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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.
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