''Signum Magnum'' (

Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power ...

for ''a great sign'') is an apostolic exhortation on consecration to the Blessed Virgin Mary by

Pope Paul VI Pope Paul VI ( la, Paulus VI; it, Paolo 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 to his death in Augus ...

. It was released on May 13, 1967 in

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in Rome, on the 50th anniversary of

Our Lady of Fátima Our Lady of Fátima ( pt, Nossa Senhora de Fátima, ); formally known as Our Lady of the Holy Rosary of Fátima) is a Catholic title of Mary, mother of Jesus, based on the Marian apparitions reported in 1917 by three shepherd children at the C ...

, to coincide with the Pope's visit to the Sanctuary of Fátima, in Cova da Iria,

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Content

The title refers to Revelation 12:1 "A great sign appeared in the sky, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars." ''Signum Magnum'' begins by asserting that honor is accorded to Mary throughout history, and states, "Mary's spiritual motherhood transcends the boundaries of time and space. It is part of the Church's history for all times, because she never ceases to exercise her maternal office or to help us."Pope Paul VI, ''Signum magnum'', Pt II §33, May 13, 1967, Libreria Editrice Vaticana
/ref> Signum Magnum repeatedly quotes ''

Lumen gentium ''Lumen gentium'', the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, is one of the principal documents of the Second Vatican Council. This dogmatic constitution was promulgated by Pope Paul VI on 21 November 1964, following approval by the assembled bish ...

'' and extends the teaching on Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church. Addressed to the Catholic bishops of the world, Paul exhorts "all the sons of the Church to renew personally their consecration to the Immaculate Heart of the Mother of the Church".

Chant

''Signum Magnum'' is also the title of the Gregorian Chant for the Introit of the Feast of the Assumption of Virgin Mary, on August 15. It is similar to ''Puer Natus'', the chant used for the Introit for Christmas Day. Joyous, while observing the solemnity of the feast, ''Signum Magnum'' is drawn from the opening of Revelation 12 in Sacred Scripture.

Notes

Sources

Vatican website: ''Signum Magnum''
1967 documents 1967 in Christianity Documents of Pope Paul VI {{RC-document-stub