...Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now, and at the hour of our death. Amen.
~ The Hail Mary
With Memorial Day fast approaching, I decided to research the patron saints for all branches of our military.
As it turns out, all of the U.S. Armed Forces are in the care of the same first rate patron saint. I think our troops should have nothing but the best, and one can't do better than the Blessed Mother.
Mary, Mother of Our Lord, has numerous titles within the Catholic Church. She is our military's patron in three different representations.
United States soldiers have as their patron the Immaculate Conception. There are many other soldier patron saints, including St. Martin of Tours and Michael the Archangel. But the American Catholic bishops decreed Mary the Immaculate Conception as patron saint of the United States in May 1846, thus our U.S. soldiers receive her special protection.
Air Force pilots, and all airmen, are guarded by Our Lady of Loreto. There is an ancient story that Mary's girlhood home was transported by angels to Loreto, Italy, where it remains to this day. From this tradition came Mary's patronage of all aviators.
Sailors, Coast Guardsmen, and all mariners--which includes our U.S. Marine Corps--are watched over by Stella Maris, a latin term for Our Lady, Star of the Sea that dates to the early days of the Church.
Prayers for all of our brave military men and women, whether fighting or fallen. May your patron saint guide your steps always, to the end of this life and beyond, into glory.
