May 1
Tabernacle of the Most High, Ngome, Zululand, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
"Shortly after Holy Communion, Mary stood before me, very close-by.
Everything was seen in spirit. I was drawn into another atmosphere. Mary
showed Herself in a wonderful light more beautiful than the sun. She was
robed all in white, flowing veil from top to toe. Upon Her Breast rested a
big Host surrounded by a brilliant corona radiating life. She was a living
Monstrance. Mary stood upon the globe, hands and feet invisible. I felt
like entering a cloud, drawn by Mary, away from the earth. I had my eyes
closed but I saw so much light that, for several days, I was very much
dazzled by the beauty and light that I had seen." Mary said,
"Call Me 'Tabernacle of The Most High'. You too are such a
Tabernacle; believe it. I wish to be called upon by this title for the
glory of My Son. I wish that more such Tabernacles be prepared. I mean
human hearts. I wish that the altars be surrounded by praying people more
frequently. Don't be afraid. Make it known."
So Sister Reinolda May described her experience of August 22, 1955. A Benedictine nun from Germany, Sister Reinolda headed the maternity department of a mission hospital in Nongoma, South Africa. The following March, she received another message from Mary: "I wish that a Shrine be erected for Me in the place where seven springs come together."
In December 1957, when visiting a sick person in Ngome, Sister Reinolda realized that was the place for the shrine. A number of wells were found in the forest near the Benedictine school there. A Munich artist, Joseph Aman, painted the picture according to the instructions given to him by Sr. Reinolda. On May 1, 1963, the painting was taken to Ngome and hung in the school. Urged by Fr. Ignatius Jutz, Bishop Aurelian Bilgeri allowed Bro. Jacob Riedmann to build a tiny chapel at Ngome. Fr. Ignatius Jutz blessed the chapel on Pentecost Sunday, May 29, 1966. The apparitions and shrine became more widely known after the seer's death in 1981. In 1992, Bishop Mansuet Biyase blessed the open-air altar. In 2003, Jabulani Adatus Nxumalo, then Auxiliary Bishop of Durban, dedicated a larger church at the site to the Mother of God, Tabernacle of the Most High. The shrine hosts pilgrimage groups by appointment throughout the year.
Sources:
 | the Diocese's website, www.eshowe.org/misshist.htm |
| the Shrine's website, www.ngome.co.za |
| the Order's website, www.osb-tutzing.pcn.net/de/html/biographien.html (image) |
Also commemorated this date:
| Unserer Lieben Frau, Rankweil, Feldkirch, Vorarlberg, Austria. National pilgrimage to Basilica of the Visitation on Liebefrauenberg (Our Lady's Hill). |
| Onze-Lieve-Vrouw van Kortenbos, Sint-Truiden, Limburg, Flanders, Belgium. Church consecrated, 1648. 1600s clay statue crowned, 1898. |
| Notre-Dame de l'Etoile, Montebourg, Manche, Normandy, France (Our Lady of the Star). Statue crowned, 1960. Annual pilgrimage on nearest Sunday. |
| Notre-Dame, Bovel, Ille-et-Vilaine, Brittany, France. Rebuilt church blessed May 1, 1869. Fête Sept. 8. |
| Notre Dame de Voulons, Le Dorat, Haute-Vienne, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France. Mass and procession. |
| Sainte Marie de la Consolation, Lavardens, Gers, Occitanie, France. Statue blessed, 1884. |
| Notre-Dame du Laus, Saint-Étienne-le-Laus, Hautes-Alpes, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France. Fête: solemn mass, procession, vespers. |
| Patrona Bavariae (Patron of Bavaria) |
| Mariä Geburt, Fellen, Main-Spessart, Bavaria, Germany, Rengersbrunn district (Mary's Nativity). Festal mass. |
| Maria Königin der Engel, Großheubach, Miltenberg, Bavaria, Germany (Mary Queen of Angels). Start of 139-mi. walking pilgrimage from Hettingen to Engelberg Monastery. |
| Gua Maria Sendang Ratu Kenya, Wonogiri, Java, Indonesia. Evil spirits left grotto after novena, 1959. |
| Gua Maria Sendang Jatiningsih, Moyudan, Sleman, Yogyakarta, Java, Indonesia. Grotto begun, 1986; blessed Sept. 8, 1986. |
| Nostra Signora di Montelungo, Colli Verdi, Pavia, Lombardy, Italy, Montelungo district. Festa: mass, procession. |
| Addolorata, Rovigo, Rovigo, Veneto, Italy (Sorrowful Lady). Painting's eyes moved, 1895. |
| Madonna dei Miracoli, Lonigo, Venezia, Veneto, Italy. Fresco bled when struck, 1486; pilgrimage to shrine. |
| Madonna delle Grazie, Cordovado, Pordenone, Friuli-Venezia-Giulia, Italy. Sanctuary consecrated, 1603. |
| Santa Maria delle Grazie, Sansepolcro, Arezzo, Toscana, Italy. Sanctuary consecrated, 1931. |
| Santa Maria dei Monti, Bassano Romano, Viterbo, Latium, Italy (Our Lady of the Mountains). Procession to shrine, mass, food, music. |
| Cuore Immacolato di Maria, Rome, Italy (Immaculate Heart of Mary). Church consecrated, 1959. |
| Santa Maria di Materdomini, Nocera Superiore, Salerno, Sicily, Italy (St. Mary Mother of God). Also Aug. 14-15. |
| Maria Santissima della Strada, Marina di Gioiosa Jonica, Reggio Calabria, Calabria, Italy (Most Holy Mary of the Road). Religious festa: rosary, mass, & procession. |
| Madonna del Ponte, Squillace, Catanzaro, Calabria, Italy (Madonna of the Bridge). Mary's month opens with Act of Trust at shrine. |
| Madonna della Salute, Sorianello, Vibo Valentia, Calabria, Italy (Madonna of Health). Religious festa; civil festa first Sunday in August. |
| Onze Lieve Vrouw van Lourdes, Cadier en Keer, Eijsden-Margraten, Limburg, Netherlands. Statue moved in procession to new grotto, 1892. Annual prayer week in May. |
| Onze Lieve Vrouw in 't Zand, Roermond, Limburg, Netherlands (Our Lady in the Sand). Opening of pilgrimage season. First stone of new chapel laid, 1895. |
| Nuestra Señora de Chapi, Polobaya, Arequipa, Peru. Fiesta: mass and procession at shrine; leave-taking; return to Arequipa, 37 miles away. |
| Virgen de Carrasquedo, Grañón, La Rioja, Spain. Procession. |
| Santa María la Real, Roncesvalles, Navarre, Spain. Romería. |
| Virgen del Puy de Estella, Villatuerta, Navarre, Spain. Romería. |
| Virgen del Yugo, Valtierra, Navarre, Spain. Romería. |
| Nuestra Señora de Monlora, Sierra de Luna, Zaragoza, Aragon, Spain. Romería. |
| Virgen de Mora, Alba del Campo, Teruel, Aragon, Spain. Town's patronal fiesta (nearest Sunday). |
| Mare de Déu de Dalt, Benifallet, Tarragona, Catalonia, Spain. Día de las Cuevas (Day of the Caves). Fiesta Sept. 8. |
| Mare de Déu dels Àngels, Sant Martí Vell, Girona, Catalonia, Spain. Votive feast commemorates end of 1800s plague. |
| Virgen del Castro, Castrotierra de la Valduerna, León, Spain. Bicycle pilgrimage. Romería Saturday before Pentecost. |
| Nuestra Señora del Rivero, San Esteban de Gormaz, Soria, Castile and León, Spain. Regional romería. Fiesta Sept. 8. |
| Nuestra Señora de la Jara, Ibahernando, Cáceres, Extremadura, Spain. Romeria. |
| Nuestra Señora de la Vega, Moraleja, Cáceres, Extremadura, Spain (Our Lady of the Bottomland). Mass, procession, and raffle at shrine. |
| Virgen de Valdehierro, Madridejos, Toledo, Castile-La Mancha, Spain. Romería. |
| Virgen del Valle, Toledo, Castile-La Mancha, Spain. Romería. |
| Virgen del Rosario, Villamayor de Calatrava, Ciudad Real, Castile-La Mancha, Spain. Meeting of Virgin and St. Joseph. |
| Virgen de la Tórtola, Hinojales, Huelva, Andalucia, Spain (Virgin of the Turtle Dove). To bagpipes, tabor, & castanets, costumed men dance before the Virgin's statue. |
| Virgen de las Cruces, Santa Eufemia, Córdoba, Andalucía, Spain (Virgin of the Crosses). Romería. |
| Virgen de la Estrella, Sabiote, Jaen, Andalucia, Spain (Virgin of the Star). Town's patronal fiesta; horse races. |
| Nuestra Señora de la Estrella, Navas de San Juan, Jaén, Andalucía, Spain. Romería. |
| Virgen del Azahar, Beniaján, Murcia, Spain. Romería. |
| Purísima Concepción, Sangonera la Verde, Murcia, Spain. Crowning ceremony. |
| Our Lady of Hartley, Gravesend, Kent, England, United Kingdom. Annual pilgrimage. |