Difference between revisions of "Sacred Heart" - New World Encyclopedia

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[[Image:Heart2.jpg|thumb|right|Typical illustration of the Sacred Heart of [[Jesus Christ]].]]
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[[Image:Heart2.jpg|thumb|right|Typical illustration of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Christ]]
 
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The '''Sacred Heart''' is a religious [[Catholic devotions|devotion]] to [[Jesus]]' physical heart as the representation of the divine love for humanity
 
  
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This devotion is predominantly used in the [[Roman Catholic Church]] and also used in the [[Anglican Church]]. It also stresses the central [[Christian]] concept of loving and adoring Jesus. The origin of this devotion in its modern form is derived from a French Catholic [[nun]] [[Marguerite Marie Alacoque]], who said she learned the devotion from Jesus in [[Vision (religion)|visions]]. Predecessors to the modern devotion existed to some extent in the [[Middle Ages]] in various [[Christian mysticism|mystical]] sects.<ref name="mystics">{{cite web | last = | first = | authorlink = | coauthors = | year =  | url = http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07163a.htm | title = Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus II. Historical Ideas on the Development of the Devotion, para (3-4) | format = | work = Catholic Encyclopedia | publisher = New Advent | accessdaymonth = [[11 July]] | accessyear = 2006}}
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The '''Sacred Heart''' is a devotional representation of [[Jesus]]' physical [[heart]] as the essence of divine [[love]] for humanity. In [[Christian art]], the Sacred Heart is often depicted as a flaming heart shining with divine light, pierced by the lance-wound, surrounded by a [[crown of thorns]], and bleeding. Sometimes Jesus' hands point at the heart, which stresses the central [[Christian]] concept of loving and adoring Jesus. The wounds on his hands and crown of thorns allude to the manner of Jesus' death by [[crucifixion]], while the fire represents love.
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</ref>
 
  
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Devotion to the Sacred Heart may sometimes be seen in the [[Eastern Catholic Churches]], where it remains a point of controversy and is seen as an example of [[liturgical latinisation]].
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Predecessors to the modern devotion to the Sacred Heart existed to some extent in the [[Middle Ages]] in various [[mysticism|mystical]] sects.<ref name="mystics">{{cite web | last = | first = | authorlink = | coauthors = | year =  | url = http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07163a.htm | title = Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus II. Historical Ideas on the Development of the Devotion, para (3-4) | format = | work = Catholic Encyclopedia | publisher = New Advent | accessdaymonth = 11 July | accessyear = 2006}}</ref> Its modern form is derived from a French Catholic [[nun]] Marguerite Marie Alacoque, who said she learned the devotion from Jesus in visions.  
  
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The Sacred Heart is often depicted in [[Christian art]] as a flaming heart shining with divine light, pierced by the lance-wound, surrounded by a [[crown of thorns]], and bleeding. Sometimes the image is over Jesus' body with his wounded hands pointing at the heart. The wounds and crown of thorns allude to the manner of [[Passion (Christianity)|Jesus' death]], while the fire represents love.  
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Devotion towards the Sacred Heart is predominantly found in the [[Roman Catholic]] and [[Anglicanism|Anglican]] churches. Additionally, the Sacred Heart may sometimes be seen in the [[Eastern Catholic Churches]], where, however, it remains a point of controversy as an example of liturgical latinisation.<ref>Devotion to the Sacred Heart may be found in some Eastern Catholic Churches, but is a contentious issue. Those who favour purity of rite are opposed to the devotion, while those who are in favour of the devotion cite it as a point of commonality with their [[Latin Catholic brethren.</ref> The Feast of the Sacred Heart is a holy day in the Roman Catholic liturgical calendar, and is celebrated 19 days after [[Pentecost]].<ref>Since Pentecost is always celebrated on Sunday, the Feast of the Sacred Heart always falls on a Friday.</ref>
  
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The [[Feast of the Sacred Heart]] is a holy day in the Roman Catholic liturgical calendar, and is celebrated 19 days after [[Pentecost]]. As Pentecost is always celebrated on Sunday, the Feast of the Sacred Heart always falls on a Friday. In [[2007]], it was celebrated on [[June 15]].  
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''Sacred Heart'' is still a widely used name for many Roman Catholic institutions, including schools, colleges, and hospitals in many countries around the world. It is also the name of many Roman Catholic parishes, [[religious order]]s, and stores selling Roman Catholic goods.
  
 
==History of Devotion==
 
==History of Devotion==
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[[Image:Jesus Christ - Sacred Heart.jpg|thumb|right|Another depiction of Jesus and His Most Sacred Heart]]
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[[Image:Jesus Christ - Sacred Heart.jpg|thumb|right|Another depiction of Jesus and His Most Sacred Heart]
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=== Early devotion ===
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During the first ten centuries of Christianity, there is nothing to indicate that any worship was rendered to the wounded Heart of Jesus.<ref name="histdec">{{cite web | last = | first = | authorlink = | coauthors = | year =  | url = http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07163a.htm | title = Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus II. Historical Ideas on the Development of the Devotion, para (1) | format = | work = Catholic Encyclopedia | publisher = New Advent | accessdaymonth = 11 July | accessyear = 2006}}
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From the time of [[John the Evangelist]] and [[Paul of Tarsus]] there has always been in the Church something like devotion to the love of God, but there is nothing to indicate that, during the first ten centuries of Christianity, any worship was rendered to the wounded Heart of Jesus.<ref name="histdec">{{cite web | last = | first = | authorlink = | coauthors = | year =  | url = http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07163a.htm | title = Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus II. Historical Ideas on the Development of the Devotion, para (1) | format = | work = Catholic Encyclopedia | publisher = New Advent | accessdaymonth = [[11 July]] | accessyear = 2006}}
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</ref> The first indications of devotion to the Sacred Heart are found in the eleventh and twelfth centuries. It was in the fervent atmosphere of the [[Benedictine]] and[[Cistercians|Cistercian]] [[monastery|monasteries]], in the world of [[Anselm of Canterbury|Anselmian]] or [[Bernard of Cluny|Bernardine]] thought, that the devotion arose, although it is impossible to say positively what were its first texts or who were its first devotees c. To [[Gertrude the Great|St. Gertrude]], [[St. Mechtilde]], and the author of the "Vitis mystica" (previously ascribed to St. Bernard, now attributed to [[Bonaventure|St. Bonaventure]]) it was already well known.
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</ref> It is in the [[11th century|eleventh]] and [[12th century|twelfth]] centuries that the first indications of devotion to the Sacred Heart are found. It was in the fervent atmosphere of the [[Benedictine]] or [[Cistercians|Cistercian]] [[monastery|monasteries]], in the world of [[Anselm of Canterbury|Anselmian]] or [[Bernard of Cluny|Bernardine]] thought, that the devotion arose, although it is impossible to say positively what were its first texts or who were its first devotees c. To [[Gertrude the Great|St. Gertrude]], [[St. Mechtilde]], and the author of the "Vitis mystica" (previously ascribed to [[Bernard of Cluny|St. Bernard]], now attributed to [[Bonaventure|St. Bonaventure]]) it was already well known.
 
  
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From the [[13th century|thirteenth]] to the [[16th century|sixteenth]] centuries, the devotion was propagated but it did not seem to have developed in itself. It was everywhere practised by individuals and by different religious congregations, such as the [[Franciscan]]s, [[Dominican Order|Dominican]]s, [[Carthusian]]s, etc. It was, nevertheless, a private, individual devotion of the mystical order. Nothing of a general movement had been inaugurated, except for similarities found in the devotion to the [[Holy Wounds|Five Wounds]] by the Franciscans, in which the wound in Jesus' Heart figured most prominently.  
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From the thirteenth to the sixteenth centuries, the devotion spread to different religious congregations, such as the [[Franciscan]]s, [[Dominicans]], [[Carthusian]]s, etc. It was, nevertheless, a private, individual devotion of a mystical type. Nothing of a general movement had been inaugurated, except for similarities found in the devotion to the [[Holy Wounds|Five Wounds]] by the Franciscans, in which the wound in Jesus' Heart figured most prominently.  
  
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In the [[16th century|sixteenth]] century, the devotion passed from the domain of [[Christian mysticism|mysticism]] into that of Christian [[asceticism]]. It was established as a devotion with prayers already formulated and special exercises, found in the writings of Lanspergius (d. 1539) of the [[Carthusian]]s of Cologne, the Louis of [[Blois]] (Blosius; 1566), a [[Benedictine]] and [[Abbot]] of [[Liessies]] in [[Hainaut (province)|Hainaut]], [[John of Avila]] (d. 1569) and [[Francis de Sales|St. Francis de Sales]], the latter belonging to the [[17th century|seventeenth]] century.  
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In the sixteenth century, the devotion passed from the domain of [[Christian mysticism|mysticism]] into that of Christian [[asceticism]]. Prayers and special exercises to the Sacred Heart are found in the writings of Lanspergius (d. 1539) of the [[Carthusian]]s of Cologne, the Louis of Blois (Blosius; 1566), a [[Benedictine]] and [[Abbot]] of Liessies in Hainaut, [[John of Avila]] (d. 1569) and [[Francis de Sales|St. Francis de Sales]], the latter belonging to the seventeenth century.  
  
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The historical record from that time shows an early bringing to light of the devotion. Ascetic writers spoke of it, especially those of the [[Society of Jesus]]. The image of the Sacred Heart of Jesus was everywhere in evidence, largely due to the Franciscan devotion to the Five Wounds and to the habit formed by the [[Society of Jesus|Jesuits]] of placing the image on their title-page of their books and the walls of their churches.  
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The historical record from that time shows a blossoming of the devotion. Ascetic writers spoke of it, especially those of the [[Society of Jesus]], which commonly placed the image on the title-pages of their books and the walls of their churches.  
  
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Nevertheless, the devotion remained an individual, or at least a private, devotion. [[Jean Eudes]] (1602-1680)  made it public, gave it an Office, and established a feast for it. Père Eudes was the apostle of the [[Immaculate Heart of Mary|Heart of Mary]]; but in his devotion to the [[Immaculate Heart of Mary|Immaculate Heart]] there was a share for the Heart of Jesus. Little by little, the devotion to the Sacred Heart became a separate one, and on [[August 31]], [[1670]], the first feast of the Sacred Heart was celebrated in the Grand Seminary of [[Rennes]]. [[Coutances]] followed suit on [[October 20]], a day with which the [[Eudists|Eudist]] feast was from then on to be connected. The feast soon spread to other dioceses, and the devotion was likewise adopted in various religious communities. It gradually came into contact with the devotion begun at [[Paray-le-Monial|Paray]], and resulting in a fusion of the two.
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Nevertheless, the devotion remained an individual, or at least a private, devotion. Jean Eudes (1602-1680 C.E.)  made it public, gave it an Office, and established a feast for it. Père Eudes was the apostle of the "Heart of Mary"; but in his devotion to the Immaculate Heart there was a share for the Heart of Jesus. Little by little, the devotion to the Sacred Heart became a separate one, and on August 31, 1670, the first feast of the Sacred Heart was celebrated in the Grand Seminary of Rennes. Coutances followed suit on October 20, a day with which the Eudist feast was from then on to be connected. The feast soon spread to other dioceses, and the devotion was likewise adopted in various religious communities. It gradually came into contact with the devotion begun at Paray, and resulting in a fusion of the two.
  
 
===Visions of St. Margaret Mary===
 
===Visions of St. Margaret Mary===
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[[Image:STP-ELP23.jpg|left|thumb|240px|The Sacred Heart Sculpture on the High Altar of the [[Cathedral Church of Saint Patrick in El Paso]], TX.]]
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[[Image:STP-ELP23.jpg|left|thumb|240px|The Sacred Heart Sculpture on the High Altar of the Cathedral Church of Saint Patrick in El Paso, TX.]]
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The most significant source for the devotion to the Sacred Heart in the form it is known today was [[Order of the Visitation of Holy Mary|Visitandine]] [[Saint]] [[Marie Alacoque|Margaret Mary Alacoque]] (1647-1690), who claimed to have received [[Vision (religion)|visions]] of Jesus Christ. There is nothing to indicate that she had known the devotion prior to the revelations, or at least that she had paid any attention to it. The revelations were numerous, and the following apparitions are especially remarkable:  
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The most significant source for the devotion to the Sacred Heart in the form it is known today was Visitandine [[Saint]] Margaret Mary Alacoque  (1647-1690 C.E.), who claimed to have received visions of Jesus Christ. There is nothing to indicate that she had known the devotion prior to the revelations, or at least that she had paid any attention to it. The revelations were numerous, and the following apparitions are especially remarkable:  
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* On [[December 27]], probably 1673, the feast of [[John the Evangelist|St. John]], Margaret Mary reported that Jesus permitted her, as He had formerly allowed [[Gertrude the Great|St. Gertrude]], to rest her head upon His Heart, and then disclosed to her the wonders of His love, telling her that He desired to make them known to all mankind and to diffuse the treasures of His goodness, and that He had chosen her for this work.  
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* On December 27, 1673, at the feast of [[John the Evangelist|St. John]], Margaret Mary reported that Jesus permitted her, as He had formerly allowed [[Gertrude the Great|St. Gertrude]], to rest her head upon His Heart, and then disclosed to her the wonders of His love, telling her that He desired to make them known to all mankind and to diffuse the treasures of His goodness, and that He had chosen her for this work.  
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* In probably June or July, 1674, Margaret Mary claimed that Jesus requested to be honored under the figure of His Heart of flesh, also claiming that, when He appeared radiant with love, He asked for a devotion of expiatory love: frequent reception of [[Eucharist|Communion]], especially Communion on the First Friday of the month, and the observance of the [[Holy hour|Holy Hour]].
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* In 1674, Margaret Mary claimed that Jesus requested to be honored under the figure of His Heart of flesh, also claiming that, when He appeared radiant with love, He asked for a devotion of expiatory love: frequent reception of [[Eucharist|Communion]], especially Communion on the First Friday of the month, and the observance of the Holy Hour.
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* During the [[Octave (liturgical)|octave]] of [[Corpus Christi (feast)|Corpus Christi]], 1675, probably on [[June 16]], the vision known as the "great apparition" reportedly took place, where Jesus said, "Behold the Heart that has so loved men ... instead of gratitude I receive from the greater part (of mankind) only ingratitude ...", and asked Margaret Mary for a feast of [[Reparation (Catholic Church)|reparation]] of the Friday after the octave of Corpus Christi, bidding her consult Father de la Colombière, then superior of the small Jesuit house at Paray. Solemn homage was asked on the part of the king, and the mission of propagating the new devotion was especially confided to the religious of the Visitation and to the priests of the [[Society of Jesus]].
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* During the octave of Corpus Christi, 1675, probably on June 16, the vision known as the "great apparition" reportedly took place, where Jesus said, "Behold the Heart that has so loved men ... instead of gratitude I receive from the greater part (of mankind) only ingratitude ...," and asked Margaret Mary for a feast of reparation of the Friday after the octave of Corpus Christi, bidding her consult Father de la Colombière, then superior of the small Jesuit house at Paray. Solemn homage was asked on the part of the king, and the mission of propagating the new devotion was especially confided to the religious of the Visitation and to the priests of the [[Society of Jesus]].
  
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A few days after the "great apparition", Margaret Mary reported everything she saw to Father de la Colombière, and he, acknowledging the vision as an action of the Spirit of God, consecrated himself to the Sacred Heart and directed her to write an account of the apparition. He also made use of every available opportunity to circulate this account, discreetly, through France and England. Upon his death on [[February 15]], [[1682]], there was found in his journal of spiritual retreats a copy in his own handwriting of the account that he had requested of Margaret Mary, together with a few reflections on the usefulness of the devotion. This journal, including the account and an "offering" to the Sacred Heart, in which the devotion was well explained, was published at Lyons in 1684. The little book was widely read, especially at Paray. Margaret Mary reported feeling "dreadful confusion" over the book's contents, but resolved to make the best of it, approving of the book for the spreading of her cherished devotion. Outside of the Visitandines, priests, religious, and laymen espoused the devotion, particularly the [[Order of Friars Minor Capuchin|Capuchins]], Margaret Mary's two brothers, and some Jesuits, among the latter being Fathers Croiset and Gallifet, who promoted the devotion.
+
A few days after the "great apparition," Margaret Mary reported everything she saw to Father de la Colombière, and he, acknowledging the vision as an action of the Spirit of God, consecrated himself to the Sacred Heart and directed her to write an account of the apparition. He also made use of every available opportunity to circulate this account, discreetly, through France and England. Upon his death on February 15, 1682, there was found in his journal of spiritual retreats a copy in his own handwriting of the account that he had requested of Margaret Mary, together with a few reflections on the usefulness of the devotion. This journal, including the account and an "offering" to the Sacred Heart, in which the devotion was well explained, was published at Lyons in 1684. The little book was widely read, especially at Paray. Margaret Mary reported feeling "dreadful confusion" over the book's contents, but resolved to make the best of it, approving of the book for the spreading of her cherished devotion. Outside of the Visitandines, priests, religious, and laymen espoused the devotion, particularly the [[Capuchins]], Margaret Mary's two brothers, and some Jesuits, among the latter being Fathers Croiset and Gallifet, who promoted the devotion.
  
 
===Vatican endorsement===
 
===Vatican endorsement===
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{| class="wikitable" style="float:left; margin: lem lem 1em 1em"
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The death of Margaret Mary, October 17, 1690, did not dampen the zeal of those interested; on the contrary, a short account of her life published by Father Croiset in 1691, as an appendix to his book "De la Dévotion au Sacré Cœur," served only to increase it. In spite of all sorts of obstacles, and of the slowness of the [[Holy See]], which in 1693 imparted [[indulgences]] to the Confraternities of the Sacred Heart and, in 1697, granted the feast to the Visitandines with the Mass of the Five Wounds, but refused a feast common to all, with special Mass and Office. The devotion spread, particularly in religious communities. The Marseilles plague, 1720, furnished perhaps the first occasion for a solemn consecration and public worship outside of religious communities. Other cities of the South followed the example of Marseilles, and thus the devotion became a popular one. In 1726 it was deemed advisable once more to importune Rome for a feast with a Mass and Office of its own, but, in 1729, Rome again refused. However, in 1765, it finally yielded and that same year, at the request of the queen, the feast was received quasi-officially by the episcopate of [[France]]. On all sides it was asked for and obtained, and finally, in 1856, at the urgent entreaties of the French bishops, [[Pope Pius IX]] extended the feast to the Roman Catholic Church under the rite of double major. In 1889, it was raised by the Roman Catholic Church to the double rite of first class.
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|-
 
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|+align=center|'''Dates for the Feast of the Sacred Heart, 2002-2020'''
 
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|-
 
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! Year !! Date
 
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|-
 
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! 2002
 
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| [[June 7]]
 
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|-
 
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! 2003
 
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| [[June 27]]
 
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|-
 
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! 2004
 
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| [[June 18]]
 
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|-
 
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! 2005
 
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| [[June 3]]
 
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|-
 
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! 2006
 
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| [[June 23]]
 
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|-
 
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! 2007
 
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| [[June 15]]
 
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|-
 
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! 2008
 
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| [[May 30]]
 
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|-
 
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! 2009
 
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| [[June 19]]
 
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|-
 
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! 2010
 
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| [[June 11]]
 
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|-
 
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! 2011
 
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| [[July 1]]
 
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|-
 
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! 2012
 
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| [[June 15]]
 
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|-
 
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! 2013
 
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| [[June 7]]
 
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|-
 
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! 2014
 
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| [[June 27]]
 
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|-
 
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! 2015
 
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| [[June 12]]
 
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|-
 
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! 2016
 
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| [[June 3]]
 
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|-
 
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! 2017
 
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| [[June 23]]
 
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|-
 
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! 2018
 
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| [[June 8]]
 
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|-
 
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! 2019
 
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| [[June 28]]
 
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|-
 
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! 2020
 
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| [[June 19]]
 
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|}
 
−
 
 
−
The death of Margaret Mary, [[October 17]], [[1690]], did not dampen the zeal of those interested; on the contrary, a short account of her life published by Father Croiset in 1691, as an appendix to his book "De la Dévotion au Sacré Cœur", served only to increase it. In spite of all sorts of obstacles, and of the slowness of the [[Holy See]], which in 1693 imparted [[indulgences]] to the Confraternities of the Sacred Heart and, in 1697, granted the feast to the Visitandines with the Mass of the Five Wounds, but refused a feast common to all, with special Mass and Office. The devotion spread, particularly in religious communities. The [[Great Plague of Marseille|Marseilles plague]], 1720, furnished perhaps the first occasion for a solemn consecration and public worship outside of religious communities. Other cities of the South followed the example of Marseilles, and thus the devotion became a popular one. In 1726 it was deemed advisable once more to importune Rome for a feast with a Mass and Office of its own, but, in 1729, Rome again refused. However, in 1765, it finally yielded and that same year, at the request of the queen, the feast was received quasi-officially by the [[Episcopal polity|episcopate]] of [[France]]. On all sides it was asked for and obtained, and finally, in 1856, at the urgent entreaties of the French bishops, [[Pope Pius IX]] extended the feast to the Roman Catholic Church under the rite of double major. In 1889 it was raised by the Roman Catholic Church to the double rite of first class.
 
  
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On [[May 15]], [[2006]], [[Pope Benedict XVI]] sent a letter to Father [[Peter Hans Kolvenbach]], the [[Superior General]] of the [[Society of Jesus]], on the 50th Anniversary of the encyclical [[Haurietis Aquas]], about the Sacred Heart, by [[Pope Pius XII]]. In his letter to Father Kolvenbach, Pope Benedict reaffirmed the importance of the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
+
The Roman Catholic acts of [[consecration]], reparation and devotion were introduced when the feast of the Sacred Heart was declared. In his [[Papal Bull]] ''Auctorem Fidei'', [[Pope]] [[Pius VI]] praised devotion to the Sacred Heart. Finally, by order of [[Leo XIII]], in his [[encyclical]] ''Annum Sacrum'' (May 25, 1899), as well as on June 11, he consecrated every human to the Sacred Heart. The idea of this act, which Leo XIII called "the great act" of his pontificate, had been proposed to him by a religious woman of the Good Shepherd from Oporto ([[Portugal]]) who said that she had supernaturally received it from Jesus.  
  
 
==Worship and Devotion==
 
==Worship and Devotion==
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[[Image:Sacred Heart and Roses.jpg|thumb|right|150px|Depiction of the Sacred Heart in a [[convent]] [[chapel]]]]
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[[Image:Sacred Heart and Roses.jpg|thumb|right|150px|Depiction of the Sacred Heart in a [[convent]] [[chapel]].]]
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The Roman Catholic acts of [[consecration]], [[Reparation (Catholic Church)|reparation]] and [[Devotion (Christian)|devotion]] were introduced when the feast of the Sacred Heart was declared. In his [[Papal Bull]] ''Auctorem Fidei'', [[Pope]] [[Pius VI]] praised devotion to the Sacred Heart. Finally, by order of [[Leo XIII]], in his [[encyclical]] ''Annum Sacrum'' ([[May 25]], [[1899]]), as well as on [[June 11]], he consecrated every human to the Sacred Heart. The idea of this act, which Leo XIII called "the great act" of his pontificate, had been proposed to him by a religious woman of the Good Shepherd from [[Porto|Oporto]] ([[Portugal]]) who said that she had supernaturally received it from Jesus. Since ''c.'' 1850, groups, congregations, and States have consecrated themselves to the Sacred Heart. In 1873, by petition of president [[Gabriel García Moreno]], [[Ecuador]] was the first country in the world to be consecrated to the Sacred Heart, fulfilling God's petition to Saint Margaret Mary over two hundred years later.
+
Worship of the Sacred Heart mainly consists of several [[hymns]], the Salutation of the Sacred Heart, and the [[Litany]] of the Sacred Heart. It is common in Roman Catholic services and occasionally is to be found in [[Anglicanism|Anglican]] services.
  
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[[Peter Coudrin]] of [[France]] founded the [[Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary]] on [[December 24]], [[1800]]. A [[religious order]] of the [[Roman Catholic Church]], the order is best known for its [[missionary]] work in [[Hawaii]].
+
The Feast of the Sacred Heart is a holy day in the Roman Catholic [[liturgical calendar]], and is celebrated 19 days after [[Pentecost]]. As Pentecost is always celebrated on Sunday, the Feast of the Sacred Heart always falls on a Friday.
  
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Mother [[Clelia Merloni]] from [[Forlì]] ([[Italy]]) founded the [[Apostles of the Sacred Heart of Jesus|Congregation of the Apostles of the Sacred Heart of Jesus]] in [[Viareggio]], Italy, [[May 30]], [[1894]].
+
The Enthronement of the Sacred Heart is a Roman Catholic ceremony in which a priest or head of a household consecrates the members of the household to the Sacred Heart. A blessed image of the Sacred Heart, either a statue or a picture, is then "enthroned" in the home to serve as a constant reminder to those who dwell in the house of their consecration to the Sacred Heart. The practice of the Enthronement is based upon [[Pius XII|Pope Pius XII]]'s declaration that devotion to the Sacred of Jesus is "the foundation on which to build the kingdom of God in the hearts of individuals, families, and nations..."<ref>{{cite web | author =Pope Pius XII | url =http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/pius_xii/encyclicals/documents/hf_p-xii_enc_15051956_haurietis-aquas_en.html | title =Haurietis Aquas | publisher =Vatican Archives| accessmonthday =November 17 | accessyear =2006}}</ref>
  
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Worship of the Sacred Heart mainly consists of several [[hymns]], the Salutation of the Sacred Heart, and the [[Litany]] of the Sacred Heart. It is common in Roman Catholic services and occasionally is to be found in [[Anglicanism|Anglican]] services.
+
Since ''c.'' 1850, groups, congregations, and States have consecrated themselves to the Sacred Heart. In 1873, by petition of president Gabriel García Moreno, [[Ecuador]] was the first country in the world to be consecrated to the Sacred Heart, fulfilling God's petition to Saint Margaret Mary over two hundred years later.
  
−
The [[Feast of the Sacred Heart]] is a holy day in the Roman Catholic [[liturgical calendar]], and is celebrated 19 days after [[Pentecost]]. As Pentecost is always celebrated on Sunday, the Feast of the Sacred Heart always falls on a Friday.
+
Peter Coudrin of [[France]] founded the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary on December 24, 1800. A [[religious order]] of the [[Roman Catholic Church]], the order is best known for its [[missionary]] work in [[Hawaii]].
  
−
The [[Enthronement]] of the Sacred Heart is a Roman Catholic ceremony in which a priest or head of a household consecrates the members of the household to the Sacred Heart. A blessed [[Sacred Heart#Sacred Heart imagery|image]] of the Sacred Heart, either a statue or a picture, is then "enthroned" in the home to serve as a constant reminder to those who dwell in the house of their consecration to the Sacred Heart. The practice of the Enthronement is based upon [[Pius XII|Pope Pius XII]]'s declaration that devotion to the Sacred of Jesus is "the foundation on which to build the kingdom of God in the hearts of individuals, families, and nations..."<ref>{{cite web | author =Pope Pius XII | url =http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/pius_xii/encyclicals/documents/hf_p-xii_enc_15051956_haurietis-aquas_en.html | title =Haurietis Aquas | publisher =Vatican Archives| accessmonthday =November 17 | accessyear =2006}}</ref>
+
Mother Clelia Merloni from Forlì ([[Italy]]) founded the Congregation of the Apostles of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in Viareggio, Italy, May 30, 1894.
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==Institution Names==
 
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[[Image:BasKoek.jpg|thumb|right|150px|[[Basilica of the Sacred Heart]] in [[Koekelberg]], [[Brussels]], [[Belgium]]]]
 
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''Sacred Heart'' is still a widely used name for many Roman Catholic institutions, including schools, colleges, and hospitals in many countries around the world. It is also the name of many Roman Catholic parishes, [[religious order]]s, and stores selling Roman Catholic goods.
 
  
−
For a list of institutions named after the Sacred Heart, see [[Sacred Heart (disambiguation)]].
+
[[Image:BasKoek.jpg|thumb|right|150px|Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Koekelberg, [[Brussels]], [[Belgium]]]]
  
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== Sacred Heart Imagery==
+
==Imagery==
−
Religious imagery depicting the Sacred Heart is frequently featured in Roman Catholic, and sometimes Anglican homes. Sometimes images display beneath them a list of family members, indicating that the entire family is entrusted to the protection of Jesus in the Sacred Heart, from whom blessings on the home and the family members are sought. The prayer ''"O Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in Thee"'' is often used. One particular image has been used as part of a set, along with an image of the [[Blessed Virgin Mary]]. In that image, Mary too was shown pointing to her ''[[Immaculate Heart of Mary|Immaculate Heart]]'', expressing her love for the human race and for her Son, Jesus Christ. The mirror images reflect an eternal binding of the two hearts.
+
Religious imagery depicting the Sacred Heart is frequently featured in Roman Catholic, and sometimes Anglican homes. Sometimes images display beneath them a list of family members, indicating that the entire family is entrusted to the protection of Jesus in the Sacred Heart, from whom blessings on the home and the family members are sought. The prayer ''"O Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in Thee"'' is often used. One particular image has been used as part of a set, along with an image of the [[Blessed Virgin Mary]]. In that image, Mary too was shown pointing to her ''Immaculate Heart'', expressing her love for the human race and for her Son, Jesus Christ. The mirror images reflect an eternal binding of the two hearts.
  
 
Roman Catholics are encouraged to wear a small, postage-stamp sized paper portrait of the Sacred Heart, usually glued to red flannel, on a thin ribbon necklace with a similar amulet hanging at the back. This is known as a [[scapular]].
 
Roman Catholics are encouraged to wear a small, postage-stamp sized paper portrait of the Sacred Heart, usually glued to red flannel, on a thin ribbon necklace with a similar amulet hanging at the back. This is known as a [[scapular]].
  
 
=== In folklore ===
 
=== In folklore ===
−
Many members of the [[Carlist]] military forces of the [[19th century|19th]] and [[20th century|20th centuries]] in Spain wore ''[[detente bala|detentes]]'' or [[amulets]] with an image of the Sacred Heart. These Roman Catholic monarchists believed the image would protect them against wounding by the enemy [[bullet|firearms]].
+
Many members of the [[Carlist]] military forces of the 19th and 20th centuries in Spain wore ''detentes'' or [[amulets]] with an image of the Sacred Heart. These Roman Catholic monarchists believed the image would protect them against wounding by the enemy firearms.
  
 
=== In popular culture ===
 
=== In popular culture ===
−
This motif has become a part of [[popular culture|vernacular culture]] through its appropriation by [[tattoo]] artists.<ref name="tatoos">{{cite web | last = | first = | authorlink = | coauthors = | year =  | url = http://www.religioustattoos.net/Other_Tattoos/Sacred_Heart/index.php | title = Photos of Sacred Heart tattoos | format = | work =  | publisher = Religious Tattoos | accessdaymonth = 11 July | accessyear = 2006}}</ref>  An image significantly similar to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, or the [[Immaculate Heart of Mary|Immaculate Heart of His Mother Mary]], was used as the logo for [[Baz Luhrman]]'s movie ''[[William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet|Romeo + Juliet]]'' (1996). Heavy metal musician [[Ronnie James Dio]], who was raised as a Roman Catholic, entitled his third studio album [[Sacred Heart (album)|Sacred Heart]]. In addition, the hospital featured on the television sitcom ''[[Scrubs (TV series)|Scrubs]]'' is named "[[Sacred Heart Hospital]]."
+
This motif has become a part of [[popular culture|vernacular culture]] through its appropriation by [[tattoo]] artists.<ref name="tatoos">{{cite web | last = | first = | authorlink = | coauthors = | year =  | url = http://www.religioustattoos.net/Other_Tattoos/Sacred_Heart/index.php | title = Photos of Sacred Heart tattoos | format = | work =  | publisher = Religious Tattoos | accessdaymonth = 11 July | accessyear = 2006}}</ref>  An image significantly similar to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, or the Immaculate Heart of His Mother Mary, was used as the logo for Baz Luhrman's movie ''Romeo + Juliet'' (1996). Heavy metal musician Ronnie James Dio, who was raised as a Roman Catholic, entitled his third studio album Sacred Heart. In addition, the hospital featured on the television sitcom ''Scrubs'' is named "Sacred Heart Hospital."
−
Progressive metal band [[Dream Theater]] also used the Sacred Heart as a symbol on their 1992 album [[Images and Words]].
 
−
 
 
−
=== In Eastern Catholicism ===
 
−
 
 
−
Devotion to the Sacred Heart may be found in some [[Eastern Catholic Churches]], but is a contentious issue. Those who favour purity of rite are opposed to the devotion, while those who are in favour of the devotion cite it as a point of commonality with their [[Latin Catholic]] brethren.
 
−
 
 
−
==Promises of the Sacred Heart==
 
−
Christ, in his appearances to St. Margaret Mary, promised these blessings to those who practice devotion to his Sacred Heart:
 
−
 
 
−
1. I will give them all the graces necessary for their state of life.
 
−
 
 
−
2. I will give peace in their families.
 
−
 
 
−
3. I will console them in all their troubles.
 
−
 
 
−
4. I will be their refuge in life and especially in death.
 
−
 
 
−
5. I will abundantly bless all their undertakings.
 
−
 
 
−
6. Sinners shall find in my Heart the source and infinite ocean of mercy.
 
−
 
 
−
7. Tepid souls shall become fervent.
 
−
 
 
−
8. Fervent souls shall rise speedily to great perfection.
 
−
 
 
−
9. I will bless those places wherein the image of
 
−
My Sacred Heart shall be exposed and venerated.
 
−
 
 
−
10. I will give to priests the power to touch the most hardened hearts.
 
−
 
 
−
11. Persons who propagate this devotion shall
 
−
have their names eternally written in my Heart.
 
−
 
 
−
12. In the excess of the mercy of my Heart, I promise you that my all powerful love will grant to all those who will receive Communion on the First Fridays, for nine consecutive months, the grace of final repentance: they will not die in my displeasure, nor without receiving the sacraments; and my Heart will be their secure refuge in that last hour.
 
−
 
 
−
The last promise has given rise to the widespread Catholic practice of making an effort to attend Mass and receive Communion on the first Friday of each month.
 
−
 
 
−
==Litany of the Sacred Heart of Jesus==
 
−
V. Lord, have mercy on us.<br />
 
−
''R. Christ, have mercy on us.''<br />
 
−
V. Lord, have mercy on us. Christ, hear us.<br />
 
−
''R. Christ, graciously hear us.''<br />
 
−
V. God the Father of Heaven, ''have mercy on us.''<br />
 
−
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, ''have mercy on us.''<br />
 
−
God the Holy Spirit, ''have mercy on us.''<br />
 
−
Holy Trinity, one God, ''have mercy on us.''<br />
 
−
Heart of Jesus, Son of the Eternal Father, ''have mercy on us.''<br />
 
−
Heart of Jesus, formed by the Holy Spirit in the Virgin Mother's womb, [etc.]<br />
 
−
Heart of Jesus, substantially united to the Word of God.<br />
 
−
Heart of Jesus, of infinite majesty.<br />
 
−
Heart of Jesus, holy temple of God.<br />
 
−
Heart of Jesus, tabernacle of the Most High.<br />
 
−
Heart of Jesus, house of God and gate of heaven.<br />
 
−
Heart of Jesus, glowing furnace of charity.<br />
 
−
Heart of Jesus, vessel of justice and love.<br />
 
−
Heart of Jesus, full of goodness and love.<br />
 
−
Heart of Jesus, abyss of all virtues.<br />
 
−
Heart of Jesus, most worthy of all praise.<br />
 
−
Heart of Jesus, King and center of all hearts.<br />
 
−
Heart of Jesus, in whom are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.<br />
 
−
Heart of Jesus, in whom dwells all the fullness of the Godhead.<br />
 
−
Heart of Jesus, in whom the Father was well pleased.<br />
 
−
Heart of Jesus, of whose fullness we have all received.<br />
 
−
Heart of Jesus, desire of the everlasting hills.<br />
 
−
Heart of Jesus, patient and rich in mercy.<br />
 
−
Heart of Jesus, rich to all who call upon You.<br />
 
−
Heart of Jesus, fount of life and holiness.<br />
 
−
Heart of Jesus, propitiation for our offenses.<br />
 
−
Heart of Jesus, overwhelmed with reproaches.<br />
 
−
Heart of Jesus, bruised for our iniquities.<br />
 
−
Heart of Jesus, obedient even unto death.<br />
 
−
Heart of Jesus, pierced with a lance.<br />
 
−
Heart of Jesus, source of all consolation.<br />
 
−
Heart of Jesus, our life and resurrection.<br />
 
−
Heart of Jesus, our peace and reconciliation.<br />
 
−
Heart of Jesus, victim for our sins.<br />
 
−
Heart of Jesus, salvation of those who hope in You.<br />
 
−
Heart of Jesus, hope of those who die in You.<br />
 
−
Heart of Jesus, delight of all saints.<br />
 
−
<br />
 
−
V. Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world,<br />
 
−
''R. spare us, O Lord.''<br />
 
−
V. Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world,<br />
 
−
''R. graciously hear us, O Lord.''<br />
 
−
V. Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world,<br />
 
−
''R. have mercy on us.''<br />
 
−
<br />
 
−
V. Jesus, meek and humble of Heart,<br />
 
−
''R. Make our hearts like unto Thine.''<br />
 
−
<br />
 
−
Let us pray.<br />
 
−
<br />
 
−
Almighty and eternal God, look upon the Heart of Thy most beloved Son and upon the praises and satisfaction which He offers Thee in the name of sinners; and to those who implore Thy mercy, in Thy great goodness, grant forgiveness in the name of the same Jesus Christ, Thy Son, who livest and reignest with Thee forever and ever. Amen.<br />
 
−
 
 
  
 
==Notes==
 
==Notes==
Line 242: Line 75:
  
 
==External links ==
 
==External links ==
 +
All links retrieved October 23, 2007.
 +
 
* The ''[http://www.roman-catholic-prayers.com/prayer/sacred_heart.htm Sacred Heart Prayer]''.
 
* The ''[http://www.roman-catholic-prayers.com/prayer/sacred_heart.htm Sacred Heart Prayer]''.
−
* ''[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07163a.htm Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus]'', from [[Catholic Encyclopedia]].
+
* ''[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07163a.htm Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus]'', from Catholic Encyclopedia.
 
* Catholic ''[http://www.sistersofcarmel.com/devotion-to-the-sacred-heart-of-jesus.php Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus]''.
 
* Catholic ''[http://www.sistersofcarmel.com/devotion-to-the-sacred-heart-of-jesus.php Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus]''.
 
* ''[http://www.sticna.com/consecration_to_the_Hearts_of_Jesus_and_Mary.html What is consecration and commitment to the hearts of Jesus and Mary]''
 
* ''[http://www.sticna.com/consecration_to_the_Hearts_of_Jesus_and_Mary.html What is consecration and commitment to the hearts of Jesus and Mary]''
−
 
−
 
  
 
[[Category: Philosophy and religion]]
 
[[Category: Philosophy and religion]]

Revision as of 06:58, 24 October 2007

File:Heart2.jpg
Typical illustration of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Christ.

The Sacred Heart is a devotional representation of Jesus' physical heart as the essence of divine love for humanity. In Christian art, the Sacred Heart is often depicted as a flaming heart shining with divine light, pierced by the lance-wound, surrounded by a crown of thorns, and bleeding. Sometimes Jesus' hands point at the heart, which stresses the central Christian concept of loving and adoring Jesus. The wounds on his hands and crown of thorns allude to the manner of Jesus' death by crucifixion, while the fire represents love.

Predecessors to the modern devotion to the Sacred Heart existed to some extent in the Middle Ages in various mystical sects.[1] Its modern form is derived from a French Catholic nun Marguerite Marie Alacoque, who said she learned the devotion from Jesus in visions.

Devotion towards the Sacred Heart is predominantly found in the Roman Catholic and Anglican churches. Additionally, the Sacred Heart may sometimes be seen in the Eastern Catholic Churches, where, however, it remains a point of controversy as an example of liturgical latinisation.[2] The Feast of the Sacred Heart is a holy day in the Roman Catholic liturgical calendar, and is celebrated 19 days after Pentecost.[3]

Sacred Heart is still a widely used name for many Roman Catholic institutions, including schools, colleges, and hospitals in many countries around the world. It is also the name of many Roman Catholic parishes, religious orders, and stores selling Roman Catholic goods.

History of Devotion

[[Image:Jesus Christ - Sacred Heart.jpg|thumb|right|Another depiction of Jesus and His Most Sacred Heart] During the first ten centuries of Christianity, there is nothing to indicate that any worship was rendered to the wounded Heart of Jesus.[4] The first indications of devotion to the Sacred Heart are found in the eleventh and twelfth centuries. It was in the fervent atmosphere of the Benedictine andCistercian monasteries, in the world of Anselmian or Bernardine thought, that the devotion arose, although it is impossible to say positively what were its first texts or who were its first devotees c. To St. Gertrude, St. Mechtilde, and the author of the "Vitis mystica" (previously ascribed to St. Bernard, now attributed to St. Bonaventure) it was already well known.

From the thirteenth to the sixteenth centuries, the devotion spread to different religious congregations, such as the Franciscans, Dominicans, Carthusians, etc. It was, nevertheless, a private, individual devotion of a mystical type. Nothing of a general movement had been inaugurated, except for similarities found in the devotion to the Five Wounds by the Franciscans, in which the wound in Jesus' Heart figured most prominently.

In the sixteenth century, the devotion passed from the domain of mysticism into that of Christian asceticism. Prayers and special exercises to the Sacred Heart are found in the writings of Lanspergius (d. 1539) of the Carthusians of Cologne, the Louis of Blois (Blosius; 1566), a Benedictine and Abbot of Liessies in Hainaut, John of Avila (d. 1569) and St. Francis de Sales, the latter belonging to the seventeenth century.

The historical record from that time shows a blossoming of the devotion. Ascetic writers spoke of it, especially those of the Society of Jesus, which commonly placed the image on the title-pages of their books and the walls of their churches.

Nevertheless, the devotion remained an individual, or at least a private, devotion. Jean Eudes (1602-1680 C.E.) made it public, gave it an Office, and established a feast for it. Père Eudes was the apostle of the "Heart of Mary"; but in his devotion to the Immaculate Heart there was a share for the Heart of Jesus. Little by little, the devotion to the Sacred Heart became a separate one, and on August 31, 1670, the first feast of the Sacred Heart was celebrated in the Grand Seminary of Rennes. Coutances followed suit on October 20, a day with which the Eudist feast was from then on to be connected. The feast soon spread to other dioceses, and the devotion was likewise adopted in various religious communities. It gradually came into contact with the devotion begun at Paray, and resulting in a fusion of the two.

Visions of St. Margaret Mary

The Sacred Heart Sculpture on the High Altar of the Cathedral Church of Saint Patrick in El Paso, TX.

The most significant source for the devotion to the Sacred Heart in the form it is known today was Visitandine Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque (1647-1690 C.E.), who claimed to have received visions of Jesus Christ. There is nothing to indicate that she had known the devotion prior to the revelations, or at least that she had paid any attention to it. The revelations were numerous, and the following apparitions are especially remarkable:

  • On December 27, 1673, at the feast of St. John, Margaret Mary reported that Jesus permitted her, as He had formerly allowed St. Gertrude, to rest her head upon His Heart, and then disclosed to her the wonders of His love, telling her that He desired to make them known to all mankind and to diffuse the treasures of His goodness, and that He had chosen her for this work.
  • In 1674, Margaret Mary claimed that Jesus requested to be honored under the figure of His Heart of flesh, also claiming that, when He appeared radiant with love, He asked for a devotion of expiatory love: frequent reception of Communion, especially Communion on the First Friday of the month, and the observance of the Holy Hour.
  • During the octave of Corpus Christi, 1675, probably on June 16, the vision known as the "great apparition" reportedly took place, where Jesus said, "Behold the Heart that has so loved men ... instead of gratitude I receive from the greater part (of mankind) only ingratitude ...," and asked Margaret Mary for a feast of reparation of the Friday after the octave of Corpus Christi, bidding her consult Father de la Colombière, then superior of the small Jesuit house at Paray. Solemn homage was asked on the part of the king, and the mission of propagating the new devotion was especially confided to the religious of the Visitation and to the priests of the Society of Jesus.

A few days after the "great apparition," Margaret Mary reported everything she saw to Father de la Colombière, and he, acknowledging the vision as an action of the Spirit of God, consecrated himself to the Sacred Heart and directed her to write an account of the apparition. He also made use of every available opportunity to circulate this account, discreetly, through France and England. Upon his death on February 15, 1682, there was found in his journal of spiritual retreats a copy in his own handwriting of the account that he had requested of Margaret Mary, together with a few reflections on the usefulness of the devotion. This journal, including the account and an "offering" to the Sacred Heart, in which the devotion was well explained, was published at Lyons in 1684. The little book was widely read, especially at Paray. Margaret Mary reported feeling "dreadful confusion" over the book's contents, but resolved to make the best of it, approving of the book for the spreading of her cherished devotion. Outside of the Visitandines, priests, religious, and laymen espoused the devotion, particularly the Capuchins, Margaret Mary's two brothers, and some Jesuits, among the latter being Fathers Croiset and Gallifet, who promoted the devotion.

Vatican endorsement

The death of Margaret Mary, October 17, 1690, did not dampen the zeal of those interested; on the contrary, a short account of her life published by Father Croiset in 1691, as an appendix to his book "De la Dévotion au Sacré Cœur," served only to increase it. In spite of all sorts of obstacles, and of the slowness of the Holy See, which in 1693 imparted indulgences to the Confraternities of the Sacred Heart and, in 1697, granted the feast to the Visitandines with the Mass of the Five Wounds, but refused a feast common to all, with special Mass and Office. The devotion spread, particularly in religious communities. The Marseilles plague, 1720, furnished perhaps the first occasion for a solemn consecration and public worship outside of religious communities. Other cities of the South followed the example of Marseilles, and thus the devotion became a popular one. In 1726 it was deemed advisable once more to importune Rome for a feast with a Mass and Office of its own, but, in 1729, Rome again refused. However, in 1765, it finally yielded and that same year, at the request of the queen, the feast was received quasi-officially by the episcopate of France. On all sides it was asked for and obtained, and finally, in 1856, at the urgent entreaties of the French bishops, Pope Pius IX extended the feast to the Roman Catholic Church under the rite of double major. In 1889, it was raised by the Roman Catholic Church to the double rite of first class.

The Roman Catholic acts of consecration, reparation and devotion were introduced when the feast of the Sacred Heart was declared. In his Papal Bull Auctorem Fidei, Pope Pius VI praised devotion to the Sacred Heart. Finally, by order of Leo XIII, in his encyclical Annum Sacrum (May 25, 1899), as well as on June 11, he consecrated every human to the Sacred Heart. The idea of this act, which Leo XIII called "the great act" of his pontificate, had been proposed to him by a religious woman of the Good Shepherd from Oporto (Portugal) who said that she had supernaturally received it from Jesus.

Worship and Devotion

[[Image:Sacred Heart and Roses.jpg|thumb|right|150px|Depiction of the Sacred Heart in a convent chapel.]] Worship of the Sacred Heart mainly consists of several hymns, the Salutation of the Sacred Heart, and the Litany of the Sacred Heart. It is common in Roman Catholic services and occasionally is to be found in Anglican services.

The Feast of the Sacred Heart is a holy day in the Roman Catholic liturgical calendar, and is celebrated 19 days after Pentecost. As Pentecost is always celebrated on Sunday, the Feast of the Sacred Heart always falls on a Friday.

The Enthronement of the Sacred Heart is a Roman Catholic ceremony in which a priest or head of a household consecrates the members of the household to the Sacred Heart. A blessed image of the Sacred Heart, either a statue or a picture, is then "enthroned" in the home to serve as a constant reminder to those who dwell in the house of their consecration to the Sacred Heart. The practice of the Enthronement is based upon Pope Pius XII's declaration that devotion to the Sacred of Jesus is "the foundation on which to build the kingdom of God in the hearts of individuals, families, and nations..."[5]

Since c. 1850, groups, congregations, and States have consecrated themselves to the Sacred Heart. In 1873, by petition of president Gabriel García Moreno, Ecuador was the first country in the world to be consecrated to the Sacred Heart, fulfilling God's petition to Saint Margaret Mary over two hundred years later.

Peter Coudrin of France founded the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary on December 24, 1800. A religious order of the Roman Catholic Church, the order is best known for its missionary work in Hawaii.

Mother Clelia Merloni from Forlì (Italy) founded the Congregation of the Apostles of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in Viareggio, Italy, May 30, 1894.

Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Koekelberg, Brussels, Belgium

Imagery

Religious imagery depicting the Sacred Heart is frequently featured in Roman Catholic, and sometimes Anglican homes. Sometimes images display beneath them a list of family members, indicating that the entire family is entrusted to the protection of Jesus in the Sacred Heart, from whom blessings on the home and the family members are sought. The prayer "O Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in Thee" is often used. One particular image has been used as part of a set, along with an image of the Blessed Virgin Mary. In that image, Mary too was shown pointing to her Immaculate Heart, expressing her love for the human race and for her Son, Jesus Christ. The mirror images reflect an eternal binding of the two hearts.

Roman Catholics are encouraged to wear a small, postage-stamp sized paper portrait of the Sacred Heart, usually glued to red flannel, on a thin ribbon necklace with a similar amulet hanging at the back. This is known as a scapular.

In folklore

Many members of the Carlist military forces of the 19th and 20th centuries in Spain wore detentes or amulets with an image of the Sacred Heart. These Roman Catholic monarchists believed the image would protect them against wounding by the enemy firearms.

In popular culture

This motif has become a part of vernacular culture through its appropriation by tattoo artists.[6] An image significantly similar to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, or the Immaculate Heart of His Mother Mary, was used as the logo for Baz Luhrman's movie Romeo + Juliet (1996). Heavy metal musician Ronnie James Dio, who was raised as a Roman Catholic, entitled his third studio album Sacred Heart. In addition, the hospital featured on the television sitcom Scrubs is named "Sacred Heart Hospital."

Notes

This article incorporates text from the public-domain Catholic Encyclopedia of 1913.

  1. ↑ Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus II. Historical Ideas on the Development of the Devotion, para (3-4). Catholic Encyclopedia. New Advent.
  2. ↑ Devotion to the Sacred Heart may be found in some Eastern Catholic Churches, but is a contentious issue. Those who favour purity of rite are opposed to the devotion, while those who are in favour of the devotion cite it as a point of commonality with their [[Latin Catholic brethren.
  3. ↑ Since Pentecost is always celebrated on Sunday, the Feast of the Sacred Heart always falls on a Friday.
  4. ↑ Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus II. Historical Ideas on the Development of the Devotion, para (1). Catholic Encyclopedia. New Advent.
  5. ↑ Pope Pius XII. Haurietis Aquas. Vatican Archives. Retrieved November 17, 2006.
  6. ↑ Photos of Sacred Heart tattoos. Religious Tattoos.

References
ISBN links support NWE through referral fees

  • Richo, David. "The Sacred Heart of the World: Restoring Mystical Devotion to Our Spiritual Life" Paulist Press, 2007. ISBN 978-0809144556
  • Croiset, J. "Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus: How to Practice the Sacred Heart Devotion" Tan Books & Pub, 1988. ISBN 978-0895553348
  • Moell, Carl J. "Holy Father, Sacred Heart: The Complete Collection of John Paul II's Writing on the Perennial Catholic Devotion" Crossroad General Interest, 2004. ISBN 978-0824521479
  • Lanzetta, Beverly. "Emerging Heart: Global Spirituality And the Sacred" Fortress Press, 2007. ISBN 978-0800638931

External links

All links retrieved October 23, 2007.

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