Catholic Dictionary

Find accurate definitions of over 5,000 Catholic terms and phrases (including abbreviations). Based on Fr. John Hardon's Modern Catholic Dictionary, © Eternal Life. Used with permission.

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JOYS OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

Pious devotion to commemorate particular joys in the life of Blessed Mary. The numbers given are five or seven, and sometimes twelve, but most common in today's practice are the Annunciation, Visitation, nativity of jesus, Epiphany, Finding Jesus in the Temple, Resurrection, and Assumption. Franciscans celebrate the joys of the Blessed Virgin with a special feast and also propagate the devotion of the Rosary of Mary's Seven Joys. This devotion was very popular in old Catholic England, and today another feast on the Monday after Low Sunday celebrates the same joys in Portugal and Brazil.