Feast of the Madonna della Visitazione

Madonna della Visitazione, ora pro nobis

July 2nd is the Feast of the Madonna della Visitazione, or the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, patroness of Enna, Sicily. Commemorating the pregnancies of the Blessed Mother and Saint Elizabeth, the feast also celebrates the cleansing of the unborn Saint John the Baptist from original sin.

Following the Annunciation, Mary went to Judea to visit her elderly cousin Elizabeth and her husband Zachariah. Childless and too old to conceive, Elizabeth was miraculously pregnant with John, the holy prophet and herald of our Lord Jesus Christ. When Elizabeth greeted Mary, the unborn John leaped for joy in his mother’s womb.

In celebration, I’m posting a prayer for the Feast of Our Lady of the Visitation. The accompanying photo of The Visitation by Belisario Corenzio, courtesy of Andrew Giordano, was taken in the Duomo di Salerno. Evviva Madonna della Visitazione!

Prayer for the Feast of Our Lady of the Visitation

Bestow upon Thy servants, we beseech Thee, O Lord, the gift of Thy heavenly grace: that as the childbearing of the Blessed Virgin was the beginning of our salvation, so the solemn feast of her Visitation may bring us an increase of peace. Through our Lord.