An initiative of the Mary of Nazareth Association February 16 – Our Lady of the pact of Mercy (Abyssinia) This pact of mercy is the name of Our Lady The Copts are deeply convinced of the mediating mission of Mary. They stress that she is the intermediary between Christ and creatures worthy of divine grace. According to the texts of the Coptic tradition, which are quoted below, Jesus and Mary allegedly made a pact that Jesus would release from their trials anyone who would invoke the name of Mary and celebrate her memory: "This pact of mercy is the name of Our Lady, the Blessed Virgin Mary and Mother of God. When the pact is invoked, the firmament of the heavens and the bowels of the earth tremble, down to the foundations of Sheol. The wings of angels shake with fear like leaves in the wind. When that name is invoked, not only are the creatures afraid, but our Lord and Savior, her Son, who holds omnipotence, after he removes the sinner from his sight to decide on the punitive judgement, when he hears the name of the Virgin written in the pact’s color on the forehead of sinners, leaves the room with leniency of judgment and abandons the sentence." Lecture given by Msgr Georges Gharib at the Marianum Pontifical Theological Institute in Rome 2000-2001, and G. Gharib, “Oriente Cristiano,” Nuovo dizionario di Mariologia, edizione Paoline, Milano, 1986 www.mariedenazareth.com Let’s pray together Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now, and at the hour of death. Amen.