Marion Feast Days and Devotions

Marian Feasts Included in the Roman Calendar

There are dozens of Marian Feast days, although at this time, only six are included in the current Roman Calendar. The most prominent Marian feast days in the Post Vatican II General Roman Calendar are the Solemnities, or First Class Feasts. These feasts are sometimes Holy Days of Obligation if they fall on a weekday and if they fall on a Sunday, they take precedence over the Sunday liturgy. Solemnities in the Post-Vatican II calendar generally correspond to First Class Feasts in the Tridentine calendar.

Solemnities and First Class Marian Feasts

• Motherhood of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Jan 1/Oct 11) — Traditional feast honoring the motherhood of Mary in certain areas was extended to the entire Church by adding it to the Roman Calendar. It was commemorated by Pius XI in 1931 on the 1500's anniversary of the Council of Ephesus that declared Mary 'Theotokos', the mother of God. The date of the feast was raised to a solemnity (1st class) in 1969 when it was combined with the feasts of the Circumcision of Our Lord on January 1st.
• Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary (March 25) — The feast of the Incarnation commemorates the announcement of Archangel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary that the son of God would take human form.
• Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary (May 31/July 2) — The feast of the Visitation commemorates the Virgin Mary visit with her cousin Elizabeth. Historically, it was celebrated on July 2, but in the post-Vatican II calendar it was moved to May 31st.
• Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (August 15) — At the end of Mary's earthly life she was carried up to the celestial paradise, conducted by Jesus himself and welcomed by choirs of Angels.
• Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Sept 8) — Feast of the birth of the Blessed Virgin has been celebrated in both Eastern and Western Churches from the 7th century. The historical date of Mary's birth is unknown but it is celebrated 9 months after the Feast of the Immaculate Conception on Dec 8.
• Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary (December 8) — In Genesis God the Father tells our first parents of the coming of a second Eve, whose offspring will crush the head of the serpent. She would be conceived without sin and never under the power of the evil one. The feast has been celebrated since the 8th century, and was elevated to a 1st class feast in 1708, 150 years before it was declared as a dogma.

Second Class Marian Feasts

• Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Third Saturday after Pentecost, Formerly Aug 22) — Blessed are the pure in heart. Devotion to Mary's immaculate heart honors her " hidden perfections, her virginal love for God the Father, her maternal love for her son Jesus, and her compassionate love for all people. The immaculate heart is often depicted with seven wounds depicting the Seven Sorrows of Mary.
• Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Feb 2) %#8212; The Feast of the Purification of Mary is also known as Candlemas and is associated with the Feast of the Presentation of Our Lord on Feb 2. The feast is traditionally associated with a procession of lighted candles honoring the purity of the Virgin and the light of the world represented by Christ's birth.
• The Queenship of Mary (Aug 22/May 31) %#8212; Mary has been honored as with the title "Queen of Heaven" for many years. However, the Feast of the Queenship of Mary was not instituted until 1954 by Pius XII. The original date was May 31, but It was changed after Vatican II to replace the Octave of the Assumption on August 22.
• Our Lady of Sorrows (Sept 15) %#8212; The devotion to the Seven sorrows of Mary dates at least as far as the 12th century, and Our Lady of Sorrows was taken as the patron of the Servite Order (Servants of Mary) in the 13th century. A feast day was celebrated in certain congregations as far back as 1482 but it was not instituted in its current form, and spread to the whole church until 1727 by Pope Benedict XIII.
• Our Lady of the Rosary/Our Lady of Victory (Oct 7) —The feast of Our Lady of Victory was established in 1571 by St. Pius V to commemorate the Christian naval victory at Lepanto over the fleet of the Ottoman Turks. In 1960 Pope John XIII changed the title of the feast to 'Our Lady of the Rosary'.
• Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Nov 21) — The Feast of the Presentation of Mary is based on the Protoevangelism of James, which tells that Mary was presented at the Temple in Jerusalem at age three and consecrated to God.
• Our Lady of Mercy/Our Lady of Ransom (Sept 24) — Private visions of the Virgin Mary inspired Peter of Nolasco and Raymond of Pennefort to found the Order of Our Lady of Ransom for the redemption of Christian captives from the Mohammedans during the Reconquista. The feast was celebrated by the Mercedians and Spanish orders since the 13th century, extended to the whole Curch in 1696, and renamed by Paul VI to 'Our Lady of Mercy' in 1969.
• Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church (Monday after Pentecost) — The title of Mary, "Mother of the Church" was officially bestowed by Paul VI during Vatican II. The feast of Mary 'Mother of the Church was declared as the Monday after Pentecost by Pope Francis in 2018.

Commemorations and Third Class Marian Feasts

The following feasts are 3rd class commemorations. They are optional feasts in the General Roman Calendar that may be celebrated on their feast days, but do not have precedence over regular Sunday mass.

• Our Lady of Lourdes (February 11) — Commemorates the appearance of the Blessed Virgin to Bernadette Soubirious on several occasions at Lourdes in the year 1858. The feast of the Immaculate Conception, which is related to the Lourdes apparitions, is a First Class feast celebrated December 8.
• Our Lady of Mount Carmel (July 16) — Feast of special significance to the Carmelite order, commemorating the appearance of the Blessed Virgin to St. Simon Stock ~1200 and the promises associated with the Brown Scapular.
• Dedication of the Basilica of Saint Mary Major (Aug 5) — The Basilica, formerly known as the Church of St. Mary of the Snows, was built on the Esquiline hill in Rome by St. Liberius around 360. Tradition relates that the site was traced by a miraculous fall of snow on August 5.
• Most Holy Name of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Sept 12) — The great victory which John Sobieski gained against the Turks at the Battle of Vienna in 1683, caused Pope Innocent XI to add this feast to the Roman calendar as a yearly act of thanksgiving for the deliverance of Christian Europe.

The following feasts have been approved for inclusion in the liturgy for local churches or religious orders but have never been included in the Roman Calendar.

• Espousal of the BVM (Jan 23)
• Interior Life (Apr 12)
• Our Lady, Mother of Divine Shepard (May 12)
• Our Lady of Fatima (May 13)
• Our Lady, Help of Christians (May 24)
• Our Lady, Mediatrix of All Graces (May 31)
• Our Lady of Perpetual Help (Jun 27)
• Our Lady, Good Counsel (July 10)
• Our Lady in Porticu (July 17)
• Our Lady, Queen of Apostles (Sept 5)
• Our Lady of the Pillar (Oct 12)
• Immaculate Heart of Mary, Refuge of Sinners (Oct 20)
• Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal (Nov 27)
• Humility of the BVM (Dec 11)
• Our Lady of Guadalupe (Dec 12)

Marion Devotions

There are many well-known Marian devotions. We have already discussed Marian feats and other pages are dedicated to Marian Shrines, Apparitions, Prayers and Hymns. The following list includes some of the better known practices and devotional objects associated with the Virgin Mary, that have not been discussed on other pages.

• Immaculate Heart of Mary — Devotion to Immaculate Heart on First Saturday. Saints have made reference to the heart of Mary since ancient times, but Modern devotion was popularized by St. John Eudes in 1640s. Feast Day: Aug 22 Established by Pius VII in 1805. First Saturday Devotion to Sacred Heart recommended in vision to St. Lucy of Fatima at her convent in Pontevedra.
• Scapulars — There are two types of Scapulars. Monastic scapulars are an apron-like vestment worn as a habit by monks or nuns. Devotional scapulars are small pieces of cloth, often worn around the neck as a reminder of Christian witness. Devotional scapulars are often associated with an indulgence or promise of some kind, and can be worn by either religious or lay persons.
  • Brown scapular — According to Carmelite tradition, the Blessed Virgin appeared to Saint Simon Stock, in the 13th century holding a brown scapular and saying 'This is for you and yours a privilege; the one who dies in it will be saved.' Brown scapular is habit of the Carmelites, but all Catholics who wear one receive the blessing.
  • Green scapular — Badge of the Immaculate Heart. Sister Justine Bisqueyburu, reported a vision in 1840, that led to the creation of the Green Scapular. Confers a special grace for hope of conversion or reconversion on those who have fallen away from the faith.
  • Red scapular — Scapular of the Passion and of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary. Sister Apolline Andriveaut received a vision at Troyes, France, that formed the basis of the Red Scapular of the Passion. Red Scapular was first adopted by the Lazarists (Vincentian fathers).
  • Black scapular — Scapular of the Passion promoted by St. Paul of the Cross, and Italian Mystic and adopted by the Passionists in the 17th century.
• Miraculous Medal — The vision of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal appeared to Catherine Laboure in 1830 in Paris. She reported that one night the Blessed Virgin appeared and asked that a medallion be made to a design that she dictated. The lady added that, "All who wear this medal will receive great graces."
• Marian Processions —
• May Crowning/Month of May —
• Little Office of the Blessed Virgin — Liturgical devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary dating back to the eight century. Also known as Hours of the Virgin it is cycle of psalms, hymns, scripture and other readings that was created as a shortened imitation of the Divine Office. It was very popular in the Middle Ages among Catholic laity and Tertiaries.
• Rosary/Month of October —
• Novenas —