The original
portrait of Our Mother of Perpetual Help is
painted on wood, with a background of gold.
Although its origins are unknown it is estimated
that it was painted in the 13th century and it is
Byzantine in style.
The image represents the
Mother of God holding the Divine Child, while the
Archangels Michael and Gabriel present before Him
the instruments of His Passion. All the letters
are in Greek. The initials beside the Mother's
crown identify her as "Mother of God."
Those beside the child, "ICXC," are
abbreviations meaning "Jesus Christ."
The smaller letters identify the angel on the
left as "Saint Michael the Archangel."
He is shown holding a lance and spear with the
vessel of vinegar and gall of Christ's passion.
The angel on the right is identified as
"Saint Gabriel the Archangel."
The portrait was brought to
Rome towards the end of the 15th century by a
pious merchant, who, dying there, ordered in his
will that the portrait should be exposed in a
church for public veneration. The chosen church
was San Matteo, between Saint Mary Major and
Saint John Lateran. Crowds flocked to the church,
and for nearly 300 years many graces were
obtained through the intercession of the Blessed
Virgin.
In the 18th century San
Matteo Church was destroyed by fire, but the
portrait was unharmed and was secretly taken by
the Augustinians.
When the Church of Saint
Alfonso in Rome was built in 1855 on land near
the old San Matteo site, a search was made for
the portrait. After its discovery, Pope Pius IX
authorized its placement with the Redemptorist
Fathers and the image now rests in the Church of
Saint Alfonso in Rome.
More than 2000 facsimiles of
the icon have been sent from Saint Alfonso Church
to every part of the world.
- PRAYER TO
OUR MOTHER OF PERPETUAL HELP
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- Behold at
thy feet, O Mother of Perpetual
Help, a wretched sinner, who has
recourse to thee, and confides in
thee. O Mother of mercy, have
pity on me. I hear thee called by
all the refuge and the hope
ofsinners: be, then, my refuge
and my hope. Assist me, for the
love of Jesus Christ; stretch
forth thy hand to a miserable
fallen creature, who recommends
himself to thee, and who devotes
himself to thy service for ever.
I bless and thank almighty God,
Who in mercy has given me this
confidence in thee, which I hold
to be a pledge of my eternal
salvation. It is true that in the
past I have miserably fallen into
sin, because I had not recourse
to thee. I know that, with thy
help, I shall conquer. I know,
too, that thou wilt assist me, if
I recommend myself to thee; but I
fear that in time of danger I may
neglect to call on thee, and thus
lose my soul. This grace, then, I
ask of thee, and this I beg, with
all the fervour of my soul, that,
in all attacks of hell, I may
ever have recourse to thee. O
Mary, help me! O Mother of
Perpetual Help! Never suffer me
to lose my God!
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- Devotion
to Our Mother of Perpetual Help is
widespread, with novena prayers and
petitions to Her being popular.
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- Our Lady of
Perpetual Help Shrine
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Poems to the Mother of God | Medjugorje News
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