The Most Holy Name of Mary
- F M SHYANGUYA
- Sep 15, 2025
- 4 min read
Updated: Sep 17, 2025
Means One Who is Most Beloved by God and Simultaneously, One Who Loves God the Most
Coat of Arms of His Holiness Pope St. John Paul II
THE COAT OF ARMS OF POPE SAINT JOHN PAUL II features a gold cross set against a blue backdrop. The cross represents the central Christian mystery of the Redemption. The vertical part of the cross has been shifted slightly to the left to make room for the majestic capital M, which reminds us of Mary’s presence at Jesus’ death on the cross. The motto of John Paul II, which accompanies his coat of arms and expresses his devotion to Mary, is the simple Latin expression “Totus Tuus.” It means “Totally Yours!” Located directly behind the pontiff’s personal coat of arms are the symbols of papal authority: the tiara and the keys of Saint Peter. The papal tiara, or triregnum, is formed of three crowns and symbolizes the triple power of the pope, for he is father of kings, governor of the world, and Vicar of Christ. The keys, which represent those given by Christ to the apostle Peter, are crossed and tied with a cord. Since the fourteenth century, the two crossed keys have been the official insignia of the Holy See.
Cf. September 12, Readings for the Friday of the Twenty-third Week in Ordinary Time, Optional Memorial of the Most Holy Name of Mary
The Sweet Name "Mary", Etymology and Meaning
The name Mary may have originated from the Egyptian language; it is likely derivative of the root mr, meaning "love; beloved" - Mary (name) | Wikipedia
The name Mary was early etymologized as containing the Hebrew root mr, meaning "bitter" (cf. myrrh) - (ibid.)
"love; beloved"
Names in Scripture are highly significant, conveying character, destiny, and identity, serving as more than mere labels but as expressions of God's message, prophetic meaning, and divine purpose. A person's name could reveal parental hopes, God's intended path, or signify a new beginning and transformation, like Jacob becoming Israel. God's own name, particularly "I AM," holds immense power and is considered holy, a concept explored through various divine names throughout the Bible.
The LORD Jesus Christ, through Mother Mary His Might, Our Lady of Guadalupe, reveals that the name "Mary" means the one who is most beloved by God and who simultaneously, the one who loves God the most.
In 1906 Zorrell advanced another explanation of the name Mary, based on its derivation from the Egyptian mer or mar, to love, and the Hebrew Divine name Yam or Yahweh (Zeitschrift für katholische Theologie, 1906, pp. 356 sqq.). Thus explained the name denotes "one loving Yahweh" or "one beloved by Yahweh". - Catholic Encyclopedia > The Name of Mary and MARY, NAME OF | Catholic Dictionary
"bitter [sea]"
Cf. The sword which pierced Mary's soul and (September15:) The Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary
It is she who also holds in her sorrowful heart the bitter cry of God's People, those crying out from their dwelling in darkness and sin. It is her sorrowful heart that has presented their bitter cry to the LORD Jesus Christ. He has heard His People's cry, He is coming, and His hand will save them.[1]
Mary is also the one who makes "life's bitter water sweet". [Cf. Exodus 15:22-27 (RSVCE)]
Mary is seen as a "bitter sea" that overwhelms and drowns the devil. She serves as a powerful force against evil, making her a spiritual stronghold for believers.[2]
O Mary, my Mother, how Sweet is thy Name
V. Oleum effusum, Maria, nomen tuum.
V. Thy name, O Mary, is an oil poured out.
R. Servi tui dilexerunt te nimis.
R. Thy servants have loved thee exceedingly.
Cf. Officium parvum Conceptionis Immaculatae [Little Office of the Immaculate Conception] > Ad Completorium [At Compline, night time prayer before sleep]
September 12th is the Feast Day of The Most Holy Name of Mary In fine, "thy name, O Mother of God, is filled with divine graces and blessings," as St. Methodius says. So much so, that St. Bonaventure declares, "that thy name, O Mary, cannot be pronounced without bringing some grace to him who does so devoutly.". . grant, O Lady, that we may often remember to name thee with love and confidence; for this practice either shows the possession of divine grace, or else is a pledge that we shall soon recover it. On the other hand, Thomas à Kempis affirms "that the devils fear the Queen of heaven to such a degree, that only on hearing her great name pronounced, they fly from him who does so as from a burning fire." The Blessed Virgin herself revealed to St. Bridget "that there is not on earth a sinner, however devoid he may be of the love of God, from whom the devil is not obliged immediately to fly, if he invokes her holy name with a determination to repent." On another occasion she repeated the same thing to the saint, saying, "that all the devils venerate and fear her name to such a degree, that on hearing it they immediately loosen the claws with which they hold the soul captive." Our Blessed Lady also told St. Bridget, "that in the same way as the rebel angels fly from sinners who invoke the name of Mary, so also do the good angels approach nearer to just souls who pronounce her name with devotion."
[1] Cf. Here I Am, Lord | Dan Schutte
[2] Cf.
Exodus 15:20-2 (RSVCE) 20 Then Miriam, the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a timbrel in her hand; and all the women went out after her with timbrels and dancing. 21 And Miriam sang to them: “Sing to the LORD, for he has triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider he has thrown into the sea.”
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