What do we affirm on August 22 when we proclaim and celebrate the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary?
The feast of the Queenship of Mary was instituted by Pope Pius XII in 1954, and was originally celebrated on May 31, the month of the May crowning of Mary. Today the memorial is celebrated on August 22, eight days after August 15, the feast of the Assumption of Mary into heaven.
In 1950 Pope Pius XII had already proclaimed as an infallible doctrine of the Church the long-held belief of the Assumption of Mary, which asserts that Mary was “taken up body and soul into heaven.” As early as the fourth century it was believed that once Mary was assumed into heaven, Jesus, her son, “the king of heaven,” crowned his mother “queen of heaven.” Christian poetry and art from the time of Constantine proclaim this belief concerning Mary.
Once Christianity gained power and prestige under Roman emperor Constantine, the simple first-century Jewish life of Jesus and Mary of Nazareth was exalted to that of king of heaven and queen mother. Borrowing from both biblical images and Roman political structure, heaven became the royal court and the apostles were its senate. The angels became the household of the heavenly court, and the saints were guests seeking audience and bringing gifts.
What modern images of Jesus and Mary could we cultivate to speak powerfully to today’s world?
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