Cinco de Mayo

On Friday, May 5, many people will participate in Cinco de Mayo celebrations. The holiday celebrates the date of the Mexican army’s May 5, 1862, victory over France at the Battle of Puebla during the Franco-Mexican War. Over time, though, the date has been adopted by the U.S. as a celebration of Mexican culture and heritage. But earlier in the day, before the celebrations begin, you might find many Catholics making their way to church because this year, Cinco de Mayo falls on the first Friday of the month. First Friday is a special devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and commemorates Jesus’ death on a Friday.

“Every Friday of the year, and not only the Fridays in Lent, is a special day of penance as stipulated in the Code of Canon Law: ‘The penitential days and times in the universal Church are every Friday of the whole year and the season of Lent’ ” (Canon 1250), according to an article by Father Francis Hoffman for simplycatholic.com.

First Friday devotions are also called the Act of Reparation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The devotion is made to offer reparations for sins. The practice had its origin in the apparitions of Christ at Paray-le-Monial, France, reported by Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque in the 17th century.

The devotion was not officially sanctioned at first. In fact, St. Margaret Mary met with resistance and incredulity from the start in her own religious community, and not until 75 years after her death was the First Friday devotion to the Sacred Heart officially recognized.

According to ncregister.com, Jesus promised St. Margaret Mary Alacoque 12 blessings, ranging from peace in families to God’s graces to, most importantly, the graces necessary for a good and holy death, for those who dedicate nine consecutive First Fridays in reparation to the Sacred Heart.

To meet the requirements for the First Friday Devotion a person must, on each First Friday for nine consecutive months, go to confession (if not in the state of grace), attend Mass and receive Communion.

Why the number nine? According to aleteia.org, “The number nine is traditionally associated with a novena and finds its origin in the nine days that the apostles spent in prayer before Pentecost. A novena provides an extended amount of time for preparation and interior renewal.”

First Friday, of course, is followed by First Saturday, a day dedicated to the Immaculate Heart of Our Lady. The Five First Saturdays Devotion has its beginnings in the message of Fatima in 1925. The devotion includes confession, Communion and a 15-minute meditation on the mysteries of the rosary.