# The little crown of the Blessed Virgin by St. Louis de Montfort
*2015-05-17*

> Bill Young introduces and leads the recitation of the Little Crown of the Blessed Virgin, a 17th-century devotion taught by St. Louis de Montfort.

## Introduction to the Little Crown

Today is Monday, May 18th, the feast day of St. Pope John I. As promised, I want to share an older prayer established in the 17th century called the Little Crown of the Blessed Virgin, which was taught by St. Louis de Montfort. It is called a 'little crown' to distinguish it from the 'great crown,' which is the Rosary; indeed, St. Louis de Montfort was known as a missionary for the great crown.

St. Louis de Montfort recalls that this is an ancient prayer to Mary and points to its biblical foundation in Revelation 12:1-18. He recommends that it be recited daily. To understand the vision of the Little Crown, we divide the virtues of the Virgin Mary into three parts, reflecting the three reasons she was crowned: first, for her unique greatness among all creatures; second, for the ultimate power granted to her by our Lord; and third, for her maternal goodness which attracts us most to her.

## The Structure of the Prayer

The prayer is structured in three parts. Because God the Father is the giver of all goodness, it is natural to thank Him while reciting the first Our Father as we begin the Crown of Excellence. The second Our Father is addressed to the Son, who is the virtue of the Father, as an introduction to the Crown of Power. The third Our Father is recited in honor of the Holy Spirit, the substance of the Lord's love between the Father and the Son, before the prayers regarding the goodness of Mary.

## The Three Crowns

The first is the Crown of Excellence, which honors the divine maternity of the Blessed Virgin, her perpetual virginity, her purity without stain, and her immobile virtues. Through the Our Father, Hail Marys, and specific praises, we rejoice in the Virgin who bore the One whom the heavens cannot contain.

The second is the Crown of Power, honoring the royalty of the Blessed Virgin, her magnificence, her universal mediation, and the strength of her rule. We address her as the Empress of the world, the treasure house of the Lord's graces, and the mediatrix between God and humanity who destroys heresies and demons.

The third is the Crown of Goodness. In this section, we honor Mary as the refuge of sinners, the mother of orphans, and the joy of the just. We ask her to intercede for us and lead us to the kingdom of heaven, recognizing her as one who is ever ready to assist us in life and in death.

## Closing Prayer of Consecration

The devotion concludes with a deep act of surrender. We hail Mary as the daughter of the Father, the mother of the Son, and the spouse of the Holy Spirit—the temple of the Most Holy Trinity. By declaring 'I am yours and all that I have is yours,' we ask the Virgin to set her seal upon our hearts. We pray that through her and her faithful spouse, the Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ may be formed in us for the glory of the Father.

*The Little Crown of the Blessed Virgin allows the faithful to honor Mary's excellence, power, and goodness while centering their devotion on the Holy Trinity.*