The May 3rd celebrations of the Blessed Virgin Mary Queen of Poland at Jasna Gora have a special meaning in the year of the 100th anniversary of the Poland’s regaining independence. “The devotion to Blessed Virgin Mary was a binder uniting Poles despite the fact that the Polish State did not exist on the map of Europe. She led us through the darkest events in the history of our Nation. That is why she is the Mother of the Independence of our Fatherland” – said Fr. Pawel Rytel-Andrianik, spokesman of the Polish Bishops’ Conference, on the occasion of the 3 May celebrations of the BVM Queen of Poland.
Mary was proclaimed the Queen of Poland by Pope Benedict XV in 1920 at the request of Polish bishops, which they addressed to the Holy Father after Poland had regained its independence in 1918. “At that time not only the Church in Poland, but also the whole Nation realized that during these 123 years of partitions, it was love and devotion to Mary that was a binder uniting Poles despite the fact that the Polish State did not exist on the map of Europe. She led us through the darkest events in the history of our Nation. That is why Mary is the Mother of the Independence of our Fatherland” – said Fr. Pawel Rytel-Andrianik.
Every year, the central celebrations of the BVM Queen of Poland take place at Jasna Gora with the participation of representatives of the Polish Episcopate. This year, they are part of the celebrations of the 100th anniversary of Poland’s regaining independence. Jasna Gora is a special place, which the Poles did not stop visiting despite the partitions and occupation, because “here we have always been free”, as John Paul II reminded during the pilgrimage to Poland in 1979… (from Zenit)
