Novena to the
Our Lady of Perpetual Help

Novena to Our Lady of Perpetual Help

The Icon of Our Lady of Perpetual Help is an authentic expression of Byzantine art from ancient times. The gold background represents the Kingdom of God and the gold shining through the clothing reflects deification. The icon invites us to become sharers in this glory. The persons portrayed are: the Mother of God, Jesus Christ, the Archangel Michael, and the Archangel Gabriel. Mary's head is tilted with maternal affection toward the Christ Child on her left arm. Mary's eyes are not fixed on her Child or on the instruments of the Passion which the two angels hold out to Christ. Rather, she gazes toward those who are looking at the icon. With eyes and attitude of sorrow and love she invites all to consider Our Savior. The Christ Child has the appearance of apprehension when presented with the instruments of His Passion. In His mother, he finds the greatest comfort and tenderness. In his haste to run into her protective arms, He almost loses one of his tiny sandals thereby signifying to us that we should hasten to seek her loving assistance in our troubles. Christ's fingers hold his Mother's right hand, yet they rest quite loosely there. In this lies another lesson. Through the protection of His Most Holy Mother, Our Lord grew to His Majority and initiated His Saving Work - as she protected Him, she prays for us still, to Her Divine Son!Arguably the most popular Madonna by far, her maternal love and protection show so clearly in her image, sheltering the frightened Child Jesus, who, running to her consolation so fast that he has nearly lost his sandal, sees the Archangels Michael and Gabriel with the instruments of His Crucifixion.

In times of need we can follow the example of Our Lord, and flee to the protection of His, and our, Blessed Mother.

Say each day for nine days:

See at Your feet, O Mother of Perpetual Help, a poor sinner who has recourse to You and confides in You.

O Mother of Mercy, have pity on me! I hear You called the refuge and the hope of sinners; be my refuge and my hope.

Help me, for the love of Jesus Christ; stretch forth Your hand to a poor fallen creature who recommends himself/herself to You, and who devotes himself/herself to Your service forever. I bless and thank Almighty God, who in His mercy had given me this confidence in You, which I hold to be a pledge of my eternal salvation.

Mary, tender Mother, help me. Mother of Perpetual Help, never allow me to lose my God. Amen.

(Say the Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory Be, three times each)
 

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Why Our Lady of Perpetual Help?
The original icon of Our Lady of Perpetual Help is perhaps the oldest actual icon of the Blessed Virgin. According to tradition, St. Luke wrote an icon of Our Lady while she was still living in Jerusalem. When she saw the beautiful icon of herself holding the Child Jesus in her arms, she blessed both the artist and his work proclaiming, "My grace will accompany this icon." The passage of centuries has proven that Mary did not forget this promise. So numerous were the miracles and favours granted by means of this Holy Icon that Pope Innocent III in 1207 stated that Mary's soul seemed to have entered into this icon since it was so beautiful and so miraculous. When St. Luke completed the icon, tradition tells us he gave it to his personal friend and patron, Theophilus. In the middle of the Fifth Century, St. Pulcheria erected a shrine in its honour in Constantinople. The icon remained there for a thousand years where it was venerated by countless Christians - kings and emperors, saints and sinners, rich and poor; and where it was the source of many graces. The original icon disappeared from human history during the siege of Constantinople in 1453. Holy Tradition tells us that, on the night before the fall of the Holy City, the Holy Mother of God, took both the icon and the Imperial Crown to Heaven! Many copies that existed at that time have been preserved to this day. The spirit and miraculous power of the icon still live in the present day icon. Mary still lives amongst us, anticipating needs, saving, ministering, mothering - leading us to the Throne of Her Son in the Heavenly Kingdom.