Thursday 17 April 2008

Our Lady Around the World: Part 1

1. Algeria - Our Lady of Africa

A bishop from Africa was on a ship with hundreds of other people when there was a great storm. The bishop prayed to Our Lady to save them. He promised that if she did he would build a shrine for her. The ship was saved, and he built a great cathedral where people could visit a special statue of Our Lady of Africa.

Our Lady of Africa, pray for us!


2. Argentina - Our Lady of Lujan


Four hundred years ago a man in Argentina bought two statues of Our Lady. During the long journey to his home the cart carrying one of the statues got stuck. The horses pulling it wouldn't move until the statue was taken off. He realised that Mary wanted her statue to stay there in Lujan, the place where the cart had stopped. Now there is a great basilica at Lujan, and many people visit to see the statue of Our Lady.

Our Lady of Lujan, pray for us!


3. Austria - Our Lady of Mariazell


Many centuries ago a monk named Magnus left his monastery and took with him a statue of Our Lady and Jesus. He got lost and asked Our Lady for help. A great black rock split in two, and he realised Mary wanted him to stay in that place. He put the little statue on the branch of a tree and built a little chapel there. The same statue is still there today. It is 22 inches tall and made of wood. The people of Austria and many other countries love Our Lady of Mariazell dearly.

Our Lady of Mariazell, pray for us!


4. Belgium - Our Lady of Banneux

In 1933 an eleven year old Belgian girl called Mariette saw Our Lady in the garden of her home. Our Lady visited Mariette eight times, and told her that she had come to help the poor and the sick. She was dressed in white, with a blue sash and a rosary over her arm.

Our Lady of Banneux, pray for us!


Picture: Mary Vitamin

5. China - Our Lady of China

In 1900 there was a war in China and the village of Tong Lu was attacked. A priest, Father Wu, prayed to Mary for help. A woman in white appeared in the sky, and a man on horseback frightened away the attackers. A special picture of Mary was painted and a Church was built. Many years later soldiers came and destroyed the picture ... or thought they had. They didn't know that the picture in the Church was just a copy and the real picture had been hidden to keep it safe. Even today Catholics are not safe in China so the picture is still hidden away.

Our Lady of China, pray for us!

Picture: Painting by John Lu Hung Nien, from The Mary Page

1 comment:

Jennifer Gregory Miller said...

Our Lady of China is one of my favorite images. I remember it from my childhood, and the colors are so vivid!