Marian devotions

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Botticelli
, c. 1485

Marian devotions are external pious practices directed to the person of

Christian denominations
.

Such devotional prayers or may be accompanied by specific requests for Mary's intercession with God.[2][3] There is significant diversity of form and structure in Marian devotions practiced by different groups of Christians. Orthodox Marian devotions are well-defined and closely linked to liturgy, while Roman Catholic practices are wide-ranging—they include multi-day prayers such as novenas, the celebration of canonical coronations granted by the Pope, the veneration of icons in Eastern Christianity, and pious acts which do not involve vocal prayers, such as the wearing of scapulars or maintaining a Mary garden.[4]

Marian devotions are important to the Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox traditions, as well as some

dulia that applies to God, the Virgin Mary, and then to the other saints.[6][7]

Anglicanism

No single church with universal authority exists within the

Broad Church
parishes than others.

Madonna and Child, St. John's Anglican Church, Ashfield, New South Wales
, Australia

The emphasis placed on Mary and Marian devotions changed over the history of Anglicanism. In the 16th century, following the independence of the

Purification had been retained. However, in the 17th century, there was a gradual return to Marianism and by 1662 there were five Marian feasts.[9]

British devotion to the Virgin Mary has often been expressed in poetry,

Carols, e.g., in the 17th-century poems of John Donne and George Herbert, or in the 18th-century works of Thomas Ken such as Saint Mary the Virgin.[10][11]

Marian Votive Shrine at the Anglo-Catholic Church of the Good Shepherd (Rosemont, Pennsylvania)

Anglican devotion for the Virgin Mary was revived during the 19th century Oxford Movement of Anglo-Catholicism and by the activities of prominent figures such as John Henry Newman.[12] British theologians such as Father Frederick Faber (who composed several hymns to Mary) took an enthusiastic approach to the promotion of Marian devotions towards the end of the 19th century.[13]

In the liturgical renewal of the 20th century, Mary gained new prominence, and in most Anglican prayer books she is mentioned by name in the Eucharistic prayers.[14] The gradual increase in Marian devotions among Anglicans has also been manifested within the higher levels of the clergy in the Anglican Communion. Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams (who made a 2008 pilgrimage to Our Lady of Lourdes) wrote a book on how to pray with the icons of the Virgin Mary.[15][16]

Anglican devotions to Mary include the

Lady chapels.[23]

Discussions between Roman Catholics and Anglicans within frameworks such as the

Anglican–Roman Catholic International Commission, and with the 2005 publication of the (non-binding) joint statement: Mary: Grace and Hope in Christ, have started a movement towards a closer agreement of Mary and Marian devotions between Catholics and Anglicans.[24][25]

Lutheranism

A statue of Mother Mary in the Lutheran church of Saint-Pierre-le-Jeune, Strasbourg

In his 1521 Commentary on the Magnificat, Martin Luther extolled the magnitude of God's grace towards Mother Mary and her own legacy of Christian instruction and example demonstrated in her canticle of praise.[26] This canticle continues to have an important place in the Lutheran Mass.[27]

After the Reformation, on the advice of Martin Luther, Marian paintings and statues continued to adorn many Lutheran Churches.[28]

The pre-Trent version of the Hail Mary (that is, "Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.") was retained by Martin Luther as a sign of reverence for and devotion to the Blessed Virgin.[29] The 1522 Betbüchlein (Prayer Book) retained the Ave Maria.[30]

Eastern Orthodoxy

Our Lady of Kazan has been the subject of devotions both in the Catholic Church and in Eastern Orthodoxy.[31][32]

A deep devotion to the "Aeiparthenos" (i.e., Ever Virgin) Mary is one of the key themes of Orthodox

Western Church.[33]

In the Orthodox view, devotion to Mary is considered an important element of Christian spirituality, and indifference to her by other Christian denominations is troubling to the Orthodox.[34] Orthodox theologian Sergei Bulgakov called denominations that do not venerate the Virgin Mary "another type of Christianity".[35][36]

The Theotokos (i.e., God-bearer, or Mother of God) title for Mary is very important in Eastern Orthodoxy and is seen as an affirmation of the fullness of God's incarnation.

The Orthodox approach to Marian devotions is characterized by three elements:

  • Orthodox understandings of Mary have for centuries been mostly doxological and devotional rather than academic: they have been expressed in Marian hymns, liturgical poetry and the veneration of icons, rather than formal treatises. Marian devotions thus form the nucleolus of Orthodox Mariology.[37]
  • Devotions to Mary are far more ingrained and integrated within Orthodox liturgy than in any other Christian traditions, e.g., there are many more
    Theotokos Iverskaya "wonder-working" icon is used on its own feast day, and the Akathistos is sung.[39]
  • The Orthodox focus on Mary as the
    Sunday of Orthodoxy the singing of Marian hymns and the veneration of icons reaffirm the identity of Mary as the Theotokos.[40]

The Eastern Orthodox Church considers Mary to have been elevated by God to the highest status, above all other creatures, though still only a human being. The Orthodox hymn

seraphim." Although most Orthodox consider Mary sinless, they do not accept the Roman Catholic definition of the Immaculate Conception of Mary.[36]

Mary is mentioned numerous times in all of the

Marian litanies
in the Eastern church which may cover a multitude of themes, some dogmatic, others of moral and patriotic character.

Devotions to icons of the Theotokos (often considered miraculous) are common in Eastern Orthodoxy. Many such icons are considered the protector of a region, e.g.,

Upper Volga region and the Theotokos of Tolga as the patroness of Yaroslavl. A number of local (and often ancient) Orthodox Marian devotions also exist around the world, e.g., to the icon of the Theotokos of the Life-giving Spring in present-day Istanbul
.

One of the most important Marian devotions is the

.

Catholicism

Praying before Our Lady of the Gate of Dawn in Vilnius, Lithuania

At the popular level, for centuries books such as True Devotion to Mary have built a ground swell of Marian devotions among Catholics, to the point that tens of millions of pilgrims visit Marian shrines every year.[41] The statue of our Our Lady of Zapopan attracts over one million pilgrims on 12 October each year as the statue travels through the streets moving from one cathedral to another.[42][43]

Marian devotions can take a unifying national dimension, e.g., devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe is a national symbol in Mexico, and in 1979 Pope John Paul II placed Mexico under her protection.[44] Similarly, national devotions to Our Lady of Šiluva resulted in Lithuania being formally consecrated to Mary by Cardinal Sladkevicius and the Chairman of the Lithuanian Parliament, in September 1991.[45]

Marian devotions are also associated with a number of beliefs among Catholics which have not been dogmatically approved by the Church, but have been asserted by saints and theologians. An example is the belief that devotion to Mary is a sign of

Reginald Garrigou-Lagrange, who taught Pope John Paul II, supported it with modern theological arguments regarding the "signs of predestination."[47][48][49]

After a century of growing emphasis on Marian devotions, the Second Vatican Council (1962–1965), in Sacrosanctum Concilium, #13, sought to give guidance on the place of devotion to Mary in Christian piety:[50][51]

Devotions should be so drawn up that they harmonize with the liturgical seasons, accord with the sacred liturgy, are in some fashion derived from it, and lead the people to it, since, in fact, the liturgy by its very nature far surpasses any of them.

Types of devotions

Marian devotions among Roman Catholics are varied and have diverse cultural dimensions. While there are many well-known devotions, there are many small, local and regional devotions. At the top level Catholic Marian devotions may be categorized into the following non-exclusive groups, based on the characteristics of the devotion.[citation needed]

Annual Grand Marian Procession through Downtown Los Angeles

Other devotions

Other devotions relate to particular episodes in the life of the Virgin Mary, such as the

scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel,[55] the icon of Our Lady of the Hens and the "Miraculous Medal". Its origins go back to 1830.[citation needed
]

Regional devotions continue to generate local support such as festivals and celebrations. The

Our Lady of Solitude of Porta Vaga in the Philippines have been celebrated for centuries, and their icons continue to be venerated.[56][57] Each year around Pentecost, as part of a local Marian devotion, about a million people attend the Romería de El Rocío in Spain.[58]

Many other forms of devotional expression take place. For example, there has also been the long-established practice of dedicating side altars in Catholic churches, often called

See also

References

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  2. pages 667-679
  3. ^ "Catholic Encyclopedia: Popular Devotions". Retrieved 16 December 2014.
  4. page 1174
  5. p. 288
  6. p. 58
  7. page 5
  8. pp. 4-7
  9. pp. 153-161
  10. ^ Thomas Ken (1868). Christian Year: Or, Hymns and Poems for the Holy Days and Festivals of the Church. Harvard University. Pickering.
  11. pp. 15-18
  12. ^ Josemaria 2008, pp. 173–175.
  13. ^ Mary: Grace and Hope in Christ 2006, p. 52.
  14. ^ McNally 2009, p. 169.
  15. p. 7
  16. ^ Duckworth 2004, p. 118.
  17. p. 43
  18. ^ "Introduction". Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham. Archived from the original on 12 September 2016. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
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  22. ^ Schroedel 2006, pp. 81–85.
  23. ^ Mary: Grace and Hope in Christ 2006, pp. 7–10.
  24. ^ Martin Luther, Luther's Works, The American Edition, Jaroslav J. Pelikan & Helmut Lehmann, eds., 55 vols., (St. Louis & Philadelphia: CPH & Fortress Press, 1955-1986), 295-358; cf. Anderson, Stafford & Burgess (1992), pp. 236–237
  25. ^ Anderson, 239, 381.
  26. ^ Bäumer, Remigius (1994). Leo Scheffczyk (ed.). Marienlexikon (Gesamtausgabe ed.). Regensburg: Institutum Marianum.
  27. ^ Luther's Works, 10 II, 407–409
  28. .
  29. ^ "Liturgy of the Word in honour of the Icon of the Mother of God of Kazan - August 25, 2004". Retrieved 16 December 2014.
  30. ^ "Lauds in honour of the Blessed Virgin Mary, before the ancient icon of Our Lady, Mother of God of Kazan". Retrieved 16 December 2014.
  31. ^ pp. 59-62
  32. pp. 210-215
  33. p. 116
  34. ^ a b McNally 2009, pp. 168–169.
  35. ^ Schroedel 2006, p. 90.
  36. p. 183
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  38. pp, 95-98
  39. ^ "Shrine of Gualdalupe Most Popular in World". ZENIT International News Agency. Retrieved 1 Oct 2010.
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  42. ^ Norman, Edward R., The Roman Catholic Church: an illustrated history, p. 127
  43. ^ "Our Lady of Siluva". Marian Library, University of Dayton. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
  44. ^ McNally 2009, pp. 144–147.
  45. ^ Josemaria 2008, pp. 401–403.
  46. , p. 56
  47. p. 139
  48. ^ "The Blessed Virgin Mary - Vatican II asked: Is she truly our sister?". National Catholic Reporter. 2015-01-16. Retrieved 2020-06-20.
  49. ^ "Sacrosanctum concilium". www.vatican.va.
  50. ^ "Catholic Encyclopedia: Raccolta". Retrieved 16 December 2014.
  51. p. 217
  52. ^ "Catholic Encyclopedia: Scapular". Retrieved 16 December 2014.
  53. ^ Swinburne, Henry (1790). Travels in the Two Sicilies. Vol. 3 (2 ed.). London: J. Nichols. p. 166. Retrieved 2021-02-18.
  54. ^ Aluit, Alphonso J., The Galleon guide to Philippine festivals, 1969 ASIN B004CWODBO p. 97
  55. ^ El Rocío, Rough Guide to Spain. Retrieved 2010-04-14. Archived July 15, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
  56. ^ Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "Devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary" . Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.

Sources