China is officially consecrated to the Virgin Mary - A Moment with Mary

* June 12 – Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus – Mary proclaimed Queen of China in Zikawei (Shanghai) in 1924  * China is officially consecrated to the Virgin Mary  --- An initiative of the Association Mary of Nazareth  June 12 – Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus – Mary proclaimed Queen of China in Zikawei (Shanghai) in 1924  China is officially consecrated to the Virgin Mary In the heart of Catholic China, the Shrine of Mary Help of Christians of Zo-se, Apostolic Vicariate of Nanjing (Shanghai), is of national importance. A missionary in 1844, noticing a Buddhist temple in ruins, was inspired to build a shrine there in honor of the Virgin Mary. His dream came true in 1867 and soon Christians came there on pilgrimage. It was at this shrine that the apostolic delegate in China, in union with all the bishops and priests of that land, came to officially consecrate China to the Virgin in 1924. After the military victory of Mao-tse-tung, the shrine was desecrated and remained closed for twenty years. But the courage of over thirty thousand pilgrims put an end to that situation. In 1978, between March 15 - 17, pilgrims entered the ruined shrine and placed a small statue of the Blessed Virgin there. The authorities were unable to intervene, because the action took place peacefully. Thus reopened for worship, the shrine was entrusted to the priests of the national Church, then separated from Rome, who later brought a statue of Mary Help of Christians from Turin in 1990. Attilio GALLI Dans Madre della Chiesa dei Cinque continenti, Ed. Segno, Udine, 1997 The shrine of Sheshan, on the outskirts of Shanghai, dedicated to Our Lady Help of Christians Let’s pray together  Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now, and at the hour of death. Amen.   . Share A Moment with Mary and give your loved ones the opportunity to discover a new aspect of the mystery of the Mother of God each day.