The Little Crown of the Blessed Virgin Mary is an older devotion to Mary that honors the graces that God has given her.
Where did the name “Little Crown of the Blessed Virgin Mary” come from?
The devotion references her crown of twelve stars in Revelation 12:1:
“A great portent appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars.”
Mary received many more than just 12 graces, but it represents the fullness of grace that God gave her. It also calls to mind the 12 tribes of Israel and the 12 disciples.
How do you pray the Little Crown of the Blessed Virgin Mary?
The Little Crown has a simple formula: Our Father 1x, Hail Mary 4x, and traditionally Glory Be 1x. Then do that 2 more times.
The great Marian promoter St. Louis-Marie de Montfort advertised this devotion as a great external sign of our love for Mary. He even suggests praying it daily:
“They may recite every day of their life, without however making any burden of it, the Little Corona of the Blessed Virgin, composed of three Our Fathers and twelve Hail Marys, in honour of our Lady’s twelve privileges and grandeurs. This is a very ancient practice, for it has its foundation in the Holy Scriptures. St. John saw a woman crowned with twelve stars, clothed with the sun, and holding the moon under her feet; and this woman, according to the interpreters, was the most holy Virgin”
(True Devotion to Mary, #2341)
The Prayer
Here is his version of the Little Crown of the Blessed Virgin Mary:
Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Thy faithful and enkindle within them the fire of Thy love!
Send forth Thy Spirit and they shall be created.
And Thou shalt renew the face of the earth.
Let us pray.
O God, Who by the light of the Holy Spirit dost instruct the hearts of the faithful, grant us by this same Spirit to relish what is right and ever to rejoice in His consolation, through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
I. Crown of Excellence
(To honor the Divine Maternity of the Blessed Virgin, her ineffable Virginity, her purity without stain and her innumerable virtues.)
Our Father, who art in heaven…
- Hail Mary, full of grace…
Blessed art thou, O Virgin Mary, who didst bear the Lord, the Creator of the world;
thou didst give birth to Him Who made thee, and remainest a Virgin forever.
Rejoice, O Virgin Mary;
Rejoice a thousand times!
- Hail Mary, full of grace…
O holy and immaculate Virgin, I know not with what praise to extol thee,
since thou didst bear in thy womb the very One Whom the Heavens cannot contain.
Rejoice, O Virgin Mary;
Rejoice a thousand times!
- Hail Mary, full of grace…
Thou are all fair, O Virgin Mary,
and there is no stain in thee.
Rejoice, O Virgin Mary;
Rejoice a thousand times!
- Hail Mary, full of grace…
Thy virtues, O Virgin,
surpass the stars in number.
Rejoice, O Virgin Mary;
Rejoice a thousand times!
Glory be to the Father…
II. Crown of Power
(To honor the royalty of the Blessed Virgin, her magnificence, her universal mediation and the strength of her rule.)
Our Father, who art in heaven…
- Hail Mary, full of grace…
Glory be to thee, O Empress of the world!
Bring us with thee to the joys of Heaven.
Rejoice, O Virgin Mary;
Rejoice a thousand times!
- Hail Mary, full of grace…
Glory be to thee, O treasure house of the Lord’s graces!
Grant us a share in thy riches.
Rejoice, O Virgin Mary;
Rejoice a thousand times!
- Hail Mary, full of grace…
Glory be to thee, O Mediatrix between God and man!
Through thee may the Almighty be favorable to us.
Rejoice, O Virgin Mary;
Rejoice a thousand times!
- Hail Mary, full of grace…
Glory be to thee who destroyest heresies and crushest demons!
Be thou our loving guide.
Rejoice, O Virgin Mary;
Rejoice a thousand times!
Glory be to the Father…
III. Crown of Goodness
(To honor the mercy of the Blessed Virgin toward sinners, the poor, the just, and the dying.)
Our Father, who art in heaven…
- Hail Mary, full of grace…
Glory be to thee, O refuge of sinners!
Intercede for us with God.
Rejoice, O Virgin Mary;
Rejoice a thousand times!
- Hail Mary, full of grace…
Glory be to thee, O Mother of orphans!
Render the Almighty favorable to us.
Rejoice, O Virgin Mary;
Rejoice a thousand times!
- Hail Mary, full of grace…
Glory be to thee, O joy of the just!
Lead us with thee to the joys of Heaven.
Rejoice, O Virgin Mary;
Rejoice a thousand times!
- Hail Mary, full of grace…
Glory be to thee who are ever ready to assist us in life and death!
Lead us with thee to the kingdom of Heaven!
Rejoice, O Virgin Mary;
Rejoice a thousand times!
Glory be to the Father…
Let Us Pray.
Hail, Mary, Daughter of God the Father;
Hail, Mary, Mother of God the Son;
Hail, Mary, Spouse of the Holy Ghost;
Hail, Mary, Temple of the most Holy Trinity;
Hail, Mary, my Mistress, my treasure, my joy, Queen of my heart;
my Mother, my life, my sweetness, my dearest hope — yea, my heart and my soul!
I am all thine and all that I have is Thine, O Virgin blessed above all things!
Let thy soul be in me to magnify the Lord; let thy spirit be in me to rejoice in God.
Set thyself, O faithful Virgin, as a seal upon my heart,
that in thee and through thee I may be found faithful to God.
Receive me, O gracious Virgin, among those whom thou lovest and teachest,
whom thou leadest, nourishest and protectest as thy children.
Grant that for love of thee I may despise all earthly consolations and ever cling to those of Heaven until,
through thee, His faithful spouse, Jesus Christ thy Son be formed in me for the glory of the Father.
Amen.
