The Holy House of Loreto

The Translation of the Holy House of Loreto

Site of the Annunciation and Home of the Holy Family

In the year of Our Lord 1291, the Crusader fortress at Acre fell to the Mamluks, marking the end of the great Catholic Kingdom of Jerusalem, and the loss of the Holy Land to the Saracens until the modern age. As a consolation for the tragic defeat, however, God provided a miracle. At Nazareth there stood a tiny, humble chapel, once a house. In this house, Our Lord Jesus Christ was conceived by the Holy Ghost in the virgin womb of our Blessed Mother Mary at the Annunciation; and in this house, the Holy Family lived and the Child Jesus grew to manhood, and the Apostles celebrated the first Holy Eucharist after the Ascension. In 1291, angels descended upon the Holy Land, took up the Holy House of Nazareth to protect it from the Muslims, and carried it to modern day Croatia. A few years later it was miraculously translated again, across the Adriatic to Loreto, Italy, where to this day it rests protected by a marble screen within the Basilica of the Holy House. Because of the shrine’s great importance, the Litany of Our Lady is often called the “Litany of Loreto”, and in 1920 Our Lady of Loreto was declared patroness of aviators.

Traditional Roman Martyrology for December 10th

AT Rome, pope St. Melchiades, who, having suffered much in the persecution of Maximian, rested in the Lord when peace was given to the Church.

The same day, Saints Carpophorus, priest, and Abundius, deacon, who became martyrs in the persecution of Diocletian. They were first most cruelly beaten with rods, then imprisoned and denied food and drink; being racked a second time and again thrown into prison, they were finally beheaded.

At Merida, in Spain, in the time of Maximian, the martyrdom of the holy virgin Eulalia, who, at twelve years of age, suffered many torments for the confession of Christ, by order of the governor Dacian. Finally she was stretched on the rack, torn with iron hooks, had her sides burned with flaming torches, and fire being forced down her throat, she expired.

Again, in the same city, St. Julia, virgin and martyr, the companion of blessed Eulalia, who would not be separated from her when the latter went to suffer.

At Alexandria, the holy martyrs Mennas, Hermogenes and Eugraphus, who suffered under Galerius Maximian.

At Lentini, in Sicily, the holy martyrs Mercury and his companions, soldiers, who were beheaded under the governor Tertyllus, in the time of the emperor Licinius.

At Ancyra, in Galatia, St. Gemellus, martyr, who, after severe torments, consummated his martyrdom by being crucified, under Julian the Apostate.

At Vienne, St. Sindulphus, bishop and confessor.

At Brescia, St. Deusdedit, bishop.

At Loretto, in the March of Ancona, the Translation of the holy house of Mary, Mother of God, in which the Word was made flesh.

℣. And elsewhere many other holy martyrs, confessors, and holy virgins.

℟. Thanks be to God.