Queenship of Mary

Fra Angelico The coronation of the Virgin Mary

See also: Queen of Heaven

Mary the queen of heaven, is a Catholic feast day, created by Pope Pius XII. October 11, 1954, the Pontiff pronounced the new feast in his encyclical Ad caeli reginam. The feast was celebrated on May 31, the last day of the Marian month. Pope Paul VI moved the feast day to August 22.

Assumed into heaven. Mary is with Jesus Christ, her divine son. Mary should be called Queen, not only because of her Divine Motherhood of Jesus Christ, her only son,, but also because God has willed her to have an exceptional role in the work of our eternal salvation. The encyclical argues, that Christ, because He redeemed us, is our Lord and king by a special title, so the Blessed Virgin also (is our queen), on account of the unique manner in which she assisted in our redemption, by giving of her own substance, by freely offering Him for us, by her singular desire and petition for, and active interest in, our salvation."

Quotes

• • From the earliest ages of the catholic church a Christian people, whether in time of triumph or more especially in time of crisis, has addressed prayers of petition and hymns of praise and veneration to the Queen of Heaven. And never has that hope wavered which they placed in the Mother of the Divine King, Jesus Christ; nor has that faith ever failed by which we are taught that Mary, the Virgin Mother of God, reigns with a mother's solicitude over the entire world, just as she is crowned in heavenly blessedness with the glory of a Queen.

• • Mary was chosen as Mother of Christ in order that she might become a partner in the redemption of the human race; As Christ, the new Adam, must be called a King not merely because He is Son of God, but also because He is our Redeemer, so, analogously, the Most Blessed Virgin is queen not only because she is Mother of God, but also because, as the new Eve, she was associated with the new Adam.

Pictural presentations of the coronation of the Virgin Mary

• 
  Gentile da Fabriano Altarpiece
• 
  Filippo Lippi
• Botticelli, with only God the Father in evidence
  Botticelli, with only God the Father in evidence
• 
  Jean Fouquet, also with three human figures.
• 
  Albrecht Dürer combines the subject with an Assumption, as did many artists after 1500.
• 
  El Greco The coronation of the Virgin Mary
• 
  RubensCoronation of Mary
• 
  Coronation, Benedictine monastery Beuron, Germany, (19th)

Sources

Acta Apostolicae Sedis. (AAS), Vatican City 1954, Ad caeli reginam p.625 ff