KatyA

Nov 24 2007, 09:47 PM

Christmas Anticipation Prayer

Beginning on St. Andrew the Apostle's feast day, November 30, the following beautiful prayer is traditionally recited fifteen times a day until Christmas. This is a very meditative prayer that helps us increase our awareness of the real focus of Christmas and helps us prepare ourselves spiritually for His coming.

Hail and blessed be the hour and moment In which the Son of God was born Of the most pure Virgin Mary, at midnight, in Bethlehem, in the piercing cold. In that hour vouchsafe, I beseech Thee, O my God, to hear my prayer and grant my desires, [here mention your request] through the merits of Our Saviour Jesus Christ, and of His blessed Mother. Amen.

KatyA

Quote:

 

Back in the ’30s, Kathleen reminisces to me about the beginning of advent, November 28th. From this time onwards until little Christmas (January 6th), no dance hall would be permitted to open and hold a dance. It was on this day that the tradition of saying 4000 Hail Mary’s would begin.
“You’d count out how many Hail Mary’s you said as you were going along on a jotter and then on Christmas Eve, when you reached 4000, you’d tear out the leaves of the jotter and stick it in your stocking, which was hung up for Santa, so that he could see how much work you did and hopefully he’d give you a present in return for the prayers,” she says, making the action of pen movements on her wrinkled hands. She learned this tradition from her grandmother and would join her each night, once advent began, saying her 200 Hail Mary’s until the target of 4000 was reached.

KatyA

Nov 26 2007, 09:46 PM

It's fifteen times every day. I don't think it matters if they are said all at once or throughout the day
I was told about this devotion years ago, at school, along with the 4000 Hail Mary's to be said during Advent. I used to try to do both by saying 15 decades of the Rosary with a "Hail and Blessed" after each decade. That still left some extra Hail Mary's to do. It's really hard and I only ever managed to do it once.

KatyA

Nov 26 2007, 09:46 PM

It's fifteen times every day. I don't think it matters if they are said all at once or throughout the day
I was told about this devotion years ago, at school, along with the 4000 Hail Mary's to be said during Advent. I used to try to do both by saying 15 decades of the Rosary with a "Hail and Blessed" after each decade. That still left some extra Hail Mary's to do. It's really hard and I only ever managed to do it once.
I still haven't managed to discover the origin of the 4000 Hail Mary's.
KatyA

maklavan

Nov 27 2007, 03:14 PM

Cui bono?

Clare

Nov 27 2007, 11:21 AM

Only fifteen decades? I say you should do all twenty! EVERY DAY!

Gerard

Nov 27 2007, 10:01 AM

I found an article refering to the 4000 hail Mary's tradition in Ireland (where else?)


http://www.westernpeople.ie/news/story/?trs=cwcwidmhkf

Gerry