Why is May the month of Mary?

Madonna of the Rose Garden, attributed to de Besozzo, c. 1435, Verona

Have you ever wondered why May is the month of Mary, or where this tradition comes from?

Servant of God, Fr. Etcheverry Boneo offers a beautiful explanation. He reflects that spring reveals God not only as Creator, but as One who made all things with personal intention.

Every tree, every breeze, every birdsong carries meaning. And God knew, from all eternity, that you would experience them at this very moment.

Servant of God, Fr. Luis María Etcheverry Boneo

Among His infinite purposes, God willed that we might pause, rest, and find joy in these simple gifts. And even now, in this very moment, He continuously creates and sustains all things, fully aware of our presence and our experience.

In spring especially, His goodness feels near and abundant, expressed in flowers, fragrances, and the harmony of life. This is why the Church honours the Virgin Mary in spring.

Statue of The Virgin Mary among flowers

In Fr. Etcheverry’s Argentina, and throughout the Southern Hemisphere, the Month of Mary falls in November; Here in the Northern Hemisphere, it is in May. For English-speaking Christians, the month even seems to echo her name.

But why does this practice exist at all? Fr. Etcheverry explains that it arose from the Christian people. It is not something imposed from above, nor an official liturgical creation.

It comes purely from the devotion of the faithful. Ordinary Christian people, especially those in the countryside, could not help but notice how, after the cold and barrenness of winter, flowers appear with the promise of fruit.

And in that natural phenomenon, they could not help but think of the Virgin Mary.

Feast of Our Lady of Fatima, 13th of May

For if the flower is the most beautiful thing produced by nature, the Virgin is the most beautiful thing produced by human nature. If the flower announces the fruit that is to come, the Virgin Mary announces the fruit, who is Jesus Christ.

And if fruit is our nourishment and the reward of our labour, then Jesus Christ is our true nourishment. He is the fulfilment of all we seek.

Nature rises from winter with beauty and fruitfulness. And we too must renew ourselves, regain spiritual beauty, and produce our best fruits.