Feast of Saint Mary of the Angels - August 2, 2024

Let us rejoice in the Lord today, celebrating the Holy Virgin Mary, Queen of Ange​

• The origin of this spiritual grace

One night in the year 1221, when Francis was in prayer, an Angel appeared to him to order him to go to the small chapel nearby where Our Lord Jesus Christ and the Virgin Mary, accompanied by a long train of Angels, were waiting for him.

Francis came there in all haste, and at the sight of this Heavenly spectacle, he prostrated himself to adore the Majesty of his God.

The Savior spoke to him in these terms: "Francis, the zeal that you and your brothers show for the Salvation of souls, leads me to allow you to ask me for some grace in their favor; I promise to grant it to you with kindness."

Saint Francis knew well that the whole earth is the seat of the kingdom of God, he believed that in every place God grants his grace to his elect. But his experience had taught him that this Church of Saint Mary of the Portiuncula is filled with a more abundant grace and that the Angels often frequent it.

• The indulgence of the Portiuncula surpasses all other plenary indulgences by the singular privileges which distinguish it:

1 - It is of immediately Divine origin,

2 - It is plenary, perpetual, absolute, free, applicable to the living and to the souls in Purgatory, attached to all the churches of the Orders of Saint Francis.

3 - It can be won every day of the year in the church of Saint Mary of the Angels near Assisi.

4 - In the said Basilica, it is not suspended during the jubilee year; and in the other Franciscan churches it is suspended only for the living and continues to have its effect for the application to the souls of Purgatory.

On the day of this Solemnity, one will go to church with the well-determined intention of applying the holy indulgence to oneself.

One will make a profound Adoration to the Blessed Sacrament; if one has not already presented oneself at the holy table, one will come and take one's place there with the sentiments of true piety and sincere contrition.

Then one will render to Our Lord the thanksgivings due to Him, and one will prepare oneself for the reception of the holy indulgence by reciting the prayers that the devotion of each one can suggest to Him, taking care however to pray according to the intentions of the Sovereign Pontiffs.

Let us prepare our hearts so that they may be the place, the house, the space where God finds a place to dwell.