Nne Maria!

"Nne Maria!" is a gentle, pleading response sung during the Prayer of the Faithful. Composed by Linus Ejere, this short piece turns the congregation's intercessions toward the Blessed Virgin Mary, asking her to intercede for her children. It is a natural way to weave Marian devotion directly into the universal prayer of the Mass.

In the choir loft, the piece is straightforward but deeply moving. The soprano line carries the main melody, calling out to Mary as "Oyoyo nne m o" (our beautiful mother) and asking her to present our petitions to God with the phrase "Rịọbara ụmụ gị arịrịọ." As the sopranos lead the petition, the lower voices weave in their own warm harmonies and echoes, creating a unified, earnest plea. It is a brief but powerful moment in the liturgy, giving the whole church a chance to lean on the intercession of their "ezigbo nne" (good mother) before the Liturgy of the Eucharist begins.