On December 11, 1865, Blessed Pope Pius IX accepted the request of Father Nicholas Mauron, C.Ss.R., Superior General, and entrusted the Icon of Our Lady of Perpetual Help to his care, with the instruction to “make it known to the whole world.” In January, the Redemptorists received the Icon from the Augustinians, and on April 26, 1866, Our Lady of Perpetual Help was restored to public veneration in the Church of St. Alphonsus, Rome.
Today, on its 160th anniversary, we can recall what the chronicler of 1866 described:
On the afternoon of Thursday, April 26, 1866, a triumphal procession left the modest house of the Redemptorist Fathers. A happy coincidence: on that same day, the feast of Saint Cletus, pope and martyr, was celebrated. His family home was built in the first century within the grounds of Villa Caserta [now the site of the Redemptorist religious house in Rome], later transformed into a chapel where the first Christians took refuge and were honored with the title of Saint Matthew. The Church of Saint Alphonsus was subsequently built on the ruins of this church.
Beneath a magnificent canopy, surrounded by numerous priests, the Holy Image appeared, followed by a Bishop. Behind them came the Superiors General of various religious communities, and finally a multitude of the faithful who prayed and sang the glories of the Virgin. The houses were decorated with flags, tapestries, and curtains hanging from the balconies; the ground was carpeted with flowers.
From this day forward, a solemn three-day period of prayer began. According to the testimony of an eyewitness, more than fifty thousand people prostrated themselves before the Holy Image during these three days of prayer.
Since that date, the veneration of the Icon has travelled to all continents and there is no Redemptorist presence without the presence of the Icon.
In Europe:
In Rome, every year the Redemptorist missionaries of the international community at the Generalate in Rome solemnly celebrate the Virgin of Perpetual Help, whose original icon has been kept in the church of St. Alphonsus on the Esquiline since 1866, and is venerated not only by those who regularly frequent the sanctuary, but also by pilgrimages from all over the world.
In Spain, devotion to Our Lady of Perpetual Help is very strong and deeply rooted among the people. The first replica of the image of Our Lady of Perpetual Help arrived in Spain in 1867. It was placed in the church of Huete, the first foundation of the Redemptorists. Thanks to missions and retreats, devotion to Our Lady of Perpetual Help spread rapidly, not only to parishes but also to the most remote locations. Madrid, Granada, and Tenerife are the main cities where devotion to the icon is very popular and celebrated in grand style.
In Poland, we discovered the great devotion to the icon at the Shrine of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Gliwice. The Shrine’s history is linked to significant events for the parish, such as the crowning of the icon of Our Lady on June 22, 2014. A year later, thanks to the efforts of the parish priests and the entire community, the shrine was elevated to the status of a diocesan shrine. It is worth mentioning that it was precisely in this Redemptorist church where, in 1951, the public novena to Our Lady of Perpetual Help was first introduced in Poland.
In Asia:
In the Popular Missions in the Philippines, the Redemptorists have always been eager to find ways to present Our Mother to everyone under the title of Mother of Perpetual Help. To speak of the history of the icon is to speak of the Redemptorists because their histories are intertwined and connected.
The Popular Mission is an extremely convenient and appropriate occasion to promote love for the Mother of Perpetual Help.
In the Philippines, we have the National Shrine of Our Mother of Perpetual Help, known as Baclaran Church, located in Manila. It is one of the most famous shrines in the Philippines. Every Wednesday, up to 12 novenas are held, followed by Masses in honor of Our Mother, with thousands of people participating, especially on the first Wednesday of each month.
In Singapore, we have the Church of the Novena, or “Nhà Thờ Tuần Cửu Nhật” in Vietnamese. The name “Nhà Thờ Tuần Cửu Nhật” refers to the nine-day prayer commonly used to honor Our Lady. The weekly novena is held on Saturdays and attracts many Catholics and non-Catholics.
In Vietnam, three important shrines bear the name of Our Lady of Perpetual Help: The Shrine of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Thai Ha, Hanoi; the Shrine in Hue; and the Shrine at 38 Ky Dong, Saigon. In addition, many people visit the Shrine of Our Lady La Mã in Ben Tre, a place of pilgrimage. Redemptorist missionaries care for all these shrines and bear witness to the universal devotion to Our Mother under the title of Our Mother of Perpetual Help.
In America
In the United States of America, in Boston, the Mission Church is under the care of the Baltimore Province of the Redemptorists. A copy of the icon is present in this basilica, founded in 1870 by German and Irish immigrants. This Basilica of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, commonly known as the Mission Church, was called the “Lourdes of the East” due to the number of seemingly miraculous healings that occurred there.
In Mexico, a historic discovery was made: the image of Our Lady of Perpetual Help was found in Veracruz, specifically in the Church of Our Lady of Sorrows La Pastora, in the Historic Center of Veracruz. Two religious images, presumed to have been covered for over 200 years, were found in this church. When the walls were being scraped for painting, blue fretwork with gold details was revealed. Following the appearance of the fretwork, an image of Our Lady of Perpetual Help was uncovered. The image dates back to the time of the church’s founding, between 1700 and 1800. Here, devotion to Our Lady of Perpetual Help predates the Redemptorists, as the first Redemptorist missionaries arrived in Mexico only in 1908.
In Brazil, the Shrine of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Curitiba attracts huge crowds. Thanks to the Redemptorists, devotion to Our Lady of Perpetual Help has led to increased participation in evangelization liturgies, a high demand for confessions, and solidarity initiatives in marginalized communities.
In all Latin American countries, the icon of Perpetual Help is venerated with great popular devotion, and in Central America, Haiti considers it the protector of the country.
In Africa:
In Angola, we have the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Cunhinga, where groups of pilgrims arrive from many places to pay homage and pray the novena to Our Mother before the icon. One of the icons blessed in the Vatican in 2017 arrived there, and from there it departed for various places in Africa.
In Australia
Devotion to Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Australia is strongly linked to the Oceania Province of the Redemptorists, headquartered in Kew, Melbourne, where a formation house is located. It is celebrated with novenas and processions, and even with the veneration of relics, as in the church in Ringwood. Kew is home to the formation house of the Oceania Province, which encompasses Australia, New Zealand, and Samoa.
We could continue listing a vast number of shrines, churches, parishes, and Catholic centers that have the Icon of Our Mother of Perpetual Help as their principal devotion in various Catholic communities, and indeed, throughout the world. Many titles given to Mary tend to locate her in a particular country or region. But the allure of Our Mother of Perpetual Help is universal, something that transcends the boundaries of nation, culture, language, and even religion.
A collection of articles about the Redemptorists and Our Lady of Perpetual Help can be found at the following link:
Redemptorists and the Mother of Perpetual Help
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