Saturday 26 April 2008

Our Lady Around the World: Part 6

26. Spain - Our Lady of the Pillar

After Jesus' resurrection Saint James went to Spain to tell people the Good News. It is said that at Saragossa Our Lady appeared to him, standing on a pillar. Afterwards a statue was placed on the pillar on which Our Lady stood, and a Church was built around it. The pillar is about six feet high and the little wooden statue on top is fifteen inches tall. It is dressed differently every day.

Our Lady of the Pillar, pray for us!

(Picture: Hispanic Online )

27. Sri Lanka - Our Lady of Madhu

The statue of Our Lady was first brought to Madhu over three hundred years ago. Catholics were being persecuted and they wanted to keep the statue safe. Madhu is in the jungle, so it was hard for people to get there. Today a war is being fought around Madhu. The statue has had to be taken away again to keep it safe, and in April 2008 the Shrine Church of Madhu was destroyed.

Our Lady of Madhu, pray for us!

(Picture: Shrine of Our Lady of Madhu)

28. United States of America - Our Lady of La Leche

The Shrine of Our Lady of La Leche was the first shrine dedicated to Mary in the United States. It was begun by Spanish settlers at St. Augustine in Florida nearly four hundred years ago. The original statue which was brought from Spain was destroyed, but it was replaced by another exactly the same.

Our Lady of La Leche, pray for us!


29. Vietnam - Our Lady of La Vang

Many years ago a group of Christians in Vietnam were hiding in the jungle because they were being persecuted for their faith. They were saying the Rosary when they saw a beautiful lady wearing a crown and surrounded by angels. She was holding a little child. The Lady comforted them, promised to protect them, and taught them how to make medicines. They built a little Church of leaves and straw. Later the emperor decided to get rid of all Christians from his country. Thirty Catholics at La Vang were killed and the little Church was burnt down, but it was soon rebuilt. Later another emperor fell ill and was cured after prayers were said for him at La Vang.

Our Lady of La Vang, pray for us!


30. Wales - Our Lady of Cardigan

A very long time ago a statue of Mary was found by the River Teifi in Wales. She had Jesus on her lap and a taper (a candle) in her hand. The statue was taken to the nearest Church, but kept going back to the place where it was found, so a Church was built there called St. Mary's. Many years later the statue was destroyed by the king, who didn't want people to go on pilgrimages any more. Fifty years ago a new shrine was built for Our Lady at Cardigan (or Aberteifi in Welsh), and twenty years ago this statue of Our Lady was made. Our Lady of Cardigan is also known as Our Lady of the Taper.

Our Lady of Cardigan, pray for us!

2 comments:

Teilo said...

Ceredigion is not the Welsh for Cardigan but for Cardiganshire.
The Welsh for Cardigan is Aberteifi.

The Bookworm said...

Thank you - I have corrected my error :).