9 Facts About the Sacred Heart

1) The devotion to the Sacred Heart is over 900 years old: In the 11th century St. Peter Damien wrote the following to St. Catherine of Siena: “It is in the adorable Heart of Jesus that we find every weapon proper to our defense, every remedy for the cure of our ills, the most powerful assistance against the assaults of our enemies, the sweetest consolation to relive our sufferings, the purest delights to crown our souls with Joy.”

2) There was more than one saint who had visions of the Sacred Heart: In the 1200's three nuns started the monastery of St. Mary 

of Helfta. The nuns were St. Mechtild of Magdeburg, St. Mechtild of Hakeborn and 

St. Gertrude the Great.

3) Doesn't everyone have visions? St. Margaret Mary started having visions of Jesus, typically crucified, early in her life. She assumed that this was normal for everyone.

4) The Feast of the Sacred Heart was celebrated before St. Margaret Mary's visions: On August 31, 1670 a celebration in honor of the Sacred Heart was celebrated at the seminary in Rennes.

5) St. Margaret Mary Alacoque had multiple visions of the Sacred Heart: From 1673 - 1675. During the visions Christ told St. Margaret that he wanted three specific devotions done to honor His Sacred Heart - frequent communion, receiving Communion at Mass on the first Friday of the month and regular holy hours.

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