Prayer Mary help of Christian

Prayer to Mary, Help of Christians

O Mary, Help of Christians, Mother of God and our loving Mother, we turn to you in our need and in our struggles.

Protect us from all dangers, visible and invisible, and guide us in faith, hope, and love. Obtain for us strength to persevere in good, courage to follow Christ faithfully, and wisdom to walk in the ways of God.

O powerful and tender Mother, intercede for all who are suffering, for the Church and the world, and for every soul seeking your Son. May your loving protection and guidance bring us peace, safety, and salvation.

Mary, Help of Christians, pray for us.

Amen.

The "Prayer to Mary Help of Christians" is a Catholic devotion seeking the intercession of the Virgin Mary under the title "Help of Christians." This prayer is widely used by the faithful, particularly those associated with the Salesian Family, founded by St. John Bosco, who was a strong proponent of this devotion.

One common version of the prayer, often attributed to St. John Bosco, begins: "Most Holy Virgin Mary, Help of Christians, how sweet it is to come to your feet imploring your perpetual help."  This prayer continues by asking Mary for her perpetual help in all necessities, sorrows, and temptations, and for her intercession for the suffering, the weak, the sick, and sinners, also requesting vocations to religious life. The prayer concludes with a plea to love and eternally thank Mary in heaven.

Another significant prayer, also composed by St. John Bosco, addresses Mary as "O Mary, most powerful Virgin, great and illustrious defender of the Church, wonderful Help of Christians, formidable as an army in battle array."  This version asks for defense from the Enemy in times of anguish, combats, and difficulties, and for the reception of souls into Paradise at the hour of death.

There is also a consecration prayer to Mary, Help of Christians, which designates her as the Mother and Protectress of the home and family. This prayer asks for protection from various dangers such as fire, flood, thieves, and accidents, and most importantly, for the grace of avoiding sin for all who dwell in the home.

The devotion to Mary, Help of Christians, has historical roots dating back to the 16th century when Pope Saint Pius V added the invocation "Help of Christians" to the Litany of Loreto after the Battle of Lepanto in 1571, attributing the Christian victory to Mary's intercession. The liturgical feast day for Mary, Help of Christians, is celebrated on May 24th. This date was established by Pope Pius VII in 1815, who attributed his safe return to Rome after five years of imprisonment by Napoleon Bonaparte to Mary's intercession. St. John Bosco further popularized this devotion, building a basilica dedicated to Our Lady, Help of Christians, in Turin, Italy, in 1862. He famously encouraged faith in the Blessed Sacrament and Mary, Help of Christians, promising miracles. The Salesian Family, which he founded, continues to promote this devotion globally.

The novena to Mary, Help of Christians, typically involves nine days of prayer, often including the "Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary" prayer (Memorare), along with specific intentions for each day, reflecting on Mary's historical role as a protector of the Church and Christians. These daily prayers often focus on themes such as perseverance in faith, avoiding sin, protection of the Church from persecution and heresies, and support for religious vocations. Mary, Help of Christians, is recognized as a patroness of various countries, including Argentina, Australia, China, and Poland, as well as the Salesian order.

OTHER PRAYER : "Most Holy and Immaculate Virgin, help of Christians, Mother of the Church, we place ourselves under your motherly protection. We promise to be faithful to our Christian vocation and to work for the greater glory of God and the salvation of our souls, and of those entrusted to us. With faith in your intercession, we pray for the Church, for our family and friends, for the youth, especially those most in need. You were Saint John Bosco's teacher. Show us how to imitate his virtues especially his union with God, his chastity, humility, and poverty, his love for work and for temperance, his goodness and total giving of self to others, his loyalty to the Holy Father and to the Church. Grant, Mary, Help of Christians the graces of which we stand in need... May we serve God with fidelity and generosity until death. Help us and our dear ones to attain the boundless joy of being forever with our Father in haven. Amen."