Part IV : How to give thanks to the Mother of God : Chapter 9 : § 6.1-4

Chapter 9 : Devotion – an eighth feature of the gratitude we owe the Mother of God

Continuing our translation of the 1845 reprint of Fr François Poiré’s Triple Crown of the Mother of God (1643 French edition).

Notre Dame des Grâces, Cotignac (Poggi, 2020)

§ 6. Sixth sign of devotion : frequent recitation of the Franciscan Crown of the Virgin

 1   Most of what has been said about the Rosary may also be applied to the prayer known as the Crown of the Holy Virgin. All that remains for us to consider here can be covered under two headings, namely how it was first instituted and certain miracles God performed to show how this devotion was pleasing to Him.

 2   As far as its institution is concerned, it is accepted that the Crown imay be seen as an hereditary pledge of the love of the MOTHER OF GOD towards the Order of Saint Francis, just as the Rosary is a sign of her love towards that of St Dominic. Blessed John of Capistrano was a Franciscan friar and priest who died in Hungary with a wide reputation for holiness in the year 1456. He was chosen by the MOTHER OF GOD to make known this devotion in the same way that blessed Alan de la Roche spread the Rosary. 

This devout servant of the Holy Virgin, filled with zeal for her honour, was preaching one day outdoors in the city of Aquila, which is in the Kingdom of Naples. All those present at his sermon saw a very bright star over his head at the same time and place it had appeared over the head of St Bernardine of Siena. Because of all the commotion, he looked up to see what it was and he saw it as clearly as everyone else. The same star accompanied him from Aquila as far as Rome where he was going in order to move forward the cause for the canonisation of Blessed St Bernardine.

 

Friar Pelbart was a pious member of the Order of St Francis who not long after this dedicated a beautiful book to Pope Sixtus IV in which he writes of the origin, and progress of the Crown of the Holy Virgin, together with the miracles associated with the devotion. He declares that this same Priest frequently attributed its origin to what I am now going to describe.  

A certain young man was in the habit of placing a crown of flowers each day on a statue of Our Lady. He entered the Order of St Francis but then began to experience great distress because now that he was a friar he did not have the freedom to continue with his pious practice. He began to plan his departure from the Order when the Mother of Mercy appeared to him and encouraged him not to leave but to pursue his vocation. He should not worry himself about the service he used to perform for her before since she would teach him a way of presenting another sort of Crown to her which would be incomparably more pleasing.  

“This will be,” she told him, “a crown of prayers in honour of the seven principal joys which I received : at the conception of my beloved Son, at the visitation of my cousin Saint Elizabeth, at the Nativity of the divine Word, at the Adoration of the Magi, at the Coronation of my Son, at the news of His Resurrection and at my Assumption into Heaven. After each of these seven joys 

thou art to say the Lord’s prayer followed by ten Ave Marias.”

As soon as this devotion started to be made known, it was received with open arms and it soon became the common belief that the number of decades asked for by the Holy Virgin was to honour the number of years that she had lived in this world.  As it became clearer later on that the MOTHER OF GOD actually lived seventy-two years here on earth, some people have sought to show their loving respect for this and have added another decade[1].

  

Footnotes

[1] The French text literally read says: “and have added an entire decade, making the Crown consist of seventy-three Ave Marias and eight Lord’s Prayers.”

 3   As for the miracles confirming the holy Virgin’s approval of this way of prayer and the pleasure she derives from it, these are fully reported in the Chronicle of the Friars Minor[1] and in the book which I cited above dedicated to Pope Sixtus IV. Here are two examples that I have taken from these sources demonstrating the favour she shows to those who take up this devotion. 

There was a friar of the Franciscan Observance who would never fail to follow this devotion by praying the Crown every day before meal time. On this particular occasion, after the Friars had assembled for their meal he remembered he had omitted to perform his duty.  He explained his situation to the Superior and easily obtained permission to go and render his homage as usual to the MOTHER OF GOD. When he seemed to be taking longer than expected to return, the Guardian sent one of the brothers to fetch him but when he arrived at the place where the friar was reciting his prayer, the brother noticed a great brightness in the room. It surrounded the MOTHER OF GOD who was accompanied by two angels and each time the friar said an Ave Maria, they received from him a beautiful, fresh rose which they placed carefully with others, forming a Crown on the Queen of Heaven. He also noticed that each and every time the adorable name of Jesus was pronounced, the Holy Virgin bowed her head, as did the two Angels at her side. Finally, once the Friar had completed her Crown, the vision disappeared.

Footnotes

[1] Par. III, lib. I, c. 36 et 37.

 

 4   Here is the second.

A most wise and virtuous young lady had instructed her children so well that they would never leave the house in the morning without previously reciting the Crown, kneeling before an image of the glorious Virgin. One day when they were on their way to school, one of the children crossed over a bridge and whilst he was playing, as children do, he fell from the bridge into the river. While some people rushed to the river to see if they could save him, others ran to tell his poor mother what had happened. She then gave a beautiful proof of her virtue because, instead of falling into despair and filling the house and street with her cries, she went straight to the image where her children were accustomed to prey and there she earnestly commended this little servant of hers to the Holy Virgin, praying an Ave Maria to her. Then she made her way to the bridge where she had no sooner arrived than her son appeared on the surface of the water. He told her to be of good heart because she would suffer no more than a fright from his accident. He was helped to the river bank and found to have suffered no ill effects before being taken home where he revealed to his dear mother that it was the Lady to whom they prayed every day who had appeared to him and pulled him out of the water. I shall say nothing of the public rejoicing and the way they offered blessings and thanksgiving to the Mother of gentleness for having saved him, since all this is easier for the reader to imagine thand it would be for me to represent in words. 

 

© Peter Bloor 2026 

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The Virgin of Tenderness. >12th century.

SUB tuum præsidium confugimus, Sancta Dei Genitrix. Nostras deprecationes ne despicias in necessitatibus, sed a periculis cunctis libera nos semper, Virgo gloriosa et benedicta. Amen. 

 

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam.

He that hearkeneth to me, shall not be confounded: and they that work by me, shall not sin. They that explain me shall have life everlasting. Ecclesiasticus (Sirach) xxiv. 30-31.

Part IV : How to give thanks to the Mother of God : Chapter 9 : § 5.6-17

Chapter 9 : Devotion – an eighth feature of the gratitude we owe the Mother of God

Continuing our translation of the 1845 reprint of Fr François Poiré’s Triple Crown of the Mother of God (1643 French edition).

Notre Dame des Grâces, Cotignac (Poggi, 2020)

§ 5. Fifth sign of devotion : a growing desire for frequent recitation of the Rosary

How to say the Rosary

 6   Let us now move on to consider this devotion in practice. There are three sorts of prayers : some are purely mental, others entirely vocal, and a third group which may be called mixed. In the same way, there are three sorts of attention : the first is attention to the words – speaking them clearly and distinctly in order to honour God with them in accordance with the Church’s intention; the second is to the meaning of the words ; and the third is to God, by any form of consideration or sentiment that might unite us to him spiritually. From this we can see that since the Rosary is a mixed prayer it receives each of these various types of attention and accordingly there are countless ways of reciting it. Of these, I am going to deal with four main ways here.  

 7   The first way is through the words. This is the most simple way of all and one which is suited to persons with little learning, who are not readily capable of reflection or whose mental and imaginative faculties are simple and basic. For these people it is enough to know that this form of prayer was instituted to honour the most sacred Virgin and for them to recall to mind the mysteries of her life and her death, to place themselves humbly in God’s presence with a bodily posture which is right and fitting, and to pronounce the words clearly – by this means seeking to glorify God and His Holy Mother.

 8   The second way involves considering the meaning of the words. Those who understand them will be able to raise their minds and hearts to God, entering into a reflection on the mysteries hidden behind them, allowing holy sentiments to permeate their reflection in response to the promptings of the Holy Spirit. This was the method recommended by the Navarrese Doctor[1] who rated this more highly than the arcane thoughts of those who seek to soar to a higher level.

Footnotes

[1] Miscell. III de Psalt. et Rosar. A reference to St Francis Xavier (1506-1552), born in the town of Xavier in the Kingdom of Navarre.

 9   The third way is through mysteries, understanding this word in a wide sense as including any thoughts that can stimulate the mind and heart whilst the mouth is pronouncing the words. This method can be quite varied as there are many different subjects to reflect upon in the MOTHER OF GOD. There are some who choose to meditate on the mysteries of her life which are nearly all interlinked with those in the Saviour’s life and are divided into three groups which everyone knows, namely the five Joyful mysteries, the five Sorrowful mysteries and the five Glorious mysteries. Some may choose only one of these to meditate on whilst they say the Rosary; others may choose one for each decade, or more whilst they find something to light upon. Everything will depend upon the will and the disposition of the person who is praying. 

Then again, there are others who prefer to reflect upon the exceptional virtues that the Virgin has left us by way of example. They make a selection from these according to their feelings or their ability to contemplate and admire them, whilst they run through a particular part of the Rosary. There are others still who choose to go beyond this and contemplate the great privileges and splendours of the MOTHER OF GOD. To this end, they make their own little compilation to offer as a bouquet to her whilst they recite a number of decades. The discussions we have had throughout this work on the great qualities of this incomparable Lady may be of use in this connection. There are various other subjects depending upon the particular inclinations people may have, but their prayer should always include love and affection so that the meditation will not be a sterile one, that it will not be too limited in spirit, and that it will not partake more of study than of prayer. I have had many dealings with a devoted servant of the Virgin whose only thought whilst praying his Rosary was this: Jesus, Son of Mary; Mary, Mother of Jesus. 

 10   The fourth way is through feelings of love. This way has as many varieties as the others because of the great multitude of feelings that can be brought into play. Some may choose several at once but others may prefer to focus mainly upon one, since people’s minds, feelings and preferences are all different.

 11   I shall give the place of honour to the method of devotion that the Navarrese Doctor left us (in the same place that I cited earlier) and that he was still practising, as he tells us, at the time of writing when he was seventy-one years old. We shall call it the feeling of blessing. At the conclusion of each decade, as though to refresh his spirit, he would speak to the Virgin as follows: 

After the first decade: “Blessed be thou ten thousand times, O glorious Virgin, by the Angels, Archangels, Virtues, Powers, Principalities, Dominations, Thrones, Cherubim and Seraphim, in the company of whom we hope one day to see thee and to bless thee in Heaven!”

After the second: “Blessed be thou twenty thousand times, O glorious Virgin, by the Patriarchs, Prophets and all the Fathers of the Old Testament, in the company of whom we hope one day to see thee and to bless thee in Heaven!”

After the third: “Blessed be thou thirty thousand times, O glorious Virgin, by the Holy Apostles and the Holy Martyrs!”

After the fourth: Forty thousand times, by the Holy Confessors.

After the fifth: Fifty thousand times, by the Holy Virgins,

 

– each time following the form and manner first described.

 

 12   The second feeling is one of grateful rejoicing, after the following manner:

“I rejoice with thee, most dear and gentle Mother, in gratitude for the favour thou didst receive when the Eternal Father chose thee for His Daughter, the Son for His Mother and the Holy Spirit for His Spouse ; and I give thanks with all my heart to these most noble and adorable divine persons for the love which they bore thee and the graces they showered upon thee.” 

After the next decade, another privilege or mystery is chosen and the prayer of grateful rejoicing is repeated for the wonders that God operated in her and through her, and so on with the remaining decades. 

 13   The third feeling is one of adoration and readers are referred to what has already been said above concerning interior adoration so as to avoid the need for repetition here. Some will choose to add after each Ave Maria an act of external adoration, such as genuflecting, bowing the head or something similar.

 14   The fourth feeling is one of desire, a desire setting the heart on fire to see her honoured and served by the faithful, by infidels, by heretics and generally by all those who are capable of offering service and honour to her. To this feeling may be linked the offer made to her of all the honour and all the service rendered unto her in Heaven which she has received from the beginning of the world and which she will receive until the end.

 15   We could say as much about love, contrition and various other ways of presenting requests according to the ways in which different people feel helped by these various feelings. 

I shall conclude this discussion with three pieces of advice. The first is that there are some people who, in order to recite this prayer more devoutly and more effectively, begin it with the words of David[1] which the Church uses at the beginning of the divine Office : Domine labia mea aperies, etc. ; or by the following : Dignare me laudare te, Virgo sacrata ; da mihi virtutem con-tra hostes tuos[2].

Footnotes

[1] O Lord, thou wilt open my lips: Ps. L. 17.

[2] V. Allow me to praise thee, holy Virgin. R. Give me strength against thy enemies.

 16   The second piece of advice will help us in this prayer to gather our breath and focus on our devotion whilst hearing others blessing God with us. In imitation of Isaiah’s Seraphim, says Saint John Damascene (in his treatise on the Trisagion[1]), the Church instituted the custom of singing the Psalter alternately in choir. In the same way, the Psalter of the Virgin can with benefit be recited by two or more groups, divided for the same reasons.

Footnotes

[1] Trisagion (trís thrice, 'ágios, holy), a hymn in the Roman Liturgy which is sung during the Improperia, or “Reproaches” at the ceremony of the Adoration of the Cross, on Good Friday.  

 

 17   The third piece of advice is for any people who might claim their lives are too busy for this devotion : they need to know that the Rosary prayer can be divided, so that they do not have to say all five decades one after the other in a single session. This means that if people say only one decade each day, then at least by the end of the week they will have said more than one third of the full Rosary or the prayer known as the Franciscan Crown (which I will be covering next). Holy Church supplied this idea since, in acknowledgment of our limitations and infirmities, she divided the divine Office into seven stations which she requires her ministers to recite every day.

 

© Peter Bloor 2026 

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The Virgin of Tenderness. >12th century.

SUB tuum præsidium confugimus, Sancta Dei Genitrix. Nostras deprecationes ne despicias in necessitatibus, sed a periculis cunctis libera nos semper, Virgo gloriosa et benedicta. Amen. 

 

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam.

He that hearkeneth to me, shall not be confounded: and they that work by me, shall not sin. They that explain me shall have life everlasting. Ecclesiasticus (Sirach) xxiv. 30-31.

Part IV : How to give thanks to the Mother of God : Chapter 9 : § 5.4-5

Chapter 9 : Devotion – an eighth feature of the gratitude we owe the Mother of God

Continuing our translation of the 1845 reprint of Fr François Poiré’s Triple Crown of the Mother of God (1643 French edition).

Notre Dame des Grâces, Cotignac (Poggi, 2020)

§ 5. Fifth sign of devotion : a growing desire for frequent recitation of the Rosary

 4   We have so many accounts throughout history concerning the miracles performed by virtue of praying the Rosary that I cannot hope to deal with them here. I will however mention two or three for the consolation of those who have a deep affection for this devotion.

The learned and pious Denys Ryckel relates how there was once a Cistercian monk who would not for the world ever miss saying his Rosary before meal-times. He received an invitation to eat with his family one day but remembered around dinner time that he had not yet paid his customary tribute to the glorious Virgin. Accordingly, he withdrew into a bedroom and had just begun his prayer when he saw before him the Queen of Angels clad in a rich mantle embroidered with gold and covered everywhere with Ave Marias – except for one small corner she showed him which was empty. She promised him that as soon as this space was filled she would give him entry into the Kingdom of her Son. The vision soon became reality, since he then increased still further the love with which he honoured the MOTHER OF GOD in this prayer and after only a few days she was true to her promise, leading him to that place where without any further interruption he would be able to bless her through all eternity.  

St Anthony of Portugal[1], a Franciscan Friar, was making his way one day to Vicenza and while he was in the middle of the countryside he noticed a great cloud approaching. Not knowing how he could stay dry in the pending rainstorm, he had recourse to his Rosary and placed it on his head in the form of a crown. It was then that the miracle happened : for although the rain continued to fall as he journeyed to Vicenza, at no time did a single drop fall upon him.

Blessed Cecilia Cesarini was a Dominican nun who was almost never seen without a Rosary in her hands. After her death, it was noticed how her fingers which had so often held the Rosary had retained the scent of roses[2]. 

Footnotes

[1] Chronic. Ord., p. III, c. 36, 37.

[2] Chronic. Ord.

 5   Here in the city of Avignon I used to know a lay brother in our Society who, in the three years that he was blind before his death, recited more than 32,000 rosaries or crowns, because he normally set himself to say at least 30 every day. Those who saw him will know that he could not have applied himself more diligently to this duty if he had been trying to win an entire kingdom. It was in fact quite remarkable to note the intentions his holy Mother suggested to him for his prayers. He would begin with the Church in general and from there would include His Holiness and the Prelates beneath him, proceeding then rank by rank through all the Orders of the Church. The zeal and the fruit of his devotions were extended to include those who work for the propagation of the faith, especially those working in the Lord’s Great Ethiopian vineyard – for which God had given him a special affection. Apart from this, since he considered himself as useless to the Society by reason of his visual handicap, he said Rosaries for the Society’s superiors who governed it, for those with various ministries (including that of caring for others) and not forgetting those whose duties included bringing relief to people in various houses. In this way he filled his day with prayers from dawn until the evening, and in fact he did much the same through the better part of the night. Whenever some sort of distraction or illness prevented him from performing his daily duty to the most sacred Virgin, he knew no rest until he had discharged it. It was also noted that the MOTHER OF GOD granted him so many graces from Heaven that he attracted men of the most spiritual inclination to come and learn from him. He mocked the efforts of the wicked spirits in the attacks they launched against him, enjoying such great serenity of conscience that nothing was capable of troubling it. His words were like fiery darts replete with the Spirit of God but characterised by a wondrous simplicity which made him beloved of all. He was particularly engaging, however, when he was led to speak of the perfections of the glorious Virgin and of ways to serve her. He would normally refer to her as his good Mother and it was impossible to hear him speak of her without being touched to the heart. In the end he departed this world in such interior peace and with such confidence in her that, in an illness so trying as the one which afflicted him, nothing could ever sadden him unless he were told in a jocular way that he was not going to die on that particular occasion.

© Peter Bloor 2026 

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The Virgin of Tenderness. >12th century.

SUB tuum præsidium confugimus, Sancta Dei Genitrix. Nostras deprecationes ne despicias in necessitatibus, sed a periculis cunctis libera nos semper, Virgo gloriosa et benedicta. Amen. 

 

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam.

He that hearkeneth to me, shall not be confounded: and they that work by me, shall not sin. They that explain me shall have life everlasting. Ecclesiasticus (Sirach) xxiv. 30-31.

Part IV : How to give thanks to the Mother of God : Chapter 9 : § 5.1-3

Chapter 9 : Devotion – an eighth feature of the gratitude we owe the Mother of God

Continuing our translation of the 1845 reprint of Fr François Poiré’s Triple Crown of the Mother of God (1643 French edition).

Notre Dame des Grâces, Cotignac (Poggi, 2020)

§ 5. Fifth sign of devotion : a growing desire for frequent recitation of the Rosary

 1   The name Rosary is given to a certain number of Angelic Salutations (the Ave Maria) and Lord’s Prayers (the Pater noster)  which form a chaplet of roses, as it were, woven together to crown the sacred head of the MOTHER OF GOD. This expression is not new because St Gregory of Nazianzus had already offered the Virgin Mother a crown of praises woven from flowers that he had gathered from the gardens of Heaven. It is also commonly known as the Psalter of the Blessed Virgin because it is composed of 150 Aves, just as the Psalter of David has 150 Psalms; but in order to make it easier for us to remember the mysteries of Our Lord and His Holy Mother, it has been divided into 15 decades comprising the Mysteries which are called Joyful, Sorrowful and Glorious, interspersed with 15 Pater nosters which serve to separate each decade. In order to facilitate its recitation, it has been reduced into three parts which we refer to as Chaplets, each comprising 50 Ave Marias and 5 Pater nosters. Accordingly, anyone who recites all three Chaplets (which may not always be possible in one session) will have completed the entire Rosary.

 2   I must say that I find it ill-considered when critics reproach us for praying by number, granted that this manner of praying has been practised throughout history in the Church without ever incurring accusations of superstition. The number seven features in the way Eliseus brought the widow’s little boy back to life[1]; David praised God seven times a day[2]; the Saviour prayed three times in the garden; St Bartholomew knelt down to pray one hundred times each day, and so on with countless other examples we find in Scripture and in the sacred histories. 

Returning to the subject of the Rosary and the question of its origin, I confess I would find it difficult to say for certain that the three hundred prayers which the Abbot Paul recited (according to Palladius) and which he counted using little pebbles were Ave Marias. I would find it easier to say this of the prayer instituted by Peter the Hermit (with the approval of the Holy See) for use by Crusaders, to each of whom he gave a string of beads in the form of a chaplet or crown. What would persuade me that this was in order to say every day a certain number of Ave Marias would be what I have already mentioned on several occasions : that after God, the Crusaders placed all their hope in the Holy Virgin. Be that as it may, for the avoidance of any doubt about this I need to present the common belief which is founded on history and authorised by the Bulls published by various Popes, namely Pius V and Gregory XIII. This view is that St Dominic was the first who received from Heaven this new way of praying, at least when it comes to the number of 150 Ave Marias which make up the Rosary. The reason for its institution and the way it came about have been sufficiently covered in Part I of this work[3], to which I refer those readers who are interested. The miracles that God performed on the occasion of this new devotion were so striking and so numerous that no one could fail to be astonished. Various different authors have compiled lists of the main miracles which I leave readers to look up for themselves. 

Footnotes

[1] 4 Kings (2 Kings) iv. Cf. Elias in 3 Kings (1 Kings) xvii.

[2] Ps. CXVIII.

[3] Chap. 12, § 6.

 3    I am nevertheless aware that our discussion will bring to light upon some of the most noteworthy benefits which come from this prayer when it is recited with devotion. At the outset, perhaps I could quote in full what St Gregory of Nyssa[1] said concerning prayer, namely: 

upon prayer depends our physical health, the well-being of each of our households, the flourishing of our cities, the wealth of our kingdoms, happy outcomes to wars, the establishment of peace and the coming together of minds; it is the seal of virginity, maintaining fidelity in marriage, keeping travellers safe, watching over those who sleep and protecting those who are awake; it blesses the work of the labourer and brings a fair wind to mariners; it makes us like unto the Blessed Spirits, enables us to taste the fruits of our labours and to hope for their reward in the future.

I could also bring up everything that was said by Tertullian, St Cyprian, St Cyril, St John Chrysostom, St Jerome, St Augustine and by countless others concerning the benefits we derive from the Lord’s prayer; These were mentioned above along with things concerning the Ave Maria since these are the two most beautiful flowers woven into the chaplet.  

Blessed Alain de La Roche was a Dominican Friar and priest who in the year 1440, through an extraordinary privilege of grace and a special calling, was chosen by the MOTHER OF GOD to re-establish devotion to the Rosary, although it had in no ways diminished. To this end, the Holy Virgin showered him with a million favours and she went so far as to take him for her Spouse: in token of this she placed on his finger a ring made up of her own hair and a Rosary around his neck. On another occasion he received the taste in his mouth of milk from her chaste breasts. In short, it would be quite impossible to relate all her tender gestures towards him. It would also be very difficult to describe the the loving way he applied himself to restoring and revivifying the practice of this devout prayer, erecting confraternities and magnifying the honour of the Queen of Heaven. Whether seated or on his feet, whether working or at rest, coming or going, making ready to preach or to discuss, the Ave Maria was always on his lips.

In the book of the Virgin’s Psalter, he enables us to hear the beautiful splendours of the Rosary as though it were a mystical harp. He accords it the most excellent qualities of the musical instruments found in sacred scripture, saying that it puts the Devils to flight and leads in triumph the Saviour’s true Ark of humility like the harp of David; that it scatters God’s enemies like the timbrel of Mary, sister of Moses[2]; that it awakens the spirit of prophecy like the song of Eliseus[3]; that it honours the victories of the Saviour and His Holy Mother, like the lutes of the daughters of Israel; in short that it magnifies the Lord, exalting the wonders and great qualities of God, like the voice of Mary, Mother of Jesus, in the mountains of Judea. 

After this, he sets about describing some of the truly remarkable effects he had seen and in most of which he had been deemed worthy to play a part. He states that he knew people who were vain and proud totally changed by this holy devotion, women who had fallen by the way brought back to security, money-lenders and misers becoming generous-hearted and great alms-givers, men notorious for their cursing and blasphemies corrected, apostates from the Catholic religion brought back to the Faith, wicked firebrands who had given themselves over into the power of the enemy, after renouncing Baptism and Jesus Christ, transformed and becoming zealous preachers of the Gospel; desperate men overwhelmed by the enormity of their crimes touched to their hearts and brought back onto the righteous path.

  

He states that he has seen barren lands become fertile, and places where nobody could live because of the bad air rendered inhabitable once more as soon as those living there began to pray devoutly the Rosary of the most sacred Virgin. He declares that he has seen men and women troubled by various apparitions ghosts and spectres regain their peace of mind; and last but not least, the dead brought to life all by virtue of this omnipotent prayer, for that is what I can call it.

Footnotes

[1] Lib. de Orat.

[2] Exod. xv. 20.

[3] 4 Kings (2 Kings) iii. 15.

© Peter Bloor 2026 

👑   👑   👑

The Virgin of Tenderness. >12th century.

SUB tuum præsidium confugimus, Sancta Dei Genitrix. Nostras deprecationes ne despicias in necessitatibus, sed a periculis cunctis libera nos semper, Virgo gloriosa et benedicta. Amen. 

 

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam.

He that hearkeneth to me, shall not be confounded: and they that work by me, shall not sin. They that explain me shall have life everlasting. Ecclesiasticus (Sirach) xxiv. 30-31.

Part IV : How to give thanks to the Mother of God : Chapter 9 : § 4.1-3

Chapter 9 : Devotion – an eighth feature of the gratitude we owe the Mother of God

Continuing our translation of the 1845 reprint of Fr François Poiré’s Triple Crown of the Mother of God (1643 French edition).

Notre Dame des Grâces, Cotignac (Poggi, 2020)

§ 4. Fourth sign of devotion : the frequent recitation of the Little Office of Our Lady

 1   The Office of the Holy Virgin, containing the most beautiful words of praise taken by the Church from Sacred Scripture in order to honour the same Virgin, was composed (or at least arranged) by Blessed Peter Damien[1], Bishop of Ostia in the time of Gregory VII, around six hundred years ago. It later came to be most highly esteemed when at the Council of Clermont every means was being sought to obtain the help of the MOTHER OF GOD for the Church in her affliction, and especially asking her to take the Crusaders bound for the Holy Land under her protection. In the year 1094 Pope Urban II required all those under an obligation to say the Canonical Office to add that of the glorious Virgin, although later Pope Pius V in 1571 modified this requirement, limiting it to recitation in Choir and only on those days specified in the Breviary. He did not, however, omit a stirring exhortation to Christians encouraging them to recite her Office privately, making generous dispositions of the Church’s treasures available to them in this respect. This may be seen in the Bull which is included at the beginning of Our Lady’s Hours, which we find today widely used amongst the Christian people.

Footnotes

[1] Blosius, lib. IX de Signis Eccles., c. 8.

 2   There are very few members of either sex in the religious Orders singing in Choir who have not taken upon themselves the requirement to say the Little Office every day, seeking to obtain for themselves by this means the graces and favours of the Queen of Heaven.

The first to adopt this devotion were the Benedictine monks, in particular those of a certain monastery called Ganagobie. Lacking the will to continue saying the Office, they abandoned it after three years, only to find themselves then visited by all manner of illnesses, looting, theft and every sort of evil and wretchedness – to the extent that they almost began to grow weary of life. Peter Damien made use of this opportunity to reproach them for their laziness and weak will, telling them that it was no wonder that misfortunes had come into their house since they had evicted the Mother of pity and mercy. This made them open their eyes and humbly beg pardon for their sins, promising to take up the Office of the Virgin once more and never again to abandon it. They soon experienced the generosity of the same Virgin, for they were straight away delivered from all their troubles and enabled to enjoy the satisfaction they previously had.

I have described elsewhere the reason why the Carthusian Fathers decided to recite this Office right from the beginning of their institution[1]. They have continued to say it most religiously, with so much success that it would be impossible to list here the favours they've received from Heaven in return for this devotion. 

 

We could say as much about other religious Orders but it is sufficient to include them in what has already been written.   

Footnotes

[1] Part I, ch. 12, § 7.

 3   It would also be too time-consuming to call the roll of all those who have unfailingly followed this holy devotion by reciting it every day.  

I have spoken earlier about St Louis[1] who would not allow all the occupations and duties of his Kingdom to prevent him from discharging this duty. St Charles used to say it on his knees without ever missing it. St Vincent Ferrer took up the devotion whilst he was still young and followed it faithfully until his death. The same may be said of blessed James, also a member of the Dominican Order, who died in the year 1314. We read the same about St Elizabeth Queen of Portugal, St Bridget and St Catherine of Sweden her daughter, about our young Stanislaus[2] and others so numerous it would be difficult to count them. St Francesca Romana did no less and it is written of her in the Bull of her canonization that whilst she was reciting the Office outdoors in a heavy rainstorm, not a single drop of water fell upon her. The book of Hours which she possessed was carefully preserved and God has since made use of the volume to perform numerous miracles. Alphonsus Rodriguez, a lay brother in the Society of Jesus, recited every day the Little Office of the Immaculate Conception which the Holy Virgin had taught him. He derived enormous benefits from this devotion, as do an almost infinite number of people today who follow his example.

The day will come (God willing) when we will rejoice with them in the countless favors that the Mother of goodness has obtained for them in recognition of all the praises they have given her.

Footnotes

[1] Part III, ch. 7, § 5.

[2] BlessedStanislaus Kostka (Stanislaw Kostka, 1550-1568) S.J. (canonised in 1726).

© Peter Bloor 2026 

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The Virgin of Tenderness. >12th century.

SUB tuum præsidium confugimus, Sancta Dei Genitrix. Nostras deprecationes ne despicias in necessitatibus, sed a periculis cunctis libera nos semper, Virgo gloriosa et benedicta. Amen. 

 

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam.

He that hearkeneth to me, shall not be confounded: and they that work by me, shall not sin. They that explain me shall have life everlasting. Ecclesiasticus (Sirach) xxiv. 30-31.

Part IV : How to give thanks to the Mother of God : Chapter 9 : § 3.6

Chapter 9 : Devotion – an eighth feature of the gratitude we owe the Mother of God

Continuing our translation of the 1845 reprint of Fr François Poiré’s Triple Crown of the Mother of God (1643 French edition).

Notre Dame des Grâces, Cotignac (Poggi, 2020)

§ 3. Third sign of devotion : to offer the Ave Maria frequently to the Blessed Virgin

On the Angelus

 6   Whilst we are on this subject, let us say a few words about the holy custom of praying to the glorious Virgin three times every day with the Ave Maria at the sound of the bell in the morning, at midday and in the evening. Not everyone is in agreement about the origin of this pious devotion although it is fairly certain that it developed slowly before finally being reduced to the form which is observed at present throughout the whole Church. There are some[1] who say that the person who decreed the Holy Virgin should be greeted in the evening was Pope John XXII who granted twenty days of indulgences to those who recite the Ave Maria when they hear the sound of the bell.

  

The institution of this devotion arose from an incident which occurred in the city of Avignon where in the year 1320 a criminal, who had been condemned to be burned at the stake along with a companion, implored the Holy Virgin for her help with such heartfelt emotion that, whilst his companion was reduced to ashes, the fire did not touch him at all but could burn only the cords which bound him to the stake, even though they attempted the process a second time. All those present were so moved by what they saw that, recognising the special protection provided to him by the MOTHER OF GOD, they begged her forgiveness and led the man to the Cathedral of Notre-Dame to join him in offering an act of thanksgiving to her who had delivered him.

 

Others attribute the introduction of greeting the Holy Virgin in the morning to Thierry, Archbishop of Cologne ; but the biographer of St Bonaventure[2] gives him the glory of honouring her first in this way, both in the morning and in the afternoon. All things being considered, it seems to me that we have greater reason to accept what others write[3], namely that this holy devotion began at the Council of Claremont following a decree of Urban II who presided there in person. This ordered the bell to be rung twice each day, in the evening and in the morning, calling upon the Christian people to say the Ave in honour of the Queen of Heaven. It was with her favour the call to the Crusade in the Holy Land had been issued so that she might deign to take under her protection those who were going to risk their lives for the sake of the Faith and the Catholic Religion. Several other historians share the view that King Louis XI, following the advice of the Prelates in his kingdom, added the prayer which is said at midday; little by little, neighbouring provinces followed the example of France and soon the devotion was embraced generally throughout the Church, finally being simplified to the form which we use now. 

Irrespective of who was actually the author and what the reasons for its introduction may have been, whether

    • to remind us of the three greatest mysteries about faith, namely the Incarnation, the Death and the Resurrection of the Saviour, and to give thanks to God and to the most sacred Virgin for the indescribable benefits that we have received through their fulfilment; or

    • to make a public declaration at three different times in the day of the need we have for Heaven’s assistance from the morning through to the evening; or

    • to enable the Church to instruct us in the need we have to protect ourselves against our invisible enemies who are always trying to take us by surprise with their wickedness and snares and to teach us how we should look to heaven for help, 

it is clear that the devotion is filled with piety and loving gratitude, so that for as long as it is preserved it will protect the Church, serving as a reminder of the graces and favours which may be hoped for through the mediation of the Mother of Mercy. Pope Paul V has granted one thousand days of indulgences to those who practise the Angelus devotion in honour of the Holy Virgin following the custom of the Church. 

   

Footnotes

[1] Polydor. Virg., lib. VI de Inventoribus rerum, c. 12.

[2] Octavius, apud Surium, tom. V.

[3] Arnoldus Wionius, lib. V Ligni Vitæ, cap. 20, etc.

© Peter Bloor 2026 

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The Virgin of Tenderness. >12th century.

SUB tuum præsidium confugimus, Sancta Dei Genitrix. Nostras deprecationes ne despicias in necessitatibus, sed a periculis cunctis libera nos semper, Virgo gloriosa et benedicta. Amen. 

 

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam.

He that hearkeneth to me, shall not be confounded: and they that work by me, shall not sin. They that explain me shall have life everlasting. Ecclesiasticus (Sirach) xxiv. 30-31.

Part IV : How to give thanks to the Mother of God : Chapter 9 : § 3.4-5

Chapter 9 : Devotion – an eighth feature of the gratitude we owe the Mother of God

Continuing our translation of the 1845 reprint of Fr François Poiré’s Triple Crown of the Mother of God (1643 French edition).

Notre Dame des Grâces, Cotignac (Poggi, 2020)

§ 3. Third sign of devotion : to offer the Ave Maria frequently to the Blessed Virgin

 4   When it comes to the feelings in our hearts when we recite the Ave Maria, I think you should learn these from Heaven itself, where it originated. Blessed St Mechtilde[1] found herself carried into ecstasy one Saturday during the Mass of the Glorious Virgin and she could not help speaking to her as follows: 

“Dear Mother beyond compare, I would so love to pray a salutation to thee in the most pleasing way that the human heart could ever discover...”

At that very moment, she saw the most sacred Virgin appear bearing a sign on her breast with the Ave Maria written in letters of gold. Then she heard the following words uttered by her sacred lips : 

“My dearest daughter, it would be foolish for a mere creature to try and exceed her Creator and think she could find a salutation comparable to the one sent me from Heaven. For what could be more wondrous than the word Hail, which showed the Eternal Father had fortified me with His omnipotence and gave me to understand that He had completely preserved me from the curse of sin? What could be more beautiful than the name of Mary which was given to me because of the Son who was to become incarnate in my womb, for through this name I learned that I was destined, like a star of pre-eminent brightness, to bring forth light to Heaven and earth? What could stir the heart more than this visit by the glorious Holy Spirit, my Spouse, who by describing me as full of grace put into effect at that same instant the very meaning of those words? When I hear the words the Lord is with me, I am reminded of the wondrous union of the Eternal Word with my flesh and of the joy that filled me when this incomprehensible mystery was accomplished within my womb. When I hear that I am blessed among women, I am reminded that the mercy of God hath raised me above all creatures. When to these words are added blessed is the fruit of my womb, all Heaven rejoiceth with me because my beloved Son hath brought to life and blessed for ever all in creation.” 

St Mechtilde wanted to see this through to its conclusion and she prayed that the Virgin Mother would come to her assistance now and at the hour of her death: 

“Thou hast my promise,” Mary continued, “but I want thee to pray three Ave Maria’s to me every day as follows. Just as the Eternal Father in the magnificence of His infinite power hath placed me so high in Heaven that He hath willed there should be no power beneath Him like unto mine, in the first Ave thou wilt pray for me to come to help thee and fortify thee at this dangerous hour, protecting thee from the wicked enemy powers. 

“My Son out of His infinite wisdom hath so filled my soul with knowledge and understanding of things Divine that there is no person so advanced in the incomprehensible mysteries of the most holy Trinity. Accordingly, in the second Ave thou wilt pray that I will come to thee at this important time and increase the light of the Faith within thee so that it will not be darkened by any cloud of ignorance or error. 

“Finally, since the Holy Spirit hath so filled my soul with the sweetness of His divine love that He hath made my heart the most gentle and compassionate there hath ever been, in the third Ave thou wilt earnestly pray for me to infuse thy soul with such sweet charity as to prevail over thy sufferings and all the fears thou might have of death.”

Where could we find a gentler and more pleasing way than this to help foster our devotion while we say this holy prayer?

  

Footnotes

[1] Lib. Gratiæ spiritualis, c. 53.

 5   The Blessed Virgin also spoke about the Ave Maria to St Gertrude, as may be seen in the book of her Revelations. 

She told her that when she said the words Hail Mary she should pray for the relief of those in suffering, whether this be physical or spiritual. At the words full of grace, she should pray for Mary to soften the hearts of those who do not have the necessary desire to receive divine grace. Then at the words the Lord is with thee, she should ask her as Mother of mercy to obtain pardon for sinners. When she says Blessed is the fruit of thy womb, she should pray for her to take special care of the spiritual advancement of predestined souls. At the sacred name of Jesus, she should pray for a perfect knowledge and a heartfelt love of her beloved Son. Finally, she should always add these words : Jesus splendor paternæ claritatis, figura substantiæ ejus[1], which mean : Jesus, the brightness of His Father’s glory, and the figure[2] of His substance.

   

Footnotes

[1] splendor gloriae, et figura substantiae ejus / the brightness of his glory, and the figure of his substance: Hebr. i. 3.

[2] figura in Hebr. i. 3  has been variously translated as figure, stamp, expression and imprint.

© Peter Bloor 2026 

👑   👑   👑

The Virgin of Tenderness. >12th century.

SUB tuum præsidium confugimus, Sancta Dei Genitrix. Nostras deprecationes ne despicias in necessitatibus, sed a periculis cunctis libera nos semper, Virgo gloriosa et benedicta. Amen. 

 

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam.

He that hearkeneth to me, shall not be confounded: and they that work by me, shall not sin. They that explain me shall have life everlasting. Ecclesiasticus (Sirach) xxiv. 30-31.