May devotions to the Blessed Virgin Mary

A May devotion is a word worship in the Catholic Church in honor of Mary. They are usually held in the evening in the month of May, which is therefore called the month of Mary. For the devotion is a Marie portrait or a statue of Mary, as they are present in a Catholic church, particularly festively decorated.

The Marian symbolism of the MAI resulting from the colorful blossoming of nature in these weeks. As the first and most beautiful flower of salvation, as "Spring of salvation", in Catholic spirituality is the Mother of God is true. Scripture readings, songs, prayers and sermon represent the saving power of God in the life of Mary in the center. If the prayer led by a priest or a deacon, a sacramental blessing may be given at the end.

The devotions were as piety form of Baroque on in Italy and spread during the 19th century. They evolved in parallel with the pilgrimages. On May 1, 1841 three nuns of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd celebrated in the Convention Haidhausen in Munich the first devotions on German soil.

At the recent liturgical reform was moved the feast of the Visitation of July 2 ( inappropriately after the Nativity of John the Baptist ) on May 31 and made this so hard at the end of the month of Mary. In regional calendar for the German language area was preserved because of the deep roots of ancient date, and many Kirchenpatrozinien July 2.

In Catholic families and neighborhoods home devotions are celebrated traditionally. For this purpose built one a little " Maialtar ", in which a statue of Mary or a picture of Mary is the focus, and gathered in the evening to pray the Rosary.