Coronation of an image of Mary
The coronation of an image of Mary is a liturgical act of Catholic Marian devotion . He expresses the belief that Mary, as mother of the Davidic Messiah King, has royal dignity herself in the new order of the kingdom of God . At the same time it is the confession of their effective presence in an image of grace . In the case of images of Mary together with her divine Son , the child is always crowned first, too.
The custom of placing precious crowns on statues of the Virgin Mary stems from popular piety and has spread increasingly since the late 16th century. It is related to the offering of votive offerings . The Roman liturgy has had an official rite servandus in coronatione imaginis Beatae Mariae Virginis since the 17th century , which has been repeatedly revised. In 1990 the ritual The celebration of the coronation of an image of Mary appeared for the German-speaking area .
The diocesan bishop decides in agreement with the local congregation whether an image should be solemnly crowned . The coronation of especially venerated pictures of supraregional importance is the responsibility of the Pope . He or someone appointed by him performs the rite, usually in the context of a holy mass or a vespers of Mary . The coronation can be renewed, for example on the occasion of an anniversary.
literature
- Institutum Liturgicum (Salzburg): The celebration of the coronation of an image of Mary. Study edition 1990 ( pastoral introduction )