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Biography
The Immaculate Conception is the doctrine that the Virgin Mary was free of original sin from the moment of her conception. It is one of the four Marian dogmas of the Catholic Church. Debated by medieval theologians, it was not defined as a dogma until 1854, by Pope Pius IX in the papal bull Ineffabilis Deus. While the Immaculate Conception asserts Mary's freedom from original sin, the Council of Trent, held between 1545 and 1563, had previously non-dogmatically affirmed her freedom from personal sin. While they have different theological emphases, the Eastern Catholic Churches, just like the Latin Church, fully affirm the dogma. The Immaculate Conception became a popular subject in literature, but its abstract nature meant it was late in appearing as a subject in works of art. The iconography of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception shows Mary standing, with arms outstretched or hands clasped in prayer. The feast day of the Immaculate Conception is December 8. Many Protestant churches rejected the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception as unscriptural, though some Anglicans accept it as a pious devotion. The Eastern Orthodox Church rejects the doctrine. The teaching on the Immaculate Conception among the Oriental Orthodox churches varies: Shenouda III, Pope of the Coptic Orthodox Church, and the Patriarch Ignatius Zakka I of the Syriac Orthodox Church opposed the teaching, while the Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Church and Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church accept it. Anne, the mother of Mary, first appears in the 2nd-century apocryphal Gospel of James. The author of the gospel borrowed from Greek tales of the childhood of heroes. For Jesus' grandmother the author drew on the more benign biblical story of Hannah—hence Anna—who conceived Samuel in her old age, thus reprising the miraculous birth of Jesus with a merely remarkable one for his mother. Anne and her husband, Joachim, are infertile, but God hears their prayers and Mary is conceived.
Prayers
Novena of the Immaculate Conception
novenaO Immaculate Virgin Mary, conceived without sin! Remember, thou wert miraculously preserved from even the shadow of sin, because thou wert destined to become not only the Mother of God, but also the mother, the refuge, and the advocate of man. Penetrated, therefore, with the most lively confidence in thy never-failing intercession, we most humbly implore thee to look with favor upon the intentions of this novena, and to obtain for us the graces and the favors we request. Thou knowest, O Mary, how often our hearts are the sanctuaries of God, Who abhors iniquity. Obtain for us, then, that angelic purity which was thy favorite virtue, that purity of heart which will attach us to God alone, and that purity of intention which will consecrate every thought, word, and action to His greater glory. Obtain also for us a constant spirit of prayer and self-denial, that we may recover by penance that innocence which we have lost by sin, and at length attain safely to that blessed abode of the saints, where nothing defiled can enter. O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.
— My Prayer Book (F.X. Lasance), 1908 edition, p. 553 (Novena of the Immaculate Conception)
Novena for the Immaculate Conception (Nine Days)
novenaCome, O Holy Ghost, fill the hearts of thy faithful, and kindle in them the fire of thy love. V. Send forth thy Spirit and they shall be created; R. And Thou shalt renew the face of the earth. Let us pray. O God, who hast taught the hearts of the faithful by the light of the Holy Spirit; grant us by the same Spirit to relish what is right, and evermore to rejoice in his consolation. Through Christ our Lord. R. Amen. Preparatory Prayer (to be said each day). Virgin most pure, conceived without sin, all fair and stainless in thy Conception; glorious Mary, full of grace, Mother of my God, Queen of Angels and of men,—I humbly venerate thee as Mother of my Saviour, who, though He was God, taught me by his own veneration, reverence, and obedience to thee, the honour and homage that are due to thee. Vouchsafe, I pray thee, to accept this Novena which I dedicate to thee. Thou art the safe refuge of the penitent sinner; it is very fitting, then, that I should have recourse to thee. Thou art the Mother of Compassion; then wilt thou surely be moved with pity for my many miseries. Thou art my best hope after Jesus; thou canst not but accept the loving confidence that I have in thee. Make me worthy to be called thy son, that so I may dare to cry unto thee: Show thyself a mother. Ave Maria nine times, and Gloria Patri once. Prayer for the First Day. Behold me at thy sacred feet, O Immaculate Virgin. I rejoice with thee, because from all eternity thou wast elected to be the Mother of the Eternal Word, and wast preserved stainless from the taint of original sin. I praise and bless the Most Holy Trinity, who poured out upon thy soul in thy Conception the treasure of that privilege. I humbly pray thee to obtain for me grace effectually to overcome the sad effects produced in my soul by original sin; make me wholly victorious over them, that I may never cease to love my God. Prayer for the Second Day (November 30). Mary, unsullied lily of purity, I rejoice with thee, because from the first moment of thy Conception thou wast filled with grace, and hadst given unto thee the perfect use of reason. I thank and adore the ever blessed Trinity, who gave thee those high gifts. Behold me at thy feet overwhelmed with shame to see myself so poor in grace. O Thou who wast filled full of heavenly grace, grant me a portion of that same grace, and make me a partaker in the treasures of thy Immaculate Conception. Prayer for the Third Day (December 1). Mary, mystic rose of purity, I rejoice with thee at the glorious triumph thou didst gain over the serpent by thy Immaculate Conception, in that thou wast conceived without original sin. I thank and praise with my whole heart the ever blessed Trinity, who granted thee that glorious privilege; and I pray thee to obtain for me courage to overcome every snare of the great enemy, and never to stain my soul with mortal sin. Be thou always mine aid, and enable me with thy protection to obtain the victory over all the enemies of man's eternal welfare. Prayer for the Fourth Day (December 2). Mary Immaculate Virgin, mirror of holy purity, I rejoice exceedingly to see how from thy Immaculate Conception there were infused into thy soul the most sublime and perfect virtues with all the gifts of the most Holy Spirit. I thank and praise the ever blessed Trinity who bestowed upon thee these high privileges, and I beseech thee, gracious Mother, obtain for me grace to practise every Christian virtue, and so to become worthy to receive the gifts and graces of the Holy Ghost. Prayer for the Fifth Day (December 3). Mary, bright moon of purity, I congratulate thee in that the mystery of thy Immaculate Conception was the beginning of salvation to the human race, and was the joy of the whole world. I thank and bless the ever blessed Trinity who did so magnify and glorify thy person. I entreat thee to obtain for me grace so to profit by the death and passion of thy dear Son, that his Precious Blood may not have been shed upon the Cross for me in vain, but that after a holy life I may be saved. Prayer for the Sixth Day (December 4). Mary Immaculate, brilliant star of purity, I rejoice with thee, because thy Immaculate Conception brought exceeding joy to all the angels of Paradise. I thank and bless the ever blessed Trinity, who enriched thee with this privilege. Enable me also one day to take part in this heavenly joy, praising and blessing thee in the company of angels, world without end. Amen. Prayer for the Seventh Day (December 5). Mary Immaculate, rising morn of purity, I rejoice with thee, and I am filled with admiration at beholding thee confirmed in grace and rendered sinless from the first moment of thy Conception. I thank and praise the ever blessed Trinity, who elected thee alone from all mankind for this special privilege. Holiest Virgin, obtain for me so entire and lasting a hatred of sin, the worst of all evils, that I may rather die than ever again commit a mortal sin. Prayer for the Eighth Day (December 6). Mary, Virgin, sun without stain, I congratulate thee and I rejoice with thee, because God gave thee in thy Conception a greater and more abundant grace than He gave to all his angels and his saints together, even when their merits were most exalted. I thank and admire the immense beneficence of the ever blessed Trinity, who hath dispensed to thee alone this privilege. Oh, enable me too to correspond with the grace of God, and never more to receive it in vain; change my heart, and help me to begin in earnest a new life. Prayer for the Ninth Day (December 7). Immaculate Mary, living light of holiness, model of purity, Virgin and Mother, as soon as thou wast conceived, thou didst profoundly adore thy God, giving him thanks, because by means of thee the ancient curse was blotted out, and blessing was again come upon the sinful sons of Adam. Let this blessing kindle in my heart love towards God; and do thou inflame my heart still more and more, that I may ever love Him constantly on earth, and afterwards eternally enjoy Him in heaven, there to thank and praise Him more and more fervently for all the wondrous privileges conferred on thee, and to rejoice with thee for thy high crown of glory. The prayer for the day being ended, say or sing the Litany of the Blessed Virgin, then: V. In thy conception, O Virgin, thou wast immaculate. R. Pray for us to the Father, whose Son was born of thee. Let us pray. O God, who through the Immaculate Conception of a Virgin didst prepare a worthy dwelling-place for thy Son, we beseech Thee, who by the death of that Son, foreseen by Thee, didst preserve her from all stain of sin, to grant that by her intercession we also may be purified, and so may come to Thee. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
— The Raccolta, 1910 edition, pp. 176–182 (199. Five Novenas for the Principal Feasts of Our Lady — I. Novena for the Immaculate Conception)
Patronages
- see patronages of the immaculate conception(situation)
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