The Hearts of Jesus and Mary: Five Surprising Connections

Today and tomorrow we celebrate two hearts that beat as one, one of a Son, the other his mother.

While devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus can be traced back to the 11th century, it wasn’t until the 17th century that the Catholic Church began to recognize the alliance of the hearts of Jesus and Mary. Saint John Eudes began this public and liturgical devotion of the union of the two hearts. He wrote…

“You must never separate what God has so perfectly united. So closely are Jesus and Mary bound up with each other that whoever beholds Jesus sees Mary; whoever loves Jesus, loves Mary; whoever has devotion to Jesus, has devotion to Mary.” 

In the 1956 encyclical, Haurietis Aquas (You will Draw Water), Pope Pius XII wrote…

 "In order that favors in great abundance may flow on all Christians, nay, on the whole human race, from the devotion to the most Sacred Heart of Jesus, let the faithful see to it that to this devotion the Immaculate Heart of the Mother of God is closely joined."

In his 1986 Address, To the Participants of the International Symposium on the Alliance of the Hearts of Jesus and Mary, Pope John Paul II said…

“If we turn to Mary’s Immaculate Heart she will surely help us to conquer the menace of evil, which so easily takes root in the hearts of the people of today... Our act of consecration refers ultimately to the heart of her Son, for as the Mother of Christ she is wholly united to his redemptive mission. As at the marriage feast of Cana, when she said ‘Do whatever he tells you’, Mary directs all things to her Son, who answers our prayers and forgives our sins. Thus by dedicating ourselves to the heart of Mary we discover a sure way to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, symbol of the merciful love of our Savior.”

Five Amazing Connections 

1. Supernatural Origin.  

In the 1600’s, Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque had visions of Jesus showing her his Sacred Heart and asked her to spread devotion to the image. Much of the symbolism of the Sacred Heart derives from these visions.

In the Miraculous Medal both Hearts were revealed to St. Catherine Laboure by the Virgin Mary in an 1830 apparition. “As Catherine watched, the frame seemed to rotate, showing a circle of twelve stars, a large letter 'M' surmounted by a cross, and the stylized Sacred Heart of Jesus crowned with thorns and the Immaculate Heart of Mary pierced with a sword.” The images of the two Hearts are on the reverse side of the medal. On the left side the Sacred Heart of Jesus features a flaming heart of divine love for mankind, pierced by the lance, encircled by the crown of thorns, surmounted by a cross and bleeding. On the right, is the Immaculate Heart of Mary also with a flaming heart of maternal love, pierced by a sword referencing Simeon's prophecy in Luke 2:35. 

Also, Mary showed her Immaculate Heart to the three young seers, Lucia, Francisco, and Jacinta at Fatima, Portugal during the third apparition, on July 13, 1917. She appeared with her heart encircled by thorns, representing the sins of humanity and the sorrow they cause her.

2. Encircled by Crowns.

Jesus’ heart is surrounded by a crown of thorns signifying his royal identity and his suffering and passion.

Mary’s heart is surrounded by a crown of pink roses symbolizing her royalty, purity and sacrificial love, brought about by her Immaculate Conception, her maternal love for her son Jesus Christ, and her motherly and compassionate love for all mankind. 

3.  Flaming, Wounded and Bleeding.

Above the Sacred Heart of Jesus flames surround a cross showing the intensity of the sacrificial love that God has for sinners. There is a bleeding wound in the side of the heart calling to mind the piercing of Jesus’ heart by a lance at his crucifixion. The Precious Blood of Jesus comes from his Sacred Heart and is consumed by the faithful in the Eucharist.

Traditionally, the Immaculate Heart is depicted pierced with seven swords or wounds, in homage to the seven sorrows of Mary. On a scapular dated back to the 1800’s, the Immaculate Heart features one sword piercing it with blood dripping out. At the top of the heart, three white lilies are surrounded by flames. 

4. They Mirror Each Other in Praise of the Holy Name.

Images of Jesus and Mary often show them pointing to their hearts with one hand (Jesus with his right hand and Mary with her left) and with the other hand they use a gesture common in many icons. The gesture they are making has the ring finger touching the thumb and the index finger pointing up.

In the language of icons, the fingers actually shape the letters IC XC. The letters are an abbreviation for the Greek words Jesus (IHCOYC) Christ (XPICTOC) the “Name above every name”.

With this gesture Jesus is declaring his identity and Mary is honoring Jesus. As the moon reflects the light of the sun, Mary always points to Jesus. Her last recorded words in the Bible bear this out, "Do what ever he tells you" (Jn 2:5).  

5. United in the Liturgical Calendar.  

The Memorial of the Immaculate Heart of Mary is celebrated on the Saturday following the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. In 2025 the two Hearts are closer than ever. We celebrate them on back to back days since the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus falls on Friday June 27 and The Memorial of the Immaculate Heart is on Saturday, June 28.  

+Sacred Heart of Jesus have mercy on us. Immaculate Heart of Mary pray for us+