The Visitation

The Visitation of Our Lady

To Her Cousin Saint Elizabeth, Mother of Saint John the Baptist

Today’s feast honors the visit of the Blessed Virgin Mary to her cousin St. Elizabeth, who was six months pregnant with St. John the Baptist. The infant John leaps with joy in his mother’s womb at Our Lady’s greeting, and the Church considers this the moment of John’s sanctification. Elizabeth hails her cousin as the Mother of the Lord, and Our Lady responds with the glorious canticle called the Magnificat. The traditional date of July 2nd falls on the day after the Octave-Day of St. John the Baptist’s Nativity, which is the day the infant John would have been circumcised and named. Thus today fittingly celebrates the conclusion of Our Lady’s Visitation, which lasted about three months, as the Gospel attests. This feast was fixed to July 2nd and extended to the universal Church in the year of Our Lord 1389 by Pope Boniface IX, with the intention of asking for the Blessed Mother’s intercession to end the Great Schism. In the modern calendar, this feast is moved to May 31st, replacing the feast of the Queenship of Our Lady.

Traditional Roman Martyrology for July 2nd

THE Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary to Elizabeth.

At Rome, on the Aurelian road, the birthday [into heaven] of the holy martyrs Processus and Martinian, who were baptized by the blessed apostle Peter in the Mamertine prison. After being struck on the mouth, racked, scourged with thongs and whips tipped with pieces of metal; after being beaten with rods and exposed to the flames, they were beheaded in the days of Nero, and thus obtained the crown of martyrdom.

Also, at Rome, three holy soldiers, who were converted to Christ by the martyrdom of the blessed Apostle Paul, and with him merited to be made partakers of heavenly glory.

The same day, the holy martyrs Ariston, Crescentian, Eutychian, Urbanus, Vitalis, Justus, Felicissimus, Felix, Marcia, and Symphorosa, who were all crowned with martyrdom when the persecution of the emperor Diocletian was raging.

At Winchester, in England, St. Swithin, bishop, whose sanctity was illustrated by the gift of miracles.

At Bamberg, the holy bishop Otho, who preached the Gospel to the people of Pomerania, and converted them to the faith.

At Tours, the demise of St. Monegundes, a pious woman.

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

℟. Thanks be to God.