Below are a few Marian devotions that we can practice at any time.

The Rosary

The Rosary is the most popular Marian devotion. The main portion consists of five “decades” of ten Hail Marys with a Glory Be and Our Father between each.

The name comes from the Latin word rosarium meaning “garland” or “bouquet of roses.” Its popularity grew because of St. Dominic’s promotion of the practice in the 13th century to combat heresy and sin, but its origin is largely unknown.

This series of prayers is not simply repetition but focuses on key aspects of the faith through meditating on mysteries of Christ’s life, as seen in Scripture. There are five sets of mysteries: Joyful, Sorrowful, Glorious, and Luminous. Pope St. John Paul II proposed a new set of mysteries in 2002, resulting in the addition of the Luminous Mysteries.

This devotion is an opportunity to more deeply enter into events in the life of Christ and grow closer to the Lord and our Blessed Mother.

To learn about the Rosary and how to pray it, click here.

The Angelus

The Angelus is a set of three antiphons, referencing the Scripture passages of the Annunciation as the Angel Gabriel invited Mary to be the mother of Jesus. This is traditionally prayed each day at 6:00 am, 12:00 pm, and 6:00 pm, though many pray it once per day at noon.

Each antiphon is followed by a Hail Mary, and the Angelus concludes with a prayer asking for the grace of God to be poured into our hearts and to be brought to the glory of God when we pass from this life.

Most historians agree that the Angelus can be traced back to the 11th century where monks prayed three Hail Marys at specified times. The devotion of the Angelus is practiced today in Catholic churches throughout the world, with many praying it as a parish community before noon and evening Masses. At the Vatican, this is prayed by the pope at noon on Sundays before addressing Catholics around the world.

This short devotion is an opportunity to infuse a moment of recollection into our days and to root ourselves in the fiat of our Blessed Mother.

For the text of the Angelus prayer, click here.

Devotion to Our Lady, Undoer of Knots

The devotion to Our Lady, Undoer of Knots consists of a prayer asking for her intercession for a particular problem, conflict, or suffering. There is also a novena, or a series of nine days of prayers, that can be prayed for her intercession. It looks at a “knot” present in one’s life and asks her to untie it. These knots can be deeply rooted in our internal lives or present in our outward circumstances.

The devotion originated with a testimony of a troubled marriage being restored through the intercession of Mary. This remarkable moment was then depicted in a painting of the Blessed Mother untying a knot in the wedding ribbon.  

The devotion has continued as a prayer for assistance with life’s most difficult problems. Many report experiencing miraculous repairs in relationships, healings, and solutions to seemingly hopeless situations.

This devotion is an opportunity to bring Mary into the most difficult parts of our lives and take comfort in the love of our Blessed Mother.

For more information about Our Lady, Undoer of Knots and this prayer, click here.

For more information about the novena to Our Lady, Undoer of Knots, click here.

Marian Consecration

Marian Consecration, or Consecration to Jesus through Mary, is a devotion of dedicating oneself to the Blessed Mother and entrusting our souls to her. It is through asking for her guidance and entrusting ourselves to her that we can grow in a deeper relationship with the Lord.

This devotion was popularized by St. Louis de Montfort and consists of 33 days of preparation followed by consecration on the final day. It is a process of deepening not only our relationship with Mary but, most importantly, with Christ.

Mary is our guide, nurturer, comfort, and an important intercessor. In giving her our lives and the merits of our prayers, we allow her to present our very selves to Jesus, giving him a gift of devoted love and trust. Traditionally, consecrations are planned to conclude on a Marian feast day.

For more information about Marian Consecration and how to make one, click here.

Daily Magnificat

The Daily Magnificat devotion is the practice of praying the Magnificat twice per day. The Magnificat is a prayer that comes from Luke 1:46-55 and is the song of praise that Mary exclaimed following the Annunciation. This celebrates the mercy, power, and faithfulness of God and is an impactful way to share in Mary’s praise.  

In praying it, we offer our lives as a song of praise and surrender our own will to magnify the love of God. This prayer is also prayed by all priests, deacons, and religious, as well as many laypeople during Vespers/Evening Prayer as part of Liturgy of the Hours.

This devotion is an opportunity to sing praise to the Lord and meditate on our Blessed Mother’s emphatic yes to the Lord’s will.

For more information about the Magnificat and how to pray it, click here.

There are countless devotions to Mary that anyone can participate in. Perhaps this is an invitation to choose one of the above or another devotion to not only grow closer to Christ, but to also continue to grow closer to Mary no matter the time of year.