Feast of Mary, Queen of
Heaven
August 23
Pius
XII established this feast in 1954. But Mary’s queenship has roots in
Scripture. At the Annunciation, Gabriel announced that Mary’s Son would receive
the throne of David and rule forever. At the Visitation, Elizabeth calls Mary
“mother of my Lord.” As in all the mysteries of Mary’s life, Mary is closely
associated with Jesus: Her queenship is a share in Jesus’ kingship. We can also
recall that in the Old Testament the mother of the king has great influence in
court.
The feast is a logical
follow-up to the Assumption and is now celebrated on the octave day of that
feast. In his 1954 encyclical To the Queen of Heaven, Pius XII
points out that Mary deserves the title because she is Mother of God, because
she is closely associated as the New Eve with Jesus’ redemptive work, because
of her preeminent perfection and because of her intercessory power.
Salve Regina
Mary, as Queen of Heaven, is praised in
the Salve Regina (Hail Queen) which can be sung
in the time from Trinity Sunday until the first Sunday of Advent.
As a prayer to the Virgin Mary, the Hail
Holy Queen is the final prayer of the Rosary.
You and your family have been
enrolled in a special novena of Masses.
The Masses will be celebrated at the
Legionaries of Christ Seminary in
Cheshire, Connecticut
In the fourth century St.
Ephrem (June 9) called Mary “Lady” and “Queen.” Later Church fathers
and doctors continued to use the title. Hymns of the 11th to 13th centuries
address Mary as queen: “Hail, Holy Queen,” “Hail, Queen of Heaven,” “Queen of
Heaven.” The Dominican rosary and the Franciscan crown as well as numerous
invocations in Mary’s litany celebrate her queenship.
Prayer to Mary, Queen of Heaven (Salve
Regina)
Hail,
holy Queen, Mother of mercy, our life, our sweetness and our hope. To thee do
we cry, poor banished children of Eve. To thee to we send up our sighs,
mourning and weeping in this valley of tears. Turn, then, most gracious
advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us, and after this, our exile, show unto
us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus. O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary.
Legionaries
of Christ
Roswell, GA
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