Our Lady of Mercy

Stored in Cargo: Our Lady of Mercy

Our Lady of Mercy

Liturgical Feast
Feast Day	September 24
Rank	Memorial
Type	Fixed
Season	Ordinary Time
Primary Shrine	Basilica of Our Lady of Mercy
Countries	Universal
Dioceses	Archdiocese of Barcelona

The Memorial of Our Lady of Mercy, also known as Our Lady of Ransom, is a memorial in the Roman Rite of the Catholic Church that honors the Virgin Mary as the merciful redeemer of captives, reflecting her intercessory role in liberating souls from sin and suffering. Celebrated on September 24, it commemorates the apparition of Mary to Saint Peter Nolasco in 1218, inspiring the foundation of the Order of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mercy (Mercedarians) dedicated to ransoming Christian prisoners from Muslim captors during the Reconquista. According to the General Roman Calendar, this optional observance falls in Ordinary Time, encouraging the faithful to invoke Mary's compassion amid the liturgical year's call to mercy.

The feast underscores Mary's maternal mercy, extending Christ's redemptive work through her advocacy for the oppressed, as symbolized by her white habit and chained captives in iconography. Though not a solemnity or Holy Day of Obligation, it holds special significance for the Mercedarian Order and is observed universally under Vatican direction. Liturgical tradition holds this memorial as a testament to divine liberation, distinct from other Marian titles like Our Lady of Sorrows.

In modern devotion, the feast promotes acts of mercy and pilgrimage to associated shrines, as highlighted in Church documents on social justice. Evidence from 13th-century records confirms its origins in Barcelona, evolving from a local to universal celebration by the 18th century. This aligns with verifiable historical and scriptural foundations, fostering traditions in dioceses worldwide.

Liturgical observance

The liturgical color is white, evoking Mary's purity and merciful light in the Roman Rite. Ranked as an optional memorial in the General Roman Calendar (2002 edition), it may replace ferial readings on weekdays but yields to Sundays or higher feasts; local dioceses follow their ordo for adaptations. Proper prayers from the *Missale Romanum* emphasize ransom and mercy, with no unique rites like processions prescribed.

As an optional memorial, weekday readings from Ordinary Time (e.g., Lectionary no. 451 for September 24, 2025) are used, but selections from the Common of the Blessed Virgin Mary (nos. 707-711) may be chosen, such as the first reading from Isaiah 61:10–11 or Proverbs 31:10–13, 19–20, 30–31 ("When one finds a worthy wife, her value is far beyond pearls"); the responsorial psalm from Psalm 45:11–12, 16–17 ("The queen takes her place at your right hand in gold of Ophir") or Psalm 113:1–7; and the Gospel from Luke 1:26–38 (Annunciation) or John 19:25–27 (Mary at the Cross). The Gloria is sung, aligning with norms for memorials in the Missale Romanum (third edition, 2002). Eastern Catholic rites may vary with their calendars.

History

The memorial originated in 1218 when Mary appeared to Saint Peter Nolasco in Barcelona, urging the formation of a religious order to ransom captives, leading to the Mercedarians' approval by Pope Gregory IX in 1235. The first Mercedarian church, dedicated to Our Lady in 1249, became the focal point of devotion, with the feast initially celebrated by the order on September 24, commemorating the apparition's vigil. Extended to Spain and France in the 17th century, Pope Innocent XII universalized it in 1696 as a feast of the fourth class.

The 1969 liturgical reform under Pope Paul VI downgraded it to an optional memorial in the *General Roman Calendar* (2002), shifting emphasis from ransoming to spiritual mercy while retaining September 24. According to historical accounts, over 300,000 captives were redeemed by the order; consult pre-1962 calendars for prior solemnity status. This reflects universal Roman Rite observance; Eastern Catholic or local calendars may differ.

Theological significance

The memorial's Marian significance portrays Mary as co-redemptrix in mercy, actively participating in Christ's liberation of humanity from sin's bondage, as her title "Ransom" evokes Exodus themes of deliverance. The *Catechism of the Catholic Church* (no. 2677) invokes Mary as "full of grace," interceding for mercy, linking her role to the Church's mission of ransoming the oppressed through evangelization and justice. The apparition to Nolasco symbolizes her ongoing advocacy, prefiguring modern calls to free the enslaved.

Papal teachings, such as Pope Francis' emphasis on mercy in *Misericordiae Vultus* (2015, no. 24), connect the feast to the Corporal Works, viewing Mary as the merciful face guiding believers to her Son. Liturgical tradition holds it as an invitation to trust in divine pity, though no specific dogmas attach; evidence suggests its roots in medieval theology of satisfaction and atonement.

This reflects universal Roman Rite observance; Eastern Catholic or local calendars may differ.

Veneration and traditions

Universal veneration focuses on Mary's role as patroness of prisoners and the poor, with the feast inspiring prayers for liberation and acts of charity, observed ecumenically in mercy-focused ministries. According to devotional practice, the Litany of Our Lady of Mercy or scapular enrollment is common, though not mandated by the *Missale Romanum*; popular customs include processions with the Mercedarian habit and blessings for the afflicted, originating from 13th-century ransom rituals. This cannot be confirmed as obligatory.

Locally, Barcelona hosts floral offerings and captive reenactments, while in the Philippines, Novaliches parish features novenas blending Filipino piety with mercy themes. In the Americas, Mercedarian communities organize prison visits, and Australia’s Penrose Park holds pilgrim Masses. Music includes Marian antiphons like "Salve Regina," with global variations enriching cultural expressions of hope.

Dynamic content

Shrines

List of shrines

Basilica of Our Lady of Mercy

- Constructed in Baroque style between 1765 and 1784 as the Mercedarians' mother church in Barcelona's Gothic Quarter, it enshrines the venerated image from the order's founding and hosts annual September 24 processions. Under the Archdiocese of Barcelona, it grants plenary indulgences for pilgrims on the memorial who confess, receive Communion, and pray for the Pope's intentions per Canon 1230. - The site's towers and Black Madonna icon symbolize merciful protection, drawing devotees for ransom prayers.

Shrine of Our Lady of Mercy, Penrose Park

- Established in 1956 by Irish Augustinians on 1,000 acres near Sydney, this Australian shrine features a replica Lourdes grotto and mercy-themed chapels, celebrating the memorial with outdoor Masses. In the Diocese of Wollongong, partial indulgences apply for devotional visits reciting the Magnificat on September 24. - Surrounded by gardens, it fosters retreats on compassion and liberation.

Diocesan Shrine and Parish of Our Lady of Mercy

- Founded in 1856 by Augustinians as Novaliches' oldest parish, elevated to diocesan shrine in 2000, it honors Mary with bilingual liturgies tied to the memorial in the Diocese of Novaliches. Plenary indulgences are available for feast-day pilgrims fulfilling usual conditions per Canon 1230. - The historic structure hosts mercy novenas, reflecting Filipino devotion to maternal intercession.

Our Lady of Mercy Candle Shrine and Oratory

- Part of the National Shrine of The Divine Mercy in Stockbridge, this oratory dedicated in 2001 offers perpetual adoration and votive candles for intentions of mercy, linking to the memorial's themes. Under the Diocese of Springfield in Massachusetts, indulgences for visits on September 24 include prayer before the Blessed Sacrament. - Its integration with Divine Mercy devotions amplifies calls for redemption and hope.

External links

• USCCB – Liturgical calendar for September
• Mercedarian Friars – Resources on Our Lady of Mercy
• Basilica of Our Lady of Mercy – Official information (note: linked to similar Vatican sites for Marian basilicas)