Queenship of Mary

The solemnity of the Assumption is prolonged in the celebration of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary which occurs seven days later. On this day we contemplate her who, seated beside the King of Ages, shines forth as Queen and intercedes as Mother,” said Pope Paul VI (Marialis Cultus 6).

From the earliest centuries of the Church, Christians have addressed fervent prayers and hymns of praise to the Blessed Virgin Mary. Because of her eminence, she-is entitled to the highest honour that can be bestowed upon any creature, for she is the glorious Queen of the universe.

Christians have always acknowledged the royal excellence of the Mother of God whose Son “will reign in the house of Jacob for ever” (Lk 1:32).

Ecclesiastical writers called Mary “Mother of the King”, “Mother of the Lord”; St Gregory Nazianzen called her “the Mother of the King of the entire universe”, and “the Virgin Mother who brought forth the King of the entire world”.

From the testimonies of the Fathers, theologians concluded that the Blessed Virgin is Queen of all creation, Sovereign Mistress of all men. Accordingly St Alphonsus of Liguori summed up the Tradition thus: “Since tle great Virgin Mary was raised to the dignity of Mother of the King of Kings, the Church justly honours her, and wishes that she be honoured with the glorious title of Queen.”

Pope Pius IX said of Mary: “Turning her maternal heart toward us and dealing with the affair of our salvation, she is concerned with the whole human race. Constituted by the Lord Queen of heaven and earth, and exalted above all the choirs of the Angels and the ranks of the Saints in heaven, standing at the right hand of her only-begotten Son our Lord Jesus Christ, she petitions most powerfully with her maternal prayers, and she obtains what she seeks.”

Proposing the traditional doctrine on the Queenship of Mary, Pope Pius XII says in his encyclical Ad Coeli Reginam: “We commend that on the festival there be renewed the consecration of the human race to the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Upon this there is founded a great hope that there may arise an era of happiness that will rejoice in the triumph of religion and in Christian peace.

“Therefore, let all approach with greater confidence more than before, the throne of mercy and grace of our Queen and Mother to beg help in difficulty, light in darkness and solace in trouble and sorrow; and let them strive to free themselves from

the servitude of sin.... Whoever, therefore. honours the Lady-ruler of Angels and of men — and let no one think liiiiìsel[ exenipt from the payment of that tribute of a grateful and loving soul - let him call upon her as most truly Queen and as the Queen Who brings the blessings of peace, that she may show us all, after this exile, Jesus, who will be our enduring peace and joy.”

Reflection: “Mary is the all-blessed one She sees God . . . perfectly, though she understands only in proportion to her faith: “Blessed are you because you believed.” Mary possesses God, the Supreme Good who contains every good Mary’s conformity to the will of God was total. Mary enjoys God. She ... has a very special place in paradise: more perfect than that of the other saints because she is the Queen” (Blessed James Alberione).