St. Francis had a fervent devotion to the Holy Virgin Mary because she was the mother of his beloved, Jesus the Christ.  He expressed his love for Our Blessed Lady in beautiful prayers of praise he wrote to her.  The following are just a few excerpts from these prayers.

From the “Salutation of the Blessed Virgin”:

“Hail, Lady and Queen, holy Mary, Mother of God,
Virgin who became the Church, chosen by the Father in heaven,
consecrated by his beloved Son and his Spirit, the Comforter:
in you was and remains, the whole fullness of grace and everything that is good.
Hail, his palace, hail, his tabernacle, hail, his dwelling, hail, his robe,
hail, his handmaid, hail, his mother!

…Holy Virgin Mary, among all the women of the world, there is none like you.
You are the daughter and handmaid of the most high King, Father of heaven.
You are the mother of our most holy Lord Jesus Christ.”

From the “Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary”:

“Hail, Virginal wisdom; hail, mansion of God…

In His Holy Spirit He created Her
And exalted Her above all His works.”

From “The Office of the Passion”:

“Holy Virgin Mary, among women,
there is no one like you born into the world:
you are the daughter
and the servant of the most high and supreme King and Father of heaven,
you are the mother of our most holy Lord Jesus Christ, you are the spouse of the Holy Spirit…”

 

 

 

 

 

“Our Seraphic Father calls on his followers to see Mary as God’s masterpiece, the pearl of the human race, the one in whom Christ’s redemptive action succeeded so perfectly that it preserved her from every stain of sin.

Let us heed this invitation of St. Francis; let us learn from him to praise God and thank him for this unexcelled beauty.  Every word we speak in praise of Mary, after all, is a praise of God who made her so beautiful and holy.”   

                          From “Call to Commitment”