Celebrating the Queenship of Mary
Today, August 22, the Catholic Church celebrates the feast of the Queenship of Mary, a title that honors her role as the Mother of God and the Queen of Heaven and Earth. This feast was established by Pope Pius XII in 1954, in his encyclical Ad Caeli Reginam1, but the devotion to Mary as Queen has roots in Scripture and Tradition.
Mary in Scripture
In the Old Testament, we find many examples of queens who were not the wives of the kings, but their mothers. These queens, known as the “Gebirah” or “Great Lady”, had a special position of honor and authority in the royal court. They also acted as intercessors for the people before the king. One of the most famous queens was Bathsheba, the mother of Solomon, who received a throne at his right hand and listened to the requests of those who came to her (1 Kings 2:19-20).
In the New Testament, we see that Mary is the mother of Jesus, who is the King of kings and Lord of lords (Revelation 19:16). The angel Gabriel announced to Mary that her Son would receive the throne of David and rule over the house of Jacob forever (Luke 1:32-33). At the Visitation, Elizabeth greeted Mary as “the mother of my Lord” (Luke 1:43), a title that implies royal dignity. In the Book of Revelation, we see a vision of a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and a crown of twelve stars on her head (Revelation 12:1). This woman is identified as the mother of the male child who is destined to rule all the nations with an iron rod (Revelation 12:5). Many scholars agree that this woman represents both Mary and the Church, as they share in the same motherhood and mission.
Mary in Tradition
The early Church Fathers and Doctors recognized Mary as Queen by virtue of her divine maternity, her association with Christ’s redemptive work, her singular holiness, and her powerful intercession. They used various titles to honor her, such as “Lady”, “Sovereign”, “Queen”, and “Empress”. Some of the most famous hymns that praise her queenship are “Hail Holy Queen”, “Hail Queen of Heaven”, and “Salve Regina”.
The devotion to Mary as Queen was also expressed in art, architecture, liturgy, and popular piety. Many churches and cathedrals were dedicated to her , such as Notre Dame de Paris, Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome, and Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico. Many paintings and statues depicted her wearing a crown or being crowned by Jesus or angels. Many prayers and litanies invoked her as Queen of various attributes or groups, such as Queen of Peace, Queen of Angels, Queen of Martyrs, etc.
Celebrating the Queenship of Mary
The feast of the Queenship of Mary is a wonderful opportunity to renew our love and devotion to our heavenly Mother and Queen. We can celebrate this feast by:
- Praying the Rosary, especially meditating on the fifth glorious mystery, which is the Coronation of Mary.
- Singing or listening to hymns that honor her queenship, such as “Hail Holy Queen”, “Immaculate Mary”, or “Queen of Heaven Rejoice”.
- Reading or listening to Pope Pius XII’s encyclical Ad Caeli Reginam1, which explains the meaning and importance of this feast.
- Offering our lives to Mary’s service and imitating her virtues of humility, obedience, faith, hope, and charity.
- Asking for her intercession for our personal needs and for the needs of the Church and the world.
Mary is our beautiful Queen who reigns with her Son in heaven. She is Queen of Heaven and Earth. She is also our loving Mother who cares for us on earth. Let us honor her today and always with our filial affection and gratitude. Hail Holy Queen!
AI was used in part to write this blog post.
