Chapel of Our Mother of Perpetual Help

In the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, Washington, D.C.

Little is known of the picture of Our Lady of Perpetual Help until the 13th century. At that time, it was located in the island of Crete where some of the most famous Greek icons were located. You will notice the Bzyantine style of art in the picture itself.

The artist wishes to depict the young Christ child having a vision of His impending Passion and Death. In the background are two Archangels. Archangel Michael is holding an instrument of the Passion-a reed with a sponge and a lance. Archangel Gabriel is holding the cross and the nails. With such an overwhelming vision for a young child, Jesus naturally runs to His Mother Mary. To indicate that, the author shows Jesus' sandal coming off. Mary is looking out at the world inviting them to consider who and what Her Son has done for the world's salvation. Mary is wearing a red tunic, the color worn by virgins at the time of Christ. The dark blue mantle is the color worn by mothers in Palestine. Mary is both Virgin and Mother.

The picture was taken from Crete and was in the house of a merchant. Its next place was in the home of a Roman family. There were apparitions of Mary who wanted the picture venerated in a Church between two major basilicas of Rome: St. Mary Major and St. John Lateran. The Church was St.Matthew's in Rome. 

From 1498 to 1798 the picture was venerated at the Church of St. Matthew's in Rome. During the time of Napoleon, many Churches in Rome were destroyed. St. Matthew was one of them. The picture was rescued by the Augustinians and placed in a nearby monastery. A young altar boy named Michael Marchi served Mass for the Augustinians. He knew the story of the picture and when he became a Redemptorist, started the process whereby the picture would be placed in the care of the Redemptorists.

In 1855, the Redemptorists bought some land for their central headquarters. It was on the former spot of St.Matthew's Church. The Church where the Redemptorists headquarters is located now is called St. Alphonsus. He founded the Redemptorist. The Redemptorists petitioned the Pope at the time, Blessed Pius IX, if they could restore the picture to the place where it was home for three centuries. The Pope readily agreed and in 1866 the picture was given to the care of the Redemptorists. The Pope gave one simple command: "Make her known". Miracles and healing's soon followed. Through the efforts of the Redemptorist and other lovers of Mary, the one picture of Mary that is known most throughout the world today is the picture of Our Lady of Perpetual Help.

The Byzantine-style painting features Mary as Our Lady of Sorrows. Jesus, the Christ Child, frightened by the symbols of his passion displayed by the Archangels Michael and Gabriel, seeks the solace of His mother's embrace.

The Redemptorist community donated this chapel and mosaic replica of the famous icon in 1962. Flanking the image are bas-relief figures of St. Clement Hofbauer (second founder of the Order), Venerable Francis Seelos (former American Redemptorist Provincial), St. Alphonsus Liguori (founder of the Redemptorists), St. Luke (Evangelist), St. Ephrem (doctor of the Church and devotee of Mary), St. Gerard Majella (Redemptorist brother), St. John Neumann (Redemptorist, fourth bishop of Philadelphia), and St. Bernard (doctor of the Church and Marian devotee).

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