In September, the Church celebrates three Marian feasts in one week: the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary (8th September), the Holy Name of Mary (12th September) and Our Lady of Sorrows (15th September). The Feast of the Holy Name of Mary is an optional memorial.
In Lourdes, the Holy Name of Mary is voiced every hour during the rosary at the Grotto. It is also proclaimed in the evening during the torchlight procession, where all the pilgrims sing the Ave Maria together, praising and thanking the Lord for all the graces they have obtained through the intervention of the Virgin Mary.
Experience the feast of the Holy Name of Mary in Lourdes:
9:00 a.m. – Chapel of St Cosmas & Damian
3:00 p.m. – Rosary at the Grotto
5:00 p.m. – Eucharistic Procession
9:00 p.m. – Torchlight procession
10:30 p.m. – Mass at the Grotto
The Feast of the Holy Name of Mary is a Latin Catholic liturgical feast established by Pope Innocent XI in 1683.
The name of Mary has a special religious significance because it recalls both the prayers of the Angelus and the Magnificat.
It was only fitting that the name of Mary should find its place, in our Catholic festivals, alongside the name of Jesus. The name of Mary is a glorious name, a sweet name, a name of salvation. The fathers of the Church pondered long and hard on the meaning of the name of Mary. The Saints have constantly attempted to recognise the virtues of the name of Mary.
Words from the Saints on the Holy Name of Mary:
“Your name, O Mary,” says Saint Ambrose, “is a precious ointment, which breathes forth the scent of divine grace!”
“How glorious is Your name, O holy Mother of God! exclaims Saint Bonaventure; how glorious is that name which has been the source of so many marvels!”
“O name full of sweetness! exclaims Blessed Henri Suzo. “O Mary, what must thou thyself be, since thy name alone is thus amiable and gracious!”
The name of Mary is a name of salvation. “The name of Mary alone”, says Saint Bernard, “puts all demons to flight…”
Blessed and invoked by all Christians around the world, the name of the Virgin Mary is sufficient in itself to comfort the faithful.
The first glory of this blessed name is that it was chosen by God, before being revealed to the parents of the new born Virgin, and then that it was uttered so respectfully by the Archangel Gabriel. Since then, all Christian generations have repeated it at every moment of every day; Heaven presents the earth with this beautiful name, and the earth replies to Heaven with a melodious echo.
Hail Mary
Hail Mary,
full of Grace,
the Lord is with thee.
blessed art thou among 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 death.
Amen
