Virgo Potens

During the month of May, I am publishing a series of posts based on notes made by John Henry Newman (1801-1890) for his May meditations on Mary in the Litany of Loreto. For the Latin and English texts of this Litany, please follow the link to Thesaurus Precum Latinarum.

Totus tuus ego sum et omnia mea tua sunt.

Tecum tutus semper sum.

Ad Jesum per Mariam

[  ] References in the text to numbered footnotes are not hyperlinked but may be found at the end of the relevant text.

Mary is the "Virgo Potens," the Powerful Virgin

Virgo potens. [PB Photo 2019]

This great universe, which we see by day and by night, or what is called the natural world, is ruled by fixed laws, which the Creator has imposed upon it, and by those wonderful laws is made secure against any substantial injury or loss. One portion of it may conflict with another, and there may be changes in it internally; but, viewed as a whole, it is adapted to stand for ever. Hence the Psalmist says, "He has established the world, which shall not be moved."[1]

Such is the world of nature; but there is another and still more wonderful world. There is a power which avails to alter and subdue this visible world, and to suspend and counteract its laws; that is, the world of Angels and Saints, of Holy Church and her children; and the weapon by which they master its laws is the power of prayer.





By prayer all this may be done, which naturally is impossible. Noe prayed, and God said that there never again should be a flood to drown the race of man.[2] Moses prayed, and ten grievous plagues fell upon the land of Egypt.[Exodus 7-12] Josue prayed, and the sun stood still.[3] Samuel prayed, and thunder and rain came in wheat-harvest.[4] Elias prayed, and brought down fire from heaven.[5] Eliseus prayed, and the dead came to life.[5] Ezechias prayed and the vast army of the Assyrians was smitten and perished.[6]

This is why the Blessed Virgin is called Powerful—nay, sometimes, All-powerful, because she has, more than anyone else, more than all Angels and Saints, this great, prevailing gift of prayer. No one has access to the Almighty as His Mother has; none has merit such as hers. Her Son will deny her nothing that she asks; and herein lies her power. While she defends the Church, neither height nor depth, neither men nor evil spirits, neither great monarchs, nor craft of man, nor popular violence, can avail to harm us; for human life is short, but Mary reigns above, a Queen for ever.

[1] [10] Say ye among the Gentiles, the Lord hath reigned. For he hath corrected the world, which shall not be moved: he will judge the people with justice.
dicite in gentibus, quia Dominus regnavit. Etenim correxit orbem terrae, qui non commovebitur; judicabit populos in aequitate. [Ps 95]
See also: [1] The Lord hath reigned, he is clothed with beauty: the Lord is clothed with strength, and hath girded himself. For he hath established the world which shall not be moved.
Laus cantici ipsi David, in die ante sabbatum, quando fundata est terra. Dominus regnavit, decorem indutus est : indutus est Dominus fortitudinem, et praecinxit se. Etenim firmavit orbem terrae, qui non commovebitur. [Ps 92]
[2] [11] I will establish my covenant with you, and all flesh shall be no more destroyed with the waters of a flood, neither shall there be from henceforth a flood to waste the earth.
Statuam pactum meum vobiscum, et nequaquam ultra interficietur omnis caro aquis diluvii, neque erit deinceps diluvium dissipans terram. [Gen 9]
[3] [12] Then Josue spoke to the Lord, in the day that he delivered the Amorrhite in the sight of the children of Israel, and he said before them: Move not, O sun, toward Gabaon, nor thou, O moon, toward the valley of Ajalon.
Tunc locutus est Josue Domino, in die qua tradidit Amorrhaeum in conspectu filiorum Israel, dixitque coram eis : Sol, contra Gabaon ne movearis, et luna contra vallem Ajalon.
[13] And the sun and the moon stood still, till the people revenged themselves of their enemies. Is not this written in the book of the just? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down the space of one day.
Steteruntque sol et luna, donec ulcisceretur se gens de inimicis suis. Nonne scriptum est hoc in libro justorum? Stetit itaque sol in medio caeli, et non festinavit occumbere spatio unius diei. [Jos 10]
[4] [17] Is it not wheat harvest today? I will call upon the Lord, and he shall send thunder and rain: and you shall know and see that you yourselves have done a great evil in the sight of the Lord, in desiring a king over you.
Numquid non messis tritici est hodie? invocabo Dominum, et dabit voces et pluvias : et scietis, et videbitis, quia grande malum feceritis vobis in conspectu Domini, petentes super vos regem.
[18] And Samuel cried unto the Lord, and the Lord sent thunder and rain that day.
Et clamavit Samuel ad Dominum, et dedit Dominus voces et pluvias in illa die. [1 Sam 12]
[5] [37] Hear me, O Lord, hear me: that this people may learn, that thou art the Lord God, and that thou hast turned their heart again.
Exaudi me Domine, exaudi me : ut discat populus iste, quia tu es Dominus Deus, et tu convertisti cor eorum iterum.
[38] Then the fire of the Lord fell, and consumed the holocaust, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.
Cecidit autem ignis Domini, et voravit holocaustum, et ligna, et lapides, pulverem quoque, et aquam quae erat in aquaeductu lambens.
[39] And when all the people saw this, they fell on their faces, and they said: The Lord he is God, the Lord he is God.
Quod cum vidisset omnis populus, cecidit in faciem suam, et ait : Dominus ipse est Deus, Dominus ipse est Deus. [3 Kings 18]
[5] [33] And going in he shut the door upon him, and upon the child, and prayed to the Lord.
ingressusque clausit ostium super se, et super puerum, et oravit ad Dominum.
[34] And he went up, and lay upon the child: and he put his mouth upon his mouth, and his eyes upon his eyes, and his hands upon his hands: and he bowed himself upon him, and the child's flesh grew warm.
Et ascendit, et incubuit super puerum : posuitque os suum super os ejus, et oculos suos super oculos ejus, et manus suas super manus ejus : et incurvavit se super eum, et calefacta est caro pueri.
[35] Then he returned and walked in the house, once to and fro: and he went up, and lay upon him: and the child gaped seven times, and opened his eyes.
At ille reversus, deambulavit in domo, semel huc atque illuc : et ascendit, et incubuit super eum : et oscitavit puer septies, aperuitque oculos.  [4 Kings 4]
[6] [36] And the angel of the Lord went out, and slew in the camp of the Assyrians a hundred and eighty-five thousand. And they arose in the morning, and behold they were all dead corpses.
Egressus est autem angelus Domini, et percussit in castris Assyriorum centum octoginta quinque millia. Et surrexerunt mane, et ecce omnes cadavera mortuorum. [Isa 37] 

Totus tuus ego sum et omnia mea tua sunt.

Tecum tutus semper sum.

Ad Jesum per Mariam