Paul VI – Encyclical *Christi Mater Rosarii* (September 15, 1966): Latin text and rosary for peace in Vietnam

The encyclical Christi Matri Rosarii (September 15, 1966) is the second Marian encyclical of Pope Paul VI, explicitly dedicated to invoking the Rosary for peace in Vietnam. Published on the feast of Our Lady of Sorrows and addressed to the whole Church. Full text in Enchiridion Vaticanum vol. 2 (1963-1967).

Latin Text – Beginning

Christi Matri Rosarii sacrum mensem Octobrem proxime ineuntem proximum esse cernimus. Aeris turbines undique nos circumstant, atque pacis et concordiae spes nondum reddita est. Hoc graviore in periculo, ad Christi Matrem confugimus, ad eam quam totus orbis Christianus appellat «Reginam pacis», eamque deprecamus ut populis omnibus pacem largiri dignetur.

English Translation

We see that the month of October, dedicated to the Mother of Christ of the Rosary, is approaching. Storms surround us on all sides, and the hope for peace and harmony has not yet been restored. In this more grave peril, we turn to the Mother of Christ, whom all the Christian world invokes as «Queen of Peace», and we pray that she may deign to grant peace to all peoples.

Historical Context

The year 1966 was one of the darkest moments in the Vietnam War:

• June 30, 1966: American bombings of Hanoi and Haiphong intensify
• September 1966: American military presence reaches 385,000 personnel in Vietnam
• Vietnamese Catholicism suffered greatly on both sides of the conflict

Pope Paul VI had already in 1965 published Mense Maio asking for prayers for Vietnam. A year later, with the war escalating, he appeals again to Mary, Queen of Peace, with this new encyclical.

The Three Requests of the Encyclical

Pope Paul VI makes three specific requests:

1. Daily Rosary during October 1966 in all churches around the world
2. For an end to the Vietnam War and all armed conflicts in the world
3. For the good progress of the Bishops’ Synod (established by Paul VI that same year as a collegial governance instrument)

The Rosary as a Weapon of Peace

English:Beate Virgin Maria, while the Rosary is recited, leads the minds of men to inner peace and mutual brotherhood. For in that contemplation of the mysteries of joy, sorrow, and glory, the faithful are educated to feel with Christ, and through Christ with other men, who are brothers in Christ.Connection to Tradition:The encyclical explicitly refers to:– Saint Pius V: The Battle of Lepanto (October 7, 1571), Mary Queen of Victory, later renamed Queen of the Rosary. – Leo XIII: The thirteen encyclical letters on the Rosary (1883-1898), the Rosary as a weapon for the Church in the crisis of modernity. – Pius XII: The consecration of the world to the Immaculate Heart (1942), at the time of World War II.Paul VI’s Marian Trilogy:*Christi Matri Rosarii* is part of Paul VI’s initial Marian trilogy:– *Mense Maio* (1965) – The Rosary for peace in Vietnam. – *Christi Matri Rosarii* (1966) – The second call. – *Signum Magnum* (1967) – Mary as a model of virtues in the Church. – *Recurrens Mensis October* (1969) – The third call. – *Marialis Cultus* (1974) – The magna cum of Paul VI’s mariology.Supplementary Reading:– *Marialis Cultus* – *Mense Maio* – *Signum Magnum* – *Rosarium Virginis Mariae* – *Aparições marianas: Magistério de Guadalupe, Lourdes, Fátima, Aparecida*

Graduate Studies in Mariology

Do you want to deepen your formation in Mariology? Get to know the Graduate Program in Mariology from Locus Mariologicus – an academic formation that combines theological rigor, spiritual life, and the living tradition of the Church.

Register or learn more →

Learn to pray the Rosary in our guide: How to Pray the Rosary, step by step.

Want to study Mariology seriously?

This article arises from the works in the Locus Mariologicus library. The Postgraduate Mariology program takes you to the same source, with academic guidance: Scripture, the Fathers of the Church, and the Magisterium, from the first dogma to contemporary issues.

Learn about the Postgraduate Mariology Program