We Fly to Thy Protection

Sub Tuum Praesidium

A scrap of papyrus in Manchester, catalogued as Rylands 470, carries this prayer in Greek and is dated to around the year 250, which makes it the earliest written prayer to Mary anywhere. It already calls her Theotokos, Mother of God, nearly two centuries before the Council of Ephesus defended the title. The words are short enough to say in a moment of fear, which is what they were made for.

Ancient, c. 250 (Rylands Papyrus 470)