Marian and Liturgical Glossary
Theological, liturgical, and devotional terms that appear on this
site. Brief, clear definitions, with magisterial references where
appropriate.
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Advent. A four-week liturgical season that
prepares for Christmas. It begins with First Vespers of the fourth Sunday before
December 25 and ends on Christmas Eve. Liturgical color: violet.
Proper Marian antiphon: Alma Redemptoris Mater.
Marian title (advocation). The title under which the
faithful invoke the Virgin Mary, generally tied to an event
(apparition, miracle, discovery of an image) or a spiritual attribute. It adds
nothing to dogma: Mary is the same; what changes is the place and the historical
circumstance.
Alleluia. From the Hebrew halelu-Yah («praise
Yahweh»). The Paschal acclamation par excellence. Suppressed during Lent;
it returns solemnly at the Easter Vigil.
Annunciation. First Joyful Mystery of the Rosary.
The announcement of the angel Gabriel to Mary (Lk 1:26-38). Liturgical solemnity on
March 25, nine months before Christmas.
Antiphon. A short verse or phrase sung before and
after a psalm or canticle. The four major Marian antiphons
close Compline in the Liturgy of the Hours.
Marian apparitions. Particular manifestations
of the Blessed Virgin to specific persons. They belong to
private revelation (CCC 67); they do not bind the faith.
Ark of the Covenant. The Old Testament chest that
contained the tablets of the Law, the manna, and the staff of Aaron. Mary is
called the «Ark of the New Covenant» because she carried in her womb the
incarnate Word. A title in the Litany of Loreto.
Assumption. Dogma defined by Pius XII in
Munificentissimus Deus (November 1, 1950): «The Immaculate Mother
of God, the ever Virgin Mary, having completed the course of her earthly life,
was assumed body and soul into heavenly glory.» Solemnity on August
15.
Aurora (Dawn). Tradition of the Rosary of the
Dawn: a sung procession at daybreak in Castilian and
Andalusian villages during the month of May and the month of October.
Hail Mary. The fundamental Marian prayer. The first part is
biblical (Lk 1:28 + Lk 1:42); the second part is ecclesial, added from the
14th century and fixed in the Catechism of St. Pius V (1568).
Ave Maris Stella. A hymn of Marian Vespers,
attributed to the monk Paul the Deacon (8th c.). «Hail, Star of the
Sea.»
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Beatitudes. The eight beatitudes (Mt 5:3-12).
Mary’s spiritual motherhood is announced in Lk 11:28: «Blessed
are those who hear the word of God and keep it.»
Beatitudo. In theology, eternal happiness; the beatific
vision of God.
Blessed. Eulogeméne in Greek. Elizabeth’s
greeting to Mary: «Blessed are you among women» (Lk 1:42).
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Cana. The wedding in Galilee where Jesus works his first
sign at Mary’s request (Jn 2:1-12). Second Luminous Mystery. The last
recorded words of Mary in the Gospel: «Do whatever he tells
you.»
Canticle. A biblical poetic composition meant to be
sung. The three Gospel canticles (of Zechariah, of Mary, of
Simeon) are prayed daily in the Liturgy of the Hours:
Benedictus, Magnificat, Nunc dimittis.
Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC). The doctrinal
compendium promulgated by St. John Paul II in 1992. Part IV is devoted to
Christian prayer. Mariology in nn. 484-511 and 963-975.
Co-Redemptrix. A non-dogmatic title applied to Mary
on account of her singular association with Christ’s redeeming work. The Church uses it
with caution; any mediation of Mary is subordinate to and
dependent on the unique mediation of Christ (1 Tim 2:5).
Compassio Mariae. «The compassion of Mary,» her
association with the Passion of Christ. The prophecy of Simeon: «A sword
will pierce your soul» (Lk 2:35).
Virginal conception. The mystery by which Mary
conceived Jesus by the work of the Holy Spirit, without the involvement of a man (Mt
1:18-25; Lk 1:26-38). Distinct from the Immaculate Conception.
Marian consecration. The act of giving oneself totally
to Mary as an instrument of the will of God. The classic formula: that of
St. Louis Marie Grignion de Montfort (True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin
Mary, 1712).
Contemplation. The third form of prayer according to the CCC
(nn. 2709-2719). «A simple and loving gaze upon God.» St. Teresa:
«Mental prayer is nothing else than an intimate sharing between friends.»
Rosary beads. A string of beads for counting the
prayers: 59 beads in total (a crucifix + medal + five decades
separated by a large bead).
Lent. A liturgical season of forty days that
prepares for Easter. It begins on Ash Wednesday. Liturgical color:
violet. Proper Marian antiphon: Ave Regina Caelorum.
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Decade. A set of ten Hail Marys with an
Our Father and a Glory Be within the Rosary. The traditional Rosary
has five decades; the «full Rosary» has twenty (the four
crowns).
Dogma. A truth of faith solemnly defined by the
Church as revealed by God. The four Marian dogmas:
Divine Motherhood (Ephesus, 431), Perpetual
Virginity, Immaculate Conception (Pius IX,
1854), Assumption (Pius XII, 1950).
Our Lady of Sorrows (Dolorosa). Marian iconography centered on the Seven
Sorrows. Obligatory memorial on September 15. Stabat
Mater.
Sunday. The Lord’s Day. The first day of the week. The day
of the Resurrection. It is the supreme weekly feast; no Marian
celebration displaces it unless it is a solemnity.
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Incarnation. The mystery by which the eternal Word
became man in the womb of Mary (Jn 1:14). The summit of the Marian
fiat.
Encyclical. A solemn letter of the Pope addressed to the whole
Church. The most important Marian encyclicals: Octobri Mense
(Leo XIII, 1891), Munificentissimus Deus (Pius XII, 1950),
Redemptoris Mater (John Paul II, 1987).
Holy Spirit. The third Person of the Most Holy
Trinity. «The Holy Spirit will come upon you» (Lk 1:35) —
the Annunciation. «Filled with the Holy Spirit» (Acts 2:4) —
Pentecost.
Betrothal. A promise of marriage. Mary was
«betrothed» to Joseph before they lived together (Mt 1:18).
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Fatima. Apparitions to Lucia, Francisco, and Jacinta at
Cova da Iria (Portugal), May 13 – October 13, 1917. Approval of the bishop of
Leiria, October 13, 1930. Optional memorial on May 13.
Feast. The second grade of liturgical
celebrations, after the solemnity. It has the Gloria but not the Creed (except
feasts of the Lord).
Fiat. «Let it be done.» «Let it be done to me according to your
word» (Lk 1:38) — Mary’s response to Gabriel. A model of
obedience and of faith.
Filial. Proper to a child. Filial devotion to Mary: that
proper to one who recognizes her as spiritual Mother.
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Glory Be. The Trinitarian doxology that closes
each decade of the Rosary and each psalm of the Office.
Goigs. A medieval Marian strophic form proper to
Catalonia, Valencia, Aragon, and the Balearic Islands. Each parish or shrine has
its own, dedicated to the local title.
Joyful Mysteries. The first set of mysteries of the Rosary:
Annunciation, Visitation, Nativity, Presentation, Finding of the Child in the
Temple. Days: Monday and Saturday.
Gregorian chant. The official liturgical chant of the Latin
Church: monodic, modal, unaccompanied. Codified by St. Gregory
the Great (6th-7th c.).
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Hierophany. A manifestation of the sacred. Marian
apparitions are Christian hierophanies: signs of the maternal
nearness of God.
Hyperdulia. The special veneration due to Mary,
superior to dulia (which is due to the saints) and inferior to latria
(the adoration due to God alone). CCC 971.
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Iconography. The set of images and symbols that
represent a sacred figure. Marian iconography includes
Theotokos, Immaculata, Annunciation, Pietà, Assumption, Coronation,
Our Lady of Sorrows, Maestà.
Immaculate Conception. Dogma defined by Pius IX in
Ineffabilis Deus (December 8, 1854): Mary was preserved from
all stain of original sin from the first instant of her
conception. Principal patroness of Spain. Solemnity on December
8.
Immaculate Heart of Mary. Obligatory memorial on the
Saturday following the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Pius XII consecrated the world
to the Immaculate Heart on October 31, 1942.
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Aspiration (ejaculatory prayer). A very brief and fervent prayer
repeated throughout the day. «My Mother, in you I
trust.» The Fatima Prayer is prayed at the end
of each decade: «O my Jesus, forgive us our
sins…».
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Latria. The worship of adoration due to God alone
(Father, Son, and Holy Spirit). Distinct from dulia (saints) and
hyperdulia (Mary).
Litany of Loreto. The Litany of the Blessed Virgin
Mary, so called from the Italian shrine of Loreto where it was
spread. Approved by Sixtus V (bull Reddituri, July 11,
1587). Most recent expansion: three invocations by Francis in 2020 (Mother
of mercy, Mother of hope, Solace of
migrants).
Lectio divina. «Divine reading.» A monastic method of
prayer with four steps: lectio (reading), meditatio
(meditation), oratio (prayer), contemplatio
(contemplation). Mary is the model: «Mary kept all these
things, pondering them in her heart» (Lk 2:19).
Litany. From the Greek litaneía («supplication»).
A responsorial prayer: the celebrant says an invocation, the assembly
responds. Traditionally, in the universal Church: of the Most Holy
Name of Jesus, of the Sacred Heart, of the Most Precious Blood,
of Loreto, and of St. Joseph.
Liturgy. The public and official worship of the Church. Marian
piety, according to Marialis Cultus 31, must be inspired by the
liturgy and lead to it.
Liturgy of the Hours. The official public prayer of the
Church distributed throughout the day: Office of Readings, Lauds, Daytime
Prayer, Vespers, Compline. Each Vespers includes the
Magnificat. Each Compline ends with a Marian
antiphon.
Loreto. The Italian shrine of the Holy House of
Nazareth, according to tradition translated in the 13th century. It gives its name to the
Litany of Loreto. Optional memorial on December 10.
Lourdes. Apparitions to St. Bernadette Soubirous,
February 11 – July 16, 1858. Approval of the bishop of Tarbes, January 18, 1862.
Optional memorial on February 11. World Day of the Sick.
Luminous Mysteries. The fourth set of mysteries of the Rosary,
proposed by St. John Paul II in Rosarium Virginis Mariae
(October 16, 2002): Baptism, Cana, Proclamation of the Kingdom, Transfiguration,
Eucharist. Day: Thursday.
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Mother of God. In Greek Theotókos. A dogmatic
title defined by the Council of Ephesus (431) against Nestorius.
Solemnity on January 1.
Mother of the Church. A title proclaimed by St. Paul
VI at the close of the third session of Vatican II (November 21, 1964).
Obligatory memorial instituted by Francis on February 11, 2018, the
Monday after Pentecost.
Magnificat. The canticle of Mary at the Visitation (Lk
1:46-55). It is prayed every evening at Vespers in the Liturgy of the Hours.
«My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord.»
Mariology. The theological treatise on the Virgin Mary.
It is set within Christology and ecclesiology. All Mariology
is Christology.
Marianist. Belonging or referring to the Society
of Mary, a congregation founded by William Joseph Chaminade in 1817.
Marians. The Congregation of the Immaculate Conception
of the Blessed Virgin Mary (MIC), founded by Father Stanislaus
Papczyński in 1670 in Poland.
Marialis Cultus. The apostolic exhortation of St. Paul
VI (February 2, 1974) on Marian devotion. The reference document for
all authentic Marian piety.
Mediation. Mediatrix. A traditional title of Mary.
Always subordinate to the unique mediation of Christ (1 Tim 2:5).
Lumen Gentium 60-62.
Medjugorje. A locality in Bosnia and Herzegovina where
six people claim to receive daily apparitions of the Virgin since
1981. The Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith (September 19, 2024)
granted the nulla osta regarding the spiritual experience of the
shrine, without pronouncing on the supernatural character of the
apparitions.
Memorial. The third grade of liturgical
celebrations. Obligatory memorial: it must be celebrated.
Optional memorial: it is left to the priest’s discretion.
Meditation. The second form of prayer according to the CCC
(nn. 2705-2708). A search with the mind to understand the will of
God and to respond to him.
Mystery. A truth of faith that surpasses reason but does not
contradict it. The mysteries of the Rosary are episodes
of the life of Christ (and of Mary) that are contemplated while praying the
decades.
Monody. Chant in a single voice. Gregorian chant
is monodic.
Munificentissimus Deus. The apostolic constitution of
Pius XII (November 1, 1950) that defined the dogma of the Assumption.
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Nican Mopohua. An account in Nahuatl (c. 1556) attributed
to Antonio Valeriano on the apparitions of Guadalupe (Tepeyac, Mexico,
1531).
Novena. A devotion of nine consecutive days of
prayer. The most widespread novena in Spain: to the Immaculate Conception (November
29 – December 7).
Nulla obstat. «Nothing stands in the way.» An
ecclesiastical declaration that a text or a devotion contains no doctrinal errors.
The new DDF Norms of 2024 introduce the Nihil obstat as
the customary conclusion for supernatural phenomena with spiritual
fruits.
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October. The Month of the Rosary. Consecrated by Leo XIII
in Supremi apostolatus officio (September 1, 1883). On October
7 the obligatory memorial of Our Lady of the Rosary is celebrated.
Divine Office. A synonym for the Liturgy of the
Hours.
To pray (orar). To raise the soul to God (St. John Damascene,
CCC 2559). Broader than «to recite»: it includes vocal prayer, meditation, and
contemplation.
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Our Father. The prayer that Christ taught the
disciples (Mt 6:9-13; Lk 11:2-4). It is prayed at the beginning of each decade of the
Rosary.
Passover/Easter. Passage. The Jewish Passover commemorates the
liberation from Egypt. The Christian Easter, the Resurrection of Christ, is
the greatest feast of the liturgical year. Easter season: fifty days until
Pentecost.
Patronage. The official ecclesiastical patronage of a
saint or title over a locality, profession, or institution. Our Lady
of the Pillar, patroness of the Hispanic world and of the Civil Guard.
Patronage (patronazgo). A synonym for patronage.
Pentecost. Fifty days after the
Resurrection. The supreme solemnity of the Easter season. Mary in the Upper Room
with the Apostles receiving the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:14; 2:1-4).
Popular piety. The set of devotions of the Christian
people. Subordinate to the liturgy (Marialis Cultus 31). The
Directory on Popular Piety and the Liturgy (CDWDS, 2002)
regulates it.
Polyphony. Music in several voices. The Spanish polyphonic
golden age: Morales, Guerrero, Victoria (16th c.).
Prophecy. A message inspired by God. The
Marian prophecies of the OT (Gen 3:15; Is 7:14; Micah 5) announce the Mother of
the Messiah.
Protoevangelium. «First Gospel.» Gen 3:15: the
first biblical announcement of the Redeemer and of his Mother.
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Redemptoris Mater. The encyclical of St. John Paul II
(March 25, 1987) on the Blessed Virgin Mary in the life of the
pilgrim Church.
Queen of Heaven. A Marian title. Obligatory memorial
of Mary, Queen, on August 22, the octave of the Assumption.
Public revelation. The deposit of faith handed on
by Christ to the Apostles, sealed with the death of the last apostle.
Closed, complete.
Private revelation. Later particular
manifestations (apparitions, visions, locutions). They do not belong to
the deposit of faith. No Catholic is obliged to believe in a private
revelation (CCC 67).
To recite (rezar). To pronounce a prayer with a fixed text
(Our Father, Hail Mary, Creed, Psalms, Rosary). From the Latin
recitare. Distinct from «to pray.»
Rosary. «Crown of roses.» A Christ-centered Marian
form of prayer that meditates on the mysteries of the life of Christ through
the heart of Mary. Four sets: Joyful, Luminous, Sorrowful,
Glorious. Five decades per set = 20 mysteries.
Rosarium Virginis Mariae. The apostolic letter of St.
John Paul II (October 16, 2002). It proposes the Luminous Mysteries and
proclaims the Year of the Rosary (Oct 2002 – Oct 2003).
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Saturday. A day traditionally dedicated to the Virgin
Mary. Origin: Holy Saturday, the day of the silence of the tomb on which
only Mary’s faith sustained the nascent Church. St. Pius V (1568)
consolidated the votive Mass of Holy Mary on Saturday.
Saeta. An a cappella «bare» chant raised
as the images pass in the Holy Week processions. Origin:
Franciscan verses of the 16th-17th centuries.
Psalm. A poetic composition of the Old Testament
(the Book of Psalms). The 150 psalms are the prayer par excellence of the
people of God. The «Psalter of Mary» replaced the 150 psalms with 150
Hail Marys among medieval laypeople.
Psalter. The set of 150 psalms. The remote origin
of the Rosary.
Salve marinera (Sailor’s Hail Holy Queen). A Marian hymn of the Spanish Navy.
Music by Cristóbal Oudrid (1870, zarzuela El molinero de
Subiza). Lyrics by Mariano Méndez Vigo.
Salve Regina (Hail Holy Queen). The Marian antiphon of Ordinary Time.
Attributed to Hermann Contractus (11th c.) or to Pedro de Mezonzo (10th c.). It is
prayed at the end of the Holy Rosary.
Shrine. A sacred place, generally linked to
an apparition, a miraculous image, or a relic. The great
universal Marian shrines: Guadalupe, Lourdes, Fatima, Loreto,
Czestochowa. In Spain: Pilar, Almudena, Covadonga, Montserrat,
Rocío.
Shekinah. The glorious presence of God in the OT (the cloud
over the tabernacle, Ex 40:35). Applied to Mary at the Annunciation:
«The power of the Most High will overshadow you» (Lk
1:35).
Solemnity. The highest grade of liturgical
celebrations. It begins with First Vespers the previous evening. It has the Gloria,
the Creed, and, in some cases, an octave. Marian solemnities: Mother of God (Jan
1), Annunciation (Mar 25), Assumption (Aug 15), Immaculate Conception (Dec
8).
Stabat Mater. A sequence attributed to Jacopone da Todi
(13th c.). Mary at the foot of the Cross. The most celebrated setting: Pergolesi
(1736).
Sub tuum praesidium. The oldest surviving Marian
prayer. A Greek papyrus of the 3rd c. (Rylands 470).
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Tepeyac. The hill in Mexico where the Virgin appeared
to St. Juan Diego in 1531. The Shrine of Guadalupe.
Theotokos. «She who gives birth to God,» «Mother of God.» A
dogmatic title proclaimed at the Council of Ephesus (431).
Totus tuus. «Wholly yours.» The episcopal motto of St. John
Paul II, inspired by the Marian consecration of St. Louis Marie Grignion
de Montfort.
Tradition. Together with Sacred Scripture, a source of
Christian Revelation (DV 9-10). What has been received and handed on by the
Church from the Apostles.
Triduum. Three consecutive days of prayer. The Paschal
Triduum: the summit of the liturgical year (Holy Thursday – Holy Saturday).
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Word (Verbum). Logos. The eternal Son of the Father, made flesh in
Mary: «And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us» (Jn
1:14).
Vespers. The evening Hour in the Liturgy of the
Hours. It always includes the Magnificat.
Visitation. The second Joyful Mystery. Mary’s visit
to Elizabeth (Lk 1:39-56). Feast on May 31.
Vocal (prayer). The first form of prayer according to the
CCC (nn. 2700-2704). The pronouncing of words with the lips, in union
with the heart.
แหล่งที่มา
- Catechism of the Catholic Church (1992, 1997)
- Second Vatican Council, Lumen Gentium,
Sacrosanctum Concilium, Dei Verbum - Paul VI, Marialis Cultus (1974)
- St. John Paul II, Redemptoris Mater
(1987), Rosarium Virginis Mariae (2002) - Pius IX, Ineffabilis Deus (1854)
- Pius XII, Munificentissimus Deus
(1950) - Directory on Popular Piety and the Liturgy
(CDWDS, 2002) - Roman Missal, 3rd typical Spanish ed. (CEE,
2016) - Liturgy of the Hours, Spanish edition (CEE)
- Royal Spanish Academy, Dictionary of the
Spanish Language