The “Crown of the Twelve Stars of the Blessed Virgin” is recited in honor of the 12 stars in Our Lady’s heavenly crown, as mentioned in Revelation 11:19-12:1.
“And the temple of God was opened in heaven: and the ark of his testament was seen in his temple, and there were lightnings, and voices, and an earthquake, and great hail.
And a great sign appeared in heaven: A woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars”
Saint Hippolytus of Rome (c. 170-c.235), clearly states, that the Evangelist John meant “the Church, endued with the Father’s Logos/Word, Whose brightness is above the sun. And by “the moon under her feet’ he referred to her being adorned, like the moon, with heavenly glory. And the words, ‘upon her head a crown of twelve stars,’ refer to the twelve Apostles by whom the Church was founded. And that ‘she, being with child, cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered,’ means that the Church will not cease to bear from her heart the Logos/Word that is persecuted by the unbelieving world. ‘And she brought forth,’ he says, ‘a man child’ (Revelation 12:5), ‘a man child of God, who is declared to be God and man, who become the instructor of all the nations.”
Pope Gregory XVI, of holy memory, by a Rescript of Jan. 8, 1838, kept in the Archivium of the Fathers of the Pious Schools at St. Pantaleon in Rome, granted to all the faithful an indulgence of 100 days, every time they devoutly say the following Chaplet of the Twelve Stars of the Blessed Virgin, composed by St. Joseph Calasanctius, founder of these schools, who used always to make his scholars say it. This gave rise to the Crown of Twelve Stars devotion which Heaven has blessed with countless favors.
The Crown of Twelve Stars had a deep influence on the spirituality of St. Louis de Montfort who promoted this chaplet, with the addition of his own prayers and praises, as contained in his book True Devotion to Mary.
How to Pray the Crown Chaplet of Twelve Stars of the Blessed Virgin
according to The Raccolta, Collection of Indulgenced Prayers & Good Works
Introductory Prayers on the Medal of the Immaculate Conception:
“Dignare me laudare te, Virgó Sacráta. Da mihi virtutem contra hostes tuos!”
“Grant that I may praise thee, O most Sacred Virgin! Give me strength against thy enemies!”
O Mary, my dear Mother, how much I love thee! And yet in reality how little! Thou dost teach me what I ought to know, for thou teachest me what Jesus is to me and what I ought to be for Jesus. Dearly beloved Mother, how close to God thou art, and how utterly filled with Him! In the measure that we know God, we remind ourselves of thee. Mother of God, obtain for me the grace of loving my Jesus; obtain for me the grace of loving thee! (An indulgence of 500 days. This prayer was written by Rafael Cardinal Merry del Val (1865-1930), the secretary of state for Pope Saint Pius X.)
O Mary, Conceived without Sin, Pray for Us Who Have Recourse to Thee!
(An indulgence of 300 days.)
On the 1st purple bead:
Pater noster.
On the Rosary center of the Blessed Trinity:
All praise and thanksgiving be to the ever-blessed Trinity, who hath shown unto us Mary, ever-Virgin, clothed with the sun, with the moon beneath her feet, and on her head a mystic crown of twelve stars.
℟. For ever and ever, Amen.
On the 2nd purple bead:
Let us praise and give thanks to God the Father, who elected her for His Daughter.
℟. Amen.
Pater noster.
On the consecutive white beads:
Praise be to God the Father, who predestined her to be the Mother of His Son.
℟. Amen.
Ave Maria.
Praise be to God the Father, who preserved her from all stain in her conception.
℟. Amen.
Ave Maria.
Praise be to God the Father, who on her birthday adorned her with His choicest gifts.
℟. Amen.
Ave Maria.
Praise be to God the Father, who gave her Joseph for her pure spouse and companion.
℟. Amen.
Ave Maria and Gloria Patri.
On the 3rd purple bead:
Let us praise and give thanks to God the Son, who chose her for His Mother.
℟. Amen.
Pater noster.
On the consecutive white beads:
Praise be to God the Son, who became Incarnate in her womb, and abode there nine months.
℟. Amen.
Ave Maria.
Praise be to God the Son, who was born of her, and gave to her her milk wherewith to nourish Him.
℟. Amen.
Ave Maria.
Praise be to God the Son, who in His childhood willed that Mary should teach Him.
℟. Amen.
Ave Maria.
Praise be to God the Son, who revealed to her the mysteries of the redemption of the world.
℟. Amen.
Ave Maria and Gloria Patri.
On the 4th purple bead:
Let us praise and give thanks to God the Holy Ghost, who made her His Spouse.
℟. Amen.
Pater noster.
On the consecutive white beads:
Praise be to God the Holy Ghost, who revealed to her first His name of Holy Ghost.
℟. Amen.
Ave Maria.
Praise be to God the Holy Ghost, through whose operation she became at once Virgin and Mother.
℟. Amen.
Ave Maria.
Praise be to God the Holy Ghost, through whom she became the living temple of the Most Holy Trinity.
℟. Amen.
Ave Maria.
Praise be to God the Holy Ghost, by whom she was exalted in heaven high above all creatures.
℟. Amen.
Ave Maria and Gloria Patri.
On the 5th purple bead:
Pater noster.
For the Holy Catholic Church, for the propagation of the faith, for peace among Christian princes, and for the uprooting of heresies, let us say, Salve Regina, &c.
Rejoice, O Virgin Mary, for thou alone have destroyed all heresies in the whole world. Thou believed the word of the Archangel Gabriel. A virgin still, thou brought forth the God-man; thou bore a Child, O Virgin, and remained a Virgin still. Mother of God, intercede for us.
O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to you, and for all who do not have recourse to you, especially the enemies of the Church and those recommended to you. Amen.
VIRGÓ SACRÁTA is a Christian mission-driven online resource and shop inspired from the beauty of Catholic faith, tradition, and arts. Our mission is to “Restore All Things to Christ!”, in continuing the legacy of Pope St. Pius X under the patronage of the Blessed Virgin Mary. “Who is she that cometh forth as the morning rising, fair as the moon, bright as the sun, terrible as an army set in battle array?” O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to Thee.
