Who was St. Margaret Mary Alacoque?
St. Margaret Mary Alacoque (1647 to 1690) was a French Visitation nun at Paray-le-Monial to whom Jesus revealed His Sacred Heart in a series of visions between 1673 and 1675. Through her, the Church received the First Friday devotion, the Holy Hour, and the Feast of the Sacred Heart. She was canonized by Pope Benedict XV in 1920, and her feast day is October 16.
Some saints change the world from a pulpit or a battlefield. St. Margaret Mary changed it from a convent chapel in a small town in Burgundy, kneeling before the Blessed Sacrament. What Jesus showed her there, a Heart on fire with love for us and wounded by our indifference, has since found its way into nearly every Catholic church and countless Catholic homes.
If you have ever seen a Sacred Heart image hanging in a grandmother's kitchen, gone to Mass on a First Friday, or heard of the Feast of the Sacred Heart in June, you have already met her work. Here is the woman behind it.
St. Margaret Mary Alacoque at a Glance
| Born | July 22, 1647, L'Hautecour, Burgundy, France |
| Religious Order | Order of the Visitation of Holy Mary (entered 1671) |
| Visions of the Sacred Heart | 1673 to 1675, Paray-le-Monial |
| Died | October 17, 1690, Paray-le-Monial (age 43) |
| Beatified | September 18, 1864, by Blessed Pius IX |
| Canonized | May 13, 1920, by Pope Benedict XV |
| Feast Day | October 16 |
| Resting Place | Chapel of the Apparitions, Visitation Monastery, Paray-le-Monial |
| Known For | Apostle of the Sacred Heart; First Fridays; the Holy Hour |
Her Early Life: A Hard Childhood and a Promise to Mary
Margaret Alacoque was born on July 22, 1647, the fifth of seven children and the only daughter of Claude Alacoque, a notary, and his wife Philiberte. When she was eight, her father died, and the family's fortunes fell into the hands of relatives who treated Margaret and her mother harshly.
As a girl she fell seriously ill with rheumatic fever and spent about four years confined to bed. She made a vow to the Blessed Virgin that she would give her life to God if she recovered. She was healed, and in gratitude she later added "Mary" to her name.
Her family pushed her toward marriage, and for a time she wavered. But the pull toward God never left her. On May 25, 1671, at 23, she entered the Visitation convent at Paray-le-Monial, the order founded by St. Francis de Sales and St. Jane Frances de Chantal. She made her profession on November 6, 1672.
The Visions of the Sacred Heart (1673 to 1675)
Sister Margaret Mary was not the most efficient nun in the house. She was quiet, a little clumsy, and often misunderstood. Yet it was to her that Our Lord chose to reveal the love of His Heart.
December 27, 1673: The First Revelation
On the feast of St. John the Apostle, the disciple who rested his head on Jesus' chest at the Last Supper, Margaret Mary was praying before the Blessed Sacrament. She later wrote that Jesus invited her to rest on His Heart and revealed to her the wonders of His love, which He desired to make known to all people through her.
1674: First Fridays and the Holy Hour
In later visions, Jesus showed her His Heart surrounded by flames, crowned with thorns, pierced, and topped with a cross. He asked her to receive Holy Communion on the first Friday of each month in reparation for the ingratitude of men, and to spend an hour in prayer every Thursday night, from 11 p.m. to midnight, keeping Him company in His agony in the Garden of Gethsemane. This is the origin of the Holy Hour.
June 1675: "Behold This Heart"
During the octave of Corpus Christi in June 1675, Jesus appeared to her again and spoke the words that sum up the whole devotion:
"Behold this Heart which has so loved men that it has spared nothing, even to exhausting and consuming itself, in order to testify its love; and in return I receive from the greater part only ingratitude."
He asked that the Friday after the octave of Corpus Christi be set apart as a feast in honor of His Heart, with Communion and acts of reparation. That request became the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, celebrated by the whole Church every June.
Doubted, Then Defended: St. Claude de la Colombière
Many of her fellow sisters and even some theologians thought Margaret Mary was imagining things. Jesus had promised to send her "a faithful servant and perfect friend" to help her, and in 1675 that friend arrived: the Jesuit priest St. Claude de la Colombière, who became the community's confessor. He judged her experiences to be genuine, encouraged her, and helped spread the devotion. He was canonized by Pope St. John Paul II in 1992.
Margaret Mary spent the rest of her life in the convent, serving for a time as novice mistress and quietly promoting the devotion. She died on October 17, 1690, at the age of 43. Her body rests today above the side altar in the Chapel of the Apparitions at Paray-le-Monial, which remains a place of pilgrimage.
What Is the Sacred Heart Devotion?
Devotion to the Sacred Heart is worship of Jesus Christ, true God and true man, under the sign of His physical Heart, which stands for His love for us. It did not begin with St. Margaret Mary; saints like St. Gertrude, St. Mechtilde, and St. Bonaventure loved the pierced Heart of Christ centuries earlier. But through her, the devotion became a public practice of the whole Church.
The traditional image carries the message on its face. The flames show His burning love. The crown of thorns and the wound show what that love cost Him. The cross rising from the Heart points to the Passion. To learn more about each symbol, read The Powerful Image of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and What Is the Meaning of the Sacred Heart and the Immaculate Heart?
At its core, the devotion asks two things of us: to believe in His love, and to love Him back, especially by making reparation for the coldness and indifference He receives.
The 12 Promises of the Sacred Heart
In her letters, St. Margaret Mary recorded promises Jesus made to those who honor His Heart. These were later gathered into the well-known list of twelve:
| 1. I will give them all the graces necessary in their state of life. |
| 2. I will establish peace in their homes. |
| 3. I will comfort them in all their afflictions. |
| 4. I will be their secure refuge during life, and above all in death. |
| 5. I will bestow abundant blessings upon all their undertakings. |
| 6. Sinners shall find in My Heart the source and the infinite ocean of mercy. |
| 7. Lukewarm souls shall grow fervent. |
| 8. Fervent souls shall quickly mount to high perfection. |
| 9. I will bless every place in which an image of My Heart is exposed and honored. |
| 10. I will give to priests the gift of touching the most hardened hearts. |
| 11. Those who promote this devotion shall have their names written in My Heart, never to be blotted out. |
| 12. The Great Promise: I promise you in the excessive mercy of My Heart that My all-powerful love will grant to all those who receive Holy Communion on the First Friday in nine consecutive months the grace of final penitence. They shall not die in My disgrace, nor without receiving their sacraments. My divine Heart shall be their safe refuge in this last moment. |
These promises are not magic formulas. They are an invitation to grow in trust and love, and the graces flow from a heart that is truly turned toward Him.
How to Practice the Sacred Heart Devotion
| The Nine First Fridays Go to Mass and receive Holy Communion, in a state of grace, on the first Friday of nine months in a row, with the intention of honoring the Sacred Heart and making reparation. Many people go to confession beforehand. |
| The Holy Hour Spend an hour with Jesus in Eucharistic adoration, especially on Thursday evening, remembering His agony in Gethsemane. If an hour feels like too much, start with fifteen minutes. |
| Enthronement of the Sacred Heart in the Home Place an image of the Sacred Heart in a place of honor in your home and, with a priest or as a family, consecrate your household to Him. It is a beautiful way to live Promise 9. Our guide to a Catholic home blessing and to creating a prayer corner can help you get started. |
| Daily Consecration and Morning Offering Begin each day by offering your prayers, works, joys, and sufferings to the Sacred Heart, or pray St. Margaret Mary's consecration prayer below. |
| The Litany of the Sacred Heart This approved litany, with 33 invocations, is a wonderful family prayer for Fridays and throughout June, the month of the Sacred Heart. |
| Acts of Mercy and Reparation Love His Heart by loving the people He loves: patience at home, a kind word at work, forgiving someone who hurt you, and offering small sacrifices for sinners. |
How the Church Has Embraced the Devotion
What began in one nun's prayer became the prayer of the universal Church:
| 1856 | Blessed Pius IX extends the Feast of the Sacred Heart to the whole Church. |
| 1899 | Pope Leo XIII consecrates the entire human race to the Sacred Heart in the encyclical Annum Sacrum. |
| 1956 | Pope Pius XII writes Haurietis Aquas, his encyclical on the theology of the devotion. |
| 2024 | Marking 350 years since the first apparition, Pope Francis publishes Dilexit Nos ("He Loved Us"), an entire encyclical on the Sacred Heart, written for "a world that seems to have lost its heart." |
| 2026 | On June 11, 2026, the U.S. bishops consecrate the United States to the Sacred Heart in the nation's 250th year. Read more in America Consecrated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. |
St. Margaret Mary's Act of Consecration to the Sacred Heart
This prayer, written by St. Margaret Mary herself, is one of the most beloved prayers of the devotion. It is perfect for a family consecration or for praying on her feast day.
I give myself and consecrate to the Sacred Heart of our Lord Jesus Christ, my person and my life, my actions, pains and sufferings, so that I may be unwilling to make use of any part of my being other than to honor, love and glorify the Sacred Heart.
This is my unchanging purpose, namely, to be all His, and to do all things for the love of Him, at the same time renouncing with all my heart whatever is displeasing to Him.
I therefore take You, O Sacred Heart, to be the only object of my love, the guardian of my life, my assurance of salvation, the remedy of my weakness and inconstancy, the atonement for all the faults of my life, and my sure refuge at the hour of death.
Be then, O Heart of goodness, my justification before God Your Father, and turn away from me the strokes of His righteous anger. O Heart of love, I put all my confidence in You, for I fear everything from my own wickedness and frailty, but I hope for all things from Your goodness and bounty.
Remove from me all that can displease You or resist Your holy will. Let Your pure love imprint You so deeply upon my heart that I shall nevermore be able to forget You or to be separated from You.
May I obtain from all Your loving kindness the grace of having my name written in Your Heart, for in You I desire to place all my happiness and glory, living and dying in very bondage to You. Amen.
How to Celebrate Her Feast Day, October 16
Go to Mass, and stay a few minutes afterward to thank Jesus for His Heart. Pray the consecration prayer above as a family. If you have a Sacred Heart image at home, set a candle or a few flowers before it for the day. If you have never made the nine First Fridays, her feast is a wonderful day to decide to begin in November. And share her story with your children: a girl who was sick, lonely, and misunderstood, and whom Jesus chose anyway.
St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, pray for us! Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in You!
Bring the Sacred Heart Into Your Home
Promise 9 is one of the most beautiful: Jesus blesses every place where an image of His Heart is honored. A Sacred Heart image, medal, or a St. Margaret Mary prayer card makes a meaningful gift for a new home, a wedding, Confirmation, or anyone who needs to be reminded how much they are loved.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the feast day of St. Margaret Mary Alacoque?
October 16. It was moved from October 17, the day she died, in the 1969 calendar reform. In the United States it is an optional memorial.
Why is St. Margaret Mary Alacoque important?
Jesus chose her to spread devotion to His Sacred Heart. Through her visions at Paray-le-Monial (1673 to 1675), the Church received the First Friday devotion, the Holy Hour, and the Feast of the Sacred Heart.
What are the 12 promises of the Sacred Heart?
Promises Jesus made through St. Margaret Mary to those devoted to His Heart, including grace for their state in life, peace in their homes, comfort in affliction, mercy for sinners, a blessing on homes that honor His image, and the Great Promise of final perseverance for those who make the nine First Fridays.
What is the First Friday devotion?
Receiving Holy Communion on the first Friday of nine consecutive months in honor of the Sacred Heart and in reparation for sin. Jesus promised those who do so the grace of final repentance.
What is the Holy Hour?
An hour of prayer with Jesus, usually before the Blessed Sacrament. Jesus asked St. Margaret Mary to pray each Thursday night from 11 p.m. to midnight in memory of His agony in the Garden of Gethsemane.
When is the Feast of the Sacred Heart?
The Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus falls on the Friday after the second Sunday after Pentecost, usually in June. The whole month of June is dedicated to the Sacred Heart.
Who was St. Claude de la Colombière?
A French Jesuit priest who served as St. Margaret Mary's confessor, confirmed that her visions were genuine, and helped spread the Sacred Heart devotion. He was canonized in 1992.
Where is St. Margaret Mary Alacoque buried?
Her remains rest above the side altar in the Chapel of the Apparitions at the Visitation Monastery in Paray-le-Monial, France.
Sources
"St. Margaret Mary Alacoque," EWTN. ewtn.com
Pope Leo XIII, Annum Sacrum (1899); Pope Pius XII, Haurietis Aquas (1956).
Pope Francis, Dilexit Nos (October 24, 2024).
"Dilexit nos will be the Pope's fourth encyclical," Vatican News, October 2024. vaticannews.va
