Mary Help of Christians
Mary, the Help of Christians (
The
During the expansion of the Islamic Ottoman Empire intended to invade Christian Europe in 1571, Pope Pius V invoked Christian armies and its victory achieved was consequently attributed to the intercession of Mary under this devotional title.
Pope Leo XIII signed and granted a pontifical decree of canonical coronation towards the Turin image on 13 February 1903. The rite of coronation was executed on 17 May 1903 by Cardinal Agostino Richelmy, and is now permanently enshrined within the Basilica of Mary Help of Christians.
History
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Patristic origins
There are two inscriptions from the first centuries of Christianity in
In the view of Johann G. Roten, the invocation of Mary as Help of Christians is part of the oldest prayer addressed directly to Mary, the Sub tuum praesidium, which was found on a papyrus dating, at the latest, from the end of the 3rd century. Praesidium is translated as "an assistance given in time of war by fresh troops in a strong manner."[1]
The Litany of Loreto
In 1576, the
The first surviving translation of this litany, yet still incomplete, in the Spanish language was recorded in 1621 under the title “La Letania Sagrada de la Bienaventurada Virgen Maria” in
The Italian religious author Orazio (Horatio) Torsellini (1597) and the Roman Breviary (May 24, Appendix) claim that Pope Pius V inserted the invocation in the Litany of Loreto after the Battle of Lepanto. The form of the litany in which it is first found, however, was unknown at Rome at the time of Pope Pius V. [3]
Marian Feast
The feast of Our Lady, Help of Christians, was instituted by
When Napoleon left Elba and returned to Paris, Murat was about to march through the Papal States from Naples; Pius VII fled to Savona 22 March 1815.[2] After the Congress of Vienna and the battle of Waterloo, the Pope returned to Rome on 7 July 1815. To give thanks to God and Our Lady, on 15 September 1815 he declared 24 May, the anniversary of his first return, to be henceforth the feast of Our Lady, Help of Christians. The 1913 Catholic Encyclopaedia article commented that "it has spread nearly over the entire Latin Church, but is not contained in the universal calendar."
The Marian feast has been celebrated by the Order of
Vatican II, in the Constitution on the Church (sections 61, 62), cites this title of Mary, placing it in the context of Mary's maternal role.
In an utterly singular way she co-operated by her obedience, faith, hope and burning charity in the Saviour's work of restoring supernatural life to souls. For this reason she is a mother to us in the order of grace…By her maternal charity, Mary cares for the brethren of her Son who still wander through this world in the midst of dangers and difficulties until they are led to the happiness of their heavenly home".[7]
Observance
The church has traditionally focused on two aspects of Our Lady's help on this feast day. Firstly, the church focuses in this feast on the role of Our Lady's intercession in the fight against sin in the life of a believer. Secondly, the church focuses on Our Lady as one who assists Christians as a community, through her intercession, in fighting against anti-Christian forces.
Michael Daniel observes that, while this approach may be regarded as outdated, in light of Vatican II, where the world and non-Christians elements therein were seen in a positive rather than a hostile or threatening light, it would seem that it would be naïve on the part of Christians to regard all movements and all social trends as either good or harmless.[7]
The
It became the patronal feast of Australasia, a double of the first class with an octave.[9] After the reforms of the Second Vatican Council, it was designated a solemnity to be kept on the first available Sunday on or after 24 May.
The Fathers of the Foreign Missions of Paris, in accordance with a vow (1891), celebrated this feast with great splendor in their churches.
It has attained special renown since John Bosco, founder of the Salesian Congregation, dedicated his foundation to Our Lady, Help of Christians, the mother church of his congregation at Turin on 9 June 1868. The Salesians have carried the devotion to their numerous establishments. It was established due to the great appreciation of Don Bosco for this Marian title and the development of the Salesian works in many countries since the second half of the 19th century. The Salesian National Shrine of Our Lady Help of Christians is located in Stony Point, New York. There is also the National Shrine of Mary Help of Christians in Parañaque City, Philippines, which is also in the care of the Salesians of Don Bosco. [10]
In memory of the liberation of
- The Diocese of Australia, by institution of an Octave (1888)
- The Order of Barnabites (1908)
- The Society of the Divine Savior (1909)
- The Society of Saint Francis de Sales(1910)
- In the Diocese of La Serena, Chile (1914)
- In the Diocese of Skopje, North Macedonia (1914)
The Church of Notre Dame du Bon Secours in Blosseville, France was also inaugurated under this Marian title “Help of Christians”, dating back to the original church structure in the 13th century. It was finalized in 1840 and Pope Benedict XV ultimately granted a pontifical decree that raised the shrine to the status of minor basilica on 12 February 1919.
The Abbey of Mary Help of Christians, better known as Belmont Abbey, is a small American monastery of Benedictine monks in the town of Belmont, Gaston County, North Carolina, outside of Charlotte, North Carolina. The minor basilica of Our Lady Help of Christians is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[11]
A chapel dedicated to this namesake Marian title exists at the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C., America. [12]
Under this title, the Virgin Mary is venerated by the
Although it is commonly associated with the Catholic Church, the Eastern Orthodox Church has also known the devotion since 1030 in Ukraine, when the country was defended from a barbarian invasion.
Pontifical approbations
- Litany of Loreto with this Marian title. Originally a Marian feast instituted under the title of "Our Lady of Victory", it was later changed to the "Feast of the Holy Rosary" by his successor Pope Gregory XIIIfor the month of "October" in 1573 which survives until this day.
- Napoleon Bonaparteon 24 May 1814, by which he formally instituted the feast of the Virgin Mary under this specific title and survives until present time.
- Pope Pius IX — issued the following decrees:
- Granted a pontifical decree to the Sacred Congregation of Rites of this Marian title as the official patroness of Australia in 1852. Cardinal Francis Moran expanded this with the institution of an Octave feast for the Diocese of Sydney in 1888.[13]
- Granted a decree of pontifical coronation to a Marian image of Notre Dame du Bon Secours, Marie Auxiliatrice on 15 July 1870, now enshrined at the Rouen, France.
- Pope Leo XIII — granted a pontifical decree of canonical coronation to the famed Turin image on 13 February 1903 through his papal legate, Cardinal Agostino Richelmy, who crowned it on 17 May 1903. The image is now permanently enshrined within the Basilica of Our Lady Help of Christians in Turin, Italy.
- Pope Pius X — granted a decree of pontifical coronation for the venerated Marian painting at the Basilica in Brezje, Radovljica, Slovenia, on 24 June 1907 and was crowned on 1 September of the same year.
- Pope Benedict XV — redeclared this patronage for Australia with a congratulatory decree titled "In Cœtu Sodalium" granted to the Master General of the Dominican Order Ludwig Maria von Theissling under the honorific title of "Old Virgin / Ancient Virgin" on 29 October 1916.
- Pope Pius XII — issued the following decrees:
- Formally elevated the Minor Basilica(written on 24 July 1942) and officially signed and notarized on 12 September 1942 via his pontifical decree Compertum Habemus.
- Granted a Pontifical decree Sacras Inter Ædes on 12 September 1950 raising the shrine of the namesake image to the status of Niteroi, Brazil, notarized by the Regent of Apostolic Briefs, Monsignor Gildo Brugnola.
- Formally elevated the
- Viedma, Argentina signed and notarized by Cardinal Domenico Tardinion 19 April 1960.
- Pope John Paul II — granted the following pontifical decrees:
- Raised the sanctuary of Mary Help of Christians to the status of Minor Basilica in Brezje, Radovljica, Slovenia, via formal decree titled Satis Quidem Constat on 5 October 1988.
- Decree of canonical coronation titled In Ecclesia Sanctuario for a namesake image in Twardogóra, Poland, on 5 May 1994 and was crowned on 24 September 1995.[14]
- Raised the sanctuary of Mary Help of Christians to the status of
- Pope Benedict XVI — honored Mary under this title via the following pontifical decrees:
- Granted a decree of pontifical coronation for a namesake image in Cordoba, Spainsigned on 2 April 2008, later crowned on 10 May 2009.
- Raised the sanctuary with the namesake Marian title to the status of Seville, Spainsigned on 26 October 2008.
- During his
- Granted a decree of pontifical coronation for a namesake image in
- Pope Francis — granted two decrees of canonical coronation of namesake images for the Philippine islands.
- The first image is enshrined in the "Catholic Theological Seminary" in Philippine Islands by the apostolic delegate, Guglielmo Piani.
- The second image granted another decree on 16 November 2021 was for the namesake image in Second World War.
- The first image is enshrined in the "Catholic Theological Seminary" in
Artistic representations
-
Mariahilf. Lucas Cranach the Elder, c. 1520, Cathedral of St. Jakob in Innsbruck
-
Image of Our Lady of Sheshan, Help of Christians as it appears atop the exterior cupola of the Sheshan Basilica, this rendition above is created by Holy Wisdom Catholic Decoration and Art Design Studio(圣智天主教装饰与艺术品工作室) in Shanghai
-
Statue at the shrine of Our Lady Help of Christians, in Miguel Hidalgo of Federal District, Mexico
-
Altar at Mariahilf church Vienna
-
18th-century painting at Matzleinsdorf church, Austria
See also
- Roman Catholic Marian churches
- Shrines to the Virgin Mary
References
- ^ Rotan SM, Johann G., "Help of Christians", University of Dayton Archived 2014-03-07 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ a b Holweck, Frederick. "Feast of Our Lady, Help of Christians." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 11. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1911. 9 Mar. 2013
- ^ See LITANY OF LORETO; Schuetz, "Gesch. des Rosenkranzgebets", Paderborn, 1909, 243 sq.
- ^ "Mary Help of Christians", Catholic News Agency
- ^ McCaffrey, "History of the Catholic Church in the Nineteenth Cent.", 1909, I, 52
- ^ Remigius Bäumer et al. Marienlexikon 1994, p. 533
- ^ a b Daniel, Michael. "Our Lady Help of Christians"
- ^ Chevalier, "Repert. Hymnolog.", II, 495
- ^ Ordo Australasiae, 1888
- ^ National Shrine of Our Lady Help of Christians
- ^ Basilica of Mary, Help of Christians
- ^ Chapel of Our Lady Help of Christians, Basilica of the Immaculate Conception, Washington D.C.
- ^ "Mary Help of Christians", Salesian Sisters of St. John Bosco
- ^ "In ecclesia sanctuario - Littera apostolica | Ioannes Paulus II".
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