Perpetual Help" ( Our Lady of Perpetual Help Society):
http://www.olphs.org/prayers/detail/novena_to_our_mother_of_perpetual_help
- "Our Lady of Perpetual Help" (about the icon) (Catholic Tradition):
http://www.catholictradition.org/Mary/olph2.htm
- "Our Mother of Perpetual Help" (about the history of the icon) (Mary's Touch):
http://www.marys-touch.com/history/olhelp.htm
- "What is the story behind the image of Our Lady of Perpetual Help?" (Catholic Straight Answers):
http://catholicstraightanswers.com/what-is-the-story-behind-the-image-of-our-lady-of-perpetual-help/