St. Caterina
Vigri, whom most know as St. Catherine of Bologna, was
born on Our Lady's birthday
in 1413 and grew up to be an educated,
cultured woman, one who was gifted as a painter, writer, and
viola-player. She became a Poor Clare nun known for holiness and
blessed with mystical visions. At Christmas, she would pray 1,000 Aves,
and on one of these occasions was given the gift of not only seeing the
Blessed Virgin with her Son, but being allowed by the Virgin to hold
the Baby Jesus in her arms. While she held Him in her arms, she gave
Him a kiss, and He kissed her back. That spot which He kissed is said
to be visible even today as a white spot on her body, which is
incorrupt but black with the soot of countless candles burned around
her throughout the ages, and which can be seen still wearing her habit
and sitting upright on a golden throne in the Corpus Domini chapel of the Chiesa della Santa in Bologna,
Italy.
A devotion to Mary and her Son, made in imitation of St. Catherine of
Bologna's thousand Christmas Eve Aves, is the praying of 1,000 Aves
spread out over 25 days -- i.e., 40 Aves prayed each day
for 25 days. The devotion begins on St. Andrew's Eve (November 29) and
ends the night before Christmas Eve (December 23). Note that some
religious orders and some laypeople pray the 1,000 Aves all at one time
on Christmas Eve, which takes over three hours for most, but spreading
the devotion out over 25 days is more common.
The Raccolta describes the devotion as beginning with preparatory
prayers which are followed by four groups of ten Aves, with each group
being accompanied by a different meditation. The Aves are followed by
more prayers, the Litany of Loreto, and concluding prayers. The
following can be downloaded to make it easier to pray: Twenty Five Days
Preparation for the Nativity, After the Example of St. Catherine of
Bologna (pdf)
Twenty-five Days
Preparation for the Nativity, After the Example of St.
Catherine of Bologna
I. Opening Prayers
Prayer for All Days
In lowly reverence at thy feet we kneel, great Mother of our God, most
holy Mary, advocate of sinners; humbly praying thee, by the merits of
the Precious Blood of thy Divine Son, shed for us sinners, and by the
intercession of thy well-beloved servant, Catharine, to gain for us by
thy prayers true fervour of spirit in this holy exercise, and the grace
to walk in the way of all thy virtues, after the example of St
Catharine, to the honour and glory of Jesus Christ, thine only Son our
Saviour. Forget our monstrous ingratitude, look not upon our sins, but
rather find for us a refuge in the depths of thy loving kindness; and
having regard to that love wherewith thou didst ever love thy faithful
servant Catharine, obtain for us the remission of our sins, so that we
may confidently hope to attain all that we desire for our spiritual
wants. Amen.
Additional Prayer for November 29
In imitation of St Catharine, we purpose now to praise the great Mother
of our God, honouring her Sacred Delivery, and saying to her forty
Angelic Salutations and forty Benedictions, thereby to obtain her
powerful aid at the hour of our death, and a true contrition for our
sins, that so we may pass from this land of our pilgrimage to eternal
joys.
Additional Prayer for November 30 - December 22
In imitation of St Catharine, let us continue to praise the great
Mother of our God, honouring her Sacred Delivery with forty Angelic
Salutations and forty Benedictions, to obtain thereby her powerful aid
at the hour of our death, and true contrition for our sins, that so we
may pass from this land of our pilgrimage to eternal joys.
Additional Prayer for December 23
In imitation of St Catharine, today we end this exercise praising the
great Mother of our God, and honouring her Sacred Delivery, with forty
Angelic Salutations and forty Benedictions, to obtain thereby her
powerful aid at the hour of our death, and true contrition for our
sins, that so we may pass from this land of our pilgrimage to eternal
joys.
II. The Forty Aves
First Decade
Whilst praying the ten Aves and the concluding benediction for each
decade, meditate on the ineffable mystery of the Incarnation of the
Eternal Word, and the great dignity of the Virgin who was elected to be
the Mother of the Most High. Pray the following ten times:
Hail Mary, full
of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women, and
blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, mother of God, pray
for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Blessed be the hour,
Mary, when thou didst become Mother of Jesus, Son of God.
Second Decade
Whilst praying the ten Aves and the concluding benediction for each
decade, meditate on the humility of the King of heaven, who chose for
his birthplace a poor stable, and on the joy of Mary when she first saw
the Only-begotten of the Father, the Fruit of her womb. Pray the
following ten times:
Hail Mary, full
of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women, and
blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, mother of God, pray
for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Blessed be the hour,
Mary, when thou didst bring forth Jesus, the Son of God.
Third Decade
Whilst praying the ten Aves and the concluding benediction for each
decade, contemplate the exact carefulness of Mary, as she fulfilled
perfectly the parts both of Martha and of Magdalen, contemplating her
Son as her Redeemer, and at the same time ministering to Him as her
Child. Pray the following ten times:
Hail Mary, full
of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women, and
blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, mother of God, pray
for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Blessed be the hour,
Mary, when thou didst nourish at thy breast Jesus, Son of God.
Fourth Decade
Whilst praying the ten Aves and the concluding benediction for each
decade, meditate upon the great reverence with which Mary embraced and
pressed to her very heart rather than to her bosom, kissed, and adored
her God and ours, incarnate for love of us; and moved thereby with
profound reverence and devout affection we say, Ave Maria ten times,
and after each Ave, "Blessed be that hour, Mary, when thou didst
embrace Jesus, Son of God." Pray the following ten times:
Hail Mary, full
of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women, and
blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, mother of God, pray
for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Blessed be that hour,
Mary, when thou didst embrace Jesus, Son of God.
III. Prayers
November 29
Praise be to our God, because in imitation of St. Catherine, we have
begun. We beseech the Queen of Angels that for these our thousand
Angelic Salutations and thousand Benedictions which we are saying
Mother may obtain of the Infant which is born of her these two special
blessings, viz., the first, in life, grace truly to repent of our sins;
the second, in death, certainty of salvation. Wherefore let everyone
here present say heartily with St Catharine: Turn, then, most gracious
Advocate, thine eyes of mercy towards us ; and after this our exile
show unto us the blessed Fruit of thy womb, Jesus, O clement, O loving,
O sweet Virgin Mary.
November 29 - December 22
Praise be to our God, because in imitation of St. Catherine, we are
continuing. We beseech the Queen of Angels that for these our thousand
Angelic Salutations and thousand Benedictions which we are saying
Mother may obtain of the Infant which is born of her these two special
blessings, viz., the first, in life, grace truly to repent of our sins;
the second, in death, certainty of salvation. Wherefore let everyone
here present say heartily with St Catharine: Turn, then, most gracious
Advocate, thine eyes of mercy towards us; and after this our exile show
unto us the blessed Fruit of thy womb, Jesus, O clement, O loving, O
sweet Virgin Mary.
December 23
Praise be to our God, because in imitation of St. Catherine, we are
have ended. We beseech the Queen of Angels that for these our thousand
Angelic Salutations and thousand Benedictions which we have said Mother
may obtain of the Infant which is born of her these two special
blessings, viz., the first, in life, grace truly to repent of our sins;
the second, in death, certainty of salvation. Wherefore let everyone
here present say heartily with St Catharine: Turn, then, most gracious
Advocate, thine eyes of mercy towards us; and after this our exile show
unto us the blessed Fruit of thy womb, Jesus, O clement, O loving, O
sweet Virgin Mary.
IV Litany of Loreto
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, hear us.
Christ, graciously hear us.
God, the Father of Heaven, have
mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the World, have
mercy on us.
God the Holy Spirit, have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, One God, have mercy on
us.
Holy Mary, pray for us.
Holy Mother of God, pray for us.
Holy Virgin of Virgins, pray for us.
Mother of Christ, pray for us.
Mother of Divine Grace, pray for us.
Mother most Pure, pray for us.
Mother most Chaste, pray for us.
Mother Inviolate, pray for us.
Mother Undefiled, pray for us.
Mother most Amiable, pray for us.
Mother most Admirable, pray for us.
Mother of good Counsel, pray for us.
Mother of our Creator, pray for us.
Mother of our Savior, pray for us.
Virgin most Prudent, pray for us.
Virgin most Venerable, pray for us.
Virgin most Renowned, pray for us.
Virgin most Powerful, pray for us.
Virgin most Merciful, pray for us.
Virgin most Faithful, pray for us.
Mirror of Justice, pray for us.
Seat of Wisdom, pray for us.
Cause of our Joy, pray for us.
Spiritual Vessel,pray for us.
Vessel of Honor, pray for us.
Singular Vessel of Devotion, pray
for us.
Mystical Rose, pray for us.
Tower of David, pray for us.
Tower of Ivory, pray for us.
House of Gold, pray for us.
Ark of the Covenant, pray for us.
Gate of Heaven, pray for us.
Morning Star, pray for us.
Health of the Sick, pray for us.
Refuge of Sinners, pray for us.
Comforter of the Afflicted, pray for
us.
Help of Christians, pray for us.
Queen of Angels, pray for us.
Queen of Patriarchs, pray for us.
Queen of Prophets, pray for us.
Queen of Apostles, pray for us.
Queen of Martyrs, pray for us.
Queen of Confessors, pray for us.
Queen of Virgins, pray for us.
Queen of all Saints, pray for us.
Queen conceived without Original Sin, pray
for us.
Queen assumed into Heaven, pray for
us.
Queen of the most Holy Rosary, pray
for us.
Queen of the Family, pray for us.
Queen of Peace, pray for us.
Lamb of God, Who take away the sins of the world, spare us, O Lord!.
Lamb of God, Who take away the sins of the world, graciously hear us, O Lord!
Lamb of God, Who take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us. .
V. Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God.
R. That we may be made worthy of the
promises of Christ.
Let us pray. Grant, we beg Thee, O Lord God, that we Thy servants, may
enjoy lasting health of mind and body, and by the glorious intercession
of the Blessed Mary, ever Virgin, be delivered from present sorrow and
enter into the joy of eternal happiness. Through Christ our Lord.
R. Amen.
V. Concluding Prayer
V. Make me worthy to praise thee, Virgin ever blessed.
R. Give me strength against thine enemies.
Let us pray. God, who by the message of an angel didst will that thy
Divine Word should take to Himself human flesh in the womb of the
Blessed Virgin Mary; grant unto us thy suppliants that we, who believe
her to be verily and indeed Mother of God, may be aided by her
intercession with Thee. Visit us, O Lord, we beseech Thee, and purify
our hearts; that our Lord Jesus Christ thy Son may, when He comes with
all his saints, find a dwelling-place prepared for Himself within us.
Who with Thee liveth and reigneth for ever and ever. Amen.
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