Our Lady Of Perpetual Help

ORIGIN OF DEVOTION TO OUR MOTHER OF PERPETUAL HELP In the late 15th century a sailing vessel brought the icon of Perpetual Help to Rome from the isle of Crete. Who painted it, or when, is not known. It was retained by a private family until our Blessed Mother herself appeared and said that she wished her picture to be placed in a Church in Rome "between the Church of St. Mary Major’s and that of St. John of Lateran." On March 27, 1499, the picture was enthroned for veneration, in the Church of St. Matthew. In 1798 war demolished the Church, but the picture was not allowed to perish. The Augustinian, who had been in charge of St. Matthew’s, took it with them to the new monastery. The very last member of their order to be professed in St. Matthew’s was Brother Augustine Orsetti. In his new home he had a frequent visitor, Michael Marchi, who later became a Redemptorist priest. In 1855 the Redemptorists came to Rome and built a church to honor their founder, St. Alphonsus Liguori, on the site of the ancient St. Matthew’s. Brother Augustine had often spoken to young Michael about the Madonna in the monastery chapel. So when Father Marchi told of the icon in the Augustinian monastery, the Redemptorists petitioned Pope Pius IX to have the image of Our Mother of Perpetual Help placed in the Church on the spot originally chosen by Our Lady herself. And the Pope in granting the request said: "It is our will that this picture be returned to the Church between St. Mary Major’s and St. John Lateran’s". At the same time he commanded the Redemptorists to make her known "all over the world." On April 26, 1866, a solemn procession carried the miraculous icon of Our Mother of Perpetual Help to her chosen spot in the Church of St. Alphonsus Maria de Liugori, one of Mary’s greatest lovers and defenders. Today the original painting reposes in Rome while millions of replicas bring her and her Perpetual Help to people everywhere.

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