Most Holy Name of Mary
According to Jewish tradition, our Lady’s parents named her eight days after her birth. They gave her the name of Mary which, according to Catholic Encyclopedia, means “The beautiful or “the perfect one”.
The feast of the Holy Name of Mary follows that of her Birthday, just as that of the Holy Name of Jesus follows Christmas. The feast was first observed at the diocese of Cuenta in 1513. It was celebrated eight days after Our Lady’s Nativity on September 15. It was abrogated later, and then reinstituted by Pope Sixtus V. The date for the Feast was, however changed to September 17. From there, the feast spread to all of Spain as well as to Naples. From that time, permission to celebrate the feast was given to various religious orders. It was always celebrated on the Sunday after the Nativity of Mary. In 1683, Pope
Innocent XI extended its observance to the whole Church in thanksgiving to our Lady for the victory on September 12, 1683 by John Sobieski, king of Poland, over the Turks, who were besieging Vienna and threatening all of Europe.
This memorial expresses the great devotion Catholics have for towards Mary, The Mother of Our Lord and Our Mother. As true children of Mary, we turn to her and repeat that name which the Lord Himself pronounced with love and affection.
Most Holy Name of Mary
**Oh, Mary conceived without sin,
pray for us who have recourse to thee.
Oh, Mary, conceived without sin,
pray for us who have recourse to thee
Oh, Mary, conceived without sin,
pray for us who have recourse to thee**