An obscure Bavarian devotion was little known until an Argentine priest became intrigued with it while studying in Germany. He brought an image of the painting back to his native country and began to promote the devotion.
What was the devotion? Our Lady Undoer of Knots. The priest's name? Fr. Jorge Mario Bergoglio: Pope Francis!
If you know about Our Lady Undoer of Knots it is likely because Pope Francis helped to spread the devotion. It has become famous around the world and has taken root among the faithful as an efficacious means of turning to Mary’s intercession for life’s most difficult problems, symbolized by the simple yet fitting concept of handing her our “knots” to unravel.
Pope Francis was touched by this concept and passed it on to the world.
How did it begin?
Fr. Bergoglio's visit to Bavaria
When Fr. Jorge Bergoglio, was completing his graduate studies in Germany in 1986, he visited the pilgrimage Church of St. Peter am Perlach, which at the time was staffed by his own religious order, the Jesuits. Fr. Bergoglio became enamored with the painting of “Knotenmadonna” and the story behind it, which had been preserved by the Bavarians through the centuries.
The painting hung above the altar of Our Lady of Good Counsel at the Church of St. Peter am Perlach, located in the heart of Augsburg, beginning in 1700. Over time it grew in popularity because of its unique representation of the Mother of God. The fact that the altarpiece was associated with the Langenmantels, an ancient patrician family of Augsburg, no doubt played a factor in its prominence. It became a Marian devotion in its own right when it proved to be efficacious for many who sought Our Lady’s aid for their most troubling circumstances. The painting then became a pilgrimage destination, known simply as “Wallfahrtsbild” or “Pilgrimage image.” Although it was significant in the region, for nearly 300 years the painting remained unknown to the broader world until the end of the 20th century when it was “discovered” by Fr. Bergoglio.
The story of the devotion of Mary Undoer of Knots arose because of Our Lady’s intercession in a single marriage. On the surface, it almost seems ordinary. However, the devotion reveals the depth of its power when we consider the tremendous graces that afterwards flowed from this saved marriage; it has resulted in multitudes of people who have been positively affected by Mary’s intercession under this title in the generations since.
The Story
It all began with Wolfgang Langenmantel (1586-1637), a nobleman from the Bavarian city of Augsburg, Germany. He belonged to a socially and politically prominent family with a lineage dating to the Middle Ages. In 1612 he married a noblewoman by the name of Sophia Rentz (1590-1649). The early years of their marriage were undoubtedly fraught with struggle, because by 1615 Sophia was taking steps to end their marriage in divorce. Wolfgang, however, was determined to save the marriage. He turned to the Church for guidance and sought the counsel of a wise priest by the name of Fr. Rem.
Father Jakob Rem, S.J. (1546 - 1618) was a priest serving as chancellor at a Jesuit seminary at the University of Ingolstadt to the northeast of Augsburg. Fr. Rem had a reputation for being a holy and pious priest, and this is undoubtedly the reason why Wolfgang traveled a distance of forty miles from Augsburg to Ingolstadt to meet with him. This journey was no small feat without the conveniences of modern travel. In his fight for his marriage, Wolfgang made this long and arduous trip four times in less than a month.
Wolfgang brought Fr. Rem the wedding ribbon that was used during his marriage ceremony, perhaps at Fr. Rem’s request. A wedding tradition in the region at that time, the long, white ribbon was wrapped around Sophia and himself as they made their vows of Holy Matrimony. The ribbon was a tangible symbol of their marriage bond; however, the secure knots that were made in the ribbon to represent their life-long union now represented their marital difficulties.
During his final meeting with Wolfgang, Fr. Rem prayed for the troubled couple while holding up their knotted wedding ribbon before an image of Our Lady of the Snows. As he prayed to the Mother of God to heal Wolfgang and Sophia’s marital conflicts, he solemnly untied the knots in the ribbon one by one. He is reported to have said, "In diesem religiösen Akt erhebe ich das Band der Ehe, löse alle Knoten und glätte es,” which roughly translates:
“In this religious act, I raise the bond of matrimony, loosen (or solve) all the knots, and smooth it.”
Then something dramatic happened. After being lifted up before the image of Our Lady of the Snows, the wedding ribbon became a bright, pure white. This subtle, miraculous sign was received by Fr. Rem as confirmation that the Blessed Mother had taken the matter into her hands and would respond favorably. As a result of the prayers of Fr. Rem and the intercession of Our Lady, the couple’s divorce was averted.
For more on the story of this marriage discover our Good Catholic series, Our Lady Undoer of Knots.
The Spread of the Devotion
Touched by its simple yet powerful imagery, the painting and the devotion deeply resonated with Fr. Bergoglio and quickly became his new favorite Marian devotion. He brought a copy of the painting back to his native Argentian and spoke of it to his acquaintances. Fr. Bergoglio undoubtedly saw many possibilities in this devotion for overcoming failings, forgiving wrongs, resolving conflicts, and defeating many other evils for which a priest’s counsel is continually sought. If Our Lady showed herself so willing to work under the title Undoer of Knots in Bavaria, certainly she would do so in Argentina. The faithful would just need to be made aware that they can call on Our Lady under this unique title, which Fr. Bergoglio undertook as his mission.
Our Lady Undoer of Knots White Magnetic box
When Fr. Bergoglio was appointed bishop and then archbishop of Buenos Aires, it provided him greater opportunity to promulgate his beloved devotion. He spread it to many chapels around the country and also dedicated a shrine to Mary Undoer of Knots in Buenos Aires. Bergoglio not only saw this devotion as a means of untying hardened knots in the lives of those entrusted to his spiritual care; he also saw it as a means of calling on Our Lady’s aid to protect us against the assaults of the devil. He recognized that the devil is often the cause of our knots, sowing discord in souls and families. To this effect he had the Mary Undoer of Knots image printed on a prayer card which he included in his personal correspondence. On the back of the card he wrote a prayer that said,
“May evil never ensnare you in its chaotic web… May you act as an example of how to unravel the knots in our lives and help us through difficult times with simplicity and patience, through the intercession of Your Son.”
Because of Archbishop Bergolio’s assiduous promulgation, the Mary Undoer of Knots devotion quickly took hold among the faithful in his diocese. It then spread throughout Argentina and eventually throughout all of South America.
When Archbishop Bergoglio was elevated to Cardinal, he shared his devotion with the Holy Father. In 2005, shortly after Pope Benedict XVI ascended the Chair of St. Peter, Cardinal Bergoglio commissioned a chalice to be crafted for the Roman Pontiff and engraved with an image of Mary Undoer of Knots. He then presented it as a fitting gift for His Holiness—a Bavarian image for a Bavarian pope. It was a fitting gift for another reason—Pope Benedict XVI has a special admiration for Baroque art and architecture.
Pope Francis Brings His Devotion to the Papacy and Brings with him Our Lady Undoer of Knots
When Pope Francis became the Vicar of Christ, his special devotion to Mary Undoer of Knots drew global media attention. As a result, many Catholics around the world became acquainted with this new Marian devotion for the first time, and quickly began to invoke Mary’s help under this efficacious title.
As Holy Father, Pope Francis continued to share with the world this Marian devotion that he regarded so highly. A copy of the painting hangs in the papal reception room where he greeted foreign dignitaries. This conspicuous location reminds us that Our Lady can assist even with the great knots that beset world leaders and the relations among nations.
One of the most significant points in his papacy at which the Holy Father promulgated the Mary Undoer of Knots devotion was at the 2015 World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia. In honor of the Holy Father’s appearance at this event, a public grotto was erected underneath a reproduction of the famous painting. To fill in the walls of the grotto, pilgrims were given long, narrow, white strips of cloth on which they wrote their prayer intentions. Over 100,000 of these “ribbons” were then tied in knots on and around the grotto’s framework to symbolize the pilgrims giving their knots to Mary to unravel. The myriad knotted ribbons placed under the Mary Undoer of Knots image became a striking visualization of our suffering, and how desperately humanity needs the help our Mother.
Fittingly, the grotto was erected in front of the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul, the two saints who laid the foundation for the Church thereby bringing the means of salvation to the whole world. The successor of St. Peter, Pope Francis, made a surprise visit to the Mary Undoer of Knots Grotto to pray for the many intentions left there by the pilgrims.
We can see God’s providence at work in the fact that the Mary Undoer of Knots devotion was highlighted at the World Meeting of Families in the presence of the Holy Father. Pope Francis recognized the spiritual battle that often underlies our knots, that Satan is after our relationships and our families, tying them up in knots, and destroying our peace. This is reflected in the prayer Fr. Bergoglio composed to Mary Undoer of Knots (included below this article) while he was still a cardinal. He asked that Our Lady free us and our loved ones from “the knots and confusion with which our enemy attacks” and to “untie the knots that prevent us from being united with God, so that we, free from sin and error, may find Him in all things.”
Mary Undoer of Knots Decade Rosary with Card
Prayer to Our Lady Undoer of Knots by Fr. Bergoglio (Pope Francis)
Mary, Mother of Fair love, I look to you. Take into your hands the ribbon of my life, and see the snarl of knots that keeps me bound to sin, anxiety, and hopelessness. I beg you, Mother, by your powerful intercession, to undo the knots in my heart and in my life [mention your requests here]. I beg you to undo this for the glory of God, once and for all. You are the fortification of my feeble strength, the enrichment of my destitution, and with Christ, the freedom from my chains. Free me to love as Christ loves. Keep me, guide me, protect me, O Safe Refuge! Mary Undoer of Knots, pray for me!
The passing of Pope Francis
On Easter Monday, April 21, 2025, the death of Pope Francis was announced from the Casa Santa Marta with these words:
"Dearest brothers and sisters, with deep sorrow I must announce the death of our Holy Father Francis. At 7:35 this morning, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the house of the Father. His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and of His Church. He taught us to live the values of the Gospel with fidelity, courage, and universal love, especially in favor of the poorest and most marginalized. With immense gratitude for his example as a true disciple of the Lord Jesus, we commend the soul of Pope Francis to the infinite merciful love of the One and Triune God."
