Page 5 - Yggdrasil 2021

"Mater Admirdbilis!"
With those words Pope Pius IX immortalized the hidden fresco by Sister Pauline Perdreau. October 1846 -175 years ago
In 1844, a generation after the Society of the Sacred Heart was founded, Pauline Perdreau, a young novice, took it upon herself to produce a fresco of the Virgin Mary in one of the corridors of the convent where the sisters of the Sacred Heart lived at that time, Trinita dei Monti in Rome. She called it Madonna of the Lily. It features a lily - a symbol of the Virgin Mary's purity, a distaff and spindle - representing work and diligence,
a work-basket and Book of Holy Scriptures - her love of labor and the Word of God, a veil and crown of 12 Stars - symbolic of the Revelations
12:1 image o f Mary in the New' Testament.
Although Pauline put herself wholeheartedly into her task, her inexperience with the techniqi j of fresco did not produce the beautiful soft painting for which she had hoped and it was hidden behind a drape.
Two years later, on October 20, 1846, Pope Pius IX visited the convent and on the tour, he drew back the curtain revealing the fresco. The colors had softened and transformed the painting. He exclaimed, “Mater Admirabilis!" - and this became the title the painting bears to this day.
Word spread quickly of the beautiful fresco of Mater Admirabilis. A devotion took root, and under this title. Our Lady began to grant favors and work miracles. The first miracle took place only one month later when Father Blampain, a missionary of the Congregation of the Holy Heart of Mary, was given the power o f speech that he had completely lost. Indulgences were granted to the pilgrims who went in ever increasing numbers to pray there, and Pope Pius IX gave permission to offer the Holy Mass before the miraculous picture. So evolved the celebration of the Feast of Mater Admirabilis on October 20th to commemorate the Pope's visit.
Mater captures our imagination and holds our hearts because, as we contemplate Mary in this pose, we know her full story - her joys and her sorrows. Looking at Mater, we can see the fruit of God's grace. The quality of Mater's listening to God gave her an intimate knowledge of God. With this knowledge came the ability to see herselfin God's image. Mary allows the experience of being God's beloved to inform her own self-understanding. We hear her exclaim, "Yes...1am the handmaiden ofthe Lord. Iam one who hears the spirit ofGod, who listens to God. I have found peace because I acknowledge my need to respond to this deep attraction to Mystery, to the spirit of God dwelling within. I can act in God's name because I am fully confident that God will honor the promise made to me."
Depictions of Mary, the Mother of God, based on the original Mater Admirabilis are prominently featured in all Sacred Heart schools and have captured the hearts o f students, alumnae, alumni, educators, friends, and Religious o f the Sacred Heart. To walk into a Sacred Heart school anywhere in the world and see Mater is to be welcomed home.