Visitation of Mary

The Visitation of Mary commemorates Mary’s visit to her pregnant cousin Elizabeth following the Annunciation. At Mary’s arrival, Elizabeth feels John the Baptist leap in greeting within her womb.

Sing and rejoice, O daughters of Zion : the Lord is coming and has now come.

(from Common Prayer: A Liturgy for Ordinary Radicals)

    • Meditate on or memorize the Magnificat
    • Plan a visit to bring God’s presence into someone’s life, as Mary brings God’s presence into the lives of others
    • Prepare and deliver a meal to a family expecting a baby

    The pomegranate is both a symbol of pregnancy and an ancient image of the Church. It is crowned to represent the divine nature of Jesus in Mary’s womb. The inner border of thistledown, a traditional symbol of the visitation, recalls the lightness and grace of Mary’s footsteps on the journey. The lambs and shells that form the outer ring represent Jesus and John the Baptist, respectively, as this is their first meeting.