The Oldest Known Marian Prayer for Protection

The prayer Sub Tuum Praesidium—"We fly to thy patronage"—is among the most ancient Marian prayers in Catholic tradition, dating back to at least the third century. It expresses our complete confidence in the powerful intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God. In these times of apostasy and confusion, when the Church has been eclipsed by a counterfeit sect born of the heretical Second Vatican Council, it is more urgent than ever to return to the pure and unadulterated prayers and devotions of the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church of all time.

True Catholics, faithful to the unbroken tradition before the Vatican II Council's revolutionary errors, must cling to these ancient prayers as lifelines—expressions of fidelity to the Blessed Virgin and to the True Church, now suffering an unprecedented eclipse. Sub Tuum Praesidium is not only a beautiful invocation of Our Lady's protection, but a spiritual weapon for Catholics who reject the Conciliar Church and remain loyal to the Catholic Faith of all time. As the enemies of the Church infiltrate her visible structures and promote errors under the guise of "renewal," we must fly to Mary's patronage as our sure refuge in this spiritual exile.

1. Sub Tuum Praesidium

Latin:

Sub tuum præsídium confúgimus, sancta Dei Génitrix.
Nostras deprecatiónes ne despícias in necessitátibus nostris,
sed a perículis cunctis líbera nos semper, Virgo gloriósa et benedícta.

English Translation:

We fly to thy patronage, O Holy Mother of God.
Despise not our petitions in our necessities,
but deliver us always from all dangers, O glorious and blessed Virgin.

📌 Key Notes:

"Sub tuum præsídium" (Under thy protection) expresses complete trust in Our Lady’s intercession.
"Confúgimus" (we fly to thee) shows the urgency and faith of the prayer.
Often used for personal protection, spiritual battles, and in times of suffering.

2. Pronunciation Guide

To pray correctly, it’s important to speak Latin with confidence and clarity. Below is a step-by-step breakdown of each word:

    
    Sub Tuum Praesidium - Pronunciation Guide
    
    Sub Tuum Praesidium - Pronunciation Guide
    
                Latin Phrase
                Phonetic Pronunciation
                English Translation
            
        Sub tuum præsídiumSoob TOO-oom prae-SEE-dee-oomUnder thy protection
ConfúgimusKohn-FOO-jee-moosWe fly to thee
Sancta Dei GénitrixSANK-tah DEH-ee JEH-nee-treeksHoly Mother of God
Nostras deprecatiónesNOH-strahs deh-preh-kah-TSEE-oh-nesOur petitions
Ne despíciasNeh dehs-PEE-tsee-ahsDespise not
In necessitátibus nostrisEen neh-ches-see-TAH-tee-boos NOH-streesIn our necessities
Sed a perículis cunctisSehd ah peh-REE-koo-lees KOONK-teesBut from all dangers
Líbera nos semperLEE-beh-rah nos SEMP-ehrDeliver us always
Virgo gloriósa et benedíctaVEER-go gloh-ree-OH-sah eht beh-neh-DEEK-tahO glorious and blessed Virgin

📌 Key Pronunciation Notes:
✔ "Confúgimus" (Kohn-FOO-jee-moos) – The "g" is soft, like "j".
✔ "Deprecatiónes" (deh-preh-kah-TSEE-oh-nes) – "Ti" before a vowel sounds like "tsee".
✔ "Ne despícias" (Neh dehs-PEE-tsee-ahs) – Soft "tsee" sound in "despícias".
✔ "Líbera nos semper" (LEE-beh-rah nos SEMP-ehr) – Pronounce "semp" clearly.

✅ Practice Tip: Slowly say each word aloud several times, ensuring correct pronunciation.

3. Videos

LATIN: Sub tuum præsídium confúgimus, sancta Dei Génitrix. Nostras deprecatiónes ne despícias in necessitátibus nostris, sed a perículis cunctis líbera nos semper, Virgo gloriósa et benedícta.

PHONETIC: Soob TOO-oom prae-SEE-dee-oom Kohn-FOO-jee-moos SANK-tah DEH-ee JEH-nee-treeks. NOH-strahs deh-preh-kah-TSEE-oh-nes neh dehs-PEE-tsee-ahs een neh-ches-see-TAH-tee-boos NOH-strees, sehd ah peh-REE-koo-lees KOONK-tees LEE-beh-rah nos SEMP-ehr, VEER-go gloh-ree-OH-sah eht beh-neh-DEEK-tah.

LATIN: Sub tuum præsídium confúgimus, sancta Dei Génitrix. Nostras deprecatiónes ne despícias in necessitátibus nostris, sed a perículis cunctis líbera nos semper, Virgo gloriósa et benedícta. PHONETIC: Soob TOO-oom prae-SEE-dee-oom Kohn-FOO-jee-moos SANK-tah DEH-ee JEH-nee-treeks. NOH-strahs deh-preh-kah-TSEE-oh-nes neh dehs-PEE-tsee-ahs een neh-ches-see-TAH-tee-boos NOH-strees, sehd ah peh-REE-koo-lees KOONK-tees LEE-beh-rah nos SEMP-ehr, VEER-go gloh-ree-OH-sah eht beh-neh-DEEK-tah.

4. When to Use the Sub Tuum Praesidium

This Prayer is Recited:

✔ In times of distress, persecution, or need.
✔ As part of daily personal Marian devotion.
✔ By religious orders as a traditional invocation for help.
✔ During spiritual warfare for protection against evil.

📌 Traditional Catholic Practice:

The earliest Christians recited this prayer under Roman persecution.
Many saints and popes have recommended this prayer for protection.
It is commonly used in monasteries and religious communities.

5. Lesson Summary

Learn the Latin and meaning of Sub Tuum Praesidium, one of the oldest known prayers to the Blessed Virgin Mary. It is a vital devotion for Catholics who remain faithful to the True Church in this time of crisis and apostasy.

6. Final Thought – Why Does This Prayer Matter?

In an age marked by spiritual deception and betrayal, when the visible structures once associated with the Catholic Church have been overtaken by Modernists and heretics through the false Vatican II council, it is essential that faithful Catholics anchor themselves in the traditions that pre-date this great falling away. The Sub Tuum Praesidium is more than a quaint historical prayer—it is a battle cry of fidelity to the Blessed Virgin Mary and to the Catholic Church founded by Our Lord Jesus Christ.

Since Vatican II, the Novus Ordo sect has introduced irreverent liturgies, doctrinal ambiguity, false ecumenism, and a worldly orientation that betrays the supernatural mission of the Church. But true Catholics—those who understand that the Chair of Peter is currently vacant due to the heresies of the post-conciliar "popes"—do not follow this new religion. We instead hold fast to the timeless traditions of the Faith. Prayers like Sub Tuum Praesidium unite us spiritually with the martyrs, confessors, and saints who prayed these same words under persecution, offering themselves wholly to the Immaculate Mother of God.

By praying Sub Tuum Praesidium, we are not merely asking for Mary’s help—we are reaffirming our identity as members of the true, visible Church that cannot defect, even if she must now endure a mystical Passion and apparent eclipse. This prayer is a cry from exile, a beacon of hope, and an act of resistance against the Modernist counterfeit religion. It matters because holding fast to these ancient devotions is a sign that we have not accepted the false Church, and that we remain, by the grace of God, within the Ark of Salvation.

“Sub tuum præsídium confúgimus, sancta Dei Génitrix. Nostras deprecatiónes ne despícias in necessitátibus nostris, sed a perículis cunctis líbera nos semper, Virgo gloriósa et benedícta.”

8. We Fly to Thy Patronage (Sub Tuum Praesidium)