September 24 + Our Lady of Ransom

The Feast of Our Lady of Ransom began in the 13th century. At that time, vigorous slave trading existed in the Ottoman Empire, including Islamic Spain. Spanish Catholics would be captured and imprisoned, often subject to torture as a means to renounce their faith. In 1203, Peter Nolasco (a future Saint) began to work to ransom these men through rescue or payment. He also appealed to heaven for help as he labored for fifteen years with the daunting tasks of his endeavor.

The Blessed Virgin Mary, later referred to as Our Lady of Ransom, appeared to Peter Nolasco, his confessor Raymond of Penafort (also a future Saint), and King James I of Aragon all on the night of August 1, 1218. She urged for the creation of a religious order to carry out this task of perfect charity – helping the captives. The Order of Mercy (Mercedarians) was subsequently established by the King on August 10th. Their chief tasks included gathering alms for ransom, guarding the coasts against captors, and even giving themselves up in exchange for the release of others or dying for a Catholic in danger of losing his faith.

The Mercedarian Order kept up their holy and pious work for years. The Order was formalized by Pope Gregory IX. Soon, the Feast Day spread to celebrations in Spain and France. Pope Innocent XII included the Feast for the entire Church in the liturgical calendar in the 17th century. It is estimated that during this time, nearly 500,000 were saved by ransom.

We can beseech Our Lady of Ransom to aid the suffering of those still in captivity, as well as interceding for the end of slavery in the world in all forms – including the slavery of sin.