Prayer of St. Peter Damian
to the Blessed Virgin Mary
to the Blessed Virgin Mary
Holy Virgin,
Mother of God,
succour those who implore thy aid.
O turn towards us.
Hast thou, perhaps,
forgotten men,
because thou hast been raised to so close a union with God?
Ah no, most certainly.
Thou knowest well in what danger thou didst leave us,
and the wretched condition of thy servants;
ah no, it would not become so great a mercy as thine to forget such great misery as ours.
Turn towards us then with thy power;
for He who is powerful has made thee omnipotent in heaven and on earth.
Nothing is impossible to thee,
for thou canst raise even those who are in despair to the hope of salvation.
The more powerful thou art, the greater should be thy mercy.
Turn also to us in thy love.
I know, O my Lady,
that thou art all benign,
and that thou lovest us with a love that can be surpassed by no other love.
How often dost thou not appease the wrath of our Judge,
when He is on the point of chastising us!
All the treasures of the mercies of God are in thy hands.
Ah never cease to benefit us;
thou only seekest occasion to save all the wretched,
and to shower thy mercies upon them;
for thy glory is increased when,
by thy means,
penitents are forgiven,
and thus reach heaven.
Turn then towards us,
that we also may be able to go and see thee in heaven;
for the greatest glory we can have will be,
after seeing God,
to see thee,
to love thee,
and be under thy protection.
Be pleased then to grant our prayer;
for thy beloved Son desires to honor thee,
by denying thee nothing that thou askest.
Amen.
