1

INTRODUCTION TO THE SACRED HEART OF 1ESUS AND

HISTORY OF THE DEVOTION TO THE SACRED HEART OF
1ESUS
1OHAMARY A1EP
INTRODUCTION
What we have and enjoy today as Sacred Heart Devotion is very ancient in the church and it is
central to the Christian liIe. This centrality iI seriously considered and rightly understood, gives
proIound meaning and insight to the otherwise surprising assertion that one cannot be a Christian
without devotion to the Sacred Heart!
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What is your level oI intimacy with Jesus? Have you
studied and reIlected on His liIe and mission? Why did he undergo such bloody passion and
cruciIixion on the Cross oI Calvary? Is it to boost His ego or to completely demonstrate His
ocean oI Love Ior us? Sacred Heart devotion is geared to oIIer answers to the questions we have
just raised. ThereIore, there is need to understand the devotion in order to Iacilitate our
appreciation oI it and a corresponding total commitment and loyalty.
This work is speciIically preoccupied with the aim oI responding to important questions like
what is devotion to the Sacred Heart; what precisely is its object oI devotion; why worship the
Heart oI Jesus and what is the history oI the devotion to the Sacred Heart?
,9 is devo9ion 9o 9e S,.7ed He,79
What is it that attracted Jesus to us? Our state oI misery caused by our sinIulness but repaired by
His redemptive act that was carried out on the Cross oI Calvary. This action oI Jesus is
completely that oI Love. It is time to ask the pertinent question, what is devotion to the Sacred
Heart? 'Sacred Heart reIers to the Heart oI Jesus oI Nazareth who is the Son oI the Blessed
Virgin Mary. It is the chieI aspect oI His person. Sacred Heart 'Devotion means devotion to the
Heart oI Jesus, the Second Person oI the Blessed Trinity. Note, to be devoted does not only mean
to say certain prayers (like Morning OIIering, Act oI Reparation and Daily Renewal) or observe
certain practices like receiving Holy Eucharist Irequently. No doubt these are good but '1o live
ou9 devo9ion 9o 9e He,79 of C7is9 we need 9o le9 9e Love of Cod 9ou. us ,nd 7e-.7e,9e us,
,nd 9en 7espond by 9o9,lly dedi.,9ing, 9o9,lly .ommi99ing, (,nd) 9o9,lly offe7ing ou7selves 9o
Him.
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1
!8 lernandes 8ecomloq cbtlst (8ombay 1he 8ombay SalnL aul SocleLy 2004) p 142
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8everend !ames ! Schroeder Clft Of Oot 1lme uevotloo 1o 1be neott Of Iesos (Walls AposLolaLe of Lhe rlnLed
Word Sacred PearL League) p 2

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,9 p7e.isely is 9e obje.9 of ou7 devo9ion
It is the physical Heart oI Our Lord, but as the real symbol oI the person and meaning oI Christ.
The heart is a symbol oI the love and attitude or interior disposition oI a person. Thus we say: He
is a noble heart. It stands Ior a person who is loving and noble. The Sacred Heart is the symbol oI
the heavenly Father`s love become incarnate and visible in Jesus. It Iollows that what is most
central to Jesus is Love. Accordingly, devotion to the Sacred Heart is simply devotion and love
Ior Jesus who loves us and in His love gives human expression to His Father`s love Ior us.
y do we wo7sip 9e He,79 of 1esus
The reason we worship the Heart oI Jesus Christ is twoIold. The Iirst is because oI the hypostatic
union. The hypostatic union is the union oI the two distinct natures oI God and man in one
person oI Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is truly human but also truly God, the second person oI the
Blessed Trinity. Hence, the human nature oI Christ must not be downplayed. Note, He is not God
'disguised as a human, but is 'like us in all things but sin.
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This being so, the Heart oI Christ is
the Heart oI God and the Heart oI God is a Heart oI Love; no wonder 'God is love
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The second reason we worship the Heart oI Jesus is because He is our Saviour, and our
Mediator. Christ demonstrated He is our saviour by accepting death on a cross because oI our
sins. It is Irom His sacred side that His Heart loaded with the consequences oI our sinIulness was
pierced and 'the ocean oI Divine Mercy was released to wash away our guilt and set us Iree Irom
bondage to sin.
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Jesus` obedience to death is as a result oI His love Ior mankind that is deep-
seated in His Heart. ThereIore, that Kind Heart deserves worship as our eternal appreciation Ior
His benevolent acts toward us. And this is what makes Him our Mediator: He says, 'I am the
way, and the truth and the liIe; no one comes to the Father but through me.
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HISTORY OF THE DEVOTION TO THE SACRED HEART OF 1ESUS
7om 9e ,9e7s -8AD
Christians in Rome were encouraged to meditate on Christ`s side during the aIternoon. The
devotion became strongest during the height oI Arian heresy and spread among the Irish, French
and Spanish.
Mon,s9i. Age 8-12 AD
Bede the Venerable, Bernard oI Clairvaux, William oI St. Thierry and Anselm oI Canterbury
mentioned ideas about the Heart oI Jesus in their writings. Secondly this era witnessed the

3
Cf LucharlsLlc rayer lv Peb 413
4
Cf 1!n 48 16
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A n Chude 1be woy of 1be ctoss 1be woy 1o Aotbeotlc cbtlstloo llfe (Zarla MacChln MulLlmedla ueslgners
2002) p 38
6
Cf !n 146

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adaptation oI the traditional icon oI Christ as pantocrator (ruler) to present Him as philanthropos
(lover oI humankind) by having His hand point to His wounded side and by having the word`s
'All oI you come to me Mt. 11:28.
C7e,9 Mys9i. Age 12-14 AD
The return oI the crusaders aided people to appreciate Christ`s suIIering and resurrection. %he
feast of Corpus Christi was established in 1264 and a strong connection was made between
devotion to the Sacred Heart and the Eucharist. Francis oI Assisi, Clare oI Assisi, Bonaventure,
and Albert the Great are among the Iamous mystics who wrote about the Heart oI Christ. The
Franciscans and Dominicans spread devotion to Christ`s Heart among the laity. In 1353, Pope
Innocent V1 approved a Mass text that had three reIerences to the pierced Heart oI Christ.
1e fi7s9 Colden Age of 9e S,.7ed He,79 Devo9ion
Three women mystics and their writings produced what could be called the First Golden Age oI
Sacred Heart Devotion, they are: Gertrude, Mechtild oI Magdebury and Mechtild oI Hackeborn.
Gradually, the devotion to the Heart oI Jesus became more popular as the symbol oI the whole
person oI Christ.
7om Mon,s9e7ies 9o 9e L,i9y 14-173
This era witnessed the eIIorts oI St. Bernardine oI Sienna, Thomas a Kempis, St. Peter Canisius,
St. Rose oI Lima, St. Francis de Sales (who with St. Frances de Chantal brought devotion to the
Heart oI Christ to the Visitation Order which St. Margaret Mary Alacoque later joined), Peter
Cardinal Berulle and many others. During this era the Heart was used Irequently in religious art
in relation to the other Iour wounds oI the passion.
St. John Eudes strenuously promoted the devotion to the Heart oI Christ by his preaching and
writings. In the area oI liturgy he wrote IiIteen Mass texts and he gave a theological and sound
spirituality oI the devotion to the Heart oI Christ. The Church calls him 'Founder oI the
Liturgical Cult oI the Sacred Hearts oI Jesus and Mary.
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1HE PARAY-LE-MOAIAL JERSIOA O 1HE DEJO1IOA 173 ,nd 195 (S1.
MARCARE1 MARY ALACOQUE AAD DEJO1IOA 1O 1HE HEAR1 O CHRIS1)
In the time between 1673 and 1956 a special Iorm was given to this ancient devotion as inspired
by the visions oI St. Margaret Mary Alacoque (1647-1690). She had several vision oI Christ
revealing HimselI as the Sacred Heart. The image oI Christ robed in red and white with the Heart
on His chest is one oI the best known representations oI Jesus-a result oI these visions. Margaret
Mary had these visions in the chapel oI the Visitation convent oI Paray-le-Monial, France,

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Assoclotloo Of 5octeJ neott of Iesos AoJ lmmocolote neott of Moty ltoyet 8ook (Lagos AssoclaLlon Cf Sacred
PearL of !esus And lmmaculaLe PearL of Mary 2004) p3

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between 1673 and 1675. 'The Four principal ones occurred on December 27, 1673, two in 1674,
and one on June 16, 1675, when Christ requested the Feast oI the Sacred Heart.
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She saw Christ
pointing to His Heart and heard Him asking Ior,
Behold this Heart which has so loved men that it has spared nothing to testiIy its
love Ior them, even to the exhausting and consuming oI itselI Ior their sake. But
in return Ior this I receive nothing Irom the generality oI mankind but ingratitude
through the contempt, irreverence, sacrileges, and coldness with which I am
treated in the Sacrament oI Love
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Further, she heard Christ asking Ior, 'Communion oI reparation on the First Fridays oI the
month, Adoration oI the Eucharist, Holy Hour every Thursday and a Feast oI Sacred Heart; more
so, she heard Him making twelve promises, including the 'Great Promise oI dying in grace and
with the sacraments iI one received Holy Communion on nine consecutive First Fridays.
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This Paray-le-Monial version oI the devotion, as promoted by St. Margaret Mary and her
Spiritual Director, Blessed Claude de la Colombiere, was a major point in the history oI the
devotion and the means by which it was approved by the Church and received liturgical
expression. Still, it rests on private revelation and, as Pope Pius XII declares, these 'revelations
added nothing new to Catholic doctrine.
1e e7, of .,llenges 197-175
During this period the Holy See gave outright reIusals to several requests that the devotion be
used oIIicially. However, a turning point Ior the devotion was when the bishop and civic leaders
oI Marseilles consecrated their city to the Heart oI Christ in 1720 due to the plague that struck it.
Two remarkable events Iacilitated the ending oI the aIorementioned oIIicial opposition: the Iirst
was the permission granted to Poland to use the Mass oI the Sacred Heart and the Holy See
annulled all earlier pronouncements against the devotion in 1765 (however, this was only Ior
individual Churches and not Ior the universal church); the second was Jansenism; a heresy with
an extremely strict view oI God. It was propounded by Cornelius Jansen, bishop oI Ypres. He
denied the Ireedom oI the will, the possibility oI resisting grace, and that Christ died Ior all men,
and maintained that it was not possible Ior man to keep some oI God`s commandments. This
heresy was condemned by Pope Pius VI in 1794. He then gave the devotion Iull approbation.
Why was the church slow at granting approval to the devotion? Here is the answer,
The Church`s Iundamental concern was to see that the new devotion Iitted
harmoniously, without strain or disproportion, into her constant practice oI
worship oI God and oI His Divine Son our Saviour, in accordance with the
teachings oI Christ and His Apostles. Once it was made unmistakably clear that

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8everend !ames ! Schroeder Clft Of Oot 1lme uevotloo 1o 1be neott Of Iesos (Walls AposLolaLe of Lhe rlnLed
Word Sacred PearL League) p 11

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the new devotion dovetailed perIectly with her traditional teaching, and was
conducive with no dangers oI exaggeration or over emphasis, she crowned it with
her oIIicial approval as suitable Ior use in the universal Church
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u79e7 developmen9s
1n 1856 Pius IX promulgated the Sacred Heart Mass, Ior use by the universal church. And the
same Pope in 1865 yielding to petitions Irom all parts oI Christendom extended the Ieast to the
Universal Church. Note, this was almost two centuries aIter the apparitions to St. Margaret Mary.
Further, Leo XIII consecrated the world to the Sacred Heart in 1899 and gave higher liturgical
status to the Feast oI the Sacred Heart. In 1929 Pius XI wrote the encyclical letter
'iserentissimus Redemptor` on the reparation to the Sacred Heart and raised the Sacred Heart
Mass 'Cogitationes` to the highest rank in the liturgy.
A Se.ond Colden Age of Devo9ion 9o 9e S,.7ed He,79
This age witnessed the contributions oI Fr. Francis Gautrelet, S.J., and Fr. Henri Ramiere, S.J.
who Iounded the Apostleship oI prayer in 1844. The Jesuits worked tirelessly to spread the
devotion. The object oI the association is the promotion oI prayer Ior the intentions oI the
members in union with our Lord in heaven. Its practices are a daily oIIering to God oI one`s
good works, spiritual and material, the daily recitation oI the decade oI the rosary Ior the
monthly intention recommended by the Pope, and Holy Communion as an act oI reparation on
prescribed days. The association which is under Jesuits direction numbers many million
members.
1e .on9empo7,7y pe7iod of 9e devo9ion
Pope Pius XII`s encyclical letter Haurietis Aquas (You Shall Draw Water) in 1956 marks a
turning point in the history oI the development oI devotion to the Sacred Heart. He sketched out
the scriptural, patristic, liturgical, and theological basis oI the devotion, and called on scholars
throughout the world to do in-depth studies and re-Iound the devotion. Moreover, he gives a
clear distinction between the St. Margaret Mary`s Iorm oI the devotion Irom the essentials oI the
devotion.
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7. M,9eo C7,wley-Boevey ,nd f,mily en97onemen9
Fr. Mateo understood the Sacred Heart devotion as not to remain in the Churches and Chapels
but to spread Irom the Iamilies and homes. It is in this spirit that the Iamous Fr. Mateo, a young
priest oI the Congregation oI the Sacred Hearts oI Jesus and Mary greatly encouraged by
approval oI the devotion to the Sacred Heart, Ian into Ilames the promotion oI the
'enthronement oI Sacred Heart in homes, Iamilies and schools. This is to Ioster the social reign

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Cp clL p 3
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Clft of Oot 1lme uevotloo to tbe neott of Iesos p 13

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oI the Sacred Heart and the perpetual presence oI Jesus, 'Behold I am with you always until the
end oI the world
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How did he get the approval to carry out the holy assignment?
He asked Ior an audience with Pope Pius X; he was granted and he explained his project oI
working Ior the spread oI the social reign oI the Sacred Heart oI Jesus. But to his greatest
surprise the Pope says, 'No, my son!` Looking up Father Mateo reiterated his request. Again
came the answer, No my son . you ask Ior permission, and I say, No.` Not only do I permit
you, but I command you to give your liIe Ior this work oI social salvation.
14
Leaving Rome, he
went to Paray-le-Monial (in the sanctuary oI the apparition) where he received extra-ordinary
graces to plan how to bring to bear the mandate he received and by the illumination oI his mind
things became clear to him and he states, 'I understood what our Lord desired oI me.. I
resolved upon a plan to conquer the whole world Ior the love oI the Heart oI Jesus- home aIter
home, Iamily aIter Iamily.
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The results oI Father Mateo`s crusade Ior the enthronement oI the Sacred Heart in homes and
Iamilies '. were startling, Iallen-away returned to the sacraments; great sinners, including
enemies oI the Church and high-ranking Freemasons, were converted. The spiritual liIe oI
(parishes) changed. It was a veritable Pentecost.
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1e Se.ond J,9i.,n Coun.il ,nd 9e S,.7ed He,79 Devo9ion
Although, the Second Vatican Council did not mention devotion to the Sacred Heart oI Jesus but
it did commend devotions that are in accord with the Church`s norms and liturgy. The Council
particularly required that all popular devotions harmonise with the liturgical seasons, that they be
in accord with the liturgy, and that they be derived Irom the liturgy and lead people to it.
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Pope
Paul VI made tremendous contribution to the promotion oI the devotion in his two Apostolic
Letters on the devotion. He asked all oIIicial leaders in the Church to promote the devotion as the
best means oI contributing to spiritual and moral renewal. In 1970 he pointed out how the
devotion is the Iocal point Ior getting to know Christianity and in 1974 he again highlighted the
connection between the Eucharist and the Sacred Heart at the Bolivarian Eucharistic Congress.
Blessed John Paul II Also made signiIicant contributions to the cause Ior the propagation oI
devotion to the Heart oI Jesus. On this note, in 1979 he wrote a Catechesis on the ystery of the
Heart of Christ. He also made this inspiring expression on his visit to the Sacred Heart shrine in
Paris in June 1980, he says, 'meet the Heart which was pierced Ior us and whence water and
blood Ilow out. It is the redemptive love which is at the origin oI our salvation and oI the

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Cf ML 28 20
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Cp clL pp36
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Assoclotloo of tbe 5octeJ neott of Iesos ooJ lmmocolote neott of Moty ltoyet 8ook p 6
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Church Again, he writes, 'Today as ever, the living Christ loves us and oIIers us His Heart as
the source oI our redemption.
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Benedict XVI on Friday, 19 June 2009, the Solemnity oI the Sacred Heart oI Jesus which
providentially coincided with the Opening oI the Year Ior Priests on the 150
th
Anniversary oI the
Death oI St. John Mary Vianney, the Holy Father in his homily states, 'Having loved his own
who were in the world, he loved them to the end` (Jn 13:1). The symbol oI this love which
transcends death is his side, pierced by a spear. . One oI the soldiers pierced his side with a
spear, and at once there came out blood and water (Jn 19:34).
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The Ioregoing expression Irom
the Holy Father completely discloses the depth oI his theology on the Sacred Heart oI Jesus and
it is a good sign oI his promotion oI the cause laid by his predecessors. It is pertinent to note that
Pope Benedict XVI is a pope oI 'the basics, who is interested in reintroducing the Iundamentals
oI the Christian gospel and oI Catholic tradition to the modern world. There is no gainsaying that
the Sacred Heart devotion is a popular devotion oI our Catholic tradition.
CONCLUSION
The devotion to the Sacred Heart oI Jesus is the veneration oI the Human Heart oI Jesus; it is not
the worship oI the heart as an anatomical unit, but Iirst and Ioremost as the symbolic locus oI
Christ`s inexhaustible well oI mercy and love, gushing out Ior all in His pierced heart. Secondly,
an innocent and unrelenting invitation to mankind to convert and embrace the Gospel with
strings oI love.
The devotion is ancient and has evolve through the eIIorts oI the Church Fathers, Saints and
Mystics in particular, and speciIically the apparitions oI Jesus to St. Margaret Mary cannot be
underestimated because those revelations created lasting landmarks Ior the aIIirmation and
development oI the devotion. Equally, the giant strides oI popes, theologians and Fr. Mateo
cannot be overlooked. ThereIore, it is our responsibility to response to love shown us Iirst by
Jesus and secondly by our mother the church via her approval, promotion and aIIirmation oI the
devotion. Sacred Heart oI Jesus - Your kingdom come! May God bless us all and as our names
are written on the sacred images oI the Sacred Heart oI Jesus and Immaculate Heart oI Mary may
they be so written in the book oI liIe in heaven through Christ our Lord, Amen.


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Clft of Oot 1lme uevotloo to tbe neott of Iesos p 13
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wwwvaLlcanva/holy_faLher/benedlcL