- Refugium Peccatorum
Refugium Peccatorum meaning "Refuge of Sinners" is a
Roman Catholic term which is one part of four Marian advocations in theLitany of Loreto , the others being "Salus Informorum" (illness) "Consolatrix Afflictorum" (sadness) and, "Auxilium Christianorum" (help of the Christians). Each advocation extolling Mary’s role as advocate for spiritual and corporeal mercy has a rich history, but in general, the notion of asking the Blessed Virgin Mary for help in temporal needs dates back to SaintsJustin Martyr ,Irenaeus andAmbrose of Milan .In the Roman Catholic tradition, Eve is viewed as being responsible for the sufferings of humans since their fall from Heaven and the Virgin Mary is viewed as the source of all healing. She is the new Eve, who cannot eliminate the damage created by Eve, but limit it. Her fullness of grace, her position among the disciples of Christ and her title as
Mother of God are seen as assurances that the Virgin Mary is a powerful intercessor. [Lauretanische Litanai, in Marienlexikon. Eos St.Ottilien, 1988, 39]The term "Refugium peccatorum" is also used in various works of
Roman Catholic Marian art . For instance, it is a marble statue representing Virgin Mary on the grand staircase of the old municipal palace inVenice, Italy .The name came from the fact that the convicts were allowed to stop in front of the Virgin Mary’s statute to pray for their soul on the way to the scaffold. [Statute in Venice [http://sbmp.provincia.venezia.it/mir/english/musei/chioggia/chio16.htm] ]References
* University of Dayton [http://campus.udayton.edu/mary/prayers/refugiumpeccatorum.html]
Notes
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