09/24/2025
Today many Catholics throughout the world honor Mary with a lesser-known attribution - Our Lady of Mercy or Our Lady of Ransom. The origin of this title traces is rooted in the continual conflicts between Christian and Muslim kingdoms in the Mediterranean world from the 7th century onward. Frequent raids, particularly in coastal regions, resulted in many Christians being held as captives who could be ransomed for large sums. Spain was particularly hard hit throughout this period.
At the beginning of the 13th century a prominent holy man living in the Kingdom of Aragon, St. Peter Nolasco, felt the call to found a religious order dedicated entirely to rescuing Christian prisoners. He spoke about it to the king and his confessor, St. Raymond of Penafort. Tradition holds that one night in 1218, the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to each of these men separately, confirming her special protection over their efforts and that such an order would be in accord with God's will.
By 1235 Pope Gregory IX had formally established the Order of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mercy, commonly known as the Mercedarians. In the spirit of their founder they are marked by a special fourth vow, the willingness to lay down their lives for captives, in addition to poverty, chastity and obedience. The Mercedarians accomplished incredible acts of charity under the special protection of Mary under this title.
Our Lady of Ransom, pray for us!
