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This feast was dropped from the General Roman Calendar in 1969, as one of the liturgical changes introduced after the Second Vatican Council.

It was quietly restored to the calendar the year after the 9/11 attacks, by John Paul II, who - no doubt - had a particular devotion to this feast, given Poland's role in that victory over Islam.

In the ANGLICAN BREVIARY (Frank Gavin Liturgical Foundation, 1955), this entry appears as "The Second Nocturn" at Matins:

Particular honours were already paid to the venerable name of Mary in divers parts of the Christian world, and a feast had in some places been kept in honour thereof. Which same in 1683 was by Innocent XI extended to the whole Western Church as an everlasting thanksgiving for the great favour which she was believed to have obtained. This favour was none other than a military victory which saved western Christendom from destruction. For the brutal Sultan of the Turks, who was trampling upon the necks of the Christian population, was thoroughly beaten before the walls of Vienna, upon the twelfth day of September, in the year 1683; after the Christian soldiers had placed themselves under the protection of the august name of our Lady.

BTTT on the Optional Memoriual of the Most Holy Name of Mary.

Things ARE changing, aren’t they?

Wow, that’s my blog! I forgot I had posted that!

American Catholic’s Saint of the Day

September 12, 2007

Holy Name of Mary

This feast is a counterpart to the Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus (January 3); both have the possibility of uniting people easily divided on other matters.

The feast of the Most Holy Name of Mary began in Spain in 1513 and in 1671 was extended to all of Spain and the Kingdom of Naples. In 1683, John Sobieski, king of Poland, brought an army to the outskirts of Vienna to stop the advance of Muslim armies loyal to Mohammed IV in Constantinople. After Sobieski entrusted himself to the Blessed Virgin Mary, he and his soldiers thoroughly defeated the Muslims. Pope Innocent XI extended this feast to the entire Church.

Comment:

Mary always points us to God, reminding us of God's infinite goodness. She helps us to open our hearts to God's ways, wherever those may lead us. Honored under the title “Queen of Peace,” Mary encourages us to cooperate with Jesus in building a peace based on justice, a peace that respects the fundamental human rights (including religious rights) of all peoples.

Quote:

“Lord our God, when your Son was dying on the altar of the cross, he gave us as our mother the one he had chosen to be his own mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary; grant that we who call upon the holy name of Mary, our mother, with confidence in her protection may receive strength and comfort in all our needs” (Marian Sacramentary, Mass for the Holy Name of the Blessed Virgin Mary).