Feast of Our Lady of the Gate of Dawn - Mother of Mercy

“I am not only the Queen of Heaven, but also the Mother of Mercy and your mother, too” (Diary 330)

Just as for seven centuries Our Lady of Czestochowa at Jasna Góra, so Our Lady of Ostra Brama - the Gate of Dawn, Mother of East and West, for over three hundred years reigns the entire Lithuanian, Belarusian and Polish land and the whole World. She "shines" with the splendor of magnificent robes through the windows of the chapel above the Gate of Dawn, visible from afar.

The painting is an unusual portrayal of Mary since she is depicted without the infant Jesus. The painting depicts the many facets of Mary. Her head is gently leaning to her right, her eyes are half closed, her hands are crossed in devotion. This reminds us that she is a Virgin, humble servant of the Lord, Merciful Mother and Patron of the people. At the same time, her head is surrounded by sun rays and her body is covered in elaborate gold and silver clothes and crowns. These are the symbols of her divine and majestic role as the Queen of Heaven.

There is no verified data on the origin of the image and its author. It is assumed that this outstanding image was painted in the first years of the seventeenth century. At that time, among the walls surrounding Vilnius, above one of the nine gates, called Miednicka or Ostra, the image of the Mother of God was hung from the inside, and from the outside - the image of Christ Salvator (Savior) with the globe in his hand. After the construction of a special chapel on the gate in 1672, the image of the Blessed Virgin was processionally moved into it, which since then has become the object of great worship. The devotion intensified after the fire of Vilnius in 1706, when many residents of the city received special help from the Queen of Mercy.

Since 1735, the feast of the Protection of the Blessed Mother began to be celebrated in November. At that time, the image was moved to the nearby church of St. Teresa, and bishops, famous preachers, alumni from seminaries were invited to celebrate the ceremony; the church, the gate and the entire street were illuminated and decorated.

In 1761, the first miracle was recorded. As a sign of the graces experienced, numerous votive offerings were hung in the chapel. In 1773, Pope Clement XVI authorized the public celebration of the devotion there. In 1828, an inscription was placed on the pediment of the chapel: " Mother of Mercy - we take refuge under your protection!". By order of the occupying authorities, it was given the Latin form: Mater Misericordiae - sub Tuum praesidium confugimus!

The painting was surrounded by the ever-increasing devotion of the faithful and was widely famous for its miracles. Pope Pius X allowed the Archdiocese of Vilnius to have its own breviary prayer and Mass dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mother of Mercy, which was introduced on November 16, 1915.

Pius XI, Achilles Ratti, papal nuncio in Poland, in 1920 celebrated Holy Mass in the Chapel of Our Lady of the Gate of Dawn. Later as the head of the Church, granted permission for its coronation. Thanks to the efforts of Archbishop Romuald Jałbrzykowski, Metropolitan of Vilnius, this important act took place on July 2, 1927.

This holy place has for centuries attracted praying and seeking help devotees to Mary. the Lady of The East and the West was visited by well-known artists, politicians, scientists and writers, praising her with beautiful words, music and songs. Christians prayed here. Muslims came to this place, Jews stopped for a moment of reflection. She was and is the Mother of all people and all religions.

Saint Faustina, secretary of the Divine Mercy, living in the Vilnius house of her Congregation for over three years, spent many hours in prayer before the image of the Merciful Mother. She also happily adored the image of Merciful Christ, painted under her inspiration by Eugeniusz Kazimirowski - hung for the first time in the Gate of Dawn for the solemn Triduum, closing the Jubilee of the Millennium of the Redemption, from April 26 to 28, 1935.

In September 1993, during a pilgrimage to the Baltic countries, the Holy Father Saint John Paul II also visited Vilnius. In the Gate of Dawn he led a rosary service, broadcasted all over the world. He entrusted to the Blessed Virgin Mary the land and peoples of this region of Europe, he thanked Her for the enormity of graces he has received. He asked the Mother of Mercy, Queen and Protector of the Gate of Dawn, to guide all people on the paths of peace, justice and faith.

Pope Francis is the second pope to visit these Baltic nations. John Paul II came to the region in September 1993, after the collapse of communism, and was welcomed as a hero. Pope Francis went exactly 25 years later, September 22, 2018, but much has changed since that first papal visit.

In the chapel of Ostra Brama (the Gate of Dawn) Holy Father Francis said: “We are standing before the Gate of Dawn, the only remnant of the defensive walls of this city, which served to defend it from all danger and threat. In 1799, the invading forces razed that wall, leaving only this gate. Even then, it sheltered the image of the Virgin Mary “Mother of Mercy”, the holy Mother of God who is always ready to help us, to come to our aid. From that time forward, Mary has sought to teach us that we can defend without attacking, that we can keep safe without the unhealthy need to distrust others. This Mother without the Child, radiant with gold, is the Mother of everyone. She sees in every person who comes here what we ourselves fail so often to see: the face of her Son Jesus impressed on our heart. (…) The Mother of Mercy, like every good mother, tries to bring her family together. She whispers in our ear: “Look for your brother, look for your sister”. In this way, she opens to us the door to a new dawn, a new day. She brings us to its very doorstep, like that of the rich man in the Gospel (cf. Lk 16:19-31), where today children and families with bleeding wounds await us. Their wounds are not the wounds of Lazarus in the parable; they are the wounds of Jesus, and they are altogether real. In their pain and darkness, they cry out for us to bring to them the healing light of charity. For charity is the key that opens to us the door of heaven. (…) May Mary always be the Gate of Dawn for this whole blessed land”.

On October 15,2017 thanks to the Divine Mercy Ministry at Christ the King Parish and the Lay Institute of Divine Mercy, the exact copy of the Icon of Our Lady of Mercy was enthroned in a separate chapel in Christ the King Church in Hollywood. Please visit and pray to our Mother of Mercy at Christ the King Church

PRAYER TO THE MOTHER OF GOD OF OSTRA BRAMA MOTHER OF MERCY

Blessed among women,
O Virgin who shines in the Gate of Dawn,
You are our Mother of Mercy,
In whom the eternal Love dwells.

Your head is adorned with bright twelve stars,
The moon stretches under your holy image,
You have folded your hands in reflection,
Holding the mystery of God in your heart.

Reflect, O Mary, on your own solitude,
Your soul pierced by the sword of prophecy,
When you stood at the cross, full of pain,
For you Son was dying for the world’s salvation.

Come down, O Merciful, from your high throne,
That look upon the path of pilgrimage;
Feel for our misery and adversity,
Grant brotherly unity to both nations.

Lead us, O Lady, to your Son,
Teach us to serve him until the end;
To him and Father Spirit of comfort,
Glory be now and forever. Amen.