15 Short Prayers to the Virgin Mary Seeking Help and Protection
1
We Fly to Thy Patronage (Sub Tuum Praesidium)
We fly to thy patronage, O holy Mother of God; despise not our petitions in our necessities, but deliver us always from all dangers, O glorious and blessed Virgin. Amen.
Sub tuum praesidium confugimus, Sancta Dei Genetrix. Nostras deprecationes ne despicias in necessitatibus, sed a periculis cunctis libera nos semper, Virgo gloriosa et benedicta. Amen.
The Sub Tuum Praesidium is the oldest known prayer to the Blessed Virgin Mary dating back to the 3rd century. The earliest version of this prayer is in Greek on an Egyptian papyrus dated about AD 250. The Latin translation dates from the 11th century and was likely made from the Greek.
A version adding verses attributed to Saint Bernard of Clairvaux ( 1090-1153):
We fly to thy protection, O Holy Mother of God; Do not despise our petitions in our necessities, but deliver us always from all dangers, O Glorious and Blessed Virgin.
Our Lady, our Mediatrix, Our Advocate
Reconcile us to your Son,
Recommend us to your Son,
Represent us to your Son.
Sub tuum praesidium confugimus, Sancta Dei Genitrix. Nostras deprecationes ne despicias in necessitatibus nostris, sed a periculis cunctis libera nos semper, Virgo gloriosa et benedicta
Domina nostra, Mediatrix nostra, Advocata nostra
Tuo Filio nos reconcilia,
Tuo Filio nos commenda,
Tuo Filio nos representa.
Earliest known manuscript of Sub Tuum Praesidium, in Greek, 3rd Century
Sub Tuum Praesidium Papyrus Greek and English Translation
2
Thou Art My Mother (Tu Es Mea Mater)
Thou art my mother, O Virgin Mary: keep me safe lest I ever offend thy dear Son, and obtain for me the grace to please Him always and in all things.
Tu es mea mater, Virgo Maria, defende me ne in aeternum laedam dilectissimum Filium tuum, et fac ut semper et per omnia illi placeam.
3
Holy Mary (Sancta Maria)
Holy Mary, Virgin Mother of God, intercede for me.
Sancta Maria, Dei Genitrix Virgo, intercede pro me.
4
Vouchsafe That I May Praise Thee (Dignare Me Laudare Te)
Vouchsafe that I may praise thee, O sacred Virgin; Give me strength against thine enemies.
Dignare me laudare te, Virgo sacrata; Da mihi virtutem contra hostes tuos.
5
My Mother (Mater Mea)
My Mother, my hope.
Mater mea, fiducia mea.
Madonna of the Strawberries, Upper Rhenish Master, c. 1420-1430
6
O Mary Mother of Grace (Maria Mater Gratiae)
O Mary, Mother of grace and Mother of mercy, do thou protect us from our enemy, and receive us at the hour of our death.
Maria, Mater gratiae, Mater misericordiae, Tu nos ab hoste protégé et mortis hora suscipe.
7
Draw Us After Thee (Trahe Me Post Te)
Draw us after thee, holy Mother.
Trahe me post te, sancta Mater.
8
May We Be Assisted (Adiuvet Nos)
May we be assisted, we beseech Thee, O Lord, by the worshipful intercession of Thy glorious Mother, the ever-Virgin Mary; that we, who have been enriched by her perpetual blessings, may be delivered from all dangers, and through her loving kindness made to be of one heart and mind: Who livest and reignest for ever and ever. Amen.
Adiuvet nos, quaesumus Domine, gloriosae tuae Genetricis semperque Virginis Mariae intercessio veneranda; ut quos perpetuis cumulavit beneficiis, a cunctis periculis absolutos, sua faciat pietate concordes: Qui vivis et regnas in saecula saeculorum. Amen.
9
Grant Unto Us, Thy Servants (Da Nobis Famulis Tuis)
Grant unto us, Thy servants, O Lord Jesus Christ, to be protected at all times and in all places by the patronage of Blessed Mary, Thy Virgin Mother. Amen.
Da nobis famulis tuis, Domine Iesu Christe, beatae Mariae Virginis Matris tuae semper et ubique patrocinio protegi. Amen.
10
Most High Queen of the Universe, or Queen of the World Most Worthy (Regina Mundi Dignissima)
Most high Queen of the universe, Mary ever Virgin, make intercession for our peace and salvation, thou who didst bear Christ the Lord, the Saviour of all mankind.
Regina mundi dignissima, Maria perpetua, intercede pro nostra pace et salute, quae genuisti Christum Dominum Salvatorem omnium.
Madonna and Child, Borgognone, c. 1500-1523
11
Pray for us, O holy Mother of God (Ora pro nobis, sancta Dei Genitrix)
Pray for us, O holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Ora pro nobis, sancta Dei Genitrix, ut digni efficiamur promissionibus Christi.
O Mary (O Maria)
O Mary, may thy children persevere in loving thee!
O Maria, in amore Tui perseverant filii!
13
Holy Mary, be Thou a Help to the Helpless (Sancta Maria, Succurre Miseris)
Holy Mary, be thou a help to the helpless, strength to the fearful, comfort to the sorrowful, pray for the people, plead for the clergy, intercede for all holy women consecrated to God; may all who keep thy sacred commemoration feel the might of thine assistance. Amen.
Sancta Maria, succurre miseris, iuva pusillanimes, refove flebiles, ora pro populo, interveni pro clero, intercede pro devoto femineo sexu: sentiant omnes tuum iuvamen, quicumque celebrant tuam sanctam commemorationem. Amen.
14
O Mary (O Maria)
O Mary, make me to live in God, with God, and for God.
O Maria, fac ut vivam in Deo, cum Deo et pro Deo.
15
By Thine Immaculate Conception (Per Tuam Immaculatam Conceptionem)
By thine Immaculate Conception, O Mary, make my body pure and my soul holy.
Per tuam Immaculatam Conceptionem, O Maria, redde purum corpus meum et sanctam animam meam.
-Saint Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787)
The Immaculate Conception, Giovanni Battista Tiepolo, 1767-1768
Immaculate Queen of Peace, pray for us.
