Crowning image of Our Lady - gov't declares 2017 - 300th Anniversary

[MariaChristi]

Warsaw, Poland, Jan 18, 2017 / 06:08 am (CNA/EWTN News).- Poland’s government has adopted multiple resolutions establishing 2017 as a Jubilee Year for the country, celebrating the 300th anniversary of the first canonical coronation of the image of Our Lady of Czestochowa.

“Polish Sejm, convinced of the special importance of Marian devotion for our homeland – not only in the religious aspect, but also social, cultural and patriotic – establishes 2017 the Year of the 300th anniversary of the Coronation of the image of Our Lady of Czestochowa,” the resolution of the lower house of parliament stated.

More than 94 percent of Poland’s population being Catholic, the image of Our Lady of Czestochowa, also called the “Black Madonna,” has a significant meaning for Poles and is highly venerated throughout Europe.

In a resolution adopted Dec. 15, 2016, the Polish parliament called “the image of the Mother of God at Jasna Góra… one of the most important religious and material national treasures.”

Although the image was crowned Queen and Protector of Poland by King John II Casimir in 1652, its first canonical coronation was by Clement XI on Sept. 8, 1717, which is the date of the anniversary. Additional coronations of the image were also issued by St. Pius X in 1910 and St. John Paul II in 2005…

For the Jubilee, the Polish bishops’ conference has created a free smartphone app that sends out a “Marian thought” every day just before 9pm, the hour of the “Jasna Góra Appeal,” a special prayer for the intercession of Our Lady prayed by Poles.

Faithful are also encouraged to participate in the Jubilee by offering “spiritual gifts” to Mary, such as a commitment to say certain prayers, to return to the Sacrament of Reconciliation, or to give up an addiction, such as drugs or pornography…

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Good for Poland!!! Would that we had such a history of devotion to our Blessed Mother in the USA, but Mary is our Patroness and we can keep working at it! The Cathlic Church in America is in decline, but it is not irreversible!!! I’ve quoted the following words from St. JP II many times but I repeat them now:

…Where the Mother is, there too is the Son. When one moves away from the Mother, sooner or later he ends up keeping distant from the Son as well. It is no wonder that today, in various sectors of secularised society, we note a widespread crisis of faith in God, preceded by a drop in devotion to the Virgin Mother… (Oct. 1982)

I pray God to waken the “sleeping giant” of true Catholic teaching in the USA and renew our Fatih, Hope and Charity. Jesus is our Way, our Truth and our Life. He came first through Mary our Mother and He continues to come, but how many are like those in Bethlehem who had no room for Him? By His Grace may we seek Him anew, as the Wise Men did and find Him with His Mother. Let us learn from Poland.

Full article on the Polish Government’s resolutions can be read HERE

 

[EIF5A]

It seems unthinkable for something like this to happen in the US, but all things are possible.

Our Lady of America, the Immaculate Virgin, pray for us (too)!

 

[tawny]

Beautiful, thanks for the post.

 

[MariaChristi]

Beautiful, thanks for the post.

Dear tawny and EIF5A,

Thank you both for your replies. We need to keep praying and doing whatever we can to share God’s Love, and Mary’s Love in Him, for all of us. Even among Catholics there has been a certain decline in devotion to Our Lady. May this 100th Anniversary Year of Mary’s Apparitions at Fatima and the 300th Anniversary of this Crowning of the image of Our Lady of Czestochowa in Poland awaken more and more persons to the beauty of our Mother Mary, given to us by Jesus from His Cross in His Words, “Behold your Mother”.

Mary, Mother of the Church, pray for us.
Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

 

[Nelka]

Yes this is great!

 

[MariaChristi]

Yes this is great!

Thanks for your reply. Let us continue to pray to Our Lady and help others to know and love her more, as Jesus loves her.

I’m not Polish but I am so happy to see their continued love for Mary in the midst of growing secularism and lack of Marian Devotion. Mary always leads us closer to her Son.