Sixteenth-Century Latin Prayers to the Virgin Mary

[Prayers in Latin].
[Italy, 16th century].
Illustrated manuscript on vellum. (BRMS 137)

Comprised primarily of Latin prayers to the Virgin Mary, this Italian manuscript ends with a transcription of an indulgence that was promulgated by Pope Leo X on February 18, 1516. This indulgence granted remission of sins to those who recited the Pater Noster (Lord’s Prayer) thirty-three times with a special garland of prayer beads known as the Corona domini (Crown of the Lord). In this ritual, developed by a Camaldolese hermit named Michael, the garland consists of thirty-three smaller beads that correspond to each Pater Noster, while the five larger beads symbolize the wounds in Christ’s hands, feet, and side. An illustration at the conclusion of the indulgence text depicts the form of the Corona domini.

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Devotional Books
Sixteenth-Century Latin Prayers to the Virgin Mary