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When Pope Leo XIV ended his first public blessing with a Hail Mary and made a pilgrimage to Marian shrines, including the Sanctuary of Our Mother of Good Counsel in Genazzano, he reaffirmed a long-standing tradition in Catholicism: deep devotion to the Virgin Mary.

But why does Mary, Jesus’ mother, inspire such widespread prayer, especially during the month of May? Here’s a closer look at the history, theology, and personal devotion surrounding the Catholic Church’s most venerated woman.

Mary: One Person, Many Titles

According to the Gospels, Mary is the mother of Jesus, making her central to the mystery of the Incarnation. Her earliest and most theologically significant title, “Mother of God” or Theotokos in Greek, was affirmed after early Christian debate.

“There’s almost like a Mary for everything,” Kayla Harris, professor and director of the Marian Library at the University of Dayton, told The Associated Press. These include titles drawn from doctrine, like the Assumption (celebrated Aug. 15), and apparitions such as Our Lady of Guadalupe, Fatima, and Lourdes.

Other titles reflect the needs of the faithful — from Our Lady of Good Counsel to Star of the Sea, invoked by sailors. According to Giuseppe Falanga, liturgy professor at Pontificia Università della Santa Croce, these diverse titles and devotions are why the rosary remains one of the most universally used Catholic prayers, as reported by The Associated Press.

Icons and Images: How Mary Is Seen

From statues to paintings, Mary’s image varies around the world. Some, like Brazil’s Virgin of Aparecida, are Black Madonnas; others show her pregnant or aged. Most commonly, she is portrayed holding the infant Jesus, symbolising her role in leading the faithful toward Him.

In Genazzano’s 15th-century icon, Jesus is shown clutching Mary’s neck — a tender, intimate depiction. “Mary looking at Jesus makes a theological point… inviting worshippers to fix their gaze on Christ, not her,” AP quoted Falanga as saying.

The Catholic Catechism clarifies that veneration, not worship, is given to Mary. Worship is reserved for God alone.

Why May Belongs to Mary

Since the 19th century, May has been the month dedicated to Mary, coinciding with springtime and historically linked to goddesses of fertility in ancient Greek and Roman traditions, according to a report published in The Associated Press. Mother’s Day, also celebrated in May in countries like Italy and the U.S., adds another layer of maternal reverence.

“It’s that relatability as a mother figure that makes Mary so universally appealing as an intercessor before God,” Harris reportedly said.

At the Basilica of St. Augustine in Rome, which serves Pope Leo’s Augustinian order, two Marian sites are especially popular: the “Labor Madonna” for expectant mothers and a chapel with St. Monica’s relics, where mothers pray for children who’ve strayed from the faith.

“We welcome a lot of moms, who come to pray to St. Monica for their children… and they ask the Lord for the gift to touch their hearts,” Rev. Pasquale Cormio, the basilica’s rector, told the publication.