may devotion - Liturgical Center

May Devotion
May - for some, the most beautiful month of the year-is a time of giving special honor to the
Mother of God in the Church. The people, especially in Poland, during this season, gather
in churches, grottoes, wayside chapels, and statues to pray and sing the Litany of Loretto.
Across its length and width, up the hillsides and in the vales, hymns honoring Mary resound
in which "the gurgling steams, the trill of bird songs, and whatever feels and whatever lives
together raise their voices in praise of Mary." (from a Polish Marian hymn).
The first May devotion began in Poland in the second half of the XIX century in Plock,
Torun, Nowy Sacz, and Krakow and from 1852 with solemnity in the church of the Holy
Cross in Warsaw. After thirty years it became very popular and well known in the whole
country. It continues to this day.
The beginning of the cult of the Mother of God in the spring season actually reaches to
significantly earlier times. Some point it out to the V and VI century. Already then, the
Christians in Greece, Syria, and the Holy Land gathered for prayer, especially in May before the icons of Mary. In the Western Church this custom of honoring the month of May
as the month of Mary first appeared at the turn of the XIII and XIV centuries. As a zealous
devotee of Mary, King Alfonsus X of Spain, known as the Wise, began a tradition in his
country to give special honor to Mary in the spring. This custom spread rapidly to neighboring Portugal, then to Italy, and to some part of Germany.
Many saints were zealous propagators of this custom of dedicating the month of May to the
Mother of the Redeemer. One of the first was Blessed Henry Suzo (+1365), who himself
decorated icons of the Madonna with flowers and greenery in the month of May encouraging the faithful to gather there for common prayer. St. Philip Neri (+1595), a teacher and
guardian of youth encouraged them to foster this form of the Marian cult.
The Franciscan and Dominican Orders spread this type of devotion in the XVII century.
However, the custom of the May devotion in its present form is ascribed to Father Alfons
Mazzorali (Muzzarelli), an Italian Jesuit from Ferrara. In 1815 Pope Pius VII wrote a bull
(letter) on the May devotion to which he granted many indulgences. After this official
Church recognition, the devotion began to spread rapidly in the whole Christian world. In
1859 Pius IX consigned additional indulgences to the devotion and recommended that the
service be combined with the exposition and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament.
The major part of the May devotion is the Litany of Loretto, a splendid hymn in honor of Mary,
which extols all her great virtues and privileges preferred upon her by God. When the service
takes place in church, the priest gives a homily, or an appropriate reading which is followed by
Benediction with the Blessed Sacrament. The service may be held in the morning after Mass,
in the afternoon, or in the evening.
Already in the 70's of the XIX century, in the tradition of Polish villagers, May devotions were
held by wayside chapels. This custom became widespread in the cities, and even on the estates
of the nobility. To this day it is practiced, especially in southern Poland. In the evening, the
residents gather at the wayside chapels to pray and sing hymns in honor of the Blessed Virgin
Mary. Usually, the women of the neighborhood lead the prayer. They are accompanied by young
girls and children who also decorate and renovate the wayside chapels.
The traditions and customs in America are rather different. Not everything that is Polish and
close to our hearts can be transferred and preserved. The Polish parishes hold May devotions,
which the faithful attend in great numbers. They come to present their needs and those of their
relatives and friends to God through the intercession of Mary.
Litania do Najświętszej Maryi Panny (Loretańska)
Kyrie elejson, Chryste elejson, Kyrie elejson.
Chryste usłysz nas, Chryste wysłuchaj nas.
Ojcze z nieba, Boże,
zmiłuj się nad nami
Synu Odkupicielu świata, Boże,
Duchu Święty, Boże,
Święta Trójco jedyny Boże,
Święta Maryjo,
módl się za nami
Święta Boża Rodzicielko,
Święta Panno nad pannami,
Matko Chrystusowa,
Matko Kościoła,
Matko łaski Bożej,
Matko nieskalana,
Matko najczystsza,
Matko dziewicza,
Matko nienaruszona,
Matko najmilsza,
Matko przedziwna,
Matko dobrej rady,
Matko Stworzyciela,
Matko Zbawiciela,
Panno roztropna,
Panno czcigodna,
Panno wsławiona,
Panno można,
Panno łaskawa,
Panno wierna,
Zwierciadło Sprawiedliwości,
Stolico Mądrości,
Przyczyno naszej radości,
Przybytku Ducha Świętego,
Przybytku chwalebny,
Przybytku sławny pobożności,
Różo duchowna,
Wieżo Dawidowa,
Wieżo z kości słoniowej,
Domie złoty,
Arko przymierza,
Bramo niebieska,
Gwiazdo zaranna,
Uzdrowienie chorych,
Ucieczko grzesznych,
Pocieszycielko strapionych,
Wspomożenie wiernych,
Królowo Aniołów,
Królowo Patriarchów,
Królowo Proroków,
Królowo Apostołów,
Królowo Męczenników,
Królowo Wyznawców,
Królowo Dziewic,
Królowo Wszystkich Świętych,
Królowo bez zmazy pierworodnej poczęta,
Królowo wniebowzięta,
Królowo Różańca świętego,
Królowo pokoju,
Królowo rodzin,
Królowo Polski,
Baranku Boży, który gładzisz grzechy świata, przepuść nam, Panie.
Baranku Boży, który gładzisz grzechy świata, wysłuchaj nas, Panie.
Baranku Boży, który gładzisz grzechy świata, zmiłuj się nad nami.
K. Módl się za nami, święta Boża Rodzicielko.
L. Abyśmy się stali godnymi obietnic Chrystusowych.
Módlmy się. Prosimy Cię, Panie Boże, dozwól nam, sługom swoim, cieszyć się trwałym
zdrowiem duszy i ciała, za przyczyną Najświętszej Maryi, zawsze Dziewicy, racz nas uwolnić
od doczesnych utrapień i obdarzyć wieczną radością. Przez Chrystusa, Pana naszego. Amen.
Pod Twoją obronę uciekamy się święta Boża Rodzicielko, naszymi prośbami racz nie
gardzić w potrzebach naszych, ale od wszelakich złych przygód racz nas zawsze wybawiać, Panno chwalebna i błogosławiona. O Pani nasza, Orędowniczko nasza, Pośredniczko
nasza, Pocieszycielko nasza. Z Synem swoim nas pojednaj, Synowi swojemu nas polecaj,
swojemu Synowi nas oddawaj.