The Catholic Church dedicates the month of May in a special way to Marian devotion.
Newsroom (03/05/2022 15:31, Gaudium Press) The Catholic Church is dedicating the month of May in a special way to Marian devotion. Because of this, the Vatican Vicariate and St. Peter’s parish have organized a series of events to celebrate Our Lady under the title of ‘Mater Ecclesiae (Mother of the Church).
The month of May, the Month of Mary
Every Wednesday of May, starting at 4 pm, a traveling prayer will be recited that will start from the atrium of the Basilica and touch the main representations dedicated to Our Lady. This prayer will conclude with the celebration of a Holy Mass at 5 pm.
On Saturdays, from 9 to 10 PM, there will be a candlelight procession with a reproduction of the image of the Mater Ecclesiae in St. Peter’s Square, accompanied by the recitation of the Holy Rosary led by Cardinal Angelo Comastri, Archpriest Emeritus of St. Peter’s Basilica.
Mater Ecclesiae
The invocation ‘Mater Ecclesiae’ is represented on a column of the ancient Basilica of Constantine and this was its name before St. Paul VI gave it the new title for St. Peter’s Basilica and the universal Church.
In the year 1981, Pope St. John Paul II inspired the mosaic to ‘Mater Ecclesiae’, expressing his desire “that all those who come to St. Peter’s Square should lift their eyes to it, to address their greetings and prayers to it with feelings of filial trust.” (EPC)
Compiled by Dominic Joseph
