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Rosary on Tuesday, 08 May 2012 - Our Lady of the Rosary of Pompeii

The image of Our Lady of Pompeii represents Our Lady of the Rosary as Queen of Heaven. She and Her Son, Jesus, are handing out Rosaries to Saint Dominic and Saint Catherine of Siena. The Pompeii portrait is derived from the Eastern icon style of the 6th century.

Present devotion to Our Lady of Pompeii owes much to Blessed Bartolo Longo, one of Her most zealous apostles. Bartolo Longo was born in 1841, the son of a doctor and a devout Catholic mother. His mother ensured from an early age that Bartolo developed a great love for Our Lady through praying the Rosary.

During his student days, however, his friends drew him towards the occult. Eventually he became a Satanic priest and condemned the Catholic Church, deriding the hierarchy and the established Catholic system.

A saintly priest with a deep devotion to the Rosary brought Bartolo back to the faith. With renewed zeal Bartolo vowed to work for the poor and needy and endeavoured to spread devotion to Mary through the Rosary.

On visiting Pompei in 1872 he aimed to evangelize the people using the Rosary. What he needed, though, was a suitable image of the Blessed Mother to aid his mission. Fortunately a Dominican sister supplied him with a painting of Our Lady of the Rosary, and after restoration this painting was exposed for public veneration. In 1883 a sanctuary was built for the image and consecrated in 1891.

PETITION TO OUR LADY OF THE ROSARY OF POMPEII

To be recited on May 8 and the first Sunday in October

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

I.

O august Queen of victories, Virgin who reignest in paradise, whose mighty name causes heaven to rejoice and hell to tremble, glorious Queen of the most holy Rosary, we, thy happy children chosen by thy goodness in this century to build thee a temple at Pompeii, kneeling at thy feet on this solemn day to commemorate thy latest triumphs on the spot where idols and demons were formerly worshipped, pour out with tears the feelings of our hearts and with a filial confidence lay before thee our miseries.

From that throne of mercy where thou sittest as Queen, Mary, turn down thy pitiful eyes on us, on our families, on Italy, on Europe, and the whole Church; take into pity the afflictions which overwhelm us and the cares which embitter our lives. Thou seest, O Mother, how many dangers of soul and body, how many calamities and afflictions press upon us.

O Mother, keep back the arm of justice of thy indignant Son, and conquer by thy mercy the hearts of sinners, since they are our brethren and thy children, redeemed through the blood of our sweet Jesus and through the wounds of thy most tender heart pierced with the sword. Show thyself to all in this day, as thou art, the Queen of peace and mercy.

Hail, Queen, Mother of mercy,
- Vouchsafe that I may praise thee, sacred Virgin.
- Give me strength against thy enemies.
- Pray for us, Queen of the most holy Rosary,
- That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

II.

It is but too true that we, although thy children, are the first who crucify Jesus in our hearts and wound anew thy heart by our sins. We confess it, we deserve the severest chastisements; yet remember how thou didst receive, on the top of Golgotha, the last drops of that divine blood, and the testament of our dying Redeemer. And this testament of a God, sealed with the blood of a Man-God, appointed thee our Mother, the Mother of sinners. Thus, as our Mother, thou art our Advocate and our Hope. To thee, amidst sighs, do we lift up our hands, crying for mercy!

Have pity, good mother, have pity on us, on our souls, on our families, on our relations, on our friends, on our departed brethren, above all, on our enemies, and on so many who claim the name of Christians, yet wound the loving heart of thy Son. Pity, Mother, we now implore thee for pity on the erring nations, on all Europe, on the whole world, that they may repair repentant to thy heart. Be merciful to all, Mother of mercy.

Hail, Queen, Mother of mercy,
- Vouchsafe that I may praise thee, o sacred Virgin.
- Give me strength against thy enemies.
- Pray for us, Queen of the most holy Rosary,
- That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

III.

What does it cost thee, Mary, to hear us? What does it cost thee to save us? Did not Jesus entrust to thy hands all the treasures of his graces and mercies? Thou sittest as Queen at the right hand of thy Son, crowned with immortal glory, above all the choirs of angels. Thou extendest thy dominion as far as the heavens expand; the earth and all the creatures that people it are subject to thee. Thy power even reaches hell, and thou alone, Mary, canst rescue us from the devil's grasp. Thou art almighty by grace, and therefore thou canst save us. Now if you sayest thou willest not help us because we are ungrateful children and unworthy of thy protection, tell us at least to whom shall we have recourse in order to be released from so many evils? Oh! No, thy maternal heart will never bear to see the ruin of thy children. The divine Child we behold on thy knees, the mystical crown we admire in thy hand, both inspire us with hope that we will be heard. And full of confidence in thee, we throw ourselves at thy feet, we trust ourselves as feeble children into the arms of the tenderest amongst mothers, and today, this very day, we expect from thee the graces we are longing for.

Hail, Queen, Mother of mercy,
- Vouchsafe that I may praise thee, o sacred Virgin.
- Give me strength against thy enemies.
- Pray for us, Queen of the most holy Rosary,
- That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us ask Mary for her blessing

We now ask of thee, O Queen, a last favor which thou canst not refuse on this solemn day. Grant to all of us thy constant love and in a special manner thy maternal blessing. No, we will not leave thy feet today nor cease clasping thy knees till thou hast blessed us. Bless now, Mary, the sovereign Pontiff. To the first laurels of thy crown, to the ancient trophies of the Rosary, whence thou art called Queen of victories, add also this one, Mother, grant triumph to religion and peace to mankind. Bless our bishop, the priests and particularly those who promote the honor of thy Sanctuary; bless finally all those who are associated to thy new temple of Pompeii and who practice and spread devotion to thy most holy rosary.

O blessed rosary of Mary, sweet chain which unites us to God, bond of love, which connects us with the angels, tower of safety against the assaults of hell, sure harbor in the universal shipwreck, never more shall we part with thee; thou shall be our comfort in the hour of agony: to thee the last kiss of our life; and the last word of our dying lips shall be thy sweet name, Queen of the Rosary of Valle di Pompeii. Mother dear, only refuge of sinners, supreme comforter of the afflicted, blessed be thy name, now and forever, on earth and in heaven. Amen.

Hail; Queen, Mother of mercy,
- Vouchsafe that I may praise thee, o sacred Virgin.
- Give me strength against thy enemies.
- Pray for us, Queen of the most holy Rosary,
- That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Mass and Adoration - May 2012

Join us for Mass and Adoration on Wednesday, 09 May 2012 at 7:00pm to pray for unity and holiness in families and for the needs of the whole world.