Ransom, FEAST OF OUR LADY OF, September 24, a double major, commemorates the foundation of the Mercedarians (q.v.). On August 10, 1223, the Mercedarian Order was legally constituted at Barcelona by King James of Aragon and was approved by Gregory IX on January 17, 1235. The Mercedarians celebrated their institution on the Sunday nearest to August 1 (on which date in the year 1233 the Blessed Virgin was believed to have shown St. Peter Nolasco the white habit of the order), and this custom was approved by the Congregation of Rites on April 4, 1615 (Anal. Juris Pont., VII, 136). But the calendar of the Spanish Mercedarians of 1644 has it on August 1, double. Proper lessons were approved on April 30, 1616. The feast was granted to Spain (Sunday nearest to August 1) on February 15, 1680; to France, December 4, 1690. On February 22, 1696, it was extended to the entire Latin Church, and the date changed to September 24. The Mercedarians keep this feast as a double of the first class, with a vigil, privileged octave, and proper Office under the title: “Solemnitas Descensionis B. Mariae V. de Mercede”. Our Lady of Ransom is the principal patron of Barcelona; the proper Office was extended to Barcelona (1868) and to all Spain (second class, 1883). Sicily, which had suffered so much from the Saracens, took up the old date of the feast (Sunday nearest to August 1) by permission of the Congregation of Rites, August 31, 1805 (double of the second class). The Mercedarians have a special feast (double major), Apparition of Our Lady to St. Peter Nolasco in the choir of Barcelona, on the Sunday after September 24 In England the devotion of Our Lady of Ransom was revived in modern times to obtain the rescue of England as Our Lady’s Dowry.
F. G. HOLWECK