Maria Lactans, Pray for Us!

Our Lady of the Milk: she's making a comeback.

¹Images of Our Lady nursing the Christ Child date back to around 250 A.D., and were prevalent until about 200 years ago. The Vatican newspaper, L’Osservatore Romano, recently called for a rebirth of imagery of Mary nursing the baby Jesus². An American priest has built a chapel dedicated to Maria Lactans³, called the Madonna Chapel, in Illinois. Catholic Exchange's "Theology of the Body"⁴ blog even promoted Maria Lactans as a remedy for men struggling with impurity.

I'm excited about his resurgence of devotion to Our Lady of the Milk. Breastfeeding mothers and many couples struggling with infertility know of her, but it's so beautiful to see her sphere expanding beyond that of mothers and would-be parents. She's an icon for all of us, giving of herself to Christ through her vocation. That's certainly something we can aspire to in our prayer and our dealings with others.

Images of Maria Lactans are diverse and beautifully intimate. Check out some of the depictions in this gallery⁵.