The Immaculate Heart of Mary () is a

Catholic devotion Catholic devotions are particular customs, rituals, and practices of worship of Trinity, God or honour of the saints which are in addition to the Catholic liturgy, liturgy of the Catholic Church, described as "expressions of love and fidelity th ...

which refers to the view of the interior life of

Mary Mary may refer to: People * Mary (name), a female given name (includes a list of people with the name) Religion * New Testament people named Mary, overview article linking to many of those below * Mary, mother of Jesus, also called the Blesse ...

, her joys and sorrows, her virtues and hidden perfections, and, above all, her virginal love for

God the Father God the Father is a title given to God in Christianity. In mainstream trinitarian Christianity, God the Father is regarded as the first Person of the Trinity, followed by the second person, Jesus Christ the Son, and the third person, God th ...

, her maternal love for her son

Jesus Christ Jesus (AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ, Jesus of Nazareth, and many Names and titles of Jesus in the New Testament, other names and titles, was a 1st-century Jewish preacher and religious leader. He is the Jesus in Chris ...

, and her motherly and compassionate love for all mankind.Bainvel, Jean. "Devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary". ''The Catholic Encyclopedia''. Vol. 7. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1910. 20 December 2012
/ref> Traditionally, the Immaculate Heart is depicted pierced with seven swords or wounds, in homage to the seven dolors of Mary and roses, usually red or white, wrapped around the heart. The

Eastern Catholic Churches The Eastern Catholic Churches or Oriental Catholic Churches, also known as the Eastern-Rite Catholic Churches, Eastern Rite Catholicism, or simply the Eastern Churches, are 23 Eastern Christian autonomous (''sui iuris'') particular churches of ...

occasionally utilize the image, devotion, and theology associated with the Immaculate Heart of Mary. However, this is a cause of some controversy, some seeing it as a form of

Liturgical Latinisation Latinisation of liturgy refers to the process by which non- Latin Christian traditions, particularly those of Eastern Churches, adopted elements of the Latin Church's liturgical practices, theology, and customs. This phenomenon was often driv ...

. The Catholic view is based on their understanding of certain verses of scripture, particularly the Gospel of Luke.

Veneration

The veneration of the Heart of Mary is analogous to the veneration of the

Sacred Heart of Jesus The Most Sacred Heart of Jesus () is one of the most widely practised and well-known Catholic devotions, wherein the heart of Jesus Christ is viewed as a symbol of "God's boundless and passionate love for mankind". This devotion to Christ is p ...

. There are, however, differences in this analogy as devotion to the heart of Jesus is especially directed to the "divine heart" as overflowing with love for humanity. In the devotion to Mary, however, the attraction is the love of her heart for Jesus and for God. Catholic church teaching states that Mary's role as mother of humanity and veneration paid to her in this capacity "in no way obscures or diminishes heunique

mediation Mediation is a structured, voluntary process for resolving disputes, facilitated by a neutral third party known as the mediator. It is a structured, interactive process where an independent third party, the mediator, assists disputing parties ...

of Christ, but rather shows its power". The second difference is the nature of the devotion itself: in the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the

Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...

venerates in a sense of love responding to love, in the devotion to the Heart of Mary, study and imitation hold as important a place as love. The aim of the devotion is to unite humankind to God through Mary's heart, and this process involves the ideas of consecration and reparation."The Immaculate Heart of Mary", Catholic News Agency
/ref>

History of devotion

Scriptural basis

In chapter 2 of the

Gospel of Luke The Gospel of Luke is the third of the New Testament's four canonical Gospels. It tells of the origins, Nativity of Jesus, birth, Ministry of Jesus, ministry, Crucifixion of Jesus, death, Resurrection of Jesus, resurrection, and Ascension of ...

, it is twice stated that Mary kept all things in her heart, that there she might ponder over them.Mauriello, Matthew R., "Devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary", University of Dayton
/ref> Luke 2:35 recounts the prophecy of

Simeon Simeon () is a given name, from the Hebrew (Biblical Hebrew, Biblical ''Šimʿon'', Tiberian vocalization, Tiberian ''Šimʿôn''), usually transliterated in English as Shimon. In Greek, it is written Συμεών, hence the Latinized spelling Sy ...

that her heart would be pierced with a

sword A sword is an edged and bladed weapons, edged, bladed weapon intended for manual cutting or thrusting. Its blade, longer than a knife or dagger, is attached to a hilt and can be straight or curved. A thrusting sword tends to have a straighter ...

. This image (the pierced heart) is the most popular representation of the Immaculate Heart. The

Gospel of John The Gospel of John () is the fourth of the New Testament's four canonical Gospels. It contains a highly schematic account of the ministry of Jesus, with seven "Book of Signs, signs" culminating in the raising of Lazarus (foreshadowing the ...

further invites attention to Mary's heart with its depiction of Mary at the foot of the cross at Jesus'

crucifixion Crucifixion is a method of capital punishment in which the condemned is tied or nailed to a large wooden cross, beam or stake and left to hang until eventual death. It was used as a punishment by the Achaemenid Empire, Persians, Ancient Carthag ...

Augustine of Hippo Augustine of Hippo ( , ; ; 13 November 354 – 28 August 430) was a theologian and philosopher of Berber origin and the bishop of Hippo Regius in Numidia, Roman North Africa. His writings deeply influenced the development of Western philosop ...

said of this that Mary was not merely passive at the foot of the cross; "she cooperated through charity in the work of our redemption". Augustine says that she was more blessed in having borne

Christ Jesus ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ, Jesus of Nazareth, and many other names and titles, was a 1st-century Jewish preacher and religious leader. He is the Jesus in Christianity, central figure of Christianity, the M ...

in her heart than in having conceived him in the flesh.

Various saints

Reference to the Immaculate Heart of Mary can be found as early as

Ildefonsus of Toledo Ildefonsus or Ildephonsus (rarely ''Ildephoses'' or ''Ildefonse''; Spanish: San Ildefonso; c. 8 December A.D. 607 – 23 January A.D. 667) was a scholar and theologian who served as the metropolitan Bishop of Toledo for the last decade of hi ...

(607-670), who in his ''Libellus de Corona Virginis'' wrote: "But when it was pleasing to Him who had chosen you from your mother's womb, your immaculate heart was moved with pity for us. Then - by the assistance of your maternal hand - we were led from the domain of darkness to sanctity's realm of infinite light." Devotion to the Heart of Mary began in the Middle Ages with

Anselm of Canterbury Anselm of Canterbury OSB (; 1033/4–1109), also known as (, ) after his birthplace and () after his monastery, was an Italian Benedictine monk, abbot, philosopher, and theologian of the Catholic Church, who served as Archbishop of Canterb ...

, and

Bernard of Clairvaux Bernard of Clairvaux, Cistercians, O.Cist. (; 109020 August 1153), venerated as Saint Bernard, was an abbot, Mysticism, mystic, co-founder of the Knights Templar, and a major leader in the reform of the Benedictines through the nascent Cistercia ...

. It was practiced and developed by Mechtilde,

Gertrude the Great Gertrude the Great or Gertrude of Helfta (January 6, 1256 – November 17, 1302) was a German Benedictine nun and mystic who was a member of the Monastery of Helfta. While herself a Benedictine, she had strong ties to the Cistercian Order; her ...

and

Bridget of Sweden Bridget of Sweden, Bridgettines, OSsS ( – 23 July 1374), also known as Birgitta Birgersdotter and Birgitta of Vadstena (), was a Swedish Catholic Mysticism, mystic and the founder of the Bridgettines. Outside Sweden, she was also known as the ...

.Roten, Johan G. "The Heart of Mary", Marian Library, University of Dayton, June 4, 2013
/ref> Evidence is also discernible in the pious meditations on the and the , usually attributed either to

Anselm of Lucca Anselm of Lucca (; ; 1036 – 18 March 1086), born Anselm of Baggio ('), was a medieval bishop of Lucca in Italy and a prominent figure in the Investiture Controversy amid the fighting in central Italy between Matilda, countess of Tuscan ...

( 1080) or Bernard; and also in the large book (Douai, 1625) by Richard de Saint-Laurent, Penitentiary of Rouen in the 13th century.

Bernardino of Siena Bernardino of Siena, Order of Friars Minor, OFM (Bernardine or Bernadine; 8 September 138020 May 1444), was an Catholic Church in Italy, Italian Catholic priest and Franciscan missionary preacher in Italy. He was a systematizer of Scholasticism, ...

( 1444), is sometimes called "Doctor of the Heart of Mary", and from him the church has borrowed the lessons of the second nocturn for the feast of the Heart of Mary.

Francis de Sales Francis de Sales, Congregation of the Oratory, C.O., Order of Minims, O.M. (; ; 21 August 156728 December 1622) was a Savoyard state, Savoyard Catholic prelate who served as Bishop of Geneva and is a saint of the Catholic Church. He became n ...

speaks of the perfections of this heart, the model of love for God, and dedicated his "Theotimus" to it. During this same period one finds occasional mention of devotional practices to the Heart of Mary, e.g., in the of Nicolas du Saussay ( 1488),Murphy, John F., ''Mary's Immaculate Heart'', The Bruce Publishing Company, Milwaukee, 1951
/ref> in Pope

Julius II Pope Julius II (; ; born Giuliano della Rovere; 5 December 144321 February 1513) was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 1503 to his death, in February 1513. Nicknamed the Warrior Pope, the Battle Pope or the Fearsome ...

, and in the "Pharetra" of Lanspergius. In the second half of the 16th century and the first half of the 17th, ascetic authors dwelt upon this devotion at greater length. It was, however,

John Eudes John Eudes, CIM (; 14 November 1601 – 19 August 1680) was a Catholic Church in France, French Catholic priest and the founder of both the Order of Our Lady of Charity in 1641 and Congregation of Jesus and Mary, also known as the Eudists, in 16 ...

( 1681) who propagated the devotion, to make it public, and to have a feast celebrated in honor of the Heart of Mary, first at

Autun Autun () is a Subprefectures in France, subprefecture of the Saône-et-Loire Departments of France, department in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté Regions of France, region of central-eastern France. It was founded during the Principate era of the e ...

in 1648 and afterwards in a number of French dioceses. He established several religious societies interested in upholding and promoting the devotion, of which his large book on the (''Admirable Heart''), published in 1681, resembles a summary. Jean Eudes' efforts to secure the approval of an office and feast failed at Rome, but, notwithstanding this disappointment, the devotion to the Heart of Mary progressed. Eudes began his devotional teachings with the Heart of Mary, and then extended it to the

. However, it was only in 1805 that Pope

Pius VII Pope Pius VII (; born Barnaba Niccolò Maria Luigi Chiaramonti; 14 August 1742 – 20 August 1823) was head of the Catholic Church from 14 March 1800 to his death in August 1823. He ruled the Papal States from June 1800 to 17 May 1809 and again ...

allowed a feast to honor the Immaculate Heart of Mary. In 1699 the priest John Peter Pinamonti ( 1703) published a short work on the Holy Heart of Mary in Italian, and in 1725, Joseph de Gallifet combined the cause of the Heart of Mary with that of the Heart of Jesus in order to obtain Rome's approbation of the two devotions and the institution of the two feasts. In 1729, his project was defeated, and in 1765, the two causes were separated, to assure the success of the principal one. Two factors that helped the rapid progress of the devotion were the introduction of the

Miraculous Medal The Miraculous Medal (), also known as the Medal of Our Lady of Graces or the Medal of the Immaculate Conception, is a devotional medal, the design of which was originated by Catherine Labouré following her Marian apparition, apparitions of the ...

by Catherine Laboure in 1830 and the establishment at

Notre-Dame-des-Victoires, Paris The Notre-Dame-des-Victoires () is a minor basilica located on rue Notre-Dame-des-Victoires in the 2nd arrondissement of Paris. It was begun as an Abbey church, and constructed between 1629 and 1740 in the French classical style. Its name was g ...

of the ''Archconfraternity of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Refuge of Sinners''. More than four million Miraculous Medals were distributed throughout the world within four years and in 1838 Desgenettes, the pastor of Notre-Dame-des-Victoires, organized the Association in honor of the Holy and Immaculate Heart of Mary, which Pope

Gregory XVI Pope Gregory XVI (; ; born Bartolomeo Alberto Cappellari; 18 September 1765 – 1 June 1846) was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 2 February 1831 to his death in June 1846. He had adopted the name Mauro upon enteri ...

made a confraternity the same year. In July, 1855, the

Congregation of Rites The Sacred Congregation of Rites was a congregation of the Roman Curia, erected on 22 January 1588 by Pope Sixtus V by ''Immensa Aeterni Dei''; it was divided into two separate congregations by Pope Paul VI on 8 May 1969. The Congregation was cha ...

approved the Office and Mass for the Immaculate Heart. In 1849

Anthony Mary Claret Anthony Mary Claret, (born Antoni Maria Claret i Clarà; ; December 23, 1807 – October 24, 1870) was a Spanish Catholic prelate and missionary who served as Archbishop of Santiago de Cuba and was the confessor of Isabella II of Spain. He fou ...

founded the congregation of Missionary Sons of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, commonly called the

Claretians The Claretians, officially named the Congregation of Missionary Sons of the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary (; abbreviated CMF), is a Catholic clerical religious congregation of Pontifical Right for men headquartered in Rome. It was f ...

Feast day

In its principal object this feast is identical with the feast of the "Inner Life of Mary", celebrated by the

Sulpicians The Society of Priests of Saint-Sulpice (; PSS), also known as the Sulpicians, is a society of apostolic life of Pontifical Right for men, named after the Church of Saint-Sulpice, Paris, where it was founded. The members of the Society add the ...

on 19 October. It commemorates the joys and sorrows of the Mother of God, her virtues and perfections, her love for God and her Divine Son and her compassionate love for mankind.Holweck, Frederick. "Feast of the Most Pure Heart of Mary." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 10. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1911. 10 March 2015
/ref> As early as 1643, John Eudes and his followers observed 8 February as the feast of the Heart of Mary. In 1799

Pius VI Pope Pius VI (; born Count Angelo Onofrio Melchiorre Natale Giovanni Antonio called Giovanni Angelo or Giannangelo Braschi, 25 December 171729 August 1799) was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 15 February 1775 to hi ...

, then in captivity in

Florence Florence ( ; ) is the capital city of the Italy, Italian region of Tuscany. It is also the most populated city in Tuscany, with 362,353 inhabitants, and 989,460 in Metropolitan City of Florence, its metropolitan province as of 2025. Florence ...

, granted the Bishop of Palermo the feast of the ''Most Pure Heart of Mary'' for some of the churches in his diocese. In 1805

Pope Pius VII Pope Pius VII (; born Barnaba Niccolò Maria Luigi Chiaramonti; 14 August 1742 – 20 August 1823) was head of the Catholic Church from 14 March 1800 to his death in August 1823. He ruled the Papal States from June 1800 to 17 May 1809 and again ...

made a new concession, thanks to which the feast was soon widely observed. On 21 July 1855, the Congregation of Rites finally approved the Office and Mass of the Most Pure Heart of Mary without, however, imposing them upon the Catholic Church.

Pope Pius XII Pope Pius XII (; born Eugenio Maria Giuseppe Giovanni Pacelli; 2 March 18769 October 1958) was the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 2 March 1939 until his death on 9 October 1958. He is the most recent p ...

instituted the feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary in 1944 to be celebrated on 22 August, coinciding with the traditional

octave In music, an octave (: eighth) or perfect octave (sometimes called the diapason) is an interval between two notes, one having twice the frequency of vibration of the other. The octave relationship is a natural phenomenon that has been referr ...

day of the

Assumption Assumption, in Christianity, refers to the Assumption of Mary, a belief in the taking up of the Virgin Mary into heaven. Assumption may also refer to: Places * Assumption, Alberta, Canada * Assumption, Illinois, United States ** Assumption Town ...

. In 1969,

Pope Paul VI Pope Paul VI (born Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini; 26 September 18976 August 1978) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 21 June 1963 until his death on 6 August 1978. Succeeding John XXII ...

moved the celebration of the Immaculate Heart of Mary to the Saturday, immediately after the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. This means in practice that it is now held on the third Saturday after

Pentecost Pentecost (also called Whit Sunday, Whitsunday or Whitsun) is a Christianity, Christian holiday which takes place on the 49th day (50th day when inclusive counting is used) after Easter Day, Easter. It commemorates the descent of the Holy Spiri ...

. At the same time as he closely associated the celebrations of the Immaculate Heart of Mary and the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Pope Paul VI moved the celebration of the Queenship of Mary from 31 May to 22 August, bringing it into association with the feast of her Assumption. Those who use the 1962 edition of the

Roman Missal The Roman Missal () is the book which contains the texts and rubrics for the celebration of the Roman Rite, the most common liturgy and Mass of the Catholic Church. There have been several editions. History Before the Council of Trent (1570) ...

or an earlier one (but not more than 17 years before 1962) observe the day established by Pius XII. It is kept as the patronal feast of the Congregation of the Holy Ghost, of the Society of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary, and of the Missionary Society of the Heart of Mary. The celebration of this feast is omitted in those years when it is impeded by a higher ranking feast. This would apply when it is due to fall on 24 June (

Nativity of St John the Baptist Nativity or The Nativity may refer to: Birth of Jesus Christ * Nativity of Jesus, the Gospel stories of the birth of Jesus Christ * Nativity of Jesus in art, any depiction of the nativity scene ** ''Nativity'' (Barocci), a 1597 painting by Fed ...

) and 29 June (

Feast of Saints Peter and Paul The Feast of Saints Peter and Paul or Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul is a liturgical feast in honor of the martyrdom in Rome of the apostles Saint Peter and Saint Paul, which is observed on 29 June. The celebration is of ancient Chri ...

), and more rarely 31 May (

Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary In Christianity, the Visitation, also known as the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, refers to the visit of Mary, who was pregnant with Jesus, to Elizabeth, who was pregnant with John the Baptist, in the Gospel of Luke, . The episode is ...

) and 3 July (

Saint Thomas the Apostle Thomas the Apostle (; , meaning 'the Twin'), also known as Didymus ( 'twin'), was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus according to the New Testament. Thomas is commonly known as "doubting Thomas" because he initially doubted the resurrection of ...

). (Note that there may be variations in local calendars. For example, this feast was not impeded in England and Wales in 2019 since the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul was celebrated on Sunday 30 June.) The month of August is traditionally dedicated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

Related devotions

Seven Sorrows

Traditional depictions of the Immaculate Heart of Mary often show it pierced by seven swords or wounds, a reference to seven major sorrows experienced by the Virgin Mary throughout her life, especially during the Passion of Christ. There are devotional practices and prayers dedicated to the meditation on these seven sorrows.

The Miraculous Medal

Devotion to Virgin Mary's Immaculate Heart experienced significant growth following the Marian apparition to

Catherine Labouré Catherine Labouré, DC (May 2, 1806 – December 31, 1876) was a French member of the Daughters of Charity of Saint Vincent de Paul and a Marian visionary. She is believed to have relayed the request from the Blessed Virgin Mary to create the ...

in 1830, during which Mary requested the production of the Miraculous Medal. The Immaculate Heart is depicted on the reverse side of the medal, pierced by a sword, symbolizing the prophecy of Simeon. The

also appears on the medal, next to the Immaculate Heart, crowned with thorns.

Five First Saturdays

The First Saturdays Devotion is a devotional act of reparation to the Immaculate Heart of Mary which was, according to Lúcia dos Santos, requested by the Virgin Mary during her apparitions in Fátima, Portugal, in July 1917, and later in

Pontevedra Pontevedra (, ) is a city in the autonomous community of Galicia (Spain), Galicia, in northwestern Spain. It is the capital of both the ''Pontevedra (comarca), Comarca'' and Province of Pontevedra, and the capital of the Rías Baixas. It is als ...

, Spain, in 1925 and 1926. The Virgin Mary reportedly asked that, in reparation for the

sins In religious context, sin is a transgression against divine law or a law of the deities. Each culture has its own interpretation of what it means to commit a sin. While sins are generally considered actions, any thought, word, or act considere ...

committed against her Immaculate Heart, that a Catholic should, on the first Saturday of five consecutive months, go to

Confession A confession is a statement – made by a person or by a group of people – acknowledging some personal fact that the person (or the group) would ostensibly prefer to keep hidden. The term presumes that the speaker is providing information that ...

, receive the

Holy Communion The Eucharist ( ; from , ), also called Holy Communion, the Blessed Sacrament or the Lord's Supper, is a Christian rite, considered a sacrament in most churches and an ordinance in others. Christians believe that the rite was instituted by J ...

, recite five decades of the

Rosary The Rosary (; , in the sense of "crown of roses" or "garland of roses"), formally known as the Psalter of Jesus and Mary (Latin: Psalterium Jesu et Mariae), also known as the Dominican Rosary (as distinct from other forms of rosary such as the ...

, and keep her company for 15 minutes while meditating on one or more of the

mysteries of the Rosary The Rosary (; , in the sense of "crown of roses" or "garland of roses"), formally known as the Psalter of Jesus and Mary (Latin: Psalterium Jesu et Mariae), also known as the Dominican Rosary (as distinct from other forms of rosary such as the ...

, with the intent of making reparation. A promise of assistance at the hour of death from Mary, with the graces necessary for

salvation Salvation (from Latin: ''salvatio'', from ''salva'', 'safe, saved') is the state of being saved or protected from harm or a dire situation. In religion and theology, ''salvation'' generally refers to the deliverance of the soul from sin and its c ...

, was reportedly associated with the First Saturdays Devotion during the Pontevedra apparitions.

Scapular of the Immaculate Heart of Mary

The "Scapular of the Immaculate Heart of Mary" is a

devotional scapular A scapular () is a Western Christian garment suspended from the shoulders. There are two types of scapulars, the monastic and devotional scapular; both forms may simply be referred to as "scapular". As an object of popular piety, a scapular ...

. It originated in 1877 with the Sons of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (Claretians). It was sanctioned and endowed with indulgences by

Pope Pius IX Pope Pius IX (; born Giovanni Maria Battista Pietro Pellegrino Isidoro Mastai-Ferretti; 13 May 1792 – 7 February 1878) was head of the Catholic Church from 1846 to 1878. His reign of nearly 32 years is the longest verified of any pope in hist ...

in May 1877. The scapular was later approved by the Congregation of Rites in 1907 and assigned indulgences. The scapular is made of white fabric and the front has an image of the burning heart of Mary, out of which grows a lily; the heart is encircled by a wreath of roses and pierced with a sword. A Crux immissa or an image of Mater Misericordiæ appears on the reverse.

Badge of the Immaculate Heart of Mary

The "Badge of the Immaculate Heart of Mary", also known as "The Green Scapular", is a

approved by

in 1870. The development of the green scapular is based on visions reportedly experienced in 1840 by Sister Justine Bisqueyburu, a member of the

Daughters of Charity of Saint Vincent de Paul The Company of the Daughters of Charity of Saint Vincent de Paul (; abbreviated DC), commonly called the Daughters of Charity or Sisters of Charity of Saint Vincent de Paul, is a society of apostolic life for women within the Catholic Church. ...

Consecration of the world to the Immaculate Heart of Mary

Statue of Pope Pius XII in Fatima Portugal

During the third apparition at

Fátima, Portugal Fátima () is a city in the concelho, municipality of Ourém and Santarém District, district of Santarém in the Oeste e Vale do Tejo Region of Portugal, with 71.29 km2 of area and 13,212 inhabitants (2021). The homonymous Freguesia, civil ...

, on 13 July 1917, the

Virgin Mary Mary was a first-century Jewish woman of Nazareth, the wife of Saint Joseph, Joseph and the mother of Jesus. She is an important figure of Christianity, venerated under titles of Mary, mother of Jesus, various titles such as Perpetual virginity ...

reportedly said to the three little shepherd visionaries: "God wishes to establish the devotion to her Immaculate Heart in the world" in order to save souls from hell and bring about world peace, and also asked for the consecration of Russia to her Immaculate Heart. From the beginning of the 20th century the Holy See received many requests that the world be consecrated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. In June 1938, the Portuguese bishops forwarded a request to Pius XI for the consecration of the world to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. They had themselves consecrated Portugal in May 1931. At that time Cardinal Eugenio Pacelli (later

) was the secretary of the state of the Vatican, and later, based on Blessed

Alexandrina of Balazar Alexandrina Maria da Costa (30 March 1904 – 13 October 1955), best known as Blessed Alexandrina of Balazar, was a Portuguese mystic and victim soul, member of the Association of Salesian Cooperators, who was born and died in Balazar (a ...

requests, he performed the consecration of the world.Calkins, Arthur Burton. ''Totus tuus: John Paul II's program of Marian consecration and entrustment'', 1992, page 97 * On October 31, 1942, Pius XII broadcast a radio address entitled to thousands of pilgrims who had come to Fatima to celebrate the Silver Jubilee of the last apparition of Our Lady. He concluded his address by consecrating the whole world to the Immaculate Heart of Mary:''Mary's Immaculate Heart'' by John F. Murphy 2007 pages 96-103 * Pius renewed the consecration again on December 8, 1942, at St. Peter's Basilica.''Christian social witness and teaching, Volume 2'' by Rodger Charles 1998 pages 104-106 *

renewed this consecration on November 21, 1964. * On May 13, 1982, in Fatima, after concelebrating Mass,

Pope John Paul II Pope John Paul II (born Karol Józef Wojtyła; 18 May 19202 April 2005) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 16 October 1978 until Death and funeral of Pope John Paul II, his death in 2005. In his you ...

consecrated the whole world and peoples to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, "In a special way we entrust and consecrate to you those individuals and nations which particularly need to be entrusted and consecrated...The power of this consecration lasts for all time and embraces all individuals, peoples and nations." * On December 8, 1982, the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, at the end of the Mass he celebrated in the Basilica of St. Mary Major, he renewed the act of consecration of the Church and the world to Mary before the image of Our Lady "

Salus Populi Romani ''Salus Populi Romani'' (English: ''Protectress of the Roman people'', also known as the ''Salvific Health of the Roman people'') is a Roman Catholic title associated with the venerated image of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Rome. This Byzantine i ...

". * On October 8, 2000, John Paul II made an act of entrustment of the world to the Immaculate Heart of Mary for the new millennium. *

Pope Francis Pope Francis (born Jorge Mario Bergoglio; 17 December 1936 – 21 April 2025) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 13 March 2013 until Death and funeral of Pope Francis, his death in 2025. He was the fi ...

renewed the consecration of the world to the Immaculate Heart of Mary on 13 October 2013 in Rome, as part of the Marian Day celebration that involved the iconic statue of Our Lady of the Rosary of Fátima.

Russia

* Pope Pius XII, in his Apostolic Letter of 7 July 1952 , consecrated the peoples of Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. * On 25 March 1984 Pope John Paul II made the solemn act of consecration of the world, and of Russia, to the Immaculate Heart of Mary before the miraculous statue of Our Lady of Fátima brought to Saint Peter's Square in the Vatican for the occasion. * Pope Benedict XVI and Pope Francis both have re-consecrated the world to the Immaculate Heart in 2010 and 2013, respectively. * During the

2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine On 24 February 2022, , starting the largest and deadliest war in Europe since World War II, in a major escalation of the Russo-Ukrainian War, conflict between the two countries which began in 2014. The fighting has caused hundreds of thou ...

, on 25 March 2022 – the Solemnity of the

Annunciation The Annunciation (; ; also referred to as the Annunciation to the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Annunciation of Our Lady, or the Annunciation of the Lord; ) is, according to the Gospel of Luke, the announcement made by the archangel Gabriel to Ma ...

–

consecrated Russia and

Ukraine Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the List of European countries by area, second-largest country in Europe after Russia, which Russia–Ukraine border, borders it to the east and northeast. Ukraine also borders Belarus to the nor ...

to the Immaculate Heart of Mary in union with all Catholic bishops and priests from all over the world to implore an end to the war. This act of consecration was pronounced by the Pope Francis on the afternoon of Friday 25 March in

St. Peter's Basilica The Papal Basilica of Saint Peter in the Vatican (), or simply St. Peter's Basilica (; ), is a church of the Italian High Renaissance located in Vatican City, an independent microstate enclaved within the city of Rome, Italy. It was initiall ...

, at the

Vatican City Vatican City, officially the Vatican City State (; ), is a Landlocked country, landlocked sovereign state and city-state; it is enclaved within Rome, the capital city of Italy and Bishop of Rome, seat of the Catholic Church. It became inde ...

, and, on the same day, Cardinal

Konrad Krajewski Konrad Krajewski (; born 25 November 1963) is a Catholic Church in Poland, Polish Catholic prelate who has served as Prefect of the Dicastery for the Service of Charity since 2013. He served as master of ceremonies, Papal Master of Ceremonies ...

, the papal almoner, performed the same act of consecration at

, as the envoy of the Pope.

Countries consecrated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary

* In June 1938, Portuguese bishops, consecrated Portugal to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. On 13 May 2016, Cardinal

Manuel Clemente Manuel José Macário do Nascimento Clemente, GCC (; born 16 July 1948), officially Manuel III, is a Portuguese prelate of the Catholic Church. He was the Metropolitan Patriarch of Lisbon from 2013 to 2023 and a cardinal since 14 February 201 ...

together with all the bishops of the 21 Portuguese dioceses renewed his consecration. * On 22 June 1947, as part of the National Marian Congress to Celebrate the Centenary of the Archdiocese of Ottawa, the bishops of the Dominion consecrated Canada to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. The consecration was renewed during the 1954

Marian year A Marian year is a designation given by the Catholic Church to calendar years in which Mary the mother of Jesus is to be particularly reverenced and celebrated. Marian years do not follow a set pattern; they may be declared by a bishop for his d ...

at the National Shrine of

Our Lady of the Cape Our Lady of the Cape (Notre-Dame-du-Cap in French) is a title given to Mary the Mother of God in Cap-de-la-Madeleine, Quebec Canada. The title refers specifically to a statue of the Blessed Mother which is currently located in the Old Shrine. H ...

. * On 16 July 1948 Cardinal Bernard William Griffin consecrated England and Wales to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. President of the Bishops' Conference of England and Wales, Cardinal

Vincent Nichols Vincent Gerard Nichols (born 8 November 1945) is an English Catholic prelate who has served as Archbishop of Westminster since 2009. He was the Archbishop of Birmingham from 2000 to 2009 and is president of the Catholic Bishops' Conference ...

renewed the consecration at Westminster Cathedral in early 2017. * On 19 November 1959, Bishop Patrick O'Boyle of Washington, D.C. consecrated the United States to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. It was renewed by the U.S. bishops 11 November 2006. *

Philippines The Philippines, officially the Republic of the Philippines, is an Archipelagic state, archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. Located in the western Pacific Ocean, it consists of List of islands of the Philippines, 7,641 islands, with a tot ...

(22 August 1964, 8 June 2013, 4 May 2018, 13 May 2020, all the Catholic bishops of the Philippines – CBCP) *Ireland (15 August 2013 – Cardinal Sean Brady, 25 March 2020 – Archbishop

Eamon Martin Eamon Columba Martin KC*HS (born 30 October 1961) is an Irish Catholic prelate from Northern Ireland who has served as Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland since 2014. Early life and education Martin was born in Pennyburn, Derry ...

) *

Nigeria Nigeria, officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf of Guinea in the Atlantic Ocean to the south. It covers an area of . With Demographics of Nigeria, ...

(13 October 2017) *

Lithuania Lithuania, officially the Republic of Lithuania, is a country in the Baltic region of Europe. It is one of three Baltic states and lies on the eastern shore of the Baltic Sea, bordered by Latvia to the north, Belarus to the east and south, P ...

(11 February 2018 – Archbishop

Gintaras Grušas Gintaras Grušas (born 23 September 1961) is a Lithuanian Americans, Lithuanian-American Catholic Church, Catholic prelate who has served as Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Vilnius, Archbishop of Vilnius since 2013. He was previously Military Ordin ...

) *Netherlands, the Dutch diocese were consecrated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary on the 100 year anniversary of the Fatima apparitions – May 13, 2017 *Japan (1947) *

Brasil Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in South America. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by area, fifth-largest country by area and the List of countries and dependencies by population ...

(1948; 13 May 2020 –

Orani João Tempesta Orani João Tempesta (; born 23 June 1950) is a Brazilian prelate of the Catholic Church who has been archbishop of Rio de Janeiro since 2009. He was previously bishop of São José do Rio Preto from 1997 to 2004 and archbishop of Belém do P ...

) *Australia (1948); May 24, 2020, under the patronal title Our Lady Help of Christians. *Italy (13 September 1959); the Italian Bishops' Conference, May 1, 2020, in the Basilica of Santa Maria del Fonte presso Caravaggio. *

Lebanon Lebanon, officially the Republic of Lebanon, is a country in the Levant region of West Asia. Situated at the crossroads of the Mediterranean Basin and the Arabian Peninsula, it is bordered by Syria to the north and east, Israel to the south ...

and Countries of the

Middle-East The Middle East (term originally coined in English language) is a geopolitical region encompassing the Arabian Peninsula, the Levant, Turkey, Egypt, Iran, and Iraq. The term came into widespread usage by the United Kingdom and western Eur ...

(16 June 2013, 13 June 2016, Cardinal Bechara Boutros Rai) *

Cameroon Cameroon, officially the Republic of Cameroon, is a country in Central Africa. It shares boundaries with Nigeria to the west and north, Chad to the northeast, the Central African Republic to the east, and Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the R ...

(24 April 2022) *

Samoa Samoa, officially the Independent State of Samoa and known until 1997 as Western Samoa, is an island country in Polynesia, part of Oceania, in the South Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main islands (Savai'i and Upolu), two smaller, inhabited ...

(7 December 2007, 3 December 2017 – Archbishop Alapati Lui Mataeliga) *On 25 March 2020, the

Feast of the Annunciation The Feast of the Annunciation () commemorates the visit of the archangel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary, during which he informed her that she would be the mother of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. It is celebrated on 25 March; however, if 25 Marc ...

, in Fatima, Cardinal António Marto, Bishop of the Diocese of Leiria–Fátima presided over the consecration of twenty-two countries to the

and the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Although initially intended for Portugal and Spain, as the days drew close for the consecration, the episcopal conferences from twenty-two other countries expressed an interest in joining. Those countries included:

Albania Albania ( ; or ), officially the Republic of Albania (), is a country in Southeast Europe. It is located in the Balkans, on the Adriatic Sea, Adriatic and Ionian Seas within the Mediterranean Sea, and shares land borders with Montenegro to ...

Bolivia Bolivia, officially the Plurinational State of Bolivia, is a landlocked country located in central South America. The country features diverse geography, including vast Amazonian plains, tropical lowlands, mountains, the Gran Chaco Province, w ...

Colombia Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia, is a country primarily located in South America with Insular region of Colombia, insular regions in North America. The Colombian mainland is bordered by the Caribbean Sea to the north, Venezuel ...

Costa Rica Costa Rica, officially the Republic of Costa Rica, is a country in Central America. It borders Nicaragua to the north, the Caribbean Sea to the northeast, Panama to the southeast, and the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, as well as Maritime bo ...

Cuba Cuba, officially the Republic of Cuba, is an island country, comprising the island of Cuba (largest island), Isla de la Juventud, and List of islands of Cuba, 4,195 islands, islets and cays surrounding the main island. It is located where the ...

, the

Dominican Republic The Dominican Republic is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles of the Caribbean Sea in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean. It shares a Maritime boundary, maritime border with Puerto Rico to the east and ...

East Timor Timor-Leste, also known as East Timor, officially the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, is a country in Southeast Asia. It comprises the eastern half of the island of Timor, the coastal exclave of Oecusse in the island's northwest, and ...

Guatemala Guatemala, officially the Republic of Guatemala, is a country in Central America. It is bordered to the north and west by Mexico, to the northeast by Belize, to the east by Honduras, and to the southeast by El Salvador. It is hydrologically b ...

, Hungary, India,

Kenya Kenya, officially the Republic of Kenya, is a country located in East Africa. With an estimated population of more than 52.4 million as of mid-2024, Kenya is the 27th-most-populous country in the world and the 7th most populous in Africa. ...

, Mexico,

Moldova Moldova, officially the Republic of Moldova, is a Landlocked country, landlocked country in Eastern Europe, with an area of and population of 2.42 million. Moldova is bordered by Romania to the west and Ukraine to the north, east, and south. ...

Nicaragua Nicaragua, officially the Republic of Nicaragua, is the geographically largest Sovereign state, country in Central America, comprising . With a population of 7,142,529 as of 2024, it is the third-most populous country in Central America aft ...

Panama Panama, officially the Republic of Panama, is a country in Latin America at the southern end of Central America, bordering South America. It is bordered by Costa Rica to the west, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north, and ...

Paraguay Paraguay, officially the Republic of Paraguay, is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the Argentina–Paraguay border, south and southwest, Brazil to the Brazil–Paraguay border, east and northeast, and Boli ...

Peru Peru, officially the Republic of Peru, is a country in western South America. It is bordered in the north by Ecuador and Colombia, in the east by Brazil, in the southeast by Bolivia, in the south by Chile, and in the south and west by the Pac ...

, Poland,

Romania Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern and Southeast Europe. It borders Ukraine to the north and east, Hungary to the west, Serbia to the southwest, Bulgaria to the south, Moldova to ...

and

Slovakia Slovakia, officially the Slovak Republic, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east, Hungary to the south, Austria to the west, and the Czech Republic to the northwest. Slovakia's m ...

."Consecration embraced 22 countries whose Bishops joined the Portuguese and Spanish prelates", Santuário de Fátima, 25 March, 2020
/ref> *

(23 October 2016 – Bishop

Sviatoslav Shevchuk Sviatoslav Shevchuk (; born 5 May 1970 in Stryi, Ukrainian SSR) is a Catholic Church in Ukraine, Ukrainian Catholic prelate who has served as the Ukrainian Catholic Major Archeparchy of Kyiv–Galicia, Major Archbishop of Kyiv–Galicia and P ...

); 25 March 2022 *Russia and Countries of Central Asia (13 May 2017 – Cardinal Josef Cordes); 25 March 2022 *During the

Gaza war The Gaza war is an armed conflict in the Gaza Strip and southern Israel fought since 7 October 2023. A part of the unresolved Israeli–Palestinian conflict, Israeli–Palestinian and Gaza–Israel conflict, Gaza–Israel conflicts dating ...

, on 29 October 2023 Cardinal

Pierbattista Pizzaballa Pierbattista Pizzaballa (; also Petrus Battista Pizzaballa; born 21 April 1965 in Italy) is part of the Order of Friars Minor (commonly called Franciscans) founded by Francis of Assisi and a Catholic Cardinal (Catholic Church), cardinal who has ...

consecrated the

Holy Land The term "Holy Land" is used to collectively denote areas of the Southern Levant that hold great significance in the Abrahamic religions, primarily because of their association with people and events featured in the Bible. It is traditionall ...

and the Middle East to the Immaculate Heart of Mary imploring the gift of peace *Netherlands, a solemn national consecration of the Netherlands to the Immaculate Heart of Mary will take place on the 5th of October in Eindhoven by Bishop Johannes van den Hende; 5 October 2024

Dioceses consecrated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary

In 2017, in commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the apparitions at Fatima, a number of bishops consecrated or renewed a previous consecration of their dioceses to Mary under the title of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Among these were: the Diocese of Birmingham,

Alabama Alabama ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Deep South, Deep Southern regions of the United States. It borders Tennessee to the north, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gu ...

(14 January 2017, Bishop Robert J. Baker), Diocese of Tyler,

Texas Texas ( , ; or ) is the most populous U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Louisiana to the east, Arkansas to the northeast, Oklahoma to the north, New Mexico to the we ...

(13 May 2017, Bishop Joseph E. Strickland), Diocese of Kansas City-Saint Joseph,

Missouri Missouri (''see #Etymology and pronunciation, pronunciation'') is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it border ...

(13 May 2017, Bishop James Vann Johnston),

Diocese of Providence The Diocese of Providence () is a Latin Church diocese of the Catholic Church in Rhode Island in the United States. The diocese was erected by Blessed Pope Pius IX on February 17, 1872. The Diocese of Providence is a suffragan diocese of the Ar ...

Rhode Island Rhode Island ( ) is a state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Connecticut to its west; Massachusetts to its north and east; and the Atlantic Ocean to its south via Rhode Island Sound and Block Is ...

(13 May 2017, Bishop Thomas J. Tobin), Diocese of Worcester (MA) (June 3, 2017),

Diocese of Lansing The Diocese of Lansing () is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory – or diocese – of the Catholic Church located in the south-central portion of Michigan in the United States. It is a suffragan diocese in the ecclesiastical province of metr ...

(Bishop Earl Boyea, August 13, 2017). Also consecrated or re-consecrated were the

Archdiocese of San Francisco The Archdiocese of San Francisco (Latin: ''Archdiœcesis Sancti Francisci''; Spanish: ''Arquidiócesis de San Francisco'') is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Catholic Church in the northern California region of the Unit ...

California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...

(7 October 2017, Archbishop Salvatore J. Cordileone),

Diocese of Phoenix The Diocese of Phoenix (; ) is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory, or diocese, in western and central Arizona in the United States. It is a suffragan diocese of the ecclesiastical province of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe. The Diocese of Ph ...

Arizona Arizona is a U.S. state, state in the Southwestern United States, Southwestern region of the United States, sharing the Four Corners region of the western United States with Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah. It also borders Nevada to the nort ...

(13 October 2017, Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted), and the Diocese of St. Petersburg,

Florida Florida ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders the Gulf of Mexico to the west, Alabama to the northwest, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the north, the Atlantic ...

(6 May 2018, Bishop

Gregory Parkes Gregory Lawrence Parkes (born April 2, 1964) is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. Bishop Parkes has been serving as the fifth bishop of the Diocese of St. Petersburg in Florida since 2017. He served as bishop of the Diocese o ...

)."Diocese of St. Petersburg Will Be Consecrated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary on May 6", Roman Catholic Diocese of St. Peterburg, February 2, 2018
/ref>

References

Notes

External links

*
The Immaculate Heart of Mary: Core of the Fatima Message

What does the Immaculate Heart of Mary mean?

Devotion of Reparation to The Immaculate Heart of The Blessed Virgin Mary

{{DEFAULTSORT:Immaculate Heart Of Mary Marian devotions Catholic theology and doctrine Christian symbols Titles of Mary, mother of Jesus Virgin Mary in art Catholic devotions Holidays based on the date of Easter Saturday observances June observances