St. Louis de Montfort on the Little Crown of the Blessed Virgin Mary

[The following is excerpted from St. Louis de Montfort's "True Devotion to Mary," paragraphs 234 and 235.]

"They may [or should] recite every day of their lives - without, however, making a burden of it - the Little Crown of the Blessed Virgin, composed of three Our Fathers and twelve Hail Marys, in honour of Our Lady's twelve privileges and grandeurs. This is a very ancient practice and it has its foundation in Holy Scripture. St. John saw a woman crowned with twelve stars, clothed with the sun, and with the moon under her feet (Apoc. 12:1); and this woman, according to the interpreters, was the most Holy Virgin."

"There are many ways of saying this Crown well, but it would take too long to enter upon them. The Holy Ghost will teach them to those who are most faithful to this devotion. Nevertheless, to say it quite simply, we should begin by saying: [the Dignare Me] 'Grant that I may praise thee, holy Virgin; give me strength against thy enemies.' After that, we should say the Apostles' Creed, then one Our Father with four Hail Marys and then one Glory Be to the Father, and so on with the rest; and at the end we should say the Sub Tuum Praesidium ('We fly to they patronage...')."