Every June 27, the feast of Our Lady of Perpetual Help is celebrated, a Marian devotion spread throughout the world, whose origins date back to the 10th and 11th centuries, but which, like almost all Marian devotions, have their roots in the times of the early Church.
This is a particular devotion to the Virgin Mary, the Mother of God, who is present whenever one of her children suffers deep pain, an emergency, a catastrophe, a temptation, an imminent danger, a serious illness. Mary, as Immaculate Mother, never tires of providing help and comfort when we turn to Her.
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perpetual help
The Virgin of Perpetual Help has innumerable patronages, spread across various countries, but she is especially considered the patron saint of the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer, whose members are known as Redemptorists. They ensure the dissemination of this beautiful devotion and the spiritual benefit of its devotees.
Our Lady of Perpetual Help is an icon (image) of the Virgin Mary whose original is preserved to this day. It is located on the main altar of the church of San Alfonso del Esquilino in the city of Rome (Italy).
The image of Perpetual Help represents the maternal care that the Virgin Mary had towards her Son Jesus, from the time he was conceived by the Holy Spirit until his death on the cross. By virtue of the exercise of such precious motherhood, today, the Mother of God exercises the same spiritual care over us, her children by adoption.
The history
The history of the icon of Perpetual Help clearly dates back to the 15th century, when a rich merchant from the Mediterranean Sea acquired the image for its great beauty – unfortunately, further details are unknown, such as who painted it or why it was put up for sale.
In order to preserve the beautiful image, the merchant who acquired it made the decision to take it to Italy. In the middle of the journey, a terrible storm broke out that put the boat in which she was transported in danger of sinking. Captured by fear, the merchant took the image up high, asked the Lord and the Virgin for help and, surprisingly, the sea immediately calmed down. That extraordinary event awakened in those who witnessed it the awareness that She, the Virgin Mary, is perpetual and true help for everyone who is in need or in danger.
Back in Rome, the merchant showed the painting to a friend, to whom he said: “Someday the whole world will pay homage to Our Lady of Perpetual Help.”
After a while, the businessman became seriously ill, but before dying, he made his friend promise that he would carry out the necessary tasks so that the image could be placed in an important church in the city. The merchant’s wish was not fulfilled, because the wife of his friend became fond of the painting and kept it. Legend has it that the Virgin appeared to that friend in a dream, exhorting him to fulfill her promise; However, he did not do it to please his wife. After his death, the Virgin appeared to her six-year-old daughter and asked her to ask her mother to take the image to a church. The little girl did as the Virgin asked her, but her mother, although she felt scared, did nothing to fulfill her promise to her deceased husband.
A neighbor, quite aware of what happened, found this story cause for ridicule. A few days later, such pain came to that woman that she only managed to ask the Virgin for forgiveness and beg her to help her. Feeling very sick, she asked to see the painting and, when it was in front of her, she touched it with devotion. The next day she was cured.
Our Lady appeared to the girl again and told her that the painting should be placed in the church of Saint Matthew, located between the Basilicas of Saint Mary Major and Saint John Lateran. Now her mother and her neighbor set out to fulfill Our Lady’s wish. Since then, great miracles began to take place through the intercession of the “Virgin of Perpetual Help.”
Between Redemptorists and Augustinians
At the end of the 18th century, Napoleon, who occupied the City, ordered the destruction of many Roman churches, including that of San Mateo. Providentially, an Augustinian priest managed to secretly take the painting of the Virgin of Perpetual Help. Later, the image would be placed in the Augustinian chapel in Posterula.
At the same time, the Redemptorists began the construction of the Church of San Alfonso on the ruins of the old church of San Mateo. They learned that the miraculous painting of ‘Perpetual Help’ had been there and that at that time it was in the hands of the Augustinians. In favor of the Redemptorists was added the testimony of a Jesuit priest who knew of the Virgin’s desire that she wanted to be honored in that place.
The Virgin, the Pope and the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer
Thus, the superior of the Redemptorists requested Blessed Pope Pius IX that the painting be returned to its original place. The Pontiff ordered that this be done, to which the Augustinians agreed, and he entrusted the Redemptorists with the mission of spreading devotion to Our Lady.
Today, devotion to Our Lady of Perpetual Help is widespread throughout the Christian world. Churches, sanctuaries, Catholic schools and other buildings are dedicated in her honor. Her devotees worship her and ask for her help from all over the world.
Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Pray for us!
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Central Editorial
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