Our Lady of the Angels

Our Lady of the Angels

The ancient church of the Portiuncula in Assisi, Italy is dedicated to Mary under the title of Our Lady of the Angels of which Feast Day we celebrate on August 2nd.

From the Franciscan Book of Prayer:

(The following is an excerpt from the Major Life of St. Francis by St. Bonaventure.)

" The Portiuncula was an old church dedicated to the Virgin Mother of God which was abandoned . Francis had great devotion to the Queen of the world and when he saw that the church was deserted, he began to live there constantly in order to repair it. He heard that the Angels often visited it, so that it was called Saint Mary of the Angels, and he decided to stay there permanently out of reverence for the angels and love for the Mother of Christ.

He loved this spot more than any other in the world. It was here he began his religious life in a very small way; it is here he came to a happy end. When he was dying, he commended this spot above all others to the friars, because it was most dear to the Blessed Virgin.

This was the place where Saint Francis founded his Order by divine inspiration and it was divine providence which led him to repair three churches before he founded the Order and began to preach the Gospel.

This meant that he progressed from material things to more spiritual achievements, from lesser to greater, in due order, and it gave a prophetic indication of what he would accomplish later.

As he was living there by the church of Our Lady, Francis prayed to her who had conceived the Word, full of grace and truth, begging her insistently and with tears to become his advocate. Then he was granted the true spirit of the Gospel by the intercession of the Mother of mercy and he brought it to fruition.

He embraced the Mother of Our Lord Jesus with indescribable love because, as he said, it was she who made the Lord of majesty our brother, and through her we found mercy. After Christ, he put all his trust in her and took her as his patroness for himself and his friars."

Prayer to Our Lady of the Angels:

You are fair, O Mary,
And the stain of original sin is not in you.You are the glory of Jerusalem;
You are the joy of Israel;
You are the honor of our people;
You are the advocate of sinners, O Mary Our Lady of the Angels,Virgin most prudent,Mother Most loving,
Pray for us,Intercede for us with Jesus Christ our Lord.(mention your request)

AMEN.

Prayer for Faith, Grace and the Intercession of Our Lady of the Angels:

Heavenly Father, you filled the heart of St. Francis with a special love for the Mother of Your Son, Jesus,and for the Portiuncula.

In this hallowed place you nourished his spiritual life and inspired him to found the Franciscan Order.

Through the intercession of Our Lady of the Angels may we be steadfast in our faith and remain true to You.

Grant us the faith and grace always to do Your will. Grant this through Your Son, Jesus Christ.

AMEN

Through the Mercy of God, may we all be embraced by Our Lady and the Blessed Angels!