Nuestra Señora de las Mercedes

ML.031 Marian Holy Card Collection, Box 22 

Country

Chile

Description

Nuestra Senora de las Mercedes, also known as "Our Lady of Mercy," is one of the most recognized Marian images. Our Lady of Mercy is known across many Marian societies all around the world and we see a tremendous amount of names that fall under Our Lady of Mercy. This is because what she’s called goes along with where she is praised or what her popular devotion is to that area.

Guillermo, Prado Ocaranza Juan. María en Chile: Fiestas Populares. Santiago de Chile: Editorial Biblioteca Americana, 2002.

Researched by Logan J. Rush

Popular Devotions

“Our Lady of Mercy has devotions all over Spain and Latin America, the USA as well. The title reminds of the 1218 apparition asking for the ransom of Christians (mercede) who sell prisoners to Arabs (Saracens) occupying Southern Spain and Northern Africa. The title was promoted by the congregation of the Mercedarians: a feast in her honor was proclaimed in 1615 to commemorate the apparition. Until 1961 the feast was celebrated on September 24, although since then it is no longer part of the Roman liturgical calendar and has the rank of a commemoration. The idea of ransom was amplified in the course of history and came to signify mercy in the generic sense of grace. For more information, search All About Mary for: 'Our Lady of Ransom' and 'Virgen de la Merced'. The most famous Latin American reference to Our Lady of Mercy is that of Peru. She is by many considered the patroness of Peru and received in 1921 the title of Grand Marshall of Peru” (Udayton Lib, IMRI).

Hail Mary

Dios te salve, María. Llena eres de gracia: El Señor es contigo. 

Bendita tú eres entre todas las mujeres. 

Y bendito es el fruto de tu vientre: Jesús. 

Santa María, Madre de Dios, ruega por nosotros pecadores, 

ahora y en la hora de nuestra muerte.

Amen.