The "Little Crown of the Blessed Virgin Mary" is a chaplet recited in honor of the 12 stars in Our Lady’s heavenly crown, as mentioned in Revelation 11:19-12:1:
"Then God’s temple in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant was seen within his temple; and there were flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake, and heavy hail. A great portent appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars."
This vision of the Ark of the Covenant seen in heaven is held by the Catholic Church to be the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God. Her starry crown symbolizes her Queenship of heaven and earth (as well as of the 12 tribes of Israel and the 12 Apostles) and her many graces.
The Little Crown chaplet consists of one Our Father and four Hail Marys prayed three times, making a total of 12 Hail Marys—one for each star in her crown. From the 17th century in France these three repetitions were seen as honoring Mary’s “Three Crowns,” a crown of Excellence, Power, and Goodness. This had a deep influence on the spirituality of St. Louis de Montfort who promoted this chaplet, with the addition of his own prayers and praises, as contained in his book True Devotion to Mary, which is reproduced below.
{click image to view chaplet}
Introductory Prayer
Allow me to praise you, O Holy Virgin,
Give me strength against your enemies.
I. The Crown of Excellence
To honor the Divine Maternity of the Blessed Virgin, her ineffable Virginity, her purity without stain, and her innumerable virtues.
Our Father, who art in heaven …
1. Hail Mary, full of grace …
Blessed art thou, O Virgin Mary, who didst bear the Lord, the Creator of the world;
thou didst give birth to Him Who made thee, and remainest a Virgin forever.
Rejoice, O Virgin Mary;
Rejoice a thousand times!
2. Hail Mary, full of grace …
O holy and immaculate Virgin, I know not with what praise to extol thee,
since thou didst bear in thy womb the very One Whom the Heavens cannot contain.
Rejoice, O Virgin Mary;
Rejoice a thousand times!
3. Hail Mary, full of grace …
Thou are all fair, O Virgin Mary,
and there is no stain in thee.
Rejoice, O Virgin Mary;
Rejoice a thousand times!
4. Hail Mary, full of grace …
Thy virtues, O Virgin,
surpass the stars in number.
Rejoice, O Virgin Mary;
Rejoice a thousand times!
Glory be to the Father …
II. The Crown of Power
To honor the royalty of the Blessed Virgin, her magnificence, her universal mediation and the strength of her rule.
Our Father, who art in heaven …
5. Hail Mary, full of grace …
Glory be to thee, O Empress of the world!
Bring us with thee to the joys of Heaven.
Rejoice, O Virgin Mary;
Rejoice a thousand times!
6. Hail Mary, full of grace …
Glory be to thee, O treasure house of the Lord's graces!
Grant us a share in thy riches.
Rejoice, O Virgin Mary;
Rejoice a thousand times!
7. Hail Mary, full of grace …
Glory be to thee, O Mediatrix between God and man!
Through thee may the Almighty be favorable to us.
Rejoice, O Virgin Mary;
Rejoice a thousand times!
8. Hail Mary, full of grace …
Glory be to thee who destroyest heresies and crushest demons!
Be thou our loving guide.
Rejoice, O Virgin Mary;
Rejoice a thousand times!
Glory be to the Father …
III. The Crown of Goodness
To honor the mercy of the Blessed Virgin toward sinners, the poor, the just, and the dying.
Our Father, who art in heaven …
9. Hail Mary, full of grace …
Glory be to thee, O refuge of sinners!
Intercede for us with God.
Rejoice, O Virgin Mary;
Rejoice a thousand times!
10. Hail Mary, full of grace …
Glory be to thee, O Mother of orphans!
Render the Almighty favorable to us.
Rejoice, O Virgin Mary;
Rejoice a thousand times!
11. Hail Mary, full of grace …
Glory be to thee, O joy of the just!
Lead us with thee to the joys of Heaven.
Rejoice, O Virgin Mary;
Rejoice a thousand times!
12. Hail Mary, full of grace …
Glory be to thee who are ever ready to assist us in life and death!
Lead us with thee to the kingdom of Heaven!
Rejoice, O Virgin Mary;
Rejoice a thousand times!
Glory be to the Father …
Concluding Prayer
Let Us Pray.
Hail, Mary, Daughter of God the Father;
Hail, Mary, Mother of God the Son;
Hail, Mary, Spouse of the Holy Ghost;
Hail, Mary, Temple of the most Holy Trinity;
Hail, Mary, my Mistress, my treasure, my joy, Queen of my heart;
my Mother, my life, my sweetness, my dearest hope & & yea, my heart and my soul!
I am all thine and all that I have is Thine, O Virgin blessed above all things!
Let thy soul be in me to magnify the Lord; let thy spirit be in me to rejoice in God.
Set thyself, O faithful Virgin, as a seal upon my heart,
that in thee and through thee I may be found faithful to God.
Receive me, O gracious Virgin, among those whom thou lovest and teachest,
whom thou leadest, nourishest and protectest as thy children.
Grant that for love of thee I may despise all earthly consolations and ever cling to those of Heaven until,
through thee, His faithful spouse, Jesus Christ thy Son be formed in me for the glory of the Father.
Amen.
