The Feast of the Translation of the Holy House of Loreto

Happy Feast Day!

I love this feast as I have great devotion to the sacramental of blessed oil that comes from the shrine itself - the blessed olive oil that burns continuously in the lamps in the house where Jesus, Mary and Joseph lived. The most blessed home on this earth.

I was told by an elderly lady who had travelled Europe and visited many shrines that this Loreto oil is of a particular exorcism nature and that certainly comes as no surprise to me as so many devil-crushing events took place in this humble home. The chief exorcist of Rome, Fr Gabrielle Armorth has sent people who are close to being freed from the devil, to this shrine for the final liberation.

I believe it is the home originally owned by Sts Joachim and Anne and that the Immaculate Conception took place in his hallowed spot. The Annunciation - the Incarnation itself - God made Man - the long prayed for, sighed for, longed for event in the whole of mankind's history. The daily dwelling of God for the majority of His life on earth was in this home and of His Blessed Mother and the just St Joseph.

I remember reading once a quote from St Louis de Montfort that had said that the daily activities of Our Lady in this home were more meritorious than all the efforts of the saints combined- they took place in this home. It seems astounding, but Mary never refused God in ANY way, her glory was only a complete reflection of the Glory of God, and that is why we venerate her, she is God's solitary creation that never said in any way, "I will not serve" for we all do, even in our smallest daily falls and transgressions. No, her words to the Angel Gabriel was, "I am the handmaid of the Lord." and it was only this year I discovered the correct understanding of the word 'handmaid' in the time it was written - slave of the Lord! She was lovingly in unison with God's will at all times, like a faithful slave of love.

We didn't get to feast as I would have liked to as it was a busy day filled with chiropractic visits, plumbers visiting the home and other things but I did bless each member of the house with this oil and talked to the children about this miraculous house and it's importance. My 5 year old son who has been facinated with the story of Adam and Eve and Satan entering the garden, since we started our Jesse Tree readings, was very happy to find out that Satan's crushing under that heel had started in this home.

**I have to stop at this point and share a little of this darling son's interest in what he had heard in the second Jesse Tree reading. We were visiting a Catholic book shop in our city late last week and this little boy had found a holy card with St Michael the Archangel on it, he had picked it out for his younger brother who is named after this saint and he sidled up to the lady at the counter and pulled out the card and said to her, "Is this snake, Satan?" He was pointing to the snake at St Michael's feast.....their minds just keep ticking, don't they?**

Here is a simply beautiful website dedicated to the Holy House with all it's historical information and it should cover the scientific discovery of the matching of the stones of both Shrines and other miraculous evidence of the authenticity of the Holy House, amoungst many other things, well worth a visit, there are prayers and devotions on this site as well if you are looking for some for the feast.

Here is a book I bought earlier this year: The Holy House of Loreto that might interested someone wishing to read more on the home.