marian anniversaries     may

May 31

Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Catholic and Anglican churches

The Feast of the Visitation commemorates the visit of Mary, pregnant with Jesus, to her cousin Elizabeth, pregnant with John the Baptist despite her old age, as described in Luke 1:39-56. Filled with the Spirit, Elizabeth recognized her young cousin as "the mother of my Lord," and spoke words that would become part of the Hail Mary prayer: "Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb," repeated daily by Catholics worldwide. Mary responded with what would become one of the most beloved Christian prayers, the Magnificat.   

And Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Juda; and entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elisabeth. And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost: And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord.

And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name. And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation. He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree. He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away. He hath helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy; as he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever. And Mary abode with her about three months, and returned to her own house.

The Feast of the Visitation was introduced to the western church by the Franciscan order in the 1200s. It was celebrated on July 2, eight days after the Feast of the Birth of St. John the Baptist, until 1969, when Pope Paul VI moved it to May 31 so that it would fall between the Annunciation (March 25) and the Nativity of St. John (June 24), preserving the liturgical narrative sequence.

Photo of statues in Visitation of Our Lady Church, Gharb, Gozo, Malta, from "Attractions/Churches/Visitation of Gharb,"www.gozo.gov.mt/pages.aspx?page=83

 Also commemorated this date:

Queenship of Mary, Catholic Church feast, 1954-1969 (moved to August 22)
Nossa Senhora do Perpétuo Socorro, Assis, Acre, Brazil (Our Lady of Perpetual Help). Festa; mass, procession, food.
Nossa Senhora das Graças, Senador Guiomard, Acre, Brazil. Town patron. Festa: morning bicycle race, afternoon procession.
Notre-Dame-de-l'Assomption, Pontigny, Yonne, Burgundy, France. Abbey founded, 1114.
Madonna della Stella, Cellatica, Brescia, Lombardy, Italy (Madonna of the Star). Apparition, 1536.
Madonna della Misericordia, Valfurva, Sondrio, Lombardy, Italy, Uzza district (Madonna of Mercy). New communicants receive rosaries during ceremonies at shrine.
Madonna del Melo, Minerbio, Bologna, Emilia-Romagna, Italy (Madonna of the Apple Tree), in church of San Giovanni in Triario. Festa; rosary & procession.
Madonna del Colle, Pescocostanzo, L'Aquila, Abruzzo, Italy (Madonna of the Hill). Festa.
Madonna del Popolo, Rieti, Rieti, Latium, Italy (Madonna of the People). Festa: mass in cathedral, night procession.
Madonna dell'Archetto, Rome, Italy. Chapel dedicated, 1851.
Maria Ausiliatrice, Rome, Italy (Mary the Helper). Painting in Basilica del Sacro Cuore crowned, 1963.
Madonna delle Grazie, Sora, Frosinone, Latium, Italy. Torchlight procession.
Maria Santissima del Rosario, Nola, Napoli, Campania, Italy, Cinquevie district. Liturgical feast day of district patron; processions, concerts, fireworks nearest weekend.
Madonna della Spina, Lamezia Terme, Catanzaro, Calabria, Italy, Bella district (Madonna of the Thorn). Festa: mass, procession.
Nuestra Señora del Sagrado Corazón de Jesús, Paso de Ovejas, Veracruz, Mexico, Tolome district (Our Lady of the Sacred Heart of Jesus). Religious fiesta of district patron.
Lady of All Nations, Amsterdam, Netherlands. Final apparition to Ida Peerdeman, 1959.
Wonderbare Moeder, Elshout, Drunen, North Brabant, Netherlands (Miraculous Mother). May closing procession.
Onze-Lieve-Vrouw van Zegge, Zegge, Rucphen, North Brabant, Netherlands. May closing procession.
Madre del Amor Hermoso, San Vicente de Cañete, Cañete, Lima, Peru (Mother of Beautiful Love). Statue moved to new shrine, 1991.
Virgen de las Flores, Parañaque City, Metro Manila, Philippines, Baclaran district, St. Rita's Church. Flores de Mayo procession.
Nuestra Señora del Rosario, Hellín, Albacete, Castile-La Mancha, Spain. Statue crowned, 1955. Floral offering. Fiesta first Sunday in October
Nuestra Señora de la Esperanza Macarena, Seville, Andalucia, Spain. Statue crowned, 1964. Feast December 18.
Virgen del Carmen, Murcia, Murcia, Spain. Statue crowned, 2008.
Notre-Dame du Valentin, Lausanne, Vaud, Switzerland. Church consecrated, 1835.
Mary Immaculate Queen of the Universe, Lombard, Illinois, USA. National shrine installed at St. Pius X Church, 1974.
 

Where We Walked ~~~ Mary Ann Daly