The miraculous icon
Our Lady of Perpetual Help
The image traces back to a Byzantine icon painted in the 13th century on wood to represent the following story; When Jesus was a small boy, he loved to play in the garden. On one occasion, the Archangels Michael and Gabriel appeared to Him and held before His tender eyes the instruments of His future torture - the cross, the nails, the lance. The little Jesus, in terror, fled into the house and sought refuge in the arms of His Mother. In His haste, the Child nearly lost one of His sandals. In this picture, it is seen falling from His foot. We see that Our Lord Himself went to Mary, Our Mother of Perpetual Help when He was in danger and in need. The Mother reassuringly holds tightly to the Child’s hand.
About the Picture
Our Lady of Perpetual Help, also known as Our Lady of Perpetual Succour, is a title given to the Blessed Virgin Mary by Pope Pius IX, associated with a celebrated Byzantine icon of the same name dating from the 15th century. This icon has been in Rome since 1499 and is currently in the church of Sant’Alfonso di Liguori all’Esquilino. The image has become very popular among Roman Catholics in particular and has been very much copied and reproduced. Here is a list of what the image means,
Greek initial for Mother of God.
Greek initial for St. Michael, the archangel
Greek initial for St. Gabriel, the archangel.
Mary’s mouth is small for silent recollection. She speaks little.
Mary’s eyes are larger, for in all our troubles, they are turned towards us always.
Star on our Lady’s veil means she is the star of the sea who brought the light Jesus into this world.
Red tunic is the color worn by virgins at the time of Christ (AD33).
Christ’s hands turned palms down into his mother’s indicate that the grace of redemption is in her keeping.
Mary’s left hand supports Christ possessively. That means she is his mother. It’s a comforting hand for everyone who calls on her.
Dark blue mantle – the color worn by mothers in Palestine. means Mary is both virgin and mother of Christ.
The entire background is gold representing the heaven.
Our Lady of Perpetual Help Golden crown placed on the original picture as a token of many miracles wrought by our lady invoked under the title of perpetual help.
Greek initials for Jesus Christ.
Foot with falling sandal represents Christ’s divine nature, barely clinging to earth. The human nature is symbolized in the other foot to which the sandal is more firmly bound. This simply means that Christ has two natures, Human and Divine.
Celebration
Every year, the Community at St. Alphonsus and the faithful of the Shrine in Rome look forward to the great celebration of the feast of the Mother of Perpetual Help on 27th of June. Novena devotions are held every Wednesday in parishes around the world venerating our Lady of Perpetual Help.
Despite a foreboding vision of suffering, the icon also conveys the triumph of Christ over sin and death, symbolized by the golden background as a sign of the glory of the resurrection. The royal crowns on the heads of Jesus and Mary also symbolize their triumph as the King of Kings with his Queen Mother.
In a very beautiful way, the Child Jesus grasps the hand of the Blessed Mother. He seeks comfort from His mother as He sees the instruments of His passion. The position of Mary’s hands – both holding the Child Jesus (who seems like a small adult) and at the same time presenting Him to us – convey the reality of our Lord’s incarnation, that He is a true God who became also a true man.
My Prayer to Our Lady of Perpetual Help
“O loving and dear Mother of Perpetual Help, you clearly gave Jesus the courage, security, and strength to face the instruments of His future suffering. He knew he could count on your complete commitment to God’s will and that you would be the epitome of ‘faith over fear’. I am so comforted that my family and I are in the care of the truest disciple of God the Father, which is you. You will intercede for our lives to be in accordance with God’s plan, despite the terrors and troubles that surround us. You will surround us always with your precious blue mantle. I pray that we may always stand convicted of God’s mercy and grace, just like you were. Thank you for always being by our side and constantly fighting battles in prayer for our souls. We love you dearest mother of our Saviour Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.”
Page Credits: Priya D’Souza, OITS Member