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Our Mother of Perpetual Succour
by Rev. Fr. Hall, C.SS.R.
The picture now honoured in Rome under the title of Our Mother of Perpetual Succour is that which during the 15th century was venerated in Crete as the miraculous image of the Mother of God. The story of its coming to the Eternal City is full of interest. A merchant of Crete took from one of the churches of the Island this miraculous picture of the Blessed Virgin, and concealing it amongst his belongings, he embarked on a sailing vessel. No sooner was the ship out of harbour than a dreadful storm arose, and raged so fiercely that the sailors were in imminent danger of shipwreck. Then, though they did not know that the picture was on board, they besought God and His Blessed Mother to save them. Their prayer was heard and the ship reached the desired haven in safety.
A year later, the merchant went with the picture to Rome, where he fell ill, and seeing that his end was near, besought his friend, a Roman, in whose house he was, to carry out his last request. When his friend had given his word to this effect, the dying merchant told him about the picture which he had taken from a certain church where it had worked many miracles. He explained to him where he would find it, and concluded with these words: “I entreat you, since my approaching death prevents my taking it to the place where I should wish it to be, put it in some church which you think will be worthy of it.” After the merchant’s death, the Roman found the picture and took it home. He yielded to his wife’s persuasion not to part with so beautiful a painting, so he placed it in his bedroom, where it remained nearly a year. The Blessed Virgin appeared to him and told him not to leave her picture in his room, but to remove it to a more honourable place. He paid no attention either to this or to a second apparition of Our Lady telling him the same thing. Then a third time Our Lady made known her wish to the Roman, adding that if he did not take the picture to a church he would die miserably. This so frightened the man that in the morning, having told the story of the visions to his wife, he begged her to allow him to present the picture to some church. His wife refused, saying that she was astonished at her husband’s request, that there were no Christians, no matter how wicked, who had not a picture of the Virgin or of Christ crucified in their homes, and that this was not the only one of its kind. He again let his wife have her way. Whereupon Our Lady appeared to him once more and said: “Behold, several times I have warned thee and used threats to force thee to take me from this place, and thou hast not heeded me; now, thou thyself shalt depart first that I may find a more honourable abode.” Then the Roman fell suddenly sick, and in a short time passed away. The Blessed Virgin worked new wonders to secure the fulfilment of her wishes. In a vision to the man’s six-year-old daughter, she said: “Go to thy mother and grandfather and say to them: ‘Holy Mary of Perpetual Succour bids you take her from your house, otherwise you will both die suddenly.’” The child’s mother was frightened when she heard this threat; and because she herself had a similar vision, she realised that she had been the cause of her husband’s death. One of her neighbours, seeing her weeping because she had disobeyed the wishes of the Mother of God, told her that she was foolish to believe such things. She said that the Mother of God is in Heaven and not mind what is done with painted pictures here; she added: “If you put the picture into the fire it will burn like any other piece of wood; but, if you are so frightened, give it to me.” That same evening the woman had reason to regret her profanity, for on returning to her home she was suddenly attacked by a strange disease; but having repented, was immediately cured. The Blessed Virgin, in a second apparition to the little girl, told her to tell her mother to put the picture between the churches of St Mary Major and St John Lateran in the church dedicated to St Matthew the Apostle. The widow, struck by the prodigies she had witnessed, yielded at last to Our Lady’s wishes and took the picture to the Augustinian Friars in charge of St Matthew’s Church in the Via Merulana. It happened to be Wednesday in Holy Week (27 March 1499), the day on which a special indulgence could be gained by visiting this church, so great crowds of people witnessed the taking of the sacred image to the place chosen by the Mother of God herself to be her new shrine. Confidence in this Madonna was immediately inspired, because on the same day a man whose right arm was paralysed was instantaneously cured by touching the holy picture. The crowds who flocked daily to this favoured church on the Esquiline Hill knew how Mary herself had chosen this sanctuary for her Shrine, and had given herself the title of Holy Mary of Perpetual Succour. We do not know by what name this picture was known in Crete, but in Rome it received the title of the “Miraculous Picture of the Mother of Perpetual Succour.” Over the door of the church, Cardinal Azzolini in 1579 had engraved these words: Deiparae Virgini Mariae Succursus Perpetui – to the Virgin Mother of God, Mary of Perpetual Succour. For three centuries, from 1499 until 1798, St Matthew’s was a recognised place of pilgrimage. Well might this Shrine of the Mother of Perpetual Succour be referred to as “widely renowned,” for many historians have borne witness to the wonders granted at this Shrine through her powerful intercession. In 1600 Panziroli wrote: “In the church of St Matthew is a picture of the Blessed Virgin, which, from the number of miracles wrought and the countless graces received, well merits to be regarded as miraculous.” A few years later Lupando, speaking of the Madonna, says: “It is a picture of Mary that miracles have made famous.” Totti Martinelli and Piazza call it “Valde Miraculosa” – the very Miraculous Image. Ever since the time when these historians attested to the innumerable favours, both spiritual and temporal, granted through the intercession of Our Lady of Perpetual Succour, this picture has been known as miraculous. We have seen that the picture was entrusted to the Augustinians, who were in possession of St Matthew’s up to 1798, when the Napoleonic army took Rome. Under pretext of strategical necessity, orders were given for the destruction of many churches in the city, amongst which was St Matthew’s. The Augustinians were forced to leave their priory and church, but they carried the picture with them. In their temporary abode, the image was placed in the private oratory of the Friars. Naturally this put an end to all public devotion, for the faithful never saw the picture, and after a few years it was almost forgotten. Then came the time when there was left in the community only Brother Augustine Orsetti who remembered the glories of the former Shrine at St Matthew’s. He had a great devotion to the Mother of Perpetual Succour, and often spoke about Our Lady’s wonderful Shrine. Among his hearers was Michael Marchi, a boy who used to serve Mass at the Friary. Many a time, Brother Augustine, pointing to the image of the Mother of Perpetual Succour, would say: “Remember, Michael, this is the famous picture of St Matthew’s. Don’t forget! Do you understand? It is a miraculous picture.” The good Brother did not live to see the restoration of Mary’s Shrine; but his words made so deep an impression on the boy’s mind that years later he was able to make known all that he had heard. In 1854 the Redemptorists bought an extensive piece of land for sale in the Via Merulana, on which formerly stood the old Augustinian Monastery. Here they built the present monastery and church of St Alphonsus. Michael Marchi was one of the first postulants accepted at St Alphonsus’. He must have seen some of the ruins of the old Augustinian church, and passed over the very spot where the miraculous picture had been enshrined. Yet it was only years after, when Michael Marchi was a Redemptorist Father, that an incident arose which brought back to his mind all that old Br. Augustine had told him. One day, a Father found in the library some documents relative to the miraculous image of Our Lady of Perpetual Succour much venerated at St Matthew’s Church. When he mentioned his discovery to the Fathers, to the surprise of all, Fr. Marchi told them that he had often seen this picture, and he related all that he had heard from Br. Augustine. At the same time, in 1863, Fr. Francis Blosi, S.J., was preaching in the Gesu a course of sermons on the famous sanctuaries of the Mother of God. The subject of one of his discourses was the Picture of Our Mother of Perpetual Succour. After having told the people Our Lady’s wish that her picture should be publicly venerated in the church situated between St Mary Major and St John Lateran, he concluded his sermon with these words: “Would that one of you here knew where this holy picture is today! Who can tell but that the honour of finding this Treasure has been reserved for our generation? Happy will those be who are instrumental in bringing about its restoration!” The Fathers at St Alphonsus’ were deeply impressed by Father Blosi’s words; it was quite clear that Our Lady wished her picture to be placed between two great Basilicas of Rome. It was evident that the Redemptorist Church was destined to be her new sanctuary. Very Rev. Fr. Nicholas Mauron, the Superior General of the Redemptorists, petitioned Blessed Pope Pius IX to allow the miraculous Madonna to be restored to the place of her own choice in the Via Merulana. The Holy Father, who as a little boy had been taken to St Matthew’s Church to see the picture, willingly granted the request on 11 December 1865. On 19 January 1866, two Redemptorists received the miraculous picture from the Augustinian Prior. The joy of the community on its arrival at the monastery may be easily imagined. As the Fathers gazed at the picture for the first time, one and all noticed in it the very instruments of the Passion – the Cross, the Reed, and Lance – which St Alphonsus had chosen for the arms of his Congregation. In the name of the Holy Father, Cardinal Patrizzi proclaimed to the people of Rome that the sacred picture of the Mother of Perpetual Succour was to be restored for public veneration in the church of St Alphonsus. He announced that on 26 April there would be a public procession of the miraculous image, followed by solemn triduum. In the course of the four centuries of its existence the picture had become faded, worm-eaten, and damaged by the nails which had been used to attach to it the ornaments and crowns. A Polish artist very skilfully restored those parts which needed attention, at the same time leaving as much as possible of the picture in its original condition. At length, the day of the enthronement arrived. The miraculous picture of the Mother of Perpetual Succour was carried in solemn procession through the streets of Rome, and placed over the high altar in the church of St Alphonsus. During the triduum which followed, at least fifty thousand people went to pay their homage to the Madonna. As the Mother of God was pleased to show her power and goodness when taking possession in 1499 of her first sanctuary in the Eternal City, so on this occasion her coming to her new abode was marked by signal favours. A poor mother, whose little boy of four was suffering from gastric fever, cried out as the sacred picture passed: “O good Mother, either cure my boy or take him to thee in paradise.” The child was immediately cured. Another woman prayed likewise with great faith for the restoration to health of her eight-year-old daughter, and the child also was restored to health. Then, on 23 June 1867, the Latin Patriarch of Constantinople, after having sung Pontifical High Mass and intoned the Te Deum, placed two gold crowns studded with pearls and other precious stones, one on the head of the Divine Infant and the other on that of His Mother. This ceremony of coronation was decreed to the picture of the Mother of Perpetual Succour by the Canons of St Peter’s Chapter in recognition of the many miracles wrought through her intercession. The feast of Our Mother of Perpetual Succour is kept by the Redemptorists on the Sunday before 24 June, but for other churches the feast is celebrated on 27 June.†
The
Miraculous Picture of Our
Mother of Perpetual Succour "Holy Mary, succour the miserable, help the fainthearted, cheer those that weep, pray for the people, be the advocate of the clergy." Magnificat Antiphon B.V.M. The human mind is capable of sublime and beautiful conceptions. It is the faculty of Art to give expression to these through the medium of Poetry, Music, or Painting. So when Our Divine Lord ascended into Heaven, it was to be expected that His devout followers, who had seen and known Him on earth, would desire to keep vividly before their minds everything concerning Him. Thus, we may feel certain that not only His Doctrine, but His gestures, the tone of His voice, the expression of His eyes, His personal appearance, were often lovingly recalled and made the subject of many a word-picture. We are therefore not surprised at finding early attempts to reproduce His likeness. In the catacombs and on the walls of the earliest Christian churches we have abundant evidence of the inherent trait of human nature to give outward expression to its ideal, and so perpetuate, in some tangible way the form and features of the being it loves. We have proof of this in the case of Jesus. May we not believe that it has been the same with regard to His Blessed Mother? In fact, there is greater likelihood of having a more perfect description of her - the most Blessed amongst women - because after the death of her Son she remained twelve years upon earth and so must have been seen and remembered by many. We know that God's own Mother was the masterpiece of His creation. Is it conceivable then that she was not an inspiration to those who had the privilege of beholding her, or that the nobler natures amongst them were not seized with an irresistible desire of leaving a picture of her? We are told that St Luke was an artist, and he had the happiness of knowing Mary intimately. Would he have lost the opportunity of depicting her, and of handing down to future ages a true likeness of the Mother of God? We can scarcely conceive such a possibility. An Eastern tradition tells us that St Luke painted Our Lady and the Divine Child, and that this picture so pleased His Blessed Mother that she wished her blessing to accompany it wherever it went. The tradition goes on to say that the Evangelist sent this painting to his friend, Theophilus. Years later, it came into the possession of Eudocia, wife of Theodosius II, who presented it to his sister, St Pulcheria (d 453). This holy virgin built in Constantinople three churches in honour of the Mother of God, and placed St Luke's painting in one of them known as "Hodegium" - a Greek word signifying the "Quarter of the Guides" - hence the famous picture was tided Hodegetria. There is certain proof that this picture was held in the greatest honour, and the inhabitants of the ill-fated city in the many straits to which it was reduced frequently experienced Mary's wonderful protection. For a thousand years it was the object of great veneration, until at length it fell into the hands of the Turks when they captured Constantinople in 1453. These barbarians destroyed the sacred icon, and thus was lost one of the most precious treasures of the East. Fortunately, copies of the Hodegetria are still preserved; that which is at Smolensk, in Russia, dates from the eleventh century and purports to be a copy of St Luke's, for over the right shoulder of the Madonna is painted the word "Hodegetria." In several churches of the East, there were pictures of Our Lady differing only very slightly from the original. When the Turks took the island of Crete in 1669, the Venetians saved one of these pictures, which was venerated in the cathedral church of St Titus. The following year, by order of the Venetian Republic, it was placed in the church Delia Salute in Venice, where, in 1922, this venerable image was crowned. This is interesting since the picture of the Mother of Perpetual Succour had been taken from Crete nearly two centuries earlier. In the Museum of Trier, in Germany, is a copy which experts assign to the thirteenth century. There is also one in the Vatican collection and another in Poland, so that today there are extant several pictures somewhat like the prototype known as Hodegetria. With some slight changes artists used this ancient type to depict Our Lady of Sorrows, and among these paintings the most widely known is that now honoured in Rome under the title of Mother of Perpetual Succour. There are some to whom this picture makes no appeal. Its style is, they say, archaic and rigid; in other words, it is antique and unemotional, lacking the more natural beauty of the later and more popular Madonnas of the Italian and Spanish schools. This may be true in some degree, but the picture has an attraction of its own which appeals to all who understand its symbolism. The original picture, assigned by critics to the fourteenth century, is painted on wood it is a little more than twenty inches in length and sixteen in width. Our Lady's mantle is dark blue on a ground of gold, and in turn this dark blue makes a good ground for the gold of the quaint and rigid folds. The Virgin's tunic is red, while the veil beneath her mantle and concealing her hair is light green. Round the neck and wrists are simple ornaments. The tunic of the Divine Child is green, His sash bright red, and His mantle brown. Angels holding the instruments of the Passion are quite common in this kind of picture, which proves that they were all taken from the same original picture. The Angels' hands are, covered with a veil as are a priest's at Benediction; this has been done from the earliest ages of the Church to show reverence for what is handled. Towards the close of the Middle Ages, the faithful had special devotion to the Passion of Christ and to the Sorrows of Mary. This was due no doubt to the Crusades (1095-1291) as well as to the influence of the sons of St Francis of Assisi. To stimulate this devotion the artist wished to portray the fulfilment of the prophecy of David: "My sorrow is always before me." (Ps 37:18) He does this by representing the Infant Jesus in His Mother's arms, just waking from sleep. The Child sees before Him St Michael holding the Reed, the Sponge, and the Spear. He is frightened at this apparition and quickly turns the other way. The sudden movement loosens His sandal, which is seen falling from His Foot; but on this side He encounters another vision: St Gabriel with the Cross and Nails, so that whichever way the Child turns His sorrow is always before Him. Like other children when frightened, Jesus turns to His Mother and tightly clasps her right hand with His two little ones. She supports Him with her left, and draws Him nearer to her to assure Him of her protection. These pictures, representing the Divine Child in the arms of His Blessed Mother with Angels bearing the instruments of the Passion, were usually called "The Virgin of the Angels," or "The Virgin of the Passion." It was customary in Byzantine art to put the name of each figure in an abridged form. In the picture of Our Lady of Perpetual Succour, MP are the first and last letters of the Greek word signifying "Mother"; and Ov the first and last letters of the Greek genitive, meaning "of God". The letters ICXC are the initial and final letters for two Greek words for Jesus Christ. Similarly O AP M stands for the Archangel Michael, and O AP Г for the Archangel Gabriel. It will not be out of place to make some attempt at describing the meaning of this picture; the theme is sublime, being nothing less than the foreknowledge of God, and the power of His Blessed Mother. 1. From the first moment of His life on earth, Jesus Christ knew all the sins of the world, and the death which He was to suffer for them. The royal prophet David says: "My sorrow is always before me," and in the book of Isaias we read: "Despised and the most abject of men, a Man of Sorrows, and acquainted with infirmity." (Is 53:3) This foreknowledge of His sufferings is clearly brought out in the picture by the frightened attitude of the Divine Child at the vision of the instruments of His Passion. 2. The picture also reminds us that Mary was the Mother of Sorrows because as a mother she shared in the sufferings of her Son. St Bernard, St Alphonsus and others hold that from her knowledge of the Scriptures Mary knew all that was to befall her Son; certainly she understood the full meaning of Simeon's prophetic words: "And thy own soul a sword shall pierce, that out of many hearts thoughts may be revealed." (Lk 2:35) 3. There is yet a deeper cause for the Child's fear at the sight of the Cross and Nails, the Reed and the Lance: it was the knowledge that in spite of His laying down His life to atone for the sins of mankind, men would still go on sinning. "Crucifying again to themselves the Son of God, and making Him a mockery." (Heb 6:6) The picture seems to show that Our Lady shares in this knowledge, for her eyes are turned not towards her Son, but towards us. She is looking at us with eyes full of sadness, as if to say:
4. The Archangels beholding the instruments of the Passion with veiled hands teach us reverence for what is holy. The gold surrounding the figures of this picture is said to symbolise the heavenly Jerusalem of pure gold, as described by St John in the Apocalypse, whence the angels descend to Jesus and Mary on earth. The gold, therefore, represents Paradise purchased for us by the Precious Blood of Our Redeemer, and, Mary being the "Gate of Heaven," it is through her that we can enter there. A former Rector Major, the Most Rev. Fr. Patrick Murray, C.SS.R., points out to Religious that the Sponge, the Lance, and the Cross may remind them of their vows. The sponge offered to Our Saviour on a reed, when He cried out "I thirst," should bring home to Religious that Poverty is accompanied by some privation. The lance, which transfixed the most pure Heart of Jesus, represents the necessity of mortification of the senses in order to preserve Chastity; while the cross teaches them that they must humble themselves like their Divine Master, who became obedient unto death, even to the death of the cross. 5. The prominent position of Our Lady's right hand, expressing her protection and her power, is a very striking feature of the picture. The Divine Infant holds it in His tiny Hands, and the Greeks see in this the perfect union of Mary's will with that of God. The Saints tell us that Our Lord dispenses all His graces through the hands of His Blessed Mother. Whatever she asks of Him is granted, because He knows that she seeks only His interest and the salvation of souls purchased by His Blood. St Bernard, speaking of Mary's power, says: "Thou wiliest and all is done." With what confidence then should we not pray to Our Lady of Perpetual Succour! Everything about her suggests confidence. She holds in her arms the God-man, "the Treasure of all treasures," and she knows the secrets of His Sacred Heart, her eyes are full of entreaty; and, most reassuring of all is the name given by herself: "Holy Mary of Perpetual Succour." It is not merely a name, but a promise to help us whenever we call upon her. Let the Infant Jesus be our model in this as in all else: He turns to her quickly in fear and trouble. He clings to her hand. So should we turn to her at the very first onset of temptation, and when the cross presses heavily upon us; if we cling to her we shall without doubt experience her protection and her power. 6. In her veil is a star; Mary is called "the Morning Star.” The Church calls her the "Star of the Sea," and, commenting on this title, St Thomas Aquinas explains that "as sailors are guided by a star to the harbour, so are Christians guided to Heaven by Mary." When trying to instil into the hearts of sinners confidence in Mary's protection, St Bonaventure placed before them a picture of a stormy sea into which sinners had fallen from the Ship of Divine Grace, while Our Lord, pointing to Mary, "the Star of the Sea," says: "O poor lost sinner, despair not, lift up your eyes and behold this beautiful star, it will guide you into the harbour of salvation." 7. "Son, behold thy Mother," Our Lord says to us. Yes, if we look upon her as our Mother she will be our secure refuge. We notice in this picture how her eyes are entreating us to have recourse to her in all our miseries; they are answering the prayer we so often make: "Turn then, most gracious Advocate, thine eyes of mercy towards us." St Alphonsus says: "Mary is all eyes to pity and succour us in our miseries." Competent critics affirm that in Byzantine art the large open eyes and small mouth of Our Lady signify that she saw and pondered much in her heart, yet spoke little, but always wisely. The practical lesson that the picture of Our Lady of Perpetual Succour teaches all —just and sinners alike — is this: In the hour of need Mary is ever ready to help us! |
