Saint of the Day for 2 August: St Mary of the Angels
A Shrine of Grace and Devotion in the Heart of Umbria
Name
St Mary of the Angels
Title
The forgiveness of Assisi
Recurrence
02 August
Prayer
Virgin of the Angels, who for so many centuries have set your throne of mercy at the Portiuncula, hear the prayer of your children who confidently turn to you. From this truly holy place and dwelling place of God, particularly dear to the heart of St Francis, you have always called all men to Love.
Your eyes, filled with tenderness, assure us of continual, maternal assistance and promise divine help to those who prostrate themselves at the feet of your throne or from afar turn to you, calling you to their aid.
You are truly our sweet Queen and our hope.
O Our Lady of the Angels, obtain for us, through the prayer of Blessed Francis, the forgiveness of our sins, help us to keep away from sin and indifference so that we may be worthy to call you always our Mother.
Bless our homes, our work, our rest, giving us that serene peace that is tasted within the ancient walls of the Porziuncola where hatred, guilt, weeping, for rediscovered Love are transformed into songs of joy, like the song of your Angels and Seraphic Francis.
Help those who have no support and those who have no bread, those who are in danger or in temptation, in sadness or in discouragement, in sickness or on the point of death. Bless us as your beloved children, and with us please bless, with one and the same motherly gesture, the innocent and the guilty, the faithful and the lost, the believers and the doubters. Bless all mankind, so that men, recognising themselves as children of God and your children, may find, in Love, true Peace and true Good. So be it.
Patron Saint of
Cassano delle Murge, Pignola, Bortigali, Romana, Caraffa del Bianco, Canterano, Callabiana
The Saint and Mission
Our Lady, as a central figure in the Catholic faith, is often seen as a model of obedience and dedication to God’s will. Her unreserved acceptance of the divine plan, as announced by the Angel Gabriel, makes her a shining example of how to respond to God’s call. In the context of St Mary of the Angels, this dedication to mission becomes particularly palpable. The church is closely associated with St Francis of Assisi, who received his divine call in the small Portiuncula inside the basilica. Like Mary, Francis responded with an unconditional ‘yes’ to the mission entrusted to him. In this sacred place, Our Lady’s mission is intertwined with the Franciscan mission, emphasising the importance of obedience, humility and service. The basilica thus becomes a tangible symbol of how the divine call can manifest itself and how a generous response can lead to the transformation of both the individual and the surrounding world. In short, St Mary of the Angels represents a living testimony of the Christian mission, inspired by the figure of Our Lady and embodied in the life and work of St Francis. Its presence continues to call the faithful to reflect on their own vocation and how they can serve God and neighbour in their daily lives.
The Saint and Mercy
The Virgin Mary, seen as mother and intercessor, is often associated with the image of divine mercy. In the context of St Mary of the Angels, devotion to Our Lady emphasises this aspect of her compassionate and loving nature. Our Lady’s mercy is celebrated in numerous traditions and prayers within the Catholic Church, and is artistically represented in many places of worship dedicated to her. At St. Mary of the Angels, Our Lady’s mercy is manifested not only through iconography and liturgy, but also through the experience of pilgrims and devotees who find comfort and spiritual guidance at the shrine. In short, the dedication of St Mary of the Angels to Our Lady and mercy emphasise a deeply consoling aspect of the Catholic faith, inviting the faithful to reflect on the love and compassion of the Mother of God, and to seek her help and intercession in their lives.
Hagiography
2 August is the feast day of Our Lady of the Angels and Forgiveness, to whom a basilica in Assisi is dedicated, and where she appeared to St Francis, who carried out part of his work in the so-called Porziuncola, a small church obtained as a gift from the Benedictine monks of Mount Subasio in which he founded the Order of Friars Minor, which he…