Every year on December 18, the Church celebrates Our Lady of the Sweet Expectation, also known as Our Lady of the Expectation, Our Lady of the “O,” and Our Lady of Hope. This is one of the oldest Marian titles in the Catholic tradition.
Mary is portrayed as pregnant, awaiting the birth of Jesus. The celebration takes place at the end of Advent, that special season leading up to Christmas when Christians prepare with joyful anticipation for the coming of the Savior.
This devotion presents Mary as a mother of hope, offering support and comfort to those going through difficult times. Many people pray to Our Lady of the Expectation seeking strength, consolation, and especially her intercession in matters related to motherhood. She is considered the patroness of pregnant women and is invoked both by those hoping to conceive and by expectant mothers seeking protection during pregnancy and childbirth.
If you long to become a mother, or if you are already expecting, entrust yourself to Our Lady of the Expectation. Pray these five prayers and ask for her protection during this precious stage of your life.
Origin and History of Our Lady of the Expectation
The belief in Mary as the protector of pregnant women is very ancient. As early as the fifth century, she was venerated as an intercessor for those seeking help in conceiving and giving birth.
This devotion was formally established in the year 656 during the Tenth Council of Toledo, when the bishops of Spain officially instituted the Feast of the Expectation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. It is celebrated on December 18, exactly one week before Christmas, as part of the Church’s spiritual preparation for the birth of Christ. The Cathedral of Toledo became an important center of devotion to this title, and the feast of Our Lady of the Sweet Expectation was observed with great fervor.
The choice of this date was intentional. It highlights Mary’s role during Advent, that season of waiting and hope. Celebrating her pregnancy just before Christmas invites the faithful to contemplate the joy of the life that is about to be born.
Why Is She Called Our Lady of the “O”?
The title Our Lady of the “O” carries two significant meanings:
- Liturgical: In the days leading up to Christmas, the Church prays the “O Antiphons,” solemn invocations that begin with the exclamation “O” and express the deep longing for the coming of the Messiah. The feast of Our Lady of the Sweet Expectation is celebrated right in the midst of these prayers, and Mary is seen as the fullest expression of that longing and hope.
- Physical: The name also refers to the rounded shape of a pregnant woman’s womb, resembling the letter “O”—a symbol of the life growing within her.
Together, these two meanings—spiritual and physical—highlight Mary as the one who carries Jesus, the hope of humanity.
How Is Our Lady of the Expectation Depicted?
In religious art, Our Lady of the Expectation is typically shown standing, with her pregnant belly visibly emphasized. In some images, a small circle or halo is drawn over her womb to signify the presence of the Child Jesus. These representations are inspired by key moments in the Gospel—such as the Annunciation and the Visitation—and express Mary’s joy as she carries the Savior within her.
Churches Dedicated to Our Lady of the Sweet Expectation
Devotion to Our Lady of the Expectation is especially strong in countries such as Argentina, Bolivia, Mexico, and Chile. In Buenos Aires, there is a chapel dedicated to her in the neighborhood of Villa Devoto. In Bolivia, one of the most notable centers is the Basilica of Mary Help of Christians in La Paz. In Chile, there is a shrine in Puente Alto.
A meaningful devotional practice associated with this title is the special Mass celebrated on the 25th of every month, during which expectant mothers receive a blessing. The date recalls March 25, the Feast of the Annunciation, when the Blessed Virgin conceived Jesus. In this way, the monthly celebration accompanies the spiritual journey of pregnancy.
Prayers to Our Lady of the Expectation
Prayer to Our Lady of the Expectation for the Gift of Motherhood
Beautiful Virgin of the Sweet Expectation, most beloved Mother of the Child Jesus and my own Mother, hear my humble prayer. Your motherly heart knows all my desires and all my needs. To you alone, Immaculate Virgin, has your Divine Son given full understanding of the sentiments that fill my soul.
Yours was the sacred privilege of being the Mother of the Savior. Intercede with Him now, dearest Mother, so that, according to His holy will, I may be granted the grace of becoming the mother of children sent by Our Lord.
This I ask of you, O Virgin of the Sweet Expectation, in the name of your Divine Son, my Lord and Redeemer. Amen.
Prayer of Expectant Mothers to Our Lady of the Expectation
Mary, Mother of Fair Love, gentle maiden of Nazareth, you who proclaimed the greatness of the Lord and, by saying yes, became the Mother of our Savior and our Mother: graciously hear the supplications I place before you today.
Within me a new life is growing, a little one who will bring joy and gladness, concerns and hopes, fears and happiness into my home. Guard and protect this child as I carry him (her) beneath my heart.
And when the blessed moment of birth arrives, when I hear the first sounds of this little one and behold those tiny hands, may I give thanks to the Creator for the wonder of this gift He bestows upon me.
May this child follow your example and your guidance, and may I be able to accompany and watch your Son grow. Help me and inspire me, that I may be for this child both a place of refuge and a point of departure toward the paths he (she) is called to walk.
Look also, dearest Mother, with special tenderness upon those women who face this moment alone, without support or affection. May they feel the Father’s love and come to know that every child who enters the world is a blessing. May they understand that their heroic decision to welcome life and nurture their child is treasured by the Lord, the Giver of Life.
Our Lady of the Expectation, grant us your love and courage in this valley of tears, where you console us and lead us by the hand toward the eternal glory of your beloved Son, Jesus Christ. Amen.
Prayer for a Safe and Blessed Childbirth to Our Lady of the Expectation
Holy Mother of God and Virgin of the Divine Birth, we come before your feet to praise you. You are the beloved Daughter of God the Father; you are the Mother of God the Son made Man; you are the Temple of God the Holy Spirit. You are the Virgin chosen from all eternity to cooperate in the work of our Salvation. Ask your Son Jesus to grant us a strong faith, a firm hope, and a generous charity.
Virgin Mother, we entrust to your protection all mothers who implore you for the health of their children and for a safe delivery, that the life they carry within their wombs may be shielded from every danger. Grant that they may return before you with their little ones to give thanks to God, who works wonders in all who place their trust in Him.
Virgin of the Birth, guard and defend with love all children, that—reborn in the waters of Baptism and incorporated into the Church—they may grow in peace, full of life, become brave witnesses of your Son Jesus, and persevere, with the grace of the Holy Spirit, on the path of holiness. Amen.
Amen.
Hail Mary.
Prayer to Our Lady of Advent
Pray for us, Mother of the Church.
Our Lady of Advent,
our hope, dawn of Jesus,
gate of heaven.
Mother of all people, star of the sea,
lead us to Christ, grant us His promises.
You are, Virgin Mother, full of grace,
the Lord’s handmaid, the Queen of the world.
Lift our eyes toward your beauty. Amen!
Nine Affectionate Praises to the Virgin of the Sweet Expectation
O Most Holy Virgin Mary! May your most pure womb be blessed a thousand times over, wherein for nine months the Son of God made His dwelling, having become man to bring salvation to my soul. Hail Mary.
O Most Holy Virgin Mary! May your virginal breasts be blessed a thousand times over, whose milk nourished the Son of God, having become man to bring salvation to my soul. Hail Mary.
O Most Holy Virgin Mary! May your maternal bosom be blessed a thousand times over, in which the Son of God, having become man to bring salvation to my soul, sweetly rested and slept. Hail Mary.
O Most Holy Virgin Mary! May your most holy arms be blessed a thousand times over, which carried, embraced, and tenderly held the Son of God, having become man to bring salvation to my soul. Hail Mary.
O Most Holy Virgin Mary! May your most beautiful hands be blessed a thousand times over, which caressed and lovingly served the Son of God, having become man to bring salvation to my soul. Hail Mary.
O Most Holy Virgin Mary! May your virginal eyes be blessed a thousand times over, which delighted so greatly in beholding the face of the Son of God, having become man to bring salvation to my soul. Hail Mary.
O Most Holy Virgin Mary! May your most chaste ears be blessed a thousand times over, which so often heard from the lips of the Son of God—having become man to bring salvation to my soul—the sweet name of “Mother.” Hail Mary.
O Most Holy Virgin Mary! May your spotless lips be blessed a thousand times over, which with indescribable joy placed tender kisses upon the Son of God, having become man to bring salvation to my soul. Hail Mary.
O Most Holy Virgin Mary! May your angelic tongue be blessed a thousand times over, which ceaselessly praised and called “beloved Son” the Son of God, having become man to bring salvation to my soul. Hail Mary.
Motherhood is a magnificent gift from God. It asks much of a woman—her body, her heart, and countless silent sacrifices. For this reason, entrust your pregnancy to Our Lady of the Sweet Expectation. Ask for her protection and ponder her virtues. Beg her to prepare your heart so that, as a mother, you may always remain docile to God’s will, grow in holiness, and one day behold her in Heaven.
Let us also commend to Our Lady of the Sweet Expectation the protection of human life in every stage, the end of abortion throughout the world, and the grace that all children may grow in fullness and preserve the purity and innocence of their hearts.
Would you like to live Advent more prayerfully? Here are some articles that may help you do so:
What are the 4 Sundays of the Advent calendar?:Everything you need to know about the Advent season, along with practical tips to enter it more deeply.
Advent Wreath: Prayers for the 4 Sundays: Welcome the coming of Christ with family prayer around the Advent wreath.
6 Curious Facts about the Immaculate Conception: Learn more about this great feast in honor of our Blessed Mother, celebrated on December 8.
What do people ask of Our Lady of the Sweet Expectation?<br />
The faithful primarily seek her intercession for motherhood and the gift of new life. Intentions often concern conception, pregnancy, and childbirth, asking for protection over both mother and child, peace during the months of waiting, and strength to live this time with faith. People also ask her help when longing for a child, when a family awaits a new member, and for the defense and care of every human life from its very beginning.
When is Our Lady of the Sweet Expectation celebrated?<br />
Her feast is celebrated on December 18, traditionally dedicated to Our Lady’s Expectation of Childbirth. In many places she is also remembered on the 25th of each month, as a way of spiritually accompanying Mary in her time of waiting.
What prayer can I say if I wish to conceive a child?<br />
A simple and trusting prayer may be offered to Our Lady of the Sweet Expectation:
“Our Lady of the Expectation, I place before you my desire to become a mother. Intercede with your Son so that, according to His will, we may receive the gift of a child. Surround us with your tenderness and your protection. Amen.”
What prayer can I say during pregnancy?<br />
This prayer is often used to entrust both mother and child to her care:
“Our Lady of the Expectation, I place this pregnancy in your hands. Watch over the child within my womb; protect him and keep my heart at peace. Be near me each day with your maternal intercession throughout this time of waiting”.
Amen.”
What prayer can I say for a safe delivery?</p> <p>
Many turn to her with a brief but confident prayer:
Our Lady of the Expectation, be with me in the hour of childbirth. May your presence grant me strength and peace, and may the Lord bless the birth of my child with health and protection. Be my refuge in this moment. Amen.”
