Every May 24, the Church celebrates the feast of Mary Help of Christians, one of the oldest Marian titles in Christian tradition. This devotion gained renewed strength thanks to St. John Bosco and the Salesians, who spread it across the globe.
Don Bosco used to say:
The Virgin wants us to honor her under the title of Help of Christians: the times we live in are so troubled that we need her help to preserve and defend the Christian faith.
Our Lady appeared to him in dreams on several occasions. In these dreams, the Blessed Virgin guided and encouraged him in his mission with the youth, always assuring him of her protection and assistance.
This devotion remains relevant today, reminding us that we are not alone in life’s darkest and most difficult moments. Mary Help of Christians stands beside us, especially when all seems lost. She is a sure help in both spiritual and physical needs and a luminous guide for those seeking to understand and follow God’s will.
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1. The History of the Devotion to Mary Help of Christians
From the earliest days of Christianity, the Blessed Virgin was invoked as “Mother of God” and “Help of Christians”. Church Fathers such as St. John Chrysostom in the 4th century and St. John Damascene in the 8th century referred to her as Boetheia, meaning “Helper” in Greek.
Throughout history, Mary Help of Christians has intervened miraculously during moments of danger and distress. In the 11th century, she aided Ukrainian Christians in defending themselves from barbarian invasions.
In 1571, when the Muslim fleet threatened to invade Europe, Pope Pius V invoked Mary’s help and urged the faithful to pray the Rosary. Miraculously, the Christian forces triumphed in the Battle of Lepanto. The Pope then declared October 7 the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary and added the invocation “Mary, Help of Christians” to the Litany of the Virgin.
Ten years later, Turkish troops surrounded Vienna. A small Christian army, led by the Polish king John Sobieski, defeated the invaders after entrusting themselves to Mary Help of Christians.
In the 19th century, Pope Pius VII was imprisoned by Napoleon Bonaparte. He promised the Blessed Virgin that, if he returned safely to Rome, he would dedicate the day of his arrival to her. Surprisingly, Napoleon began to lose battles and was exiled from France. The Pope returned to Rome on May 24, 1814, and immediately fulfilled his promise by declaring it the feast of Mary Help of Christians.
Other popes also had a special devotion to Mary under this title. St. John XXIII kept an image of her in his room and named her patroness of the Second Vatican Council.
St. John Paul II often visited the Salesian church in Krakow, where he prayed in the chapel of Mary Help of Christians. On November 3, 1946, he celebrated one of his first Masses as a priest there.
Pope Francis, during his time with the Salesians in Ramos Mejía, Argentina, learned to love the Blessed Virgin deeply. As Archbishop of Buenos Aires, he celebrated the main Mass for the feast of Mary Help of Christians every May 24 at the Basilica in Almagro.
- You may be interested in: A Tour of the Emblematic Churches of Buenos Aires
2. Mary Help of Christians in Don Bosco’s Dreams
Mary Help of Christians was Don Bosco’s favorite Marian title. On many occasions, the Blessed Virgin appeared to him in dreams. At just nine years old, Don Bosco dreamed of Our Lord and His Blessed Mother, who, mysteriously, revealed his vocation to him. She advised him:
Make yourself humble, strong and resilient.
When facing financial difficulties as a seminarian, he shared with a friend:
This night I had a dream, according to which I will continue my studies, become a priest and lead numerous children, dedicating myself to their education for my entire life.
In another dream, Mary Help of Christians entrusted him with a vast flock. When Don Bosco hesitated, unsure how he could care for so many, she reassured him:
Do not be afraid. I will be with you.
At age 21, he dreamed of the origins of the oratory. He saw priests helping him, but eventually leaving:
Then I turned to the Lady again, who said to me:
—Do you want to know to keep them from leaving? Take this ribbon and bind it around their foreheads.
I took a white ribbon from the Lady’s hand with all reverence and saw that this word was written on it: OBEDIENCE.
I immediately tried to do what She had indicated to me and began to tie the heads of my voluntary helpers with the ribbon, observing that a wonderful effect was immediately produced. An effect that increased while I continued devoted to the mission that had been assigned to me, as those priests and clerics discarded the thought of going elsewhere, staying with me to help me in my work.
Thus the Congregation was established.
In 1854, Don Bosco told a group of young men:
The Virgin wants us to found a Society. I have decided that we will call ourselves Salesians. Let us place ourselves under the protection of Saint Francis of Sales.
Initially, the congregation had only eighteen members. By the time of Don Bosco’s death in 1888, there were already 768 Salesians. Today, it is the second-largest male religious congregation in the Catholic Church, present in 134 countries across all five continents.
- You might be interested in: Salesians of Don Bosco
3. The Basilica of Mary Help of Christians Built by Don Bosco
The Blessed Virgin asked Don Bosco to build a basilica. When he was just twenty-one years old, he first dreamed of a magnificent church:
An orchestra and an instrumental band and a choral group invited me to sing the Mass. Inside that church, a white strip could be seen, on which was written in large letters: Hic domus mea, inde gloria mea.(This is my house; from it my glory shines forth)
Later, the Blessed Virgin clearly explained:
In this place, where the Holy Martyrs of Turin, Adventor and Octavius suffered martyrdom, on this land bathed and sanctified with their blood, I wish that God be honored in a most special way.
And saying this, she stepped forward, pointing to the place where these saints were martyred, indicating it with all precision.
In another dream, the Blessed Virgin told him:
Haec est domus mea: inde gloria mea (This is my house; from it my glory shines forth)
When construction began, Don Bosco had only a few coins, which he used to pay the builder. But the miracles granted by Mary Help of Christians were so numerous that the basilica was completed in just four years.
The Saint used to say:
Each brick of this temple corresponds to a miracle of the Blessed Virgin.
Would you like to see this temple? You can take a virtual tour of the Basilica by clicking here.
- For more information about this Church, visit the website of the Basilica of Mary Help of Christians.
- Location: Via Maria Ausiliatrice, 32, 10152 Torino TO, Italy.
4. Miracles Worked through the Intercession of Mary Help of Christians
Don Bosco witnessed extraordinary miracles attributed to Mary Help of Christians.
During a deadly epidemic, he told John Cagliero to place his trust in the Virgin, predicting that he would recover, even when there was no hope. And so it happened. The young man, who had become ill while caring for the sick, later became the first Salesian missionary to arrive in Patagonia, Argentina.
One of Don Bosco’s disciples told of an elderly woman who asked the saint for his blessing to ease her pain. Don Bosco urged her to trust in Mary Help of Christians. Despite her reluctance, he insisted that she kneel. Miraculously, she managed to do so. They prayed three Hail Marys together, and afterward, she stood up unaided, completely free of the chronic pain she had suffered for years. Smiling, Don Bosco handed her the crutches and said:
Go in peace, madam, and always love Mary Help of Christians very much!
The founder of the Salesians also obtained the healing of a little girl with irreversible blindness. After encouraging her to trust in the Blessed Virgin, he blessed the child. He took a medal of Mary Help of Christians from his pocket and showed it to the girl, asking her what he was holding. A few seconds later, the little girl shouted that she could see and began to describe the medal.
5. Don Bosco’s Prayer to Mary Help of Christians
Don Bosco composed this precious prayer to Mary Help of Christians, to be prayed, especially in times of crisis:
O Mary, most powerful Virgin,
great and illustrious defender of the Church;Wonderful help of Christians;
formidable as an army in battle array;you who have overcome every heresy in the world,
in our anguish, in our combats, in our difficulties,
defend us from the Enemy,
and at the hour of our death
receive our souls in Paradise! Amen.
You can also consecrate your home by praying this prayer to Mary Help of Christians:
Most Holy Virgin Mary, who has been constituted as Help of Christians and blesses and protects the homes where your Sacred Image is displayed and honored: we choose you today and forever as Lady and Mistress of this house, and we ask you to deign to demonstrate your powerful help in it, preserving it from diseases, fire, lightning, floods, earthquakes, thieves, discord, and the dangers of war.
Bless and protect the people who live here and grant them peace, great faith, true love for God and neighbor, patience in sorrows, hope in eternal life, ease in work, employment and study, and the grace to avoid bad examples, vice, sin, eternal condemnation and all other misfortunes and accidents. Amen. Alleluia.
O Mary conceived without sin: pray for us who have recourse to thee.
Mary Help of Christians, pray for us.
Don Bosco recommended praying the Holy Rosary daily. Inspired by the promises of the Blessed Virgin to the devotees of the Rosary, he taught the children and young people of the Oratory how to pray it. He used to repeat this phrase:
Whoever trusts in Mary will never be disappointed.
You can use the Catholic Mass Times app to find the nearest Catholic church with Mass, Confession, and Adoration schedules. It will surely help you! Download it now.
Don Bosco teaches us to trust blindly in Mary Help of Christians. She has the power to protect us in the most adverse circumstances, to deliver us from the snares of the enemy and to help us preserve our faith in times of deepest doubt.
Who Was Don Bosco and why Did He Promote Devotion to Mary Help of Christians?
Don Bosco was an Italian priest of the 19th century, founder of the Salesian Congregation. He promoted devotion to Mary Help of Christians because he considered her guide and protector of his educational and pastoral work, especially among the most needy young people.
What Does the Title of Mary Help of Christians Mean in the Catholic Church?
Mary Help of Christians is a Marian title that presents the Blessed Virgin as help of the Christian people in times of difficulty. It was especially spread by St. John Bosco and is associated with trust in Mary’s maternal intercession.
What Did Mary Help of Christians Tell Don Bosco in His Dreams?
Mary Help of Christians encouraged Don Bosco in his dreams, revealing to him his priestly vocation, his mission in the Oratory, and the desire to build a Basilica in her honor.
Where is the Basilica of Mary Help of Christians Built by Don Bosco Located?
The Basilica of Mary Help of Christians is located in Turin, Italy, in the Valdocco neighborhood. It was built on Don Bosco’s initiative in 1865 as the spiritual center of his work and a place of Marian pilgrimage.
