Editing First Saturdays Devotion (section)

==History==
The pious practice of honoring the Blessed Mother on Saturday is an ancient custom largely attributed to the [[Benedictine]] monk [[Alcuin]] (735-804), "Minister of Education" at the court of [[Charlemagne]], who composed a [[Votive Mass|Votive]] [[Mass (liturgy)|Mass]] formulary for each day of the week. Alcuin assigned two formularies to Saturday in honor of Mary. The practice was quickly adopted by both clergy and laity.<ref name="Frisk">{{Cite web|title=Saturday Devotions : University of Dayton, Ohio|url=https://udayton.edu/imri/mary/s/saturday-devotions.php|access-date=2020-09-03|website=udayton.edu}}</ref>

The practice of reparation to the Immaculate Heart of Mary on the First Saturday was initiated in [[Rovigo]], [[Italy]], by Maria Dolores Inglese, a [[Servite Order|Servite]] [[Third order|tertiary]] in 1889. She started among her friends the pious practice of "Communion in Reparation to the Immaculate Heart of Mary". The practice was endorsed by Bishop Antonio Polin of the [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Adria-Rovigo|Diocese of Adria]] and was taken up by [[Sodality|sodalities]] throughout Italy and elsewhere.<ref name="Frisk" /> On July 1, 1905, [[Pope Pius X]] approved and granted indulgences for the practice of the First Saturdays of twelve consecutive months in honor of the [[Immaculate Conception]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cesanek |first=Andrew |date=2024-12-10 |title=The Apparition of Our Lady and the Child Jesus at Pontevedra {{!}} The Fatima Center |url=https://fatima.org/news-views/the-apparition-of-our-lady-and-the-child-jesus-at-pontevedra/ |access-date=2025-04-07 |language=en-US}}</ref> This practice greatly resembled the reported request of the Blessed Virgin Mary at the [[Pontevedra apparitions]].

Inglese wished to establish a religious congregation dedicated to the apostolate of Marian reparation. Bishop [[Tommaso Pio Boggiani]] recommended that she join the Servite sisters, known for their devotion to [[Our Lady of Sorrows]]. She joined the Servites as Sister Maria Dolores in 1911. She and foundress Mother Mary Elisa Andreoli revised the rule, making propagation of Communion of Reparation on the First Saturday of each month the congregation's main apostolate. They also changed the name of the group from "Servants of Mary" to "Servants of Mary of Reparation". The sisters also published a monthly magazine that helped spread the devotion throughout Europe.<ref>''Queen of the Missions'', October 1954]</ref>