A Pope's Little-Known Prayer to Our Lady of the Assumption Every Catholic Should Know

The Church celebrates the Solemnity of the Assumption of Mary into heaven every year on Aug. 15.

On Nov. 1, 1950, Pope Pius XII officially declared that Mary assumed into heaven, body and soul. This is an official dogma of the Catholic Church.

“[The Blessed Virgin Mary] by an entirely unique privilege, completely overcame sin by her Immaculate Conception, and as a result, she was not subject to the law of remaining in the corruption of the grave, and she did not have to wait until the end of time for the redemption of her body.”

On this Solemnity of the Assumption, let honor Our Lady who unceasingly intercedes for us.

Prayer to Our Lady of the Assumption by Pope Pius XII

O Immaculate Virgin, Mother of God and Mother of Humanity,
we believe with all the fervor of our faith
in your triumphal Assumption
both in body and in soul into heaven
where you are acclaimed as Queen
by all the choirs of angels and all the legions of saints;
we unite with them to praise and bless the Lord who has exalted you above all other pure creatures
and to offer you the tribute of our devotion and our love.

We know that your gaze,
which on earth watched over
the humble and suffering humanity of Jesus,
in heaven is filled with the vision of that humanity glorified
and with the vision of uncreated Wisdom,
and that the joy of your soul
in the direct contemplation of the adorable Trinity
causes your heart to throb with overwhelming tenderness;
and we, poor sinners whose bodies weigh down the flight of the soul,
beg you to purify our hearts so that,
while we remain below,
we may learn to see God
and God alone in the beauties of his creatures.

We trust that your merciful eyes
may deign to gaze down upon our miseries and anguish,
upon our struggles and our weaknesses;
that your countenance may smile upon our joys and our victories;
that you may hear the voice of Jesus saying to you of each one of us,
as he once said to you of his Beloved Disciple:
“Behold your son,”
and we who call upon you as our Mother,
we, like John, take you as the guide, strength and consolation of our mortal life.

We are inspired by the certainty that your eyes,
which wept over the earth crimsoned by the blood of Jesus,
are yet turned toward this world racked by wars and persecutions,
the oppression of the just and the weak.
From the shadows of this vale of tears,
we seek in your heavenly assistance,
tender mercy,
comfort for our aching hearts,
and help in the trials of Church and country.

We believe finally that in the glory where you reign,
clothed with the sun and crowned with stars,
you are, after Jesus,
the joy and gladness of all the angels and the saints,
and from this earth,
over which we tread as pilgrims,
comforted by our faith in the future resurrection,
we look to you our life, our sweetness, our hope;
draw us onward with the sweetness of your voice,
so that one day, after our exile,
you may show us Jesus,
the blessed fruit of your womb.
O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary.

Amen.

Prayer to Our Lady of the Assumption by Pope Pius XII

Our Lady of the Assumption, pray for us!