marian feasts     september

Mother of Consolation, Augustinian Order

It is said that St. Augustine's mother, St. Monica, recently widowed and concerned for her wayward son, begged the Blessed Virgin for help. Mary appeared and, taking off her black belt, gave it to Monica with the promise of consolation and protection to anyone who wore it. The Augustinian Order adopted such a belt as part of its habit. In 1436, in Bologna, a lay Confraternity of Our Lady of Consolation was started, whose members also wear the black belt. This devotion is now headquartered at the Church of St. Augustine in Rome. In its Chapel of St. Monica hangs Giovanni Gottardi's 1765 painting (right) of the Madonna della Cintura (Our Lady of the Belt), shown giving the cord to both Augustine and Monica. At first, the Augustinian Order celebrated the feast of the Madonna of Consolation on the Sunday after the feast of St. Augustine (August 28). In 1914, the Holy See moved it to the Saturday after the feast of St. Augustine. Now Augustinians around the world honor the Mother of Consolation on September 4. 

The chaplet of Our Lady of Consolation is a special devotion of the Augustinians: 12 Our Fathers and Hail Marys, said while meditating on the articles of the Apostles' Creed: I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, / and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, / who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, / suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried; / He descended into hell; on the third day He rose again from the dead; / He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; / from there He will come to judge the living and the dead. / I believe in the Holy Spirit, / the Holy Catholic Church, the communion of Saints, / the forgiveness of sins, / the resurrection of the body, / and life everlasting. A 13th Our Father and Hail Mary are usually added in commemoration of Jesus' humanity symbolized by the holy belt. The chaplet concludes with the Salve Regina: Hail, holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, Our life, our sweetness and our hope. To thee do we cry, Poor banished children of Eve; To thee do we send up our sighs, Mourning and weeping in this valley of tears. Turn then, most gracious advocate, Thine eyes of mercy toward us; And after this our exile, Show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus. O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary. Sometimes this prayer follows: Lord Jesus Christ, Father of Mercies, and God of every consolation grant, we pray, that your faithful who rejoice in the protection of the holy Virgin Mary Mother of Consolation may, by her motherly intercession, be freed from all evils in this life and be worthy of coming to the eternal joy of heaven, where you live and reign forever and ever. Amen.