Have you heard of the 30 Days Of Mary? I’m not talking about May, which is the month of Mary, I’m talking about August 15- September 15. This time begins with the Solemnity of the Assumption of Mary on August 15 and ends with the feast of Our Lady of Sorrows on September 15 with plenty of Marian feast days in between. This is also known as Frauendreissiger in Germany, or Our Lady’s Herb Day in parts of Europe. Let’s take a look at where this came from, what feast days are included, and how to celebrate this special season with your Catholic family.
So the 30 Days Of Mary is actually a little bit poorly named because in reality it’s 32 days, but I didn’t name it so y’all don’t come after me, ok? 😉 This season isn’t on the official liturgical calendar, but rather, remembered through seasons, culture, and traditions of Catholics throughout the medieval years. No other time of the year are there this many Marian feast days packed into the length of one month, so it makes sense to recognize this time. You can find tons of resources for celebrating Mary with Catholic kids here.
Monthly Marian Dedications
On top of all the Marian feast days happening, the month of August is also dedicated to the Immaculate Heart Of Mary, and the month of September is dedicated to Our Lady of Sorrows. These 2 dedications are also closely related and both have extremely similar symbolism. You’ll see both as symbolized with Mary’s heart on fire, usually with flowers. The Immaculate Heart has 1 sword piercing it, and the 7 Sorrow heart has 7 swords piercing it.
Herbs, Harvest, Grains, and Blessing
This is historically a time of collecting herbs and medicinal plants. It was believed that plants collected this time would have extra healing powers. It’s traditional to have blessings during this time of herbs, flowers, and even fruits. It’s also tied into being grateful for the fall harvest, and so this time frame is tied to images of Mary with wheat, grains, fruits, flowers, and herbs. She can even be known as “Our Lady of the Grains”. You can find a blessing for herbs and fruits here.
Post continues after this brief information about the Catholic Icing Monthly Membership
Monthly Liturgical Membership
Official Marian Feast Days During The 30 Days Of Mary:
- August 15– The Assumption of Mary
- August 22– The Queenship of Mary
- August 27– Our Lady of Joys (with the 7 joys of Mary– the counterpart to the 7 sorrows. This one is not officially recognized on the USCCB calendar)
- September 8– The Nativity of Mary (Mary’s birthday! This lines up to be 9 months after the feast of the Immaculate Conception on December 8. I love when the liturgical year braids together in these beautiful ways.)
- September 12– Most Holy Name of Mary
- September 15– Our Lady of Sorrows
In the Catholic Icing Membership for the month of August, 2023, this printable was included for displaying on your home altar. It has artwork to feature all the Marian feast days during this time with a large Our Lady of the Grains in the middle. It lists the feast days and monthly dedications.
Free 30 Days Of Mary Printable
I also included a 30 Days Of Mary countdown page in the membership so you and your family can follow along with these beautiful Marian feasts! (Again, I am aware that it’s actually 32 days lol). I’m actually going to include this one page for free here, so you can download this special page for free to use with your family now!
Traditions Related To The Assumption And 30 Days Of Mary
- Collecting of herbs, fruits, and flowers
- Blessing of the herbs
- Blessing of grapes and eating the first grapes of the harvest
- Medicinal herbs and plants are said to be more beneficial during this time
- Animals are believed to be more gentle during this time as well
- Find more customs and traditions from around the world here
Ways To Celebrate And Observe The 30 Days Of Mary
- Find ways to honor Mary, adding extra prayers, rosaries, or displays into your family life during this time
- Add extra fresh herbs and fruits into your cooking and baking. Collect and dry herbs, make teas, etc.
- Go to a local farm to pick apples or sunflowers to enjoy the harvest during these days and do a blessing of the fruits and herbs when you return home
- Check out my resources for celebrating Mary with kids and families
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