“Totus Tuus” (Latin for “Totally Yours”) was the personal and papal motto of Saint John Paul II. It appeared on his coat of arms from the day he became a bishop and remained with him throughout his entire papacy🇻🇦
But why did he choose it?
🔸As a young seminarian, Karol Wojtyła had a deep love for the Blessed Virgin Mary, but he once struggled with a concern: he worried that too much devotion to Mary might take away from the worship due to Christ alone.
🔸Then he discovered the writings of St. Louis de Montfort, especially True Devotion to Mary. In it, he found the answer to his questions. Montfort taught that true devotion to Mary is profoundly Christ-centered, it is rooted in the mystery of the Trinity and the Incarnation. Mary always leads us closer to Jesus, never away from Him.
The full phrase from Montfort is: “Totus tuus ego sum, et omnia mea tua sunt” (I am all yours, and all that I have is yours, O most loving Jesus, through Mary, your most holy Mother).
“Totus Tuus” became John Paul II’s beautiful abbreviation, a total consecration of himself, his priesthood, his papacy, and even the whole world to the Mother of God. He entrusted everything to her so that she could present it perfectly to her Son.
Through Mary to Jesus. Totally Yours, Mary, so that I may be totally His.
This is why he could say with such confidence: “I belong entirely to Mary, because belonging to her makes me a better disciple of Christ.”
Totus Tuus, Maria!
Totally Yours, O Mary! 🌹