Mary Undoer of Knots Novina Day 9

About Mary, Undoer of Knots

Early in the sixteenth century, Hieronymus Ambrosius Langenmantel commissioned the painting of Mary, Undoer or Untier of knots for St. Peter am Perlach Church in Augsburg, Germany. The artist, Johann Georg Melchior Schmidtner, was inspired by the story of the man’s grandfather, Wolfgang Langenmantel, a German nobleman, and his wife Sophie. The couple’s lives were falling apart and they were on the verge of separation. In an effort to save their marriage, Wolfgang decided to get advice from a Jesuit priest, Father Rem, who lived in a monastery near Augsburg, Germany. They prayed together, raising up to Our Lady “the bond of marriage,” praying that “all knots be loosed and resolved.” After several meetings and many prayers to Our Lady, Wolfgang and Sophie reunited.

The painting portrays Mary dressed in a blue mantle, with twelve stars above her head, standing on the serpent, crushing evil and untying the knots in a long ribbon, working together with the Holy Spirit and the angels. The idea of Mary undoing the knots is believed to have been inspired by the meditation of St. Irenaeus, Bishop of Lyon: “Eve, by her disobedience, tied the knot of disgrace for the human race; whereas Mary, by her obedience, undid it.” Mary is seen as one who intercedes for us to her Son, helping us to let go of what binds us, what ties us to this world, what causes discord, violence and despair, freeing us from the struggles and the “knots” of our lives.

While studying in Germany in the 1980’s, Jorge Mario Bergoglio, now Pope Francis, saw the image of Mary, Undoer of Knots and brought it back to Argentina, promoting devotion to Our Lady. He had this same image engraved on a chalice that he presented to Pope Benedict XVI.

Our Lady Undoer of Knots, pray for us!