Devotion to Our Lady: a thousand Hail Marys to obtain every grace

The devotion of the Ave Maria dates back to St. Catherine of Bologna. The Saint used to recite a thousand Ave Maria on Christmas night.

On the night of December 25, 1445 she was absorbed in the contemplation of the ineffable mystery and in her pious practice. When the Blessed Virgin appeared to her, which the Child Jesus offered her, Catherine entertained him in her pure arms as she herself expresses herself for the space of a fifth part of an hour ...

In memory of the prodigy, the daughters of the Saint in the Corpus Domini Monastery, every year, in the holy night, repeat the thousand Hail Marys, a devotion soon entered into the piety of the faithful.

To make pious exercise easier, the thousand Hail Marys are recited forty every day in the 25 days preceding Holy Christmas, from 29 November to 23 December.

The repetition of the angelic greeting to the Blessed Virgin. with meditation on the mystery, effective preparation for Holy Christmas will succeed for devout souls.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

In imitation of St. Catherine we will praise the great Mother of God for her sacred birth, with these forty angelic greetings to obtain from her protection in life and assistance in death, so that from this land of pilgrimage we can reach the eternal places of Paradise.

FIRST TEN First, by reciting ten Hail Marys, and as many blessings, we will consider the ineffable mystery of the Incarnation of the Word, and the great dignity of the Virgin in being elected Mother of the Most High.

10 Ave Maria ...

Blessed be, O Mary, the hour in which you were chosen as the Mother of God.

SECOND TEN Secondly, reciting ten Hail Marys, and as many blessings, we will meditate on the humility of the King of heaven, who chose a vile home for his Christmas, and the joy that Mary had in seeing the only begotten of the Father she was born in the crib.

10 Ave Maria ...

Blessed be, O Mary, the hour in which you became Mother of the Son of God.

THIRD TEN Thirdly, reciting ten Hail Marys and as many blessings, we will carefully remember the perfect diligence of the Virgin Mary, when she fulfilled the offices of Martha and Magdalene, in contemplating her son Redeemer in service and assisting him still a tender child.

10 Ave Maria ...

Blessed be, O Mary, the first maternal heartbeat that you felt for the Son of God.

FOURTH TEN Fourthly, reciting ten Hail Marys, and as many blessings, we will consider the great reverence with which Mary, more at heart, than at breast, embraced, hugged, kissed and adored her and our God, made man for us. love.

10 Ave Maria ...

Blessed be, O Mary, the first kiss you gave to your Son and Son of God.

THE LAST EVENING (DECEMBER 23): Praise be to God forever, for in imitation of our Saint, we have performed this devoted exercise: and we pray to the Queen of Angels that, as a particular fruit, she deigns herself, the Mother of Jesus and Our Mother, to obtain, in life, a true repentance of our sins, and the eternal salvation of the soul, to our death.

LET US PRAY: O God, grant us your faithful to be supported by the intercession of Saint Catherine, from whose virtues we are attracted gladly towards your mysteries. For Christ our Lord.