Traditionally, the image is also known as “Our Lady of Perpetual Succour.”   The icon (about 54 x 41.5 centimeters) depicts our Blessed Mother Mary, under the title “Mother of God,” holding the Child Jesus. The story includes a passage of a young member of the family, the six-year-old daughter of the merchant, who was visited by the Virgin Mary in a dream. In January 1855, the Redemptorist priests purchased Villa Caserta in Rome along the Via Merulana and converted it into their headquarters. I really enjoyed both watching the show and reading the play afterwards. Welcome back. The Greek inscriptions read MP-ΘΥ (Μήτηρ Θεοῦ, Mother of God), ΟΑΜ (Ὁ Ἀρχάγγελος Μιχαήλ, Michael the Archangel), ΟΑΓ (Ὁ Ἀρχάγγελος Γαβριήλ, Gabriel the Archangel) and IC-XC (Ἰησοῦς Χριστός, Jesus Christ), respectively. The picture was then popularly called the Madonna di San Matteo. According to the account by the Redemptorists: "In January 1866, Fathers Michael Marchi and Ernest Bresciani went to St. Mary's in Posterula to receive the picture from the Augustinians." Two years later, on 23 June 1867, the image was given a Canonical Coronation by the Dean of the Vatican Chapter in a solemn and official recognition of the Marian icon under that title. Catholic Encyclopedia. Hi readers, it seems you use Catholic Online a lot; that's great! His mother, the noble lady Desamparado Fontes fed him a silk fabric cloth touched to the icon of Perpetual Help in Rome which resulted in an instantaneous healing later claimed to be miraculous. Any unauthorized use, without prior written consent of Catholic Online is strictly forbidden and prohibited. Under Pope Pius XII's Pontificate, the image was designated as the national Patroness of the Republic of Haiti and Almoradi, Spain. Modern reproductions are oftentimes displayed in residential homes, commercial establishments, and public transportation. On 23 June 1867, Pope Pius IX granted the image its Canonical Coronation along with its present title. I may have to read the play and/or the novel as some of it got lost in. This favour later on was also granted to others. On 29 May 1919, Our Lady of Perpetual Help was officially enthroned in Saint Andrew's Parish as the official patroness of the town. The Redemptorists had purchased the property where the former St. Matthew's had stood, and had established and built the current Church of St. Alphonsus De Liguori, in honor of the founder of their congregation. He fixed the feast as duplex secundae classis , on the Sunday before the Feast of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist, and by a decree dated May, 1876, approved of a special office and Mass for the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer . The Redemptorist Congregation of priests and brothers are the only religious order currently entrusted by the Holy See to protect and propagate a Marian religious work of art. At the present day not only altars, but churches and dioceses (e.g. Your gift is tax-deductible as allowed by law. Federal Tax Identification Number: 81-0596847. Over the figures in the picture are some Greek letters which form the abbreviated words Mother of God, Jesus Christ, Archangel Michael, and Archangel Gabriel respectively. Catholic Online is a Project of Your Catholic Voice Foundation, a Not-for-Profit Corporation. The church was served for a time by the Hermits of St. Augustine , who had sheltered their Irish brethren in their distress. It was exposed in the church of San Matteo, Via Merulana, between St. Mary Major and St. John Lateran. [19][20], Every Wednesday, many congregations hold services where they publicly recite the rosary and the icon's associated novena, along with a priest delivering Benediction and celebrating a votive Mass in its honor. Theatrically not much happens though I know its been a big hit as a live show and I am sure I would be giving a real living, breathing production more than 3 stars-not least for the musical numbers that can only be suggested in the text-mostly ELO apparently.