Marialis Cultus

San Beda College Alabang GENE-RES: Religious Experiences Prof. Carlo Enrico C.
Tinio,
Religious Education Department and Spirituality (Benedictine) S.T.B., M.A.PaM.,M.A.L.
APOSTOLIC EXHORTATION
OF HIS HOLINESS PAUL VI
MARIALIS CULTUS
FOR THE RIGHT ORDERING AND DEVELOPMENT

OF DEVOTION TO THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY
To All Bishops in Peace and Communion

with the Apostolic See
February 2, 1974
INTRODUCTION
Division of the Treatise

Occasion and Purpose of the Document
Venerable Brothers:
Health and the Apostolic Blessing
From the moment when we were called to the See of Peter, we have constantly striven to enhance
devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, not only with the intention of interpreting the sentiments of the
Church and our own personal inclination but also because, as is well known, this devotion forms a very
noble part of the whole sphere of that sacred worship in which there intermingle the highest expressions
of wisdom and of religion(1) and which is therefore the primary task of the People of God.
Precisely with a view to this task, we have always favored and encouraged the great work of liturgical
reform promoted by the Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, and it has certainly come about not without
a particular design of divine Providence that the first conciliar document which together with the
venerable Fathers we approved and signed in Spiritu Sancto was the ConstitutionSacrosanctum
concilium. The purpose of this document was precisely to restore and enhance the liturgy and to make
more fruitful the participation of the faithful in the sacred mysteries.(2) From that time onwards, many
acts of our pontificate have been directed towards the improvement of divine worship, as is demonstrated
by the fact that we have promulgated in these recent years numerous books of the Roman Rite, restored
according to the principles and norms of the same Council. For this we profoundly thank the Lord, the
giver of all good things, and we are grateful to the episcopal conferences and individual bishops who in
various ways have collaborated with us in the preparation of these books.
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San Beda College Alabang GENE-RES: Religious Experiences Prof. Carlo Enrico C. Tinio,
We contemplate with joy and gratitude the work so far accomplished and the first positive results of the
liturgical renewal, destined as they are to increase as this renewal comes to be understood in its basic
purposes and correctly applied. At the same time we do not cease with vigilant solicitude to concern
ourself with whatever can give orderly fulfillment to the renewal of the worship with which the Church in
spirit and truth (cf. Jn. 4:24) adores the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, "venerates with special
love Mary the most holy Mother of God"(3) and honors with religious devotion the memory of the
martyrs and the other saints.
The development, desired by us, of devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary is an indication of the Church's
genuine piety. This devotion fits-as we have indicated above-into the only worship that is rightly called
"Christian," because it takes its origin and effectiveness from Christ, finds its complete expression in
Christ, and leads through Christ in the Spirit to the Father. In the sphere of worship this devotion
necessarily reflects God's redemptive plan, in which a special form of veneration is appropriate to the
singular place which Mary occupies in that plan.(4) Indeed every authentic development of Christian
worship is necessarily followed by a fitting increase of veneration for the Mother of the Lord. Moreover,
the history of piety shows how "the various forms of devotion towards the Mother of God that the Church
has approved within the limits of wholesome and orthodox doctrine"(5) have developed in harmonious
subordination to the worship of Christ, and have gravitated towards this worship as to their natural and
necessary point of reference. The same is happening in our own time. The Church's reflection today on
the mystery of Christ and on her own nature has led her to find at the root of the former and is a
culmination of the latter the same figure of a woman: the Virgin Mary, the Mother of Christ and the
Mother of the Church. And the increased knowledge of Mary's mission has become joyful veneration of
her and adoring respect for the wise plan of God, who has placed within His family (the Church), as in
every home, the figure of a Woman, who in a hidden manner and in a spirit of service watches over that
family "and carefully looks after it until the glorious day of the Lord."(6)
In our time, the changes that have occurred in social behavior, people's sensibilities, manners of
expression in art and letters and in the forms of social communication have also influenced the
manifestations of religious sentiment. Certain practices of piety that not long ago seemed suitable for
expressing the religious sentiment of individuals and of Christian communities seem today inadequate or
unsuitable because they are linked with social and cultural patterns of the past. On the other hand in many
places people are seeking new ways of expressing the unchangeable relationship of creatures with their
Creator, of children with their Father. In some people this may cause temporary confusion. But anyone
who, with trust in God reflects upon these phenomena discovers that many tendencies of modern piety
(for example, the interiorization of religious sentiment) are meant to play their part in the development of
Christian piety in general and devotion to the Blessed Virgin in particular. Thus our own time, faithfully
attentive to tradition and to the progress of theology and the sciences, will make its contribution of praise
to her whom, according to her own prophetical words, all generations will call blessed (cf. Lk. 1:48).
We therefore judge it in keeping with our apostolic service, venerable Brothers, to deal, in a sort of
dialogue, with a number of themes connected with the place that the Blessed Virgin occupies in the
Church's worship. These themes have already been partly touched upon by the Second Vatican Council(7)
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and also by ourself,(8) but it is useful to return to them in order to remove doubts and, especially, to help
the development of that devotion to the Blessed Virgin which in the Church is motivated by the Word of
God and practiced in the Spirit of Christ.
We therefore wish to dwell upon a number of questions concerning the relationship between the sacred
liturgy and devotion to the Blessed Virgin (I), to offer considerations and directives suitable for favoring
the development of that devotion (II) and finally to put forward a number of reflections intended to
encourage the restoration, in a dynamic and more informed manner, of the recitation of the Rosary, the
practice of which was so strongly recommended by our predecessors and is so widely diffused among the
Christian people (III).
PART ONE
Devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Liturgy
1. As we prepare to discuss the place which the Blessed Virgin Mary occupies in Christian worship, we
must first turn our attention to the sacred liturgy. In addition to its rich doctrinal content, the liturgy has an
incomparable pastoral effectiveness and a recognized exemplary conduct for the other forms of worship.
We would have liked to take into consideration the various liturgies of the East and the West, but for the
purpose of this document we shall dwell almost exclusively on the books of the Roman Rite. In fact, in
accordance with the practical norms issued by the Second Vatican Council,(9) it is this Rite alone which
has been the object of profound renewal. This is true also in regard to expressions of veneration for Mary.
This Rite therefore deserves to be carefully considered and evaluated.
Section One
The Blessed Virgin in the Revised Roman Liturgy
2. The reform of the Roman liturgy presupposed a careful restoration of its General Calendar. This
Calendar is arranged in such a way as to give fitting prominence to the celebration on appropriate days of
the work of salvation. It distributes throughout the year the whole mastery of Christ, from the Incarnation
to the expectation of His return in glory,(10) and thus makes it possible in a more organic and closely-knit
fashion to include the commemoration of Christ's Mother in the annual cycle of the mysteries of her Son.
3. For example, during Advent there are many liturgical references to Mary besides the Solemnity of
December 8, which is a joint celebration of the Immaculate Conception of Mary, of the basic preparation
(cf. Is. 11:1, 10) for the coming of the Savior and of the happy beginning of the Church without spot or
wrinkle.(11) Such liturgical references are found especially on the days from December 17 to 24, and
more particularly on the Sunday before Christmas, which recalls the ancient prophecies concerning the
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Virgin Mother and the Messiah(12) and includes readings from the Gospel concerning the imminent birth
of Christ and His precursor.(13)
4. In this way the faithful, living in the liturgy the spirit of Advent, by thinking about the inexpressible
love with which the Virgin Mother awaited her Son,(14) are invited to take her as a model and to prepare
themselves to meet the Savior who is to come. They must be "vigilant in prayer and joyful
in...praise."(15) We would also remark that the Advent liturgy, by linking the awaiting of the Messiah and
the awaiting of the glorious return of Christ with the admirable commemoration of His Mother, presents a
happy balance in worship. This balance can be taken as a norm for preventing any tendency (as has
happened at times in certain forms of popular piety) to separate devotion to the Blessed Virgin from its
necessary point of reference-Christ. It also ensures that this season, as liturgy experts have noted, should
be considered as a time particularly suited to devotion to the Mother of the Lord. This is an orientation
that we confirm and which we hope to see accepted and followed everywhere.
5. The Christmas season is a prolonged commemoration of the divine, virginal and salvific motherhood of
her whose "inviolate virginity brought the Saviour into the world."(16) n fact, on the Solemnity of the
Birth of Christ the Church both adores the Savior and venerates His glorious Mother. On the Epiphany,
when she celebrates the universal call to salvation, the Church contemplates the Blessed Virgin, the true
Seat of Wisdom and true Mother of the King, who presents to the Wise Men, for their adoration, the
Redeemer of all peoples (cf. Mt. 2:11). On the Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph (the
Sunday within the octave of Christmas) the Church meditates with profound reverence upon the holy life
led in the house at Nazareth by Jesus, the Son of God and Son of Man, Mary His Mother, and Joseph the
just man (cf. Mt. 1:19).
In the revised ordering of the Christmas period it seems to us that the attention of all should be directed
towards the restored Solemnity of Mary the holy Mother of God. This celebration, placed on January 1 in
conformity with the ancient indication of the liturgy of the City of Rome, is meant to commemorate the
part played by Mary in this mystery of salvation. It is meant also to exalt the singular dignity which this
mystery brings to the "holy Mother...through whom we were found worthy to receive the Author of
life."(17) It is likewise a fitting occasion for renewing adoration of the newborn Prince of Peace, for
listening once more to the glad tidings of the angels (cf. Lk. 2:14), and for imploring from God, through
the Queen of Peace, the supreme gift of peace. It is for this reason that, in the happy concurrence of the
Octave of Christmas and the first day of the year, we have instituted the World Day of Peace, an occasion
that is gaining increasing support and already bringing forth fruits of peace in the hearts of many.
6. To the two solemnities already mentioned (the Immaculate Conception and the Divine Motherhood)
should be added the ancient and venerable celebrations of March 25 and August 15.
For the Solemnity of the Incarnation of the Word, in the Roman Calendar the ancient title-the
Annunciation of the Lord-has been deliberately restored, but the feast was and is a joint one of Christ and
of the Blessed Virgin: of the Word, who becomes Son of Mary (Mk. 6:3), and of the Virgin, who
becomes Mother of God. With regard to Christ, the East and the West, in the inexhaustible riches of their
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liturgies, celebrate this solemnity as the commemoration of the salvific "fiat" of the Incarnate Word, who,
entering the world, said: "God, here I am! I am coming to obey Your will" (cf. Heb. 10:7; Ps. 39:8-9).
They commemorate it as the beginning of the redemption and of the indissoluble and wedded union of the
divine nature with human nature in the one Person of the Word. With regard to Mary, these liturgies
celebrate it as a feast of the new Eve, the obedient and faithful virgin, who with her generous "fiat" (cf.
Lk. 1:38) became through the working of the Spirit the Mother of God, but also the true Mother of the
living, and, by receiving into her womb the one Mediator (cf. 1 Tm. 2:5), became the true Ark of the
Covenant and true Temple of God. These liturgies celebrate it as a culminating moment in the salvific
dialogue between God and man, and as a commemoration of the Blessed Virgin's free consent and
cooperation in the plan of redemption.
The solemnity of August 15 celebrates the glorious Assumption of Mary into heaven. It is a feast of her
destiny of fullness and blessedness, of the glorification of her immaculate soul and of her virginal body,
of her perfect configuration to the Risen Christ; a feast that sets before the eyes of the Church and of all
mankind the image and the consoling proof of the fulfillment of their final hope, namely, that this full
glorification is the destiny of all those whom Christ has made His brothers, having "flesh and blood in
common with them" (Heb. 2:14; cf. Gal. 4:4). The Solemnity of the Assumption is prolonged in the
celebration of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which occurs seven days later. On this occasion
we contemplate her who, seated beside the King of ages, shines forth as Queen and intercedes as
Mother.(18) These four solemnities therefore, mark with the highest liturgical rank the main dogmatic
truths concerning the handmaid of the lord.
7. After the solemnities just mentioned, particular consideration must be given to those celebrations that
commemorate salvific events in which the Blessed Virgin was closely associated with her Son. Such are
the feasts of the Nativity of Our Lady (September 8), "the hope of the entire world and the dawn of
salvation"(19); and the Visitation (May 31), in which the liturgy recalls the "Blessed Virgin Mary
carrying her Son within her,"(20) and visiting Elizabeth to offer charitable assistance and to proclaim the
mercy of God the Savior.(21) Then there is the commemoration of Our Lady of Sorrows (September 15),
a fitting occasion for reliving a decisive moment in the history of salvation and for venerating, together
with the Son "lifted up on the cross, His suffering Mother."(22)
The feast of February 2, which has been given back its ancient name, the Presentation of the Lord, should
also be considered as a joint commemoration of the Son and of the Mother, if we are fully to appreciate
its rich content. It is the celebration of a mystery of salvation accomplished by Christ, a mystery with
which the Blessed virgin was intimately associated as the Mother of the Suffering Servant of Yahweh, as
the one who performs a mission belonging to ancient Israel, and as the model for the new People of God,
which is ever being tested in its faith and hope by suffering and persecution (cf. Lk. 2:21-35).
8. The restored Roman Calendar gives particular prominence to the celebrations listed above, but it also
includes other kinds of commemorations connected with local devotions and which have acquired a wider
popularity and interest (e.g., February 11, Our Lady of Lourdes August 5, the Dedication of the Basilica
of St. Mary Major). Then there are others, originally celebrated by particular religious families but which
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today, by reason of the popularity they have gained, can truly be considered ecclesial (e.g., July 16, Our
Lady of Mount Carmel; October 7, Our Lady of the Rosary). There are still others which, apart from their
apocryphal content, present lofty and exemplary values and carry on venerable traditions having their
origin especially in the East (e.g., the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin, celebrated on the Saturday
following the second Sunday after Pentecost).
9. Nor must one forget that the General Roman Calendar does not include all celebrations in honor of the
Blessed Virgin. Rather, it is for individual Calendars to include, with fidelity to liturgical norms but with
sincere endorsement, the Marian feasts proper to the different local Churches. Lastly, it should be noted
that frequent commemorations of the Blessed Virgin are possible through the use of the Saturday Masses
of our Lady. This is an ancient and simple commemoration and one that is made very adaptable and
varied by the flexibility of the modern Calendar and the number of formulas provided by the Missal.
10. In this Apostolic Exhortation we do not intend to examine the whole content of the new Roman
Missal. But by reason of the work of evaluation that we have undertaken to carry out in regard to the
revised books of the Roman Rite,(23) we would like to mention some of the aspects and themes of the
Missal. In the first place, we are pleased to note how the Eucharistic Prayers of the Missal, in admirable
harmony with the Eastern liturgies,(24) contain a significant commemoration of the Blessed Virgin. For
example, the ancient Roman Canon, which commemorates the Mother of the Lord in terms full of
doctrine and devotional inspiration: "In union with the whole Church we honor Mary, the ever-virgin
Mother of Jesus Christ our Lord and God." In a similar way the recent Eucharistic Prayer III expresses
with intense supplication the desire of those praying to share with the Mother the inheritance of sons:
"May he make us an everlasting gift to you (the Father) and enable us to share in the inheritance of your
saints, with Mary, the Virgin Mother of God." This daily commemoration, by reason of its place at the
heart of the divine Sacrifice, should be considered a particularly expressive form of the veneration that the
Church pays to the "Blessed of the Most High" (cf. Lk. 1:28).
11. As we examine the texts of the revised Missal we see how the great Marian themes of the Roman
prayerbook have been accepted in perfect doctrinal continuity with the past. Thus, for example, we have
the themes of Mary's Immaculate Conception and fullness of grace, the divine motherhood, the
unblemished and fruitful virginity, the Temple of the Holy Spirit, Mary's cooperation in the work of her
Son, her exemplary sanctity, merciful intercession, Assumption into heaven, maternal Queenship and
many other themes. We also see how other themes, in a certain sense new ones, have been introduced in
equally perfect harmony with the theological developments of the present day. Thus, for example, we
have the theme of Mary and the Church, which has been inserted into the texts of the Missal in a variety
of aspects, a variety that matches the many and varied relations that exist between the Mother of Christ
and the Church. For example, in the celebration of the Immaculate Conception which texts recognize the
beginning of the Church, the spotless Bride of Christ.(25) In the Assumption they recognize the beginning
that has already been made and the image of what, for the whole Church, must still come to pass.(26) In
the mystery of Mary's motherhood they confess that she is the Mother of the Head and of the members-
the holy Mother of God and therefore the provident Mother of the Church.(27)
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When the liturgy turns its gaze either to the primitive Church or to the Church of our own days it always
finds Mary. In the primitive Church she is seen praying with the apostles(28); in our own day she is
actively present, and the Church desires to live the mystery of Christ with her: "Grant that your Church
which with Mary shared Christ's passion may be worthy to share also in his resurrection."(29) She is also
seen represented as a voice of praise in unison with which the Church wishes to give glory to God:
"...with her [Mary] may we always praise you."(30) And since the liturgy is worship that requires as way
of living consistent with it, it asks that devotion to the Blessed Virgin should become a concrete and
deeply-felt love for the Church, as is wonderfully expressed in the prayer after Communion in the Mass of
September: "...that as we recall the sufferings shared by the Blessed Virgin Mary, we may with the
Church fulfill in ourselves what is lacking in the sufferings of Christ."
12. The Lectionary is one of the books of the Roman Rite that has greatly benefited from the post-
conciliar reform, by reason both of its added texts and of the intrinsic value of these texts, which contain
the ever-living and efficacious word of God (cf. Heb. 4:12). This rich collection of biblical texts has made
it possible to arrange the whole history of salvation in an orderly three-year cycle and to set forth more
completely the mystery of Christ. The logical consequence has been that the Lectionary contains a larger
number of Old and New Testament readings concerning the Blessed Virgin. This numerical increase has
not however been based on random choice: only those readings have been accepted which in different
ways and degrees can be considered Marian, either from the evidence of their content or from the results
of careful exegesis, supported by the teachings of the magisterium or by solid Tradition. It is also right to
observe that these readings occur not only on feasts of the Blessed Virgin but are read on many other
occasions, for example on certain Sundays during the liturgical year, in the celebration of rites that deeply
concern the Christian's sacramental life and the choices confronting him,(32) as also in the joyful or sad
experiences of his life on earth.(33)
13. The Liturgy of the Hours, the revised book of the Office, also contains outstanding examples of
devotion to the Mother of the Lord. These are to be found in the hymns-which include several
masterpieces of universal literature, such as Dante's sublime prayer to the Blessed Virgin(34)-and in the
antiphons that complete the daily Office. To these lyrical invocations there has been added the well-
known prayer Sub tuum praesidium, venerable for its antiquity and admirable for its content. Other
examples occur in the prayers of intercession at Lauds and Vespers, prayers which frequently express
trusting recourse to the Mother of mercy. Finally there are selections from the vast treasury of writings on
our Lady composed by authors of the first Christian centuries, of the Middle Ages and of modern times.
14. The commemoration of the Blessed Virgin occurs often in the Missal, the Lectionary and the Liturgy
of the Hours-the hinges of the liturgical prayer of the Roman Rite. In the other revised liturgical books
also expressions of love and suppliant veneration addressed to the Theotokos are not lacking. Thus the
Church invokes her, the Mother of grace, before immersing candidates in the saving waters of
baptism(35); the Church invokes her intercession for mothers who, full of gratitude for the gift of
motherhood, come to church to express their joy(36); the Church holds her up as a model to those who
follow Christ by embracing the religious life(37) or who receive the Consecration of Virgins.(38) For
these people the Church asks Mary's motherly assistance.(39) The Church prays fervently to Mary on
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behalf of her children who have come to the hour of their death.(40) The Church asks Mary's intercession
for those who have closed their eyes to the light of this world and appeared before Christ, the eternal
Light";(41) and the Church, through Mary's prayers, invokes comfort upon those who in sorrow mourn
with faith the departure of their loved ones.(42)
15. The examination of the revised liturgical books leads us to the comforting observation that the
postconciliar renewal has, as was previously desired by the liturgical movement, properly considered the
Blessed Virgin in the mystery of Christ, and, in harmony with tradition, has recognized the singular place
that belongs to her in Christian worship as the holy Mother of God and the worthy Associate of the
Redeemer.
It could not have been otherwise. If one studies the history of Christian worship, in fact, one notes that
both in the East and in the West the highest and purest expressions of devotion to the Blessed Virgin have
sprung from the liturgy or have been incorporated into it.
We wish to emphasize the fact that the veneration which the universal Church today accords to blessed
Mary is a derivation from and an extension and unceasing increase of the devotion that the Church of
every age has paid to her, with careful attention to truth and with an ever watchful nobility of expression.
From perennial Tradition kept alive by reason of the uninterrupted presence of the Spirit and continual
attention to the Word, the Church of our time draws motives, arguments and incentives for the veneration
that she pays to the Blessed Virgin. And the liturgy, which receives approval and strength from the
magisterium, is a most lofty expression and an evident proof of this living Tradition.
Section Two
The Blessed Virgin as the Model of the Church in Divine Worship
16. In accordance with some of the guidelines of the Council's teaching on Mary and the Church, we now
wish to examine more closely a particular aspect of the relationship between Mary and the liturgy-
namely, Mary as a model of the spiritual attitude with which the Church celebrates and lives the divine
mysteries. That the Blessed virgin is an exemplar in this field derives from the fact that she is recognized
as a most excellent exemplar of the Church in the order of faith, charity and perfect union with Christ,(43)
that is, of that interior disposition with which the Church, the beloved spouse, closely associated with her
Lord, invokes Christ and through Him worships the eternal Father.(44)
17. Mary is the attentive Virgin, who receives the word of God with faith, that faith which in her case was
the gateway and path to divine motherhood, for, as Saint Augustine realized, "Blessed Mary by believing
conceived Him (Jesus) whom believing she brought forth."(45) In fact, when she received from the angel
the answer to her doubt (cf. Lk. 1:34-37), "full of faith, and conceiving Christ in her mind before
conceiving Him in her womb, she said, 'I am the handmaid of the Lord, let what you have said be done to
me' (Lk. 1:38)."(46) It was faith that was for her the cause of blessedness and certainty in the fulfillment
of he promise: "Blessed is she who believed that the promise made her by the Lord would be fulfilled"
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(Lk. 1:45). Similarly, it was faith with which she, who played a part in the Incarnation and was a unique
witness to it, thinking back on the events of the infancy of Christ, meditated upon these events in her heart
(cf. Lk. 2:19,51). The Church also acts in this way, especially in the liturgy, when with faith she listens,
accepts, proclaims and venerates the word of God, distributes it to the faithful as the bread of life(47) and
in the light of that word examines the signs of the times and interprets and lives the events of history.
18. Mary is also the Virgin in prayer. She appears as such in the visit to the mother of the precursor, when
she pours out her soul in expressions glorifying God, and expressions of humility, faith and hope. This
prayer is the Magnificat (cf. Lk. 1:46-55), Mary's prayer par excellence, the song of the messianic times
in which there mingles the joy of the ancient and the new Israel. As St. Irenaeus seems to suggest, it is in
Mary's canticle that there was heard once more the rejoicing of Abraham who foresaw the Messiah (cf.
Jn. 8:56)(48) and there rang out in prophetic anticipation the voice of the Church: "In her exultation Mary
prophetically declared in the name of the Church: 'My soul proclaims the glory of the Lord....'"(49) And
in fact Mary's hymn has spread far and wide and has become the prayer of the whole Church in all ages.
At Cana, Mary appears once more as the Virgin in prayer: when she tactfully told her Son of a temporal
need she also obtained an effect of grace, namely, that Jesus, in working the first of His "signs,"
confirmed His disciples' faith in Him (cf. Jn. 2:1-12).
Likewise, the last description of Mary's life presents her as praying. The apostles "joined in continuous
prayer, together with several women, including Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers" (Acts
1:14). We have here the prayerful presence of Mary in the early Church and in the Church throughout all
ages, for, having been assumed into heaven, she has not abandoned her mission of intercession and
salvation.(50) The title Virgin in prayer also fits the Church, which day by day presents to the Father the
needs of her children, "praises the Lord unceasingly and intercedes for the salvation of the world."(51)
19. Mary is also the Virgin-Mother-she who "believing and obeying...brought forth on earth the Father's
Son. This she did, not knowing man but overshadowed by the Holy Spirit."(52) This was a miraculous
motherhood, set up by God as the type and exemplar of the fruitfulness of the Virgin-Church, which
"becomes herself a mother.... For by her preaching and by baptism she brings forth to a new and immortal
life children who are conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of God."(53) The ancient
Fathers rightly taught that the Church prolongs in the sacrament of Baptism the virginal motherhood of
Mary. Among such references we like to recall that of our illustrious predecessor, Saint Leo the Great,
who in a Christmas homily says: "The origin which (Christ took in the womb of the Virgin He has given
to the baptismal font: He has given to water what He had given to His Mother-the power of the Most
High and the overshadowing of the Holy Spirit (cf Lk. 1:35), which was responsible for Mary's bringing
forth the Savior, has the same effect, so that water may regenerate the believer."(54) If we wished to go to
liturgical sources, we could quote the beautiful Illatio of the Mozarabic liturgy: "The former [Mary]
carried Life in her womb; the latter [the Church] bears Life in the waters of baptism. In Mary's members
Christ was formed; in the waters of the Church Christ is put on."(55)
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20. Mary is, finally, the Virgin presenting offerings. In the episode of the Presentation of Jesus in the
Temple (cf. Lk. 2:22-35), the Church, guided by the Spirit, has detected, over and above the fulfillment of
the laws regarding the offering of the firstborn (cf. Ex. 13:11-16) and the purification of the mother (cf.
Lv. 12:6-8), a mystery of salvation related to the history of salvation. That is, she has noted the continuity
of the fundamental offering that the Incarnate Word made to the Father when He entered the world (cf.
Heb. 15:5-7). The Church has seen the universal nature of salvation proclaimed, for Simeon, greeting in
the Child the light to enlighten the peoples and the glory of the people Israel (cf. Lk. 2:32), recognized in
Him the Messiah, the Savior of all. The Church has understood the prophetic reference to the Passion of
Christ: the fact that Simeon's words, which linked in one prophecy the Son as "the sign of contradiction"
(Lk. 2:34) and the Mother, whose soul would be pierced by a sword (cf Lk. 2:35), came true on Calvary.
A mystery of salvation, therefore, that in its various aspects orients the episode of the Presentation in the
Temple to the salvific event of the cross. But the Church herself, in particular from the Middle Ages
onwards, has detected In the heart of the Virgin taking her Son to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord
(cf. Lk. 2:22) a desire to make an offering, a desire that exceeds the ordinary meaning of the rite. A
witness to this intuition is found in the loving prayer of Saint Bernard "Offer your Son, holy Virgin, and
present to the Lord the blessed fruit of your womb. Offer for the reconciliation of us all the holy Victim
which is pleasing to God."(56)
This union of the Mother and the Son in the work of redemption(57) reaches its climax on Calvary, where
Christ "offered himself as the perfect sacrifice to God" (Heb. 9:14) and where Mary stood by the cross
(cf. Jn 19:25), "suffering grievously with her only-begotten Son. There she united herself with a maternal
heart to His sacrifice, and lovingly consented to the immolation of this victim which she herself had
brought forth"(58) and also was offering to the eternal Father."(59) To perpetuate down the centuries the
Sacrifice of the Cross, the divine Savior instituted the Eucharistic sacrifice, the memorial of His death and
resurrection, and entrusted it to His spouse the Church,(60) which, especially on Sundays, calls the
faithful together to celebrate the Passover of the Lord until He comes again.(61) This the Church does in
union with the saints in heaven and in particular with the Blessed Virgin,(62) whose burning charity and
unshakable faith she imitates.
21. Mary is not only an example for the whole Church in the exercise of divine worship but is also,
clearly, a teacher of the spiritual life for individual Christians. The faithful at a very early date began to
look to Mary and to imitate her in making their lives an act of worship of God and making their worship a
commitment of their lives. As early as the fourth century, St. Ambrose, speaking to the people, expressed
the hope that each of them would have the spirit of Mary in order to glory God May the heart of Mary be
in each Christian to proclaim the greatness of the Lord; may her spirit be in everyone to exult in
God."(63) But Mary is above all the example of that worship that consists in making one's life an offering
to God. This is an ancient and ever new doctrine that each individual can hear again by heeding the
Church's teaching, but also by heeding the very voice of the Virgin as she, anticipating in herself the
wonderful petition of the Lord's Prayer-"Your will be done" (Mt. 6:10)-replied to God's messenger: "I am
the handmaid of the Lord. Let what you have said be done to me" (Lk. 1:38). And Mary's "yes" is for all
Christians a lesson and example of obedience to the will of the Father, which is the, way and means of
one's own sanctification.
10
22. It is also important to note how the Church expresses in various effective attitudes of devotion the
many relationships that bind her to Mary: in profound veneration, when she reflects on the singular
dignity of the Virgin who, through the action of the Holy Spirit has become Mother of the Incarnate
Word; in burning love, when she considers the spiritual motherhood of Mary towards all members of the
Mystical Body; in trusting invocation; when she experiences the intercession of her advocate and
helper;(64) in loving service, when she sees in the humble handmaid of the Lord the queen of mercy and
the mother of grace; in zealots imitation, when she contemplates the holiness and virtues of her who is
"full of grace" (Lk. 1:28); in profound wonder, when she sees in her, "as in a faultless model, that which
she herself wholly desires and hopes to be"(65); in attentive study, when she recognizes in the associate
of the Redeemer, who already shares fully in the fruits of the Paschal Mystery, the prophetic fulfillment
of her own future, until the day on which, when she has been purified of every spot and wrinkle (cf. Eph.
5:27), she will become like a bride arrayed for the bridegroom, Jesus Christ (cf. Rev. 21:2).
23. Therefore, venerable Brothers, as we consider the piety that the liturgical Tradition of the universal
Church and the renewed Roman Rite expresses towards the holy Mother of God, and as we remember that
the liturgy through its pre-eminent value as worship constitutes the golden norm for Christian piety, and
finally as we observe how the Church when she celebrates the sacred mysteries assumes an attitude of
faith and love similar to that of the Virgin, we realize the rightness of the exhortation that the Second
Vatican Council addresses to all the children of the Church, namely "that the cult, especially the liturgical
cult, of the Blessed Virgin be generously fostered."(66) This is an exhortation that we would like to see
accepted everywhere without reservation and put into zealous practice.
PART TWO
The Renewal of Devotion to Mary
24. The Second Vatican Council also exhorts us to promote other forms of piety side by side with
liturgical worship, especially those recommended by the magisterium.(67) However, as is well known,
the piety of the faithful and their veneration of the Mother of God has taken on many forms according to
circumstances of time and place, the different sensibilities of peoples and their different cultural
traditions. Hence it is that the forms in which this devotion is expressed, being subject to the ravages of
time, show the need for a renewal that will permit them to substitute elements that are transient, to
emphasize the elements that are ever new and to incorporate the doctrinal data obtained from theological
reflection and the proposals of the Church's magisterium. This shows the need for episcopal conferences,
local churches, religious families and Community of the faithful to promote a genuine creative activity
and at the same time to proceed to a careful revision of expressions and exercises of piety directed
towards the Blessed Virgin. We would like this revision to be respectful of wholesome tradition and open
to the legitimate requests of the people of our time. It seems fitting therefore, venerable Brothers, to put
forward some principles for action in this field.
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Section One
Trinitarian, Christological and Ecclesial Aspects of Devotion to the Blessed Virgin
25. In the first place it is supremely fitting that exercises of piety directed towards the Virgin Mary should
clearly express the Trinitarian and Christological note that is intrinsic and essential to them. Christian
worship in fact is of itself worship offered to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, or, as the
liturgy puts it, to the Father through Christ in the Spirit. From this point of view worship is rightly
extended, though in a substantially different way, first and foremost and in a special manner, to the
Mother of the Lord and then to the saints, in whom the Church proclaims the Paschal Mystery, for they
have suffered with Christ and have been glorified with Him.(68) In the Virgin Mary everything is relative
to Christ and dependent upon Him. It was with a view to Christ that God the Father from all eternity
chose her to be the all-holy Mother and adorned her with gifts of the Spirit granted to no one else.
Certainly genuine Christian piety has never failed to highlight the indissoluble link and essential
relationship of the Virgin to the divine Savior.(69) Yet it seems to us particularly in conformity with the
spiritual orientation of our time. which is dominated and absorbed by the "question of Christ,"(70) that in
the expressions of devotion to the Virgin the Christological aspect should have particular prominence. It
likewise seems to us fitting that these expressions of devotion should reflect God's plan, which laid down
"with one single decree the origin of Mary and the Incarnation of the divine Wisdom."(71) This will
without doubt contribute to making piety towards the Mother of Jesus more solid, and to making it an
effective instrument for attaining to full "knowledge of the Son of God, until we become the perfect man,
fully mature with the fullness of Christ himself" (Eph. 4:13). It will also contribute to increasing the
worship due to Christ Himself, since, according to the perennial mind of the Church authoritatively
repeated in our own day,(72) "what is given to the handmaid is referred to the Lord; thus what is given to
the Mother redounds to the Son; ...and thus what is given as humble tribute to the Queen becomes honor
rendered to the King."(73)
26. It seems to us useful to add to this mention of the Christological orientation of devotion to the Blessed
Virgin a reminder of the fittingness of giving prominence in this devotion to one of the essential facts of
the Faith: the Person and work of the Holy Spirit. Theological reflection and the liturgy have in fact noted
how the sanctifying intervention of the Spirit in the Virgin of Nazareth was a culminating moment of the
Spirit's action in the history of salvation. Thus, for example, some Fathers and writers of the Church
attributed to the work of the Spirit the original holiness of Mary, who was as it were "fashioned by the
Holy Spirit into a kind of new substance and new creature."(74) Reflecting on the Gospel texts-"The Holy
Spirit will come upon you and the power of the Most High will cover you with his shadow" (Lk. 1:35)
and "[Mary] was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit.... She has conceived what is in her by the
Holy Spirit" (Mt. 1:18, 20)-they saw in the Spirit's intervention an action that consecrated and made
fruitful Mary's virginity(75) and transformed her into the "Abode of the King" or "Bridal Chamber of the
Word,"(76) the "Temple" or "Tabernacle of the Lord,"(77) the "Ark of the Covenant" or "the Ark of
Holiness,"(78) titles rich in biblical echoes. Examining more deeply still the mystery of the Incarnation,
they saw in the mysterious relationship between the Spirit and Mary an aspect redolent of marriage,
poetically portrayed by Prudentius: "The unwed Virgin espoused the Spirit,"(79) and they called her the
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"Temple of the Holy Spirit,"(80) an expression that emphasizes the sacred character of the Virgin, now
the permanent dwelling of the Spirit of God. Delving deeply into the doctrine of the Paraclete, they saw
that from Him as from a spring there flowed forth the fullness of grace (cf. Lk. 1:28) and the abundance
of gifts that adorned her. Thus they attributed to the Spirit the faith, hope and charity that animated the
Virgin's heart, the strength that sustained her acceptance of the will of God, and the vigor that upheld her
in her suffering at the foot of the cross.(81) In Mary's prophetic canticle (cf. Lk. 1:46-55) they saw a
special working of the Spirit who had spoken through the mouths of the prophets.(82) Considering,
finally, the presence of the Mother of Jesus in the Upper Room, where the Spirit came down upon the
infant Church (cf Acts 1:12-14; 2:1-4), they enriched with new developments the ancient theme of Mary
and the Church.(83) Above all they had recourse to the Virgin's intercession in order to obtain from the
Spirit the capacity for engendering Christ in their own soul, as is attested to by Saint Ildephonsus in a
prayer of supplication, amazing in its doctrine and prayerful power: "I beg you, holy Virgin, that I may
have Jesus from the Holy Spirit, by whom you brought Jesus forth. May my soul receive Jesus through
the Holy Spirit by whom your flesh conceived Jesus.... May I love Jesus in the Holy Spirit in whom you
adore Jesus as Lord and gaze upon Him as your Son."(84)
27. It is sometimes said that many spiritual writings today do not sufficiently reflect the whole doctrine
concerning the Holy Spirit. It is the task of specialists to verify and weigh the truth of this assertion, but it
is our task to exhort everyone, especially those in the pastoral ministry and also theologians, to meditate
more deeply on the working of the Holy Spirit in the history of salvation, and to ensure that Christian
spiritual writings give due prominence to His life-giving action. Such a study will bring out in particular
the hidden relationship between the Spirit of God and the Virgin of Nazareth, and show the influence they
exert on the Church. From a more profound meditation on the truths of the Faith will flow a more vital
piety.
28. It is also necessary that exercises of piety with which the faithful honor the Mother of the Lord should
clearly show the place she occupies in the Church: "the highest place and the closest to us after
Christ."(85) The liturgical buildings of Byzantine rite, both in the architectural structure itself and in the
use of images, show clearly Mary's place in the Church. On the central door of the iconostasis there is a
representation of the Annunciation and in the apse an image of the glorious Theotokos. In this way one
perceives how through the assent of the humble handmaid of the Lord mankind begins its return to God
and sees in the glory of the all-holy Virgin the goal towards which it is journeying. The symbolism by
which a church building demonstrates Mary's place in the mystery of the Church is full of significance
and gives grounds for hoping that the different forms of devotion to the Blessed Virgin may everywhere
be open to ecclesial perspectives.
The faithful will be able to appreciate more easily Mary's mission in the mystery of the Church and her
preeminent place in the communion of saints if attention is drawn to the Second Vatican Council's
references to the fundamental concepts of the nature of the Church as the Family of God, the People of
God, the Kingdom of God and the Mystical Body of Christ.(86) This will also bring the faithful to a
deeper realization of the brotherhood which unites all of them as sons and daughters of the Virgin Mary,
"who with a mother's love has cooperated in their rebirth and spiritual formation,"(87) and as sons and
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daughters of the Church, since "we are born from the Church's womb we are nurtured by the Church's
milk, we are given life by the Church's Spirit."(88) They will also realize that both the Church and Mary
collaborate to give birth to the Mystical Body of Christ since "both of them are the Mother of Christ, but
neither brings forth the whole (body) independently of the other."(89) Similarly the faithful will
appreciate more clearly that the action of the Church in the world can be likened to an extension of Mary's
concern. The active love she showed at Nazareth, in the house of Elizabeth, at Cana and on Golgotha - all
salvific episodes having vast ecclesial importance - finds its extension in the Church's maternal concern
that all men should come to knowledge of the truth (cf. 1 Tm. 2:4), in the Church's concern for people in
lowly circumstances and for the poor and weak, and in her constant commitment to peace and social
harmony, as well as in her untiring efforts to ensure that all men will share in the salvation which was
merited for them by Christ's death. Thus love for the Church will become love for Mary, and vice versa,
since the one cannot exist without the other, as St. Chromatius of Aquileia observed with keen
discernment: "The Church was united... in the Upper Room with Mary the Mother of Jesus and with His
brethren. The Church therefore cannot be referred to as such unless it includes Mary the Mother of our
Lord, together with His brethren."(90) In conclusion, therefore, we repeat that devotion to the Blessed
Virgin must explicitly show its intrinsic and ecclesiological content: thus it will be enabled to revise its
forms and texts in a fitting way.
Section Two
Four Guidelines for Devotion to the Blessed Virgin:

Biblical, Liturgical, Ecumenical and Anthropological
29. The above considerations spring from an examination of the Virgin Mary's relationship with God-the
Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit-and with the Church. Following the path traced by conciliar
teaching,(91) we wish to add some further guidelines from Scripture, liturgy, ecumenism and
anthropology. These are to be borne in mind in any revision of exercises of piety or in the creation of new
ones, in order to emphasize and accentuate the bond which unites us to her who is the Mother of Christ
and our Mother in the communion of saints.
30. Today it is recognized as a general need of Christian piety that every form of worship should have a
biblical imprint. The progress made in biblical studies, the increasing dissemination of the Sacred
Scriptures, and above all the example of Tradition and the interior action of the Holy Spirit are tending to
cause the modern Christian to use the Bible ever increasingly as the basic prayerbook, and to draw from it
genuine inspiration and unsurpassable examples. Devotion to the Blessed Virgin cannot be exempt from
this general orientation of Christian piety(92); indeed it should draw inspiration in a special way from this
orientation in order to gain new vigor and sure help. In its wonderful presentation of God's plan for man's
salvation, the Bible is replete with the mystery of the Savior, and from Genesis to the Book of Revelation,
also contains clear references to her who was the Mother and associate of the Savior. We would not,
however, wish this biblical imprint to be merely a diligent use of texts and symbols skillfully selected
from the Sacred Scriptures. More than this is necessary. What is needed is that texts of prayers and chants
should draw their inspiration and their wording from the Bible, and above all that devotion to the Virgin
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should be imbued with the great themes of the Christian message. This will ensure that, as they venerate
the Seat of Wisdom, the faithful in their turn will be enlightened by the divine word, and be inspired to
live their lives in accordance with the precepts of Incarnate Wisdom.
31. We have already spoken of the veneration which the Church gives to the Mother of God in the
celebration of the sacred liturgy. However, speaking of the other forms of devotion and of the criteria on
which they should be based we wish to recall the norm laid down in the Constitution Sacrosanctum
concilium. This document, while wholeheartedly approving of the practices of piety of the Christian
people, goes on to say:"...it is necessary however that such devotions with consideration for the liturgical
seasons should be so arranged as to be in harmony with the sacred liturgy. They should somehow derive
their inspiration from it, and because of its pre-eminence they should orient the Christian people towards
it."(93) Although this is a wise and clear rule, its application is not an easy matter, especially in regard to
Marian devotions, which are so varied in their formal expressions. What is needed on the part of the
leaders of the local communities is effort, pastoral sensitivity and perseverance, while the faithful on their
part must show a willingness to accept guidelines and ideas drawn from the true nature of Christian
worship; this sometimes makes it necessary to change long-standing customs wherein the real nature of
this Christian worship has become somewhat obscured.
In this context we wish to mention two attitudes which in pastoral practice could nullify the norm of the
Second Vatican Council. In the first place there are certain persons concerned with the care of souls who
scorn a priori, devotions of piety which, in their correct forms have been recommended by the
magisterium, who leave them aside and in this way create a vacuum which they do not fill. They forget
that the Council has said that devotions of piety should harmonize with the liturgy, not be suppressed.
Secondly there are those who, without wholesome liturgical and pastoral criteria, mix practices of piety
and liturgical acts in hybrid celebrations. It sometimes happens that novenas or similar practices of piety
are inserted into the very celebration of the Eucharistic Sacrifice. This creates the danger that the Lord's
Memorial Rite, instead of being the culmination of the meeting of the Christian community, becomes the
occasion, as it were, for devotional practices. For those who act in this way we wish to recall the rule laid
down by the Council prescribing that exercises of piety should be harmonized with the liturgy not merged
into it. Wise pastoral action should, on the one hand, point out and emphasize the proper nature of the
liturgical acts, while on the other hand it should enhance the value of practices of piety in order to adapt
them to the needs of individual communities in the Church and to make them valuable aids to the liturgy.
32. Because of its ecclesial character, devotion to the Blessed Virgin reflects the preoccupations of the
Church herself. Among these especially in our day is her anxiety for the re-establishment of Christian
unity. In this way devotion to the Mother of the Lord is in accord with the deep desires and aims of the
ecumenical movement, that is, it acquires an ecumenical aspect. This is so for a number of reasons.
In the first place, in venerating with particular love the glorious Theotokos and in acclaiming her as the
'Hope of Christians,"(94) Catholics unite themselves with their brethren of the Orthodox Churches, in
which devotion to the Blessed Virgin finds its expression in a beautiful lyricism and in solid doctrine.
Catholics are also united with Anglicans, whose classical theologians have already drawn attention to the
15
sound scriptural basis for devotion to the Mother of our Lord, while those of the present day increasingly
underline the importance of Mary's place in the Christian life. Praising God with the very words of the
Virgin (cf. Lk. 1:46-55), they are united, too, with their brethren in the Churches of the Reform, where
love for the Sacred Scriptures flourishes.
For Catholics, devotion to the Mother of Christ and Mother of Christians is also a natural and frequent
opportunity for seeking her intercession with her Son in order to obtain the union of all the baptized
within a single People of God.(95) Yet again, the ecumenical aspect of Marian devotion is shown in the
Catholic Church's desire that, without in any way detracting from the unique character of this
devotion,(96) every care should be taken to avoid any exaggeration which could mislead other Christian
brethren about the true doctrine of the Catholic Church.(97) Similarly, the Church desires that any
manifestation of cult which is opposed to correct Catholic practice should be eliminated.
Finally, since it is natural that in true devotion to the Blessed Virgin "the Son should be duly known,
loved and glorified...when the Mother is honored,"(98) such devotion is an approach to Christ, the source
and center of ecclesiastical communion, in which all who openly confess that He is God and Lord, Savior
and sole Mediator (cf. 1 Tm. 2:5) are called to be one, with one another, with Christ and with the Father
in the unity of the Holy Spirit.(99)
33. We realize that there exist important differences between the thought of many of our brethren in other
Churches and ecclesial communities and the Catholic doctrine on "Mary's role in the work of
salvation."(100) In consequence there are likewise differences of opinion on the devotion which should be
shown to her. Nevertheless, since it is the same power of the Most High which overshadowed the Virgin
of Nazareth (cf Lk. 1:35) and which today is at work within the ecumenical movement and making it
fruitful, we wish to express our confidence that devotion to the humble handmaid of the Lord, in Whom
the Almighty has done great things (cf. Lk. 1:49), will become, even if only slowly, not an obstacle but a
path and a rallying point for the union of all who believe in Christ. We are glad to see that, in fact, a better
understanding of Mary's place in the mystery of Christ and of the Church on the part also of our separated
brethren is smoothing the path to union. Just as at Cana the Blessed Virgin's intervention resulted in
Christ's performing His first miracle (cf. Jn. 2:1-12), so today her intercession can help to bring to
realization the time when the disciples of Christ will again find full communion in faith. This hope of ours
is strengthened by a remark of our predecessor Leo XIII, who wrote that the cause of Christian unity
"properly pertains to the role of Mary's spiritual motherhood. For Mary did not and cannot engender those
who belong to Christ, except in one faith and one love: for 'Is Christ divided?' (1 Cor. 1:13) We must all
live together the life of Christ, so that in one and the same body 'we may bear fruit for God' (Rom.
7:4)."(101)
34. Devotion to the Blessed Virgin must also pay close attention to certain findings of the human
sciences. This will help to eliminate one of the causes of the difficulties experienced in devotion to the
Mother of the Lord, namely, the discrepancy existing between some aspects of this devotion and modern
anthropological discoveries and the profound changes which have occurred in the psycho-sociological
field in which modern man lives and works. The picture of the Blessed Virgin presented in a certain type
16
of devotional literature cannot easily be reconciled with today's life-style, especially the way women live
today. In the home, woman's equality and corresponsibility with man in the running of the family are
being justly recognized by laws and the evolution of customs. In the sphere of politics women have in
many countries gained a position in public life equal to that of men. In the social field women are at work
in a whole range of different employments, getting further away every day from the restricted
surroundings of the home. In the cultural field new possibilities are opening up for women in scientific
research and intellectual activities.
In consequence of these phenomena some people are becoming disenchanted with devotion to the Blessed
Virgin and finding it difficult to take as an example Mary of Nazareth because the horizons of her life, so
they say, seem rather restricted in comparison with the vast spheres of activity open to mankind today. In
this regard we exhort theologians, those responsible for the local Christian communities and the faithful
themselves to examine these difficulties with due care. At the same time we wish to take the opportunity
of offering our own contribution to their solution by making a few observations.
35. First, the Virgin Mary has always been proposed to the faithful by the Church as an example to be
imitated, not precisely in the type of life she led, and much less for the socio-cultural background in
which she lived and which today scarcely exists anywhere. She is held up as an example to the faithful
rather for the way in which, in her own particular life, she fully and responsibly accepted the will of God
(cf. Lk. 1:38), because she heard the word of God and acted on it, and because charity and a spirit of
service were the driving force of her actions. She is worthy of imitation because she was the first and the
most perfect of Christ's disciples. All of this has a permanent and universal exemplary value.
36. Secondly, we would like to point out that the difficulties alluded to above are closely related to certain
aspects of the image of Mary found in popular writings. They are not connected with the Gospel image of
Mary nor with the doctrinal data which have been made explicit through a slow and conscientious process
of drawing from Revelation. It should be considered quite normal for succeeding generations of
Christians in differing sociocultural contexts to have expressed their sentiments about the Mother of Jesus
in a way and manner which reflected their own age. In contemplating Mary and her mission these
different generations of Christians, looking on her as the New Woman and perfect Christian, found in her
as a virgin, wife and mother the outstanding type of womanhood and the preeminent exemplar of life
lived in accordance with the Gospels and summing up the most characteristic situations in the life of a
woman. When the Church considers the long history of Marian devotion she rejoices at the continuity of
the element of cult which it shows, but she does not bind herself to any particular expression of an
individual cultural epoch or to the particular anthropological ideas underlying such expressions. The
Church understands that certain outward religious expressions, while perfectly valid in themselves, may
be less suitable to men and women of different ages and cultures.
37. Finally, we wish to point out that our own time, no less than former times, is called upon to verify its
knowledge of reality with the word of God, and, keeping to the matter at present under consideration, to
compare its anthropological ideas and the problems springing therefrom with the figure of the Virgin
Mary as presented by the Gospel. The reading of the divine Scriptures, carried out under the guidance of
17
the Holy Spirit, and with the discoveries of the human sciences and the different situations in the world
today being taken into account, will help us to see how Mary can be considered a mirror of the
expectations of the men and women of our time. Thus, the modern woman, anxious to participate with
decision-making power in the affairs of the community, will contemplate with intimate joy Mary who,
taken into dialogue with God, gives her active and responsible consent,(102) not to the solution of a
contingent problem, but to that "event of world importance," as the Incarnation of the Word has been
rightly called.(103) The modern woman will appreciate that Mary's choice of the state of virginity, which
in God's plan prepared her for the mystery of the Incarnation, was not a rejection of any of the values of
the married state but a courageous choice which she made in order to consecrate herself totally to the love
of God. The modern woman will note with pleasant surprise that Mary of Nazareth, while completely
devoted to the will of God, was far from being a timidly submissive woman or one whose piety was
repellent to others; on the contrary, she was a woman who did not hesitate to proclaim that God vindicates
the humble and the oppressed, and removes the powerful people of this world from their privileged
positions (cf Lk. 1:51-53). The modern woman will recognize in Mary, who "stands out among the poor
and humble of the Lord,"(104) a woman of strength, who experienced poverty and suffering, flight and
exile (cf. Mt. 2:13-23). These are situations that cannot escape the attention of those who wish to support,
with the Gospel spirit, the liberating energies of man and of society. And Mary will appear not as a
Mother exclusively concerned with her own divine Son, but rather as a woman whose action helped to
strengthen the apostolic community's faith in Christ (cf. Jn. 2:1-12), and whose maternal role was
extended and became universal on Calvary.(105) These are but examples, but examples which show
clearly that the figure of the Blessed Virgin does not disillusion any of the profound expectations of the
men and women of our time but offers them the perfect model of the disciple of the Lord: the disciple
who builds up the earthly and temporal city while being a diligent pilgrim towards the heavenly and
eternal city; the disciple who works for that justice which sets free the oppressed and for that charity
which assists the needy; but above all, the disciple who is the active witness of that love which builds up
Christ in people's hearts.
38. Having offered these directives, which are intended to favor the harmonious development of devotion
to the Mother of the Lord, we consider it opportune to draw attention to certain attitudes of piety which
are incorrect. The Second Vatican Council has already authoritatively denounced both the exaggeration of
content and form which even falsifies doctrine and likewise the small-mindedness which obscures the
figure and mission of Mary. The Council has also denounced certain devotional deviations, such as vain
credulity, which substitutes reliance on merely external practices for serious commitment. Another
deviation is sterile and ephemeral sentimentality, so alien to the spirit of the Gospel that demands
persevering and practical action.(106) We reaffirm the Council's reprobation of such attitudes and
practices. They are not in harmony with the Catholic Faith and therefore they must have no place in
Catholic worship. Careful defense against these errors and deviations will render devotion to the Blessed
Virgin more vigorous and more authentic. It will make this devotion solidly based, with the consequence
that study of the sources of Revelation and attention to the documents of the magisterium will prevail
over the exaggerated search for novelties or extraordinary phenomena. It will ensure that this devotion is
objective in its historical seeing, and for this reason everything that is obviously legendary or false must
be eliminated. It will ensure that this devotion matches its doctrinal content-hence the necessity of
18
avoiding a one-sided presentation of the figure of Mary, which by overstressing one element
compromises the overall picture given by the Gospel. It will make this devotion clear in its motivation;
hence every unworthy self-interest is to be carefully banned from the area of what is sacred.
39. Finally, insofar as it may be necessary we would like to repeat that the ultimate purpose of devotion to
the Blessed Virgin is to glorify God and to lead Christians to commit themselves to a life which is in
absolute conformity with His will. When the children of the Church unite their voices with the voice of
the unknown woman in the Gospel and glorify the Mother of Jesus by saying to Him: "Blessed is the
womb that bore you and the breasts that you sucked" (Lk. 11:27), they will be led to ponder the Divine
Master's serious reply: "Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!" (Lk. 11:28)
While it is true that this reply is in itself lively praise of Mary, as various Fathers of the Church
interpreted it(107) and the Second Vatican Council has confirmed,(108) it is also an admonition to us to
live our lives in accordance with God's commandments. It is also an echo of other words of the Savior:
"Not every one who says to me 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will
of my Father who is in heaven" (Mt. 7:21); and again: "You are my friends if you do what I command
you" (Jn. 15:14).
PART THREE
Observations on Two Exercises of Piety:

The Angelus and the Rosary
40. We have indicated a number of principles which can help to give fresh vigor to devotion to the
Mother of the Lord. It is now up to episcopal conferences, to those in charge of local communities and to
the various religious congregations prudently to revise practices and exercises of piety in honor of the
Blessed Virgin, and to encourage the creative impulse of those who through genuine religious inspiration
or pastoral sensitivity wish to establish new forms of piety. For different reasons we nevertheless feel it is
opportune to consider here two practices which are widespread in the West, and with which this Apostolic
See has concerned itself on various occasions: the Angelus and the Rosary.
The Angelus
41. What we have to say about the Angelus is meant to be only a simple but earnest exhortation to
continue its traditional recitation wherever and whenever possible. The Angelus does not need to be
revised, because of its simple structure, its biblical character, its historical origin which links it to the
prayer for peace and safety, and its quasi-liturgical rhythm which sanctifies different moments during the
day, and because it reminds us of the Paschal Mystery, in which recalling the Incarnation of the Son of
God we pray that we may be led "through his passion and cross to the glory of his resurrection."(109)
These factors ensure that the Angelus despite the passing of centuries retains an unaltered value and an
intact freshness. It is true that certain customs traditionally linked with the recitation of the Angelus have
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disappeared or can continue only with difficulty in modern life. But these are marginal elements. The
value of contemplation on the mystery of the Incarnation of the Word, of the greeting to the Virgin, and
of recourse to her merciful intercession remains unchanged. And despite the changed conditions of the
times, for the majority of people there remain unaltered the characteristic periods of the day-morning,
noon and evening-which mark the periods of their activity and constitute an invitation to pause in prayer.
The Rosary
42. We wish now, venerable Brothers, to dwell for a moment on the renewal of the pious practice which
has been called "the compendium of the entire Gospel"(110): the Rosary. To this our predecessors have
devoted close attention and care. On many occasions they have recommended its frequent recitation,
encouraged its diffusion, explained its nature, recognized its suitability for fostering contemplative
prayer-prayer of both praise and petition-and recalled its intrinsic effectiveness for promoting Christian
life and apostolic commitment.
We, too, from the first general audience of our pontificate on July 13, 1963, have shown our great esteem
for the pious practice of the Rosary.(111) Since that time we have underlined its value on many different
occasions, some ordinary, some grave. Thus, at a moment of anguish and uncertainty, we published the
Letter Christi Matri (September 15, 1966), in order to obtain prayers to Our Lady of the Rosary and to
implore from God the supreme benefit of peace.(112) "We renewed this appeal in our Apostolic
Exhortation Recurrens mensis October (October 7 1969), in which we also commemorated the fourth
centenary of the Apostolic Letter Consueverunt Romani pontifices of our predecessor Saint Pius V, who
in that document explained and in a certain sense established the traditional form of the Rosary.(113)
43. Our assiduous and affectionate interest in the Rosary has led us to follow very attentively the
numerous meetings which in recent years have been devoted to the pastoral role of the Rosary in the
modern world, meetings arranged by associations and individuals profoundly attached to the Rosary and
attended by bishops, priests, religious and lay people of proven experience and recognized ecclesial
awareness. Among these people special mention should be made of the sons of Saint Dominic, by
tradition the guardians and promoters of this very salutary practice. Parallel with such meetings has been
the research work of historians, work aimed not at defining in a sort of archaeological fashion the
primitive form of the Rosary but at uncovering the original inspiration and driving force behind it and its
essential structure. The fundamental characteristics of the Rosary, its essential elements and their mutual
relationship have all emerged more clearly from these congresses and from the research carried out.
44. Thus, for instance, the Gospel inspiration of the Rosary has appeared more clearly: the Rosary draws
from the Gospel the presentation of the mysteries and its main formulas. As it moves from the angel's
joyful greeting and the Virgin's pious assent, the Rosary takes its inspiration from the Gospel to suggest
the attitude with which the faithful should recite it. In the harmonious succession of Hail Mary's the
Rosary puts before us once more a fundamental mystery of the Gospel-the Incarnation of the Word,
contemplated at the decisive moment of the Annunciation to Mary. The Rosary is thus a Gospel prayer, as
pastors and scholars like to define it, more today perhaps than in the past.
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45. It has also been more easily seen how the orderly and gradual unfolding of the Rosary reflects the
very way in which the Word of God, mercifully entering into human affairs, brought about the
Redemption. The Rosary considers in harmonious succession the principal salvific events accomplished
in Christ, from His virginal conception and the mysteries of His childhood to the culminating moments of
the Passover-the blessed passion and the glorious resurrection-and to the effects of this on the infant
Church on the day of Pentecost, and on the Virgin Mary when at the end of her earthly life she was
assumed body and soul into her heavenly home. It has also been observed that the division of the
mysteries of the Rosary into three parts not only adheres strictly to the chronological order of the facts but
above all reflects the plan of the original proclamation of the Faith and sets forth once more the mystery
of Christ in the very way in which it is seen by Saint Paul in the celebrated "hymn" of the Letter to the
Philippians-kenosis, death and exaltation (cf 2:6-11).
46. As a Gospel prayer, centered on the mystery of the redemptive Incarnation, the Rosary is therefore a
prayer with a clearly Christological orientation. Its most characteristic element, in fact, the litany-like
succession of Hail Mary's, becomes in itself an unceasing praise of Christ, who is the ultimate object both
of the angel's announcement and of the greeting of the mother of John the Baptist: "Blessed is the fruit of
your womb" (Lk. 1:42). We would go further and say that the succession of Hail Mary's constitutes the
warp on which is woven the contemplation of the mysteries. The Jesus that each Hail Mary recalls is the
same Jesus whom the succession of the mysteries proposes to us-now as the Son of God, now as the Son
of the Virgin-at His birth in a stable at Bethlehem, at His presentation by His Mother in the Temple, as a
youth full of zeal for His Father's affairs, as the Redeemer in agony in the garden, scourged and crowned
with thorns, carrying the cross and dying on Calvary, risen from the dead and ascended to the glory of the
Father to send forth the gift of the Spirit. As is well known, at one time there was a custom, still preserved
in certain places, of adding to the name of Jesus in each Hail Mary reference to the mystery being
contemplated. And this was done precisely in order to help contemplation and to make the mind and the
voice act in unison.
47. There has also been felt with greater urgency the need to point out once more the importance of a
further essential element in the Rosary, in addition to the value of the elements of praise and petition,
namely the element of contemplation. Without this the Rosary is a body without a soul, and its recitation
is in danger of becoming a mechanical repetition of formulas and of going counter to the warning of
Christ: "And in praying do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do; for they think that they will be
heard for their many words" (Mt. 6:7). By its nature the recitation of the Rosary calls for a quiet rhythm
and a lingering pace, helping the individual to meditate on the mysteries of the Lord's life as seen through
the eyes of her who was closest to the Lord. In this way the unfathomable riches of these mysteries are
unfolded.
48. Finally, as a result of modern reflection the relationships between the liturgy and the Rosary have
been more clearly understood. On the one hand it has been emphasized that the Rosary is, as it were, a
branch sprung from the ancient trunk of the Christian liturgy, the Psalter of the Blessed Virgin, whereby
the humble were associated in the Church's hymn of praise and universal intercession. On the other hand
it has been noted that this development occurred at a time-the last period of the Middle Ages-when the
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liturgical spirit was in decline and the faithful were turning from the liturgy towards a devotion to Christ's
humanity and to the Blessed Virgin Mary, a devotion favoring a certain external sentiment of piety. Not
many years ago some people began to express the desire to see the Rosary included among the rites of the
liturgy, while other people, anxious to avoid repetition of former pastoral mistakes, unjustifiably
disregarded the Rosary. Today the problem can easily be solved in the light of the principles of the
Constitution Sacrosanctum concilium. Liturgical celebrations and the pious practice of the Rosary must
be neither set in opposition to one another nor considered as being identical.(114) The more an expression
of prayer preserves its own true nature and individual characteristics the more fruitful it becomes. Once
the pre-eminent value of liturgical rites has been reaffirmed it will not be difficult to appreciate the fact
that the Rosary is a practice of piety which easily harmonizes with the liturgy. In fact, like the liturgy, it is
of a community nature, draws its inspiration from Sacred Scripture and is oriented towards the mystery of
Christ. The commemoration in the liturgy and the contemplative remembrance proper to the Rosary,
although existing on essentially different planes of reality, have as their object the same salvific events
wrought by Christ. The former presents new, under the veil of signs and operative in a hidden way, the
great mysteries of our Redemption. The latter, by means of devout contemplation, recalls these same
mysteries to the mind of the person praying and stimulates the will to draw from them the norms of
living. Once this substantial difference has been established, it is not difficult to understand that the
Rosary is an exercise of piety that draws its motivating force from the liturgy and leads naturally back to
it, if practiced in conformity with its original inspiration.; It does not, however, become part of the liturgy.
In fact, meditation on the mysteries of the Rosary, by familiaring the hearts and minds of the faithful with
the mysteries of Christ, can be an excellent preparation for the creation of those same mysteries in the
liturgical action and an also become a continuing echo thereof. However, it is a mistake to recite the
Rosary during the celebration of the liturgy, though unfortunately this practice still persists here and there.
49. The Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary, according to the tradition accepted by our predecessor St.
Pius V and authoritatively taught by him, consists of various elements disposed in an organic fashion:
a) Contemplation in communion with Mary, of a series of mysteries of salvation, wisely distributed into
three cycles. These mysteries express the joy of the messianic times, the salvific suffering of Christ and
the glory of the Risen Lord which fills the Church. This contemplation by its very nature encourages
practical reflection and provides stimulating norms for living.
b) The Lord's Prayer, or Our Father, which by reason of its immense value is at the basis of Christian
prayer and ennobles that prayer in its various expressions.
c) The litany-like succession of the Hail Mary, which is made up of the angel's greeting to the Virgin (cf.
Lk. 1;28), and of Elizabeth's greeting (cf. Lk. 1:42), followed by the ecclesial supplication, Holy Mary.
The continued series of Hail Mary's is the special characteristic of the Rosary, and their number, in the
full and typical number of one hundred and fifty, presents a certain analogy with the Psalter and is an
element that goes back to the very origin of the exercise of piety. But this number, divided, according to a
well-tried custom, into decades attached to the individual mysteries, is distributed in the three cycles
already mentioned, thus giving rise to the Rosary of fifty Hail Mary's as we know it. This latter has
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entered into use as the normal measure of the pious exercise and as such has been adopted by popular
piety and approved by papal authority, which also enriched it with numerous indulgences.
d) The doxology Glory be to the Father which, in conformity with an orientation common to Christian
piety concludes the prayer with the glorifying of God who is one and three, from whom, through whom
and in whom all things have their being (cf. Rom. 11:36).
50. These are the elements of the Rosary. Each has its own particular character which, wisely understood
and appreciated, should be reflected in the recitation in order that the Rosary may express all its richness
and variety. Thus the recitation will be grave and suppliant during the Lord's Prayer, lyrical and full of
praise during the tranquil succession of Hail Mary's, contemplative in the recollected meditation on the
mysteries and full of adoration during the doxology. This applies to all the ways in which the Rosary is
usually recited: privately, in intimate recollection with the Lord; in community, in the family or in groups
of the faithful gathered together to ensure the special presence of the Lord (cf. Mt. 18:20); or publicly, in
assemblies to which the ecclesial community is invited.
51. In recent times certain exercises of piety have been created which take their inspiration from the
Rosary. Among such exercises we wish to draw attention to and recommend those which insert into the
ordinary celebration of the word of God some elements of the Rosary, such as meditation on the mysteries
and litany-like repetition of the angel's greeting to Mary. In this way these elements gain in importance,
since they are found in the context of Bible readings, illustrated with a homily, accompanied by silent
pauses and emphasized with song. We are happy to know that such practices have helped to promote a
more complete understanding of the spiritual riches of the Rosary itself and have served to restore esteem
for its recitation among youth associations and movements.
52. We now desire, as a continuation of the thought of our predecessors, to recommend strongly the
recitation of the family Rosary. The Second Vatican Council has pointed out how the family, the primary
and vital cell of society, "shows itself to be the domestic sanctuary of the Church through the mutual
affection of its members and the common prayer they offer to God."(115) The Christian family is thus
seen to be a domestic Church"(116) if its members, each according to his proper place and tasks, all
together promote justice, practice works of mercy, devote themselves to helping their brethren, take part
in the apostolate of the wider local community and play their part in its liturgical worship.(117) This will
be all the more true if together they offer up prayers to God. If this element of common prayer were
missing, the family would lack its very character as a domestic Church. Thus there must logically follow
a concrete effort to reinstate communal prayer in family life if there is to be a restoration of the
theological concept of the family as the domestic Church.
53. In accordance with the directives of the Council the Institutio Generulis de Liturgia Horarum rightly
numbers the family among the groups in which the Divine Office can suitably be celebrated in
community: "It is fitting...that the family, as a domestic sanctuary of the Church, should not only offer
prayers to God in common, but also, according to circumstances, should recite parts of the Liturgy of the
Hours, in order to be more intimately linked with the Church."(118) No avenue should be left unexplored
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to ensure that this clear and practical recommendation finds within Christian families growing and joyful
acceptance.
54. But there is no doubt that, after the celebration of the Liturgy of the Hours, the high point which
family prayer can reach, the Rosary should be considered as one of the best and most efficacious prayers
in common that the Christian family is invited to recite. We like to think, and sincerely hope, that when
the family gathering becomes a time of prayer, the Rosary is a frequent and favored manner of praying.
We are well aware that the changed conditions of life today do not make family gatherings easy, and that
even when such a gathering is possible many circumstances make it difficult to turn it into an occasion of
prayer. There is no doubt of the difficulty. But it is characteristic of the Christian in his manner of life not
to give in to circumstances but to overcome them, not to succumb but to make an effort. Families which
want to live in full measure the vocation and spirituality proper to the Christian family must therefore
devote all their energies to overcoming the pressures that hinder family gatherings and prayer in common.
55. In concluding these observations, which give proof of the concern and esteem which the Apostolic
See has for the Rosary of the Blessed Virgin, we desire at the same time to recommend that this very
worthy devotion should not be propagated in a way that is too one-sided or exclusive. The Rosary is an
excellent prayer, but the faithful should feel serenely free in its regard. They should be drawn to its calm
recitation by its intrinsic appeal.
CONCLUSION
Theological and Pastoral Value of Devotion to the Blessed Virgin
56. Venerable Brothers, as we come to the end of this our Apostolic Exhortation we wish to sum up and
emphasize the theological value of devotion to the Blessed Virgin and to recall briefly its pastoral
effectiveness for renewing the Christian way of life.
The Church's devotion to the Blessed Virgin is an intrinsic element of Christian worship. The honor
which the Church has always and everywhere shown to the Mother of the Lord, from the blessing with
which Elizabeth greeted Mary (cf. Lk. 1:42-45) right up to the expressions of praise and petition used
today, is a very strong witness to the Church's norm of prayer and an invitation to become more deeply
conscious of her norm of faith. And the converse is likewise true. The Church's norm of faith requires that
her norm of prayer should everywhere blossom forth with regard to the Mother of Christ. Such devotion
to the Blessed Virgin is firmly rooted in the revealed word and has solid dogmatic foundations. It is based
on the singular dignity of Mary, "Mother of the Son of God, and therefore beloved daughter of the Father
and Temple of the Holy Spirit-Mary, who, because of this extraordinary grace, is far greater than any
other creature on earth or in heaven."(119) This devotion takes into account the part she played at
decisive moments in the history of the salvation which her Son accomplished, and her holiness, already
full at her Immaculate Conception yet increasing all the time as she obeyed the will of the Father and
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accepted the path of suffering (cf. Lk. 2:34-35, 41-52; Jn. 19:25-27), growing constantly in faith, hope
and charity. Devotion to Mary recalls too her mission and the special position she holds within the People
of God, of which she is the preeminent member, a shining example and the loving Mother; it recalls her
unceasing and efficacious intercession which, although she is assumed into heaven, draws her close to
those who ask her help, including those who do not realize that they are her children. It recalls Mary's
glory which ennobles the whole of mankind, as the outstanding phrase of Dante recalls: "You have so
ennobled human nature that its very Creator did not disdain to share in it."(120) Mary, in fact, is one of
our race, a true daughter of Eve-though free of that mother's sin-and truly our sister, who as a poor and
humble woman fully shared our lot.
We would add further that devotion to the Blessed Virgin finds its ultimate justification in the
unfathomable and free will of God who, being eternal and divine charity (cf. 1 Jn. 4:7-8, 16),
accomplishes all things according to a loving design. He loved her and did great things for her (cf. Lk.
1:49). He loved her for His own sake, and He loved her for our sake, too; He gave her to Himself and He
gave her also to us.
57. Christ is the only way to the Father (cf. Jn. 14:4-11), and the ultimate example to whom the disciple
must conform his own conduct (cf. Jn. 13:15), to the extent of sharing Christ's sentiments (cf. Phil. 2:5),
living His life and possessing His Spirit (cf. Gal. 2 20; Rom. 8:10-11). The Church has always taught this
and nothing in pastoral activity should obscure this doctrine. But the Church, taught by the Holy Spirit
and benefiting from centuries of experience, recognizes that devotion to the Blessed Virgin, subordinated
to worship of the divine Savior and in connection with it, also has a great pastoral effectiveness and
constitutes a force for renewing Christian living. It is easy to see the reason for this effectiveness Mary's
many-sided mission to the People of God is a super natural reality which operates and bears fruit within
the body of the Church. One finds cause for joy in considering the different aspects of this mission, and
seeing how each of these aspects with its individual effectiveness is directed towards the same end,
namely, producing in the children the spiritual characteristics of the first-born Son. The Virgin's maternal
intercession, her exemplary holiness and the divine grace which is in her become for the human race a
reason for divine hope.
The Blessed Virgin's role as Mother leads the People of God to turn with filial confidence to her who is
ever ready to listen with a mother's affection and efficacious assistance.(121) Thus the People of God
have learned to call on her as the Consoler of the afflicted, the Health of the sick, and the Refuge of
sinners, that they may find comfort in tribulation, relief in sickness and liberating strength in guilt. For
she, who is free from sin, leads her children to combat sin with energy and resoluteness.(122) This
liberation from sin and evil (cf. Mt. 6:13)-it must be repeated-is the necessary premise for any renewal of
Christian living.
The Blessed Virgin's exemplary holiness encourages the faithful to "raise their eyes to Mary who shines
forth before the whole community of the elect as a model of the virtues."(123) It is a question of solid,
evangelical virtues: faith and the docile acceptance of the Word of God (cf. Lk. 1:26-38, 1:45, 11:27-28;
Jn. 2:5); generous obedience (cf Lk. 1:38); genuine humility (cf. Lk. 1:48); solicitous charity (cf. Lk.
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1:39-56); profound wisdom (cf. Lk. 1:29, 34; 2:19, 33:51); worship of God manifested in alacrity in the
fulfillment of religious duties (cf. Lk. 2:21-41), in gratitude for gifts received (cf Lk. 1:46-49), in her
offering in the Temple (cf. Lk. 2:22-24) and in her prayer in the midst of the apostolic community (cf.
Acts 1:12-14); her fortitude in exile (cf. Mt. 2:13-23) and in suffering (cf. Lk. 2:34-35, 49; Jn. 19 25); her
poverty reflecting dignity and trust in God (cf. Lk. 1:48, 2:24) her attentive care for her Son, from His
humble birth to the ignominy of the cross (cf. Lk. 2:1-7; Jn. 19:25-27); her delicate forethought (cf. Jn.
2:1-11); her virginal purity (cf. Mt. 1:18-25; Lk. 1:26-38); her strong and chaste married love. These
virtues of the Mother will also adorn her children who steadfastly study her example in order to reflect it
in their own lives. And this progress in virtue will appear as the consequence and the already mature fruit
of that pastoral zeal which springs from devotion to the Blessed Virgin.
Devotion to the Mother of the Lord becomes for the faithful an opportunity for growing in divine grace,
and this is the ultimate aim of all pastoral activity. For it is impossible to honor her who is "full of grace"
(Lk. 1:28) without thereby honoring in oneself the state of grace, which is friendship with God,
communion with Him and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. It is this divine grace which takes possession
of the whole man and conforms him to the image of the Son of God (cf. Rom. 8:29; Col. 1:18). The
Catholic Church, endowed with centuries of experience, recognizes in devotion to the Blessed Virgin a
powerful aid for man as he strives for fulfillment. Mary, the New Woman, stands at the side of Christ, the
New Man, within whose mystery the mystery of man(124) alone finds true light; she is given to its as a
pledge and guarantee that God's plan in Christ for the salvation of the whole man has already achieved
realization in a creature: in her. Contemplated in the episodes of the Gospels and in the reality which she
already possesses in the City of God, the Blessed Virgin Mary offers a calm vision and a reassuring word
to modern man, torn as he often is between anguish and hope, defeated by the sense of his own limitations
and assailed by limitless aspirations, troubled in his mind and divided in his heart, uncertain before the
riddle of death, oppressed by loneliness while yearning for fellowship, a prey to boredom and disgust. She
shows forth the victory of hope over anguish, of fellowship over solitude, of peace over anxiety, of joy
and beauty over boredom and disgust, of eternal visions over earthly ones, of life over death.
Let the very words that she spoke to the servants at the marriage feast of Cana, "Do whatever he tells
you" (Jn. 2:5), be a seal on our Exhortation and a further reason in favor of the pastoral value of devotion
to the Blessed Virgin as a means of leading men to Christ. Those words, which at first sight were limited
to the desire to remedy an embarrassment at the feast, are seen in the context of Saint John's Gospel to re-
echo the words used by the people of Israel to give approval to the Covenant at Sinai (cf. Ex. 19:8, 24:3,
7; Dt. 5:27) and to renew their commitments (cf. Jos. 24:24; Ezr. 10:12; Neh. 5:12). And they are words
which harmonize wonderfully with those spoken by the Father at the theophany on Mount Tabor: "Listen
to him" (Mt. 17:5).
Epilogue
58. Venerable Brothers, we have dealt at length with an integral element of Christian worship: devotion to
the Mother of the Lord. This has been called for by the nature of the subject, one which in these recent
years has been the object of study and revision and at times the cause of some perplexity. We are
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consoled to think that the work done by this Apostolic See and by yourselves in order to carry out the
norms of the Council-particularly the liturgical reform-is a stepping-stone to an ever more lively and
adoring worship of God, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, and to an increase of the Christian
life of the faithful. We are filled with confidence when we note that the renewed Raman liturgy, also
taken as a whole, is a splendid illustration of the Church's devotion to the Blessed Virgin. We are upheld
by the hope that the directives issued in order to render this devotion ever more pure and vigorous will be
applied with sincerity. We rejoice that the Lord has given us the opportunity of putting forward some
points for reflection in order to renew and confirm esteem for the practice of the rosary. Comfort,
confidence, hope and joy are the sentiments which we wish to transform into fervent praise and
thanksgiving to the Lord as we unite our voice with that of the Blessed Virgin in accordance with the
prayer of the Roman Liturgy.
Dear Brothers, while we express the hope that thanks to your generous commitment, there will be among
the clergy and among the people entrusted to your care a salutary increase of devotion to Mary with
undoubted profit for the Church and for society, we cordially impart our special apostolic blessing to
yourselves and to all the faithful people to whom you devote your pastoral zeal.
Given in Rome, at Saint Peter's, on the second day of February, the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord,
in the year 1974, the eleventh of our Pontificate.
PAULUS PP. VI
FOOTNOTES
1) Cf Lactantius, Divinae Institutiones IV,3, 6-10: CSEL 19 p. 279.
2) Cf II Vatican Council, Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, Sacrosanctum Concilium, 1-3, 11, 21, 48,
AAS 56 (1964), pp 97-98, 102-103, 105-106, 113.
3) II Vatican Council, Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, Sacrosanctum Concilium, 103: AAS 56
(1964), p. 125.
4) Cf II Vatican Council, Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, Lumen Gentium, 66: AAS 57 (1965), p.
65.
5) Ibid.
6) Votive Mass of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church. Preface.
7) Cf II Vatican Council, Dogmatic Constitution on, the Church, Lumen Gentium 66-67: AAS 57 (1965),
pp 65-66, Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, Sacrosanctum Concilium, 103: AAS 56 (1964), p 125.
27
8) Apostolic Exhortation, Signum Magnum: AAS 59 (1967) pp. 465-475
9) Cf II Vatican Council, Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, Sacrosanctum Concilium, 3: AAS 56

(1964). p 98.
10) Cf II Vatican Council ibid, 102: AAS 56 ( 1954), p 125.
11) Cf. Roman Missal restored by Decree of the Sacred Ecumenical II Vatican Council, promulgated by
authority of Pope Paul VI typical edition, MCMLXX, 8 December, Preface.
12) Roman Missal, restored by Decree of the Sacred Ecumenical II Vatican Council promulgated by
authority of Pope Paul VI, Orao Lectionum Missae, typical edition MCMLXIX. p. 8, First Reading (Year
A: 1:, 7:10-14: "Behold a Virgin shall conceive"; Year B: 2: Sam 7:1-15; 8b-11, 16: "The throne of David
shall be established for ever before the face of the Lord"; Year C: Mic 5:2a [Heb 1-4a]: "Out of you will
be born for me the one who is to rule over Israel").
13) Ibid., p. 8, Gospel (Year A: Mt 1:18-24: "Jesus is born of Mary who was espoused to Joseph, the son
of David"; Year B: Lk 1:26-38: "You are to conceive and bear a son; Year C: Lk 1:39-45: "Why should I
be honoured with a visit from the Mother of my Lord?").
14) Cf. Roman Missal Advent Preface, II.
15) Roman Missal, Ibid.
16) Roman Missal, Eucharistic Prayer I, Communicantes for Christmas and its octave.
17) Roman Missal, 1 January, Entry antiphon and Collect.
18) Cf. Roman Missal, 22 August. Collect.
19) Roman Missal, 8 September, Prayer after Communion.
20) Roman Missal, 31 May, Collect.
21) Cf. ibid., Collect and Prayer over the gifts.
22) Cf. Roman Missal, 15 September, Collect.
23) Cf. 1, p. 15.
24) From among the many anaphoras cf. the following which are held In special honour by the Eastern
rites: Anaphora Marci Evangelistae: Prex Eucharistica, ed A. Hanggi-I, Pahl. Fribourg Editions
28
Universitaires, 1968, p. 107; Anaphora Iacobi fratris Domini graeca ibid. p. 257; Anaphora Ioannis
Chrysostomi, ibid., p. 229.
25) Cf. Roman Missal, 8 December, Preface.
26) Cf. Roman Missal, 15 August, Preface.
27) Cf. Roman Missal, 1 January, Prayer after Communion.
28) Cf. Roman Missal, Common of the Blessed Virgin Mary, 6, Tempore Paschali, Collect.
29) Roman Missal, 15 September, Collect.
30) Roman Missal, 31 Mary Collect. On the same lines is the Preface of the Blessed Virgin Mar, 1; "We
do well... in celebrating the memory of the Virgin Mary... to glorify your love for us in the words of her
song of thanksgiving."
31) Cf. Lectionary, III Sunday of Advent (Year C: Zeph 3:14-18a): IV Sunday of Advent (cf. above
footnote 12); Sunday within the octave of Christmas (Year A; Mt 2:13-15 Year B; Lk 2:22-40; Year C;
Lk 2:41-52); II Sunday after Christmas (Jn 1:1-18); VII Sunday after Easter (Year A: Acts 1:12-14): II
Sunday of the Year C: Jn 1:1-12); X Sunday of the Year (Year B: Gen 3:9-15); XIV Sunday of the Year
(Year B: Mk 6:16)
32) Cf Lectionary, the catechumenate and baptism of adults the Lord's Prayer (Second Reading 2 Gal.
4:47); Christian initiation outside the Easter Vigil (Gospel, 7, Jn 1:1-5; 9-16; 16-18); Nuptial Mass
(Gospel, 7, Jn 2:1-11); consecration of Virgins and religious profession (First Reading 7, Is 61:9-11;
Gospel, 6 Mk 3:31-35; Lk 1:26-38 [cf. Ordo Consecrationis Virginum 130; ordo professionis religiosae,
pars alter, 145]).
33) Cf. Lectionary, For refugees and exiles (Gospel, 1 Mt 2:13-15; 19-23); In thanksgiving (First Reading
4 Zeph 3:14-15).
34) Cf. La Divina Commedia, Paradiso XXXIII, 1-9 cf Liturgy of the Hours, remembrance of Our Lady
on Saturdays, Office of Reading Hymn.
35) Ordo baptismi parvulorum 48: Ordo initiationis christiana adultorum, 214.
36) Cf.. Rituale Romanum, Tit. VII, cap. III, De benedictione mulieris post partum.
37) Cf. Ordo professionis religiosae, Pars Prior, 57 and 67.
38) Cf. Ordo consecrationis virginum, 16.
29
39) Cf. Ordo professionis religiosae, Pars Prior, 62 and 142; Pars Altera, 67 and 158; Ordo consecrationis
virginum, 18 and 20.
40) Cf. Ordo unctionis infirmorum eorumque pastoralis curae,143, 146, 147. 150.
41) Cf. Roman Missal, Masses for the Dead, For dead brothers and sisters, relations and benefactors.
Collect.
42) Cf. Ordo exsequarum 226.
43) Cf. II Vatican Council Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, Lumen Gentium, 63: AAS 57 (1965), p.
64.
44) Cf. II Vatican Council, Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, Sacrosanctum Concilium, 7: AAS 56
(1964), pp. 100-101.
45) Sermo 215, 4: PL 38, 1074.
46) Ibid.
47) Cf. II Vatican Council, Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation, Dei Verbum, 21: AAS 58
(1966), pp. 827-828.
48) Cf. Adversus Haereses IV. 7, 1: PG 7, 1, 990-991: S Ch. 100, t. II, pp. 454-458.
49) Cf. Adversus Haereses III, 10, 2: PG 7, 1, 873: S Ch. 34, p.164.
50) Cf. II Vatican Council, Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, Lumen Gentium, 62: AAS 57 (1965), p.
63.
51) II Vatican Council Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy Sacrosanctum Concilium, 83: AAS 56 (1964),
p.121.
52) II Vatican Council, Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, Lumen Gentium 63: AAS 57 (1965) P. 64.
53) Ibid. 64: AAS 57 (1965), p. 64.
54) Tractatus XXV (In Nativitate Domini), 5: CCL 138, p. 123; S. Ch. 22 p. 132; cf. also Tractatus XXIX
In Nativitate Domini 1: CCL ibid., p. 147; S. Ch ibid, p. 178; Tractatus LXIII (De Passione Domini)
6:CCL ibid p. 386: S. Ch. 74 p. 82.
55) M Ferotin, Le Liber Mozarabicus Sacramentorum, col. 56.
30
56) In Purificatione, B. Mariae, Sermo III, 2: PL 183, 370; Sancti Bernardi Opera, ed J. Leclercq-H.
Rochais , vol IV, Rome 1966. p. 342.
57) Cf. II Vatican Council Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, Lumen Gentium 57: AAS 57 (1965), p.
61.
58) Ibid, 58: AAS 57 (1965), p. 61.
59) Cf. Pius XII Encyclical Letter Mystici Corporis: AAS 35 (1943), P. 247.
(1964), pp. 113.
61) ibid. 102, 106: AAS 56 (1964), pp. 125, 126.
62) "design to remember all who have been pleasing to you throughout the ages the holy Fathers, the
Patriarchs, Prophets, Apostles... and the holy and glorious Mother of God and all the saints... may they
remember our misery and poverty, and together with us may they offer you this great and unbloody
sacrifice": Anaphora Iacobi fratris Domini syriaca: Prex Eucharistica, ed. A. Hànggi-I. Pahl Fribourg,
Editions Universitaires, 1968, p. 274.
63) Expositio Evangelii secundum Lucam 11 26: CSEL 32, IV, p. 55: S. Ch. 45, pp. 83-84.
64) Cf. II Vatican Council, Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, Lumen Gentium, 62: AAS 57 (1965), p.
63.
(1964), pp. 125.
65-66.
67) Cf. Ibid.
(1964), pp. 125-126.
70) Cf. Paul VI, Talk of 24 April 1970, in the church of Our Lady of Bonaria in Cagliari: AAS 62 (1970)
p. 300.
71) Pius IX, Apostolic Letter Ineffabilis Deus: Pii IX Pontificis Maximi Acta, I, 1, Rome 1854, p. 599.
Cf. also V. Sardi. La solenne definizione del dogma dell'Immacolato concepimento di Maria Santissima,
Atti e documenti..., Rome 1904-1905, vol. II, p. 302.
31
72) Cf. II Vatican Council, Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, Lumen Gentium 66: AAS 57 (1965), p.
65.
73) S. Ildephonsus, De viginitate perpetua sanctae Mariae chapter XII: PL 96, 108.
60 and the authors mentioned in note 176 of the document.
75) Cf. St Ambrose, De Spiritu Sancto II, 37-38; CSEL 79 pp. 100-101; Cassian, De incarnatione Domini
II chapter II: CSEL 17 pp. 247-249. St. Bede, Homilia 1,3:CCL 122, p. 18 and p. 20.
76) Cf. St Ambrose, De institutione virginis, chapter XII, 79: PL 16 (ed 1880), 339; Epistula 30, 3 and
Epistula 42, 7: ibid 1107 and 1175; Expositio evangelii secundum Lucam X 132. S Ch 52, p 200. S.
Proclus of Constantinople, Oratio I, 1 and Oratio V, 3: PG 65, 681 and 720; St. Basil of Seleucia, Oratio
XXXIX, 3: PG 85, 433; St. Andrew of Crete, Oratio IV: PG 97, 868: St Germanus of Constantinople,
Oratio IIII, 15: PG 98, 305.
77) cf. St. Jerome, Adversus Iovinianum I, 33: PL 23, 267; St Ambrose, Epistula 63, 33: PL 16 (ed. 1880),
1249; De institutione virginis, chapter XVII, 105: ibid., 346; De Spiritu Sancto III, 79-80: CSEL 79, pp.
182-183; Sedulius, Hymn "A solis ortus cardine", verses 13-14 CSEL 10, p. 164; Hymnus Acathistos, Str
23; ed I. B. Pitra, Analecta Sacra, I, p. 261; St Proclue of Constantanople, Oratio I, 3: PG 65, 648; Oratio
II, 6: Ibid., 700; St Basil of Seleucia, Oratio IV, In Nativitatem B. Mariae: PG 97, 868; St John
Damascene, Oratio IV, 10: PG 96 677.
78) Cf. Severus of Antioch, Homilia 57: PO 8, pp. 357-358; Hesychius of Jerusalem, Homilia de sancta
Maria Deipara: PG 93, 1464; Chrysippus of Jerusalem, Oratio in sanctam Mariam Deiparam, 2 PO 19, p.
338: St Andrew of Crete, Oratio V: PG 97, 896: St John Damascene, Oratio VI, 6: PG 96, 972.
79) Liber Apotheosis, verses 571-572: CCL 126. p. 97.
80) Cf. S Isidore, De ortu et obitu Patrum, chapter LXVII III: PL 83, 148: St. Ildephonsus, De virginitate
perpetua sanctae Mariae, chapter X: PL 96, 95; St Bernard, In Assumptione B. Virginis Mariae: Sermo
IV, 4 PL 183, 428: In Nativitate B. Virginis Mariae: ibid. 442 St Peter Damien, Carmina sacra et preces
II, Oratio ad Deum Filium: PL 145, 921; Antiphonalium officii, ed. R.J. Hesbert, Rome 1970, vol IV, n.
6314, p. 80.
81) Cf. Paulus Diaconus, Homilia I, In Assumptione B. Mariae Virginis: PL 95, 1567: De Assumptione
sanctae Mariae Virginis: Paschasio Radherto trib, 31, 42, 57, 83: ed. A. Ripberger. in "Spicilegium
Friburgense" 9, 1962, pp. 72, 76, 84, 96-97; Eadmer of Canterbury, De excellentia Virginis Mariae,
chapters IV-V: PL 159 , 562-567: St Bernard, In laudibus Virginis Matris. Homilia IV, 3: Sancti Bernardi
Opera, ed. J Leclercq-H. Rochais, IV, Rome 1966, pp. 49-50.
32
82) Cf. Origen, In Lucam Homilia VII, 3: PG 13 1817: S. Ch. 87, p. 156: St Cyril of Alexandria,
Commentarius in Aggacum prophetam, chapter XIX: PG 71, 1060: St Ambrose, De fide IV 9, 113-114:
CSEL 78, pp. 197-198: Expositio evangelii secundum Lucam I;, 23 and 27-28: CSEL 32, IV, pp. 53-54
and 55-56; Severianus Gabalensis, Antipater of Bostra Homilia in Sanctissimae Deiparae
Annuntiationem, 16; PG 85, 1785.
83) Cf. Eadmer of Canterbury, De excellentia Virginis Mariae chapter VII: P: 159, 571: St Amedeus of
Lausanne, De Maria Virgini Matre, Homilia VII: PL 188, 1337: S Ch 72, p. 184.
84) De virginitate perpetua sanctae Mariae, chapter XII: PL 96, 106.
85) II Vatican Council Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, Lumen Gentium, 54: AAS 57 (1965), p. 59.
Cf. Paulus VI Allocutio ad Patres Conciliares habua altera exacta Concilii Oecumenici Vaticani Secundi
Sessione, 4 December 1963: AAS 56 (1964), p. 37.
86) II Vatican Council Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, Lumen Gentium, 6, 7-8, 9-11: AAS 57
(1965), pp. 8-9, 9-12, 12-21.
87) Ibid., 63: AAS 57 (1965) p. 64.
88) St Cyprian, De Catholicae Ecclesiae unitate, 5: CSEL 3, p. 214.
89) Isaac de Stella, Sermo LI, In Assumptione B. Mariae: PL 194, 1863.
90) Sermo XXX, I: S. Ch. 164, p. 134.
91) Cf II Vatican Council, Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, Lumen Gentium, 66-69: AAS 57 (1965),
pp. 65-67.
92) Cf. II Vatican Council, Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation, Dei Verbum, 25: AAS 58
(1966), pp. 829-830.
93) Or cit., 13: AAS 56 (1964), p. 103.
94) Cf. Officium magni canonis paracletici, Magnum Orologion Athens 1963 p. 558: passim in liturgical
canons and prayers: cf. Sophronius Eustradiadou, Theotokarion, Chennevieres-su Marne 1931, pp. 9, 19.
95) Cf II Vatican Council, Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, Lumen Gentium, 69: AAS 57 (1965),
pp. 66-67.
96) Cf ibid., 66: AAS 57 (1965), p. 65; Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, Sacrosanctum Concilium,
103: AAS 56 (1964), p. 125.
33
97) II Vatican Council, Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, Lumen Gentium, 67: AAS 57 (1965), pp.
65-66.
98) Ibid, 66: AAS 57 (1965), p. 65.
99)Cf. Paul VI, Address in the Vatican Basilica to the Fathers of the Council, 21 November 1964: AAS
56 (1964), p. 1017.
100) II Vatican Council Decree on Ecumenism, Unitatis Redintegratio, 20: AAS 57 (1965), p. 105.
101) Encyclical Letter, Adiutricem Populi: AAS 28 (1895-1896), p. 135.
102) II Vatican Council Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, Lumen Gentium, 56: AAS 57 (1965), p.
60.
103) Cf. St Peter Chrysologus, Sermo CXLIII: PL 52 583.
104) II Vatican Council Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, Lumen Gentium, 55: AAS 57 (1965), pp.
59-60.
105) Cf. Paul VI Apostolic Constitution, Signum Magnum I: AAS 59 (1967), pp. 467-468: Roman Missal,
15 September, Prayer over the gifts.
65-66.
107) St. Augustine, In Iohannis Evangelium, Tractatus X, 3; CCL 36, pp. 101-102; Epistula 243, Ad
Laetum, 9: CSEL 57, pp. 575-576; St Bede, In Lucae Evangelium expositio, IV, XI, 28: CCL 120, p. 237:
Homilia I, 4: CCL 122. pp. 26-27.
108) II Vatican Council Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, Lumen Gentium, 58: AAS 57 (1965), p.
61.
109) Roman Missal, IV Sunday of Advent, Collect. Similarly the Collect of 25 March, which may be
used in place of the previous one in the recitation of the Angelus.
110) Pius XII, Letter to the Archbishop of Manila "Philippinas Insulas": AAS 38 (1946), p. 419.
111) Discourse to the participants in the III Dominican International Rosary Congress: Insegnamenti di
Paolo VI 1, (1963) pp. 463-464.
112) In AAS 58 (1966), pp. 745-749.
34
113) In AAS 61 (1969), pp. 649-654.
114) Cf. 13: AAS 56 (1964) pp. 103.
115) Decree on the Lay Apostolate, Apostolicam Actuositatem, 11: AAS 58 (1966) p. 848.
116. II Vatican Council Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, Lumen Gentium, 11: AAS 57 (1965), p.
16.
117) Cf. II Vatican Council, Decree on the Lay Apostolate, Apostolicam Actuositatem, 11: AAS 58
(1966) p. 848
118) Op cit., 27.
58-59.
120) La Divina Commedia, Paradiso XXXIII, 4-6.
121) Cf. II Vatican Council Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, Lumen Gentium, 60-63: AAS 57
(1965), pp. 62-64.
122) Cf. ibid., 65: AAS 57 (1965), pp. 64-65.
123) Ibid., 65: AAS 57 (1965), p. 64.
124) Cf. II Vatican Council, Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World, Gaudium et Spes,
22: AAS 58 (1966), pp. 1042-1044.
125) Cf. Roman Missal 31 May Collect.
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San Beda College Alabang GENE-RES: Religious Experiences Prof. Carlo Enrico C.

FOR THE RIGHT ORDERING AND DEVELOPMENT

To All Bishops in Peace and Communion

Division of the Treatise

Health and the Apostolic Blessing

Devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Liturgy

The Blessed Virgin in the Revised Roman Liturgy

The Blessed Virgin as the Model of the Church in Divine Worship

The Renewal of Devotion to Mary

Trinitarian, Christological and Ecclesial Aspects of Devotion to the Blessed Virgin

Four Guidelines for Devotion to the Blessed Virgin:

Observations on Two Exercises of Piety:

Theological and Pastoral Value of Devotion to the Blessed Virgin

1) Cf Lactantius, Divinae Institutiones IV,3, 6-10: CSEL 19 p. 279.

8) Apostolic Exhortation, Signum Magnum: AAS 59 (1967) pp. 465-475

9) Cf II Vatican Council, Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, Sacrosanctum Concilium, 3: AAS 56

10) Cf II Vatican Council ibid, 102: AAS 56 ( 1954), p 125.

14) Cf. Roman Missal Advent Preface, II.

15) Roman Missal, Ibid.

17) Roman Missal, 1 January, Entry antiphon and Collect.

18) Cf. Roman Missal, 22 August. Collect.

19) Roman Missal, 8 September, Prayer after Communion.

20) Roman Missal, 31 May, Collect.

21) Cf. ibid., Collect and Prayer over the gifts.

22) Cf. Roman Missal, 15 September, Collect.

23) Cf. 1, p. 15.

25) Cf. Roman Missal, 8 December, Preface.

26) Cf. Roman Missal, 15 August, Preface.

27) Cf. Roman Missal, 1 January, Prayer after Communion.

29) Roman Missal, 15 September, Collect.

37) Cf. Ordo professionis religiosae, Pars Prior, 57 and 67.

38) Cf. Ordo consecrationis virginum, 16.

42) Cf. Ordo exsequarum 226.

45) Sermo 215, 4: PL 38, 1074.

53) Ibid. 64: AAS 57 (1965), p. 64.

55) M Ferotin, Le Liber Mozarabicus Sacramentorum, col. 56.

58) Ibid, 58: AAS 57 (1965), p. 61.

61) ibid. 102, 106: AAS 56 (1964), pp. 125, 126.

67) Cf. Ibid.

79) Liber Apotheosis, verses 571-572: CCL 126. p. 97.

84) De virginitate perpetua sanctae Mariae, chapter XII: PL 96, 106.

87) Ibid., 63: AAS 57 (1965) p. 64.

88) St Cyprian, De Catholicae Ecclesiae unitate, 5: CSEL 3, p. 214.

89) Isaac de Stella, Sermo LI, In Assumptione B. Mariae: PL 194, 1863.

90) Sermo XXX, I: S. Ch. 164, p. 134.

93) Or cit., 13: AAS 56 (1964), p. 103.

98) Ibid, 66: AAS 57 (1965), p. 65.

101) Encyclical Letter, Adiutricem Populi: AAS 28 (1895-1896), p. 135.

103) Cf. St Peter Chrysologus, Sermo CXLIII: PL 52 583.

112) In AAS 58 (1966), pp. 745-749.

113) In AAS 61 (1969), pp. 649-654.

114) Cf. 13: AAS 56 (1964) pp. 103.

118) Op cit., 27.

120) La Divina Commedia, Paradiso XXXIII, 4-6.

122) Cf. ibid., 65: AAS 57 (1965), pp. 64-65.

123) Ibid., 65: AAS 57 (1965), p. 64.

125) Cf. Roman Missal 31 May Collect.

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