The Church venerates the Holy Name of Mary on September 12, as it does for the name of Jesus on January 3. The Church considers Mary a name of honor because Mary was the Mother of God. Thus, Mary is a holy name as well as a maternal name. Pope Innocent XI made this feast day universal, and Pope John Paul II reinstituted it in 2003. The holy name of Mary is a popular devotion and St. Louis de Montfort has written extensively on it.
