Memorial of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Blessed Virgin Mary Queen of heaven and earth
The commemoration of Mary Queen was introduced into the liturgical calendar by Pope Pius XII in the encyclical Ad caeli Reginam (To the Queen of Heaven), issued on October 11, 1954, on the hundredth anniversary of the proclamation of the dogma of the Immaculate Conception of Mary. Holy Father Pius XII, who consecrated the world to the Immaculate Heart of Mary in 1942, addressed the whole Church in the following words:
" Since we are convinced, after long and serious reflection, that great good will accrue to the Church if this solidly established truth shines forth more clearly to all, like a luminous lamp raised aloft, by Our Apostolic authority We decree and establish the feast of Mary's Queenship, which is to be celebrated every year in the whole world on the 31st of May(today it is August 22). We likewise ordain that on the same day the consecration of the human race to the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary be renewed, cherishing the hope that through such consecration a new era may begin, joyous in Christian peace and in the triumph of religion. "(Ad caeli Reginam 1954, Pius XII).
Already during the First Vatican Council in 1869, the French and Spanish bishops asked for this feast. The First National Marian Congress in Lyon (1900) renewed this request. This was also done by the international Marian congresses held in Freiburg (1902) and Einsiedeln (1904). Since 1923, a special movement for the regalitate Mariæ emerged. Initially, the commemoration of Mary Queen was celebrated on May 31, but as a result of the post-conciliar reform of the liturgical calendar, it was moved to the octave of the Assumption of Mary on August 22. It is this event of Mary's Crowning that we recall in the Fifth Glorious Mystery of the Rosary.
There is no text in Scripture that explicitly speaks of the royal title of the Blessed Virgin Mary. There are, however, intermediate texts that contain this truth. In Paradise there is an announcement of a Woman who will break the serpent's head (Genesis 3:15). Archangel Gabriel and Elizabeth call Mary: " Most blessed are you among women " (cf. Lk 1:28, 42) - and therefore of all the women of the earth you are the first. Mary herself, in prophetic inspiration, pronounces the words about herself: " Behold, from now on will all ages call me blessed " (cf. Lk 1:48). The Apocalypse contains the following account: " A great sign appeared in the sky, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars " (cf. Rev 12: 1) - this woman, according to the Church's tradition, is precisely Mary.
The second source of our faith in Mary's kingship is the oral tradition which is revealed in the ordinary teaching of the Church and in the writings of her Fathers. We already have many testimonies here, and there. St. Ephrem (+ 373) wrote about Mary 1600 years ago: "Venerable Virgin, Queen and Lady", "after the Trinity she is the Lady of all", "She is the Lady of all mortals". He calls himself "servant of Mary". St. Peter Chrysologus (+ 451), also a doctor of the Church, calls the Mother of God "Lady" (Domina). In the old terminology, it meant the dignity of a ruler and king. St. Ildefons, Bishop of Toledo (+ 669), calls Mary not only Lady but "ruler over all men." On this occasion, he utters the beautiful words: "I have become your servant, because you have become the mother of my Creator." Saint Germanus, Patriarch of Constantinople (+ 732), calls Mary "Queen of all the inhabitants of the earth" and St. John Damascus (+ 749) "Queen of mankind" and "Queen of all people", "Lady of all creation".
The confirmation of the universal belief that Mary is the Queen of Heaven and Earth is also expressed by Christian iconography, which from the earliest years presents Mary on the throne, with a halo depicting only emperors. We encounter this way of presenting the Blessed Virgin Mary in the catacombs since the third century. On Byzantine icons from the 6th century, the Mother of God is always on the throne. These kinds of images, and then figures, were called Basilissa, meaning the Queen, or Theantrōpos, meaning the Lady sitting on the throne, having the Child of God on her lap. Often, to emphasize that Mary is also the Queen of angels, her figure was depicted in their surroundings. In early medieval paintings, angels support the crown over her head. This type of painting was called in Greek Panagia tis Angeloktistis -Most Holy Built by Angels. Since the 10th century it has become a common practice to present Mary on a throne and with a crown, in royal robes, and even sitting at the right hand of Christ. Since the 14th century, the favorite theme of artists is the scene of the "coronation" of Mary by the Lord Jesus and God the Father.
In the 8th century, the custom of crowning images and statues of the Mother of God, especially those famous for their special graces, was adopted as a form of fighting the iconoclasts. In 732, Pope St. Gregory III crowned the painting of the Mother of God with pure gold crowns with diamonds. Pope Gregory IV in 838 offered a similar crown to Our Lady in the Church of St. Callixtus in Rome. Since the 17th century, this custom was officially reserved for the Holy See. Initially, these coronations were reserved only for miraculous Italian paintings. Soon, however, they were extended to the entire world. The first image to be crowned by a papal crownwas that of the Mother of God in the sacristy of St. Peter in Rome (1631). Poland received this honor when the first painting of Our Lady of Graces in Warsaw (1651), and then the painting of Our Lady of Częstochowa in 1717 were crowned.
The oldest and most popular prayers of the Church are "For Your Defense" (Sub Tuum præsidium) and "Hail Queen" (Salve Regina) and the Litany of Loreto, where the last exhortations praise Our Lady as Queen.
The title of Mary the Queen was also emphasized in the documents of the Second Vatican Council, especially in the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church Lumen Gentium:”the Immaculate Virgin, preserved free from all guilt of original sin, on the completion of her earthly sojourn, was taken up body and soul into heavenly glory, and exalted by the Lord as Queen of the universe, that she might be the more fully conformed to her Son, the Lord of lords and the conqueror of sin and death.” (Lumen Gentium 59).
The title "Queen" emphasizes the state of Mary in the end of times as she who sits next to her Son, King of glory. In this way the words of the Magnificat were fulfilled: " Behold, from now on will all ages call me blessed. The Mighty One has done great things for me." (cf. Lk 1:48-49)
Mary shares in the glory of the risen Christ because she participated in his saving work. She is his mother, she carried him in her womb, gave birth to him, took care of him, and constantly accompanied him during his teaching - up to the cross and then the Cenacle on the day of Pentecost.
Mary is not the absolute, supreme and only Queen. God is above her and only He has the fullest right to this title. So, if we call Mary Queen, it is only because of her Son. The dignity of her divine motherhood raises her above all creatures, makes her Queen of angels and all Saints, Queen of heaven and earth. Mary's kingship is therefore indirect. Only the Lord God is the supreme and only ruler. Mary has only honorary and commissioned power, she plays the role of "Regent" on earth.
“Thus far from creating distance between her and us, Mary’s glorious state brings about a continuous and caring closeness. She knows everything that happens in our life and supports us with maternal love in life’s trials.Taken up into heavenly glory, Mary dedicates herself totally to the work of salvation in order to communicate to every living person the happiness granted to her. She is a Queen who gives all that she possesses, participating above all in the life and love of Christ.” (St. John Paul II, General Audience, July 23, 1997)
SHORT DAILY RENEWAL OF CONSECRATION
TO THE IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY
Queen of the Most Holy Rosary, I renew my consecration
to you and to your Immaculate Heart. Please accept me, my dear
Mother, and use me as you wish to accomplish your designs upon
the world. I am all yours, my Mother, my Queen, and all that I have is yours.
(Prayer Book, Totus Tuus, 53: www.timeofmercy.com)
Until Tomorrow
fr. george