Our Lady of Good Remedy  

..."that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thy intercession, was left unaided.

Image Explanation

During the late 1100s when Muslims were fighting against Christians, Muslims ships often captured Christian ships. When Christian ships were captured, the Muslims would take the Christian men, women, and children as their slaves. Muslims sold thousands of Christians as slaves. Many Christian women were forced into the harems of their captors and made to be their wives.

This Christian slave trade was a large problem. Many Christians lived in fear of being captured and sold into slavery. St. John of Matha saw the need for a group of people devoted to freeing Christian slaves.

In 1198, St. John of Matha established a religious order called the Trinitarians, or the Brothers of the Holy Trinity. The order’s habit would have on it a cross of blue and red. The mission of the order would be the work of freeing Christian slaves.

In order to free Christian slaves, the Trinitarians would travel to slave markets, purchase slaves, and then set them free. The task of buying slaves in this way meant that the Trinitarians were in need of a large amount of money. St. John of Matha turned to the intercession of Mary for the money they needed.

The Trinitarians had a deep devotion to Mary. They celebrated her feast days solemnly and prayed the Office of the Virgin. They were particularly devoted to her because of her relationship with the Blessed Trinity and because of the great love she showed in cooperating with the Blessed Trinity in the work of the world’s Redemption. 

As the Trinitarians worked to redeem captives from slavery, they turned to Mary in a special way for help. They considered her to be their “remedy” in all their needs, particularly in the money they needed for their work of freeing slaves.

The mission of the Trinitarians was very successful. They continued their work for centuries and were able to save thousands of people from slavery.

St. John of Matha was very grateful to Mary for her powerful intercession and assistance in their mission. To honor her and to show her his gratitude for her help, St. John of Matha gave the title Our Lady of Good Remedy to Mary.