Our Lady of Perpetual Help, hear the prayers and pleas of all her children

Today we talk about the Our Lady of Perpetual Help, a title attributed to Mary, always ready to listen to the prayers and pleas of all her children and to intercede so that God's gaze rests on them.

The iconography of Our Lady of Perpetual Help depicts the Mother of God with the Child Jesus placed on her left arm and her head bowed towards him, who looks at her and clings to her. In this representation.

The history of this sacred image dates back to Thirteenth century, when we find it in the Church of St. Matthew in Rome. She then she was transferred to the church of the Redemptorists of Sant'Alfonso in Trastevere, where it was widely venerated and still stands today.

Our Lady of Perpetual Help became famous for hers Miracles, many of which have been recorded over the centuries. Many faithful have sought his help and intercession in times of need, finding comfort and relief in their prayers.

The legend of Our Lady of Perpetual Help

The legend of Our Lady of Perpetual Help is one of the oldest and most fascinating stories in Christianity. It dates back to the year 1495, when a wealthy Roman merchant namedand Giovanni Battista della Rovere he had a vision of the Madonna, who asked him to bring her image from Crete to Rome. Our Lady handed over to John the Baptist two icons miraculous, one represented the Madonna with the child in her arms and the other Jesus Crucified.

The merchant reached Rome and entrusted the icons to the church di San Matteo in Merulana, where they remained until 1798. In that year, the French invaded Rome and the church of San Matteo was closed and looted. Two Augustinian monks saved the icons and took care of them.

One of the two monks, Father Michele Marchi, saw the Madonna in a dream asking him to take her to safety. He listened to her and with the help of a friend, delivered the icon to the church of Santa Maria in Posterula to keep her safe.

Legend has it that the Madonna appeared in dream to a womens Romana and her daughter, asking that a church be built in her honour. Our Lady would have promised them that she would have been protector of the Roman people forever and that she would always help those who invoked her. Thus, in addition to the worship of the Madonna, that of the Virgin of Perpetual Help was born.