Agathe Hug. Not just the fanatical historians will find this interesting: What happened today in the Original Shrine in the year …? If those who attend Holy Mass in the Original Shrine this coming Saturday, 5 November, were asked what connects the shrine at Belo Horizonte, the wayside shrine in Goya and the pariticipants at the Conference 2014, with this day ten years ago, would they know? The answer: Exactly ten years ago a start was made on this day with replacing the roof of the Original Shrine. The old slates landed in a skip (dumpster), that is, until during the afternoon on that day someone started to collect them and take them away (and later sold them), so that they could be sent to the places where new shrines were being built.
1 November 1954
A new shrine flag represents the Schoenstatt shrine in Rome.
4 November 1914
The Blessed Sacrament is placed in the tabernacle in the Chapel of St Michael.
8 November 1914
Second meeting of the Marian Sodality in the chapel. In his talk Fr Kentenich mentioned the arrival of the Blessed Mother during their first meeting, and the arrival of the Blessed Sacrament afterwards.
12 November 1935
The two angels adoring the Blessed Sacrament on either side of the tabernacle are replaced by the statues of Sts Peter and Paul; the Blessed Mother’s wooden crown is gilded, and the Mother Thrice Admirable is invoked as Queen of the Apostles in the spirit of Vincent Pallotti.
5 November – 23 December 2001
The shrine’s roof is replaced. The old slates travelled around the world and can be found today in many shrines, wayside shrine and home shrines as a sign of union with the Original Shrine. Almost the last slates were presented to the participants at the Conference 2014 in February 2009 so that they could take them to their countries as a sign of being sent out on their mission.
These dates in the month of November are actually self-explanatory and need no further explanation, except for the first date, 1 November 1954.
The flag of the Shrine and the Marian Year
The background to this date: On 8 December 1953 Pope Pius XII opened a Marian Year in the Basilica of St Mary Major. It commemorated the dogma of the Immaculate Conception that was proclaimed on 8 December 1854.
On the way to St Mary Major for the opening, the Pope’s car stopped in the Piazza di Spange at the pillar of the Immaculate Conception, and he prayed a prayer he had personally composed for the Marian Year, which he later repeated in the Basilica. After solemn Benediction he moved to the picture “Salus Populi Romani”. Finally he gave his blessing Urbi et Orbi from the Loggia of the Basilica.
During this Marian Year Pope Pius XII wrote an encyclical “Ad caeli reginam” about Mary’s Queenship and the introduction of the Feast of the Queenship of Mary on 11 October 1954. He wrote about the royal dignity of the most Blessed Virgin Mary, and announced that each year on the feast of Mary’s Queenship humanity would be consecrated to Mary’s Immaculate Heart.
The Marian Year closed on 8 December 1954 with a Mass of Thanksgiving in St Mary Major. Pope Pius XII was unable to be present because he was seriously ill, but he recorded a message that was broadcast for the occasion.
In the framework of this Marian Year, our Holy Father invited the Marian shrines throughout the world to attend a Marian celebration in Rome, during which the Blessed Mother was crowned. This happened on 1 November and was connected with a delegation of flag bearers. Of course a new shrine flag had to be created for the occasion. At the time the Original Shrine did not have a flag of its own. Fr Tick reported in a letter about the creation of the flag and the celebration in Rome. An English translation of his letter can be read on the website urheiligtum.de.
In his sermon our Holy Father spoke about Mary’s Queenship as a reality. He ended his sermon by praying this prayer to Mary, our Queen:
From the depths of this vale of tears where sorrowing humanity makes weary progress – through the surges of this sea of ours endlessly buffeted by the winds of passions – we raise our eyes to you, O most beloved Mother Mary, to be comforted by the contemplation of your glory and to hail you as Queen of heaven and earth, Queen of mankind.
With legitimate filial pride, we wish to exalt your Queenship and to recognize it as due to the sovereign excellence of your whole being, O dearest one, truly Mother of Him who is King by right, by inheritance and by conquest.
Reign, O Mother and Queen, by showing us the path of holiness and by guiding and assisting us that we may never stray from it.
In the heights of heaven you exercise your primacy over the choirs of angels who acclaim you as their Sovereign, and over the legions of saints who delight in beholding your dazzling beauty. So, too, reign over the entire human race, above all by opening the path of faith to those who do not yet know your Divine Son.
Reign over the Church, which acknowledges and extols your gentle dominion and has recourse to you as a safe refuge amid the calamities of our day. Reign especially over that part of the Church which is persecuted and oppressed; give it strength to bear adversity, constancy never to yield under unjust compulsion, light to avoid falling into the snares of the enemy, firmness to resist overt attack, and at every moment unwavering faithfulness to your kingdom.
Reign over men’s minds, that they may seek only what is true; over their wills, that they may follow solely what is good; over their hearts, that they may love nothing but what you yourself love.
Reign over individuals and over families, as well as over societies and nations; over the assemblies of the powerful, the counsels of the wise, as over the simple aspirations of the humble.
Reign in the streets and in the squares, in the cities and the villages, in the valleys and in the mountains, in the air, on land and on the sea; and hear the pious prayers of all those who recognize that yours is a reign of mercy, in which every petition is heard, every sorrow comforted, every misfortune relieved, every infirmity healed, and in which, at a gesture from your gentle hands, from death itself there arises smiling life.
Obtain for us that all who now in every corner of the world acclaim and hail you Queen and Lady may one day in heaven enjoy the fullness of our kingdom in the vision of your Divine Son, who with the Father and the Holy Ghost, liveth and reigneth for ever and ever. Amen.
The Original Shrine in October
Translation: Mary Cole, Manchester, England
