Devotion to Our Lady |
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Jul 20 HOMEPAGE (updated, scroll down)
Jul 20 DAILY THOUGHTS Get Your Finances in Order Jul 20 CONSECRATION TO MARY Day 5 (Mon) Jul 20 PRECIOUS BLOOD DEVOTIONS Monday Jul 19 SHRINES OF OUR LADY Mount Carmel Jul 19 DAILY THOUGHTS Is Your Family On Board? Jul 18 DAILY THOUGHTS Study & Repetition (cont.) |
Jul 17 DAILY THOUGHTS Study & Repetition
Jul 16 Our Lady of Mt. Carmel feastday Consecration Jul 16 DAILY THOUGHTS Who's part of your plan? 2 Jul 15 DAILY THOUGHTS Who is Part of Your Plans? Jul 14 DAILY THOUGHTS Where on Earth do we go? Jul 13 DAILY THOUGHTS Headless chicken in crisis Jul 12 DAILY THOUGHTS Spirit'l Bug-Out-Bag cont. |
OUR LADY OF GRACE, AT PICPUS, FAUBORG SAINT ANTOINE, OF PARIS (1629)
This image, which is carved of wood in the shape of a small ship with two angels at the end, was made in the year 1629 from a splinter taken from the famous image of Our Lady of Boulogne-sur-Mer. Among the famous pilgrimages of Paris, that of the pilgrimage to the chapel of Picpus, in France, is said to rank fifth. The shrine contains the above mentioned statue, given in the sixteenth century to this monastery by the famous Capuchin Joyeuse, known as Pere Ange, and later transferred to Saint-Antione of Paris. Devotion to Mary retains its pristine fervor here, and many gifts and graces are bestowed on devotees by the Mother of Grace, Our Lady of Grace Paris. Pilgrimages are as ancient as society itself, and in fact, all nations have had consecrated places, to which they have made it a duty to resort at certain periods of commemoration, to become more deeply penetrated with a sense of the benefits received from God, by visiting those spots which they believed to be sanctified by his presence or his miracles. God is everywhere, it is true. God hears in every place the prayer of faithful souls, and that in all places such prayer is granted; but what should hinder God from attaching certain favors to those ancient sanctuaries, where he has been pleased oftentimes to manifest his power by prodigies? Pilgrimages, which date from the deluge, which have been received by all nations, and which among Catholics strengthen religious feelings by opening the soul to a crowd of generous and sanctifying emotions, are therefore a thing good, laudable, useful, and agreeable to the Divinity. We see those pious practices held in honor from the early times of the Church; Mary, the holy women, and the apostles were the first pilgrims, and the faithful of Europe and Asia walked readily in their footsteps. They come in crowds to these places, and edify us by the splendor of their virtues. Their language is different, but their Catholic faith is the same. |
OUR
LADY OF VERDUN, LORRAINE (5TH CENTURY)
The present Cathedral of Notre-Dame de Verdun is both a Catholic cathedral and a national monument of France. It has a long and ancient history. It was in about the year 330 when Saint Sanctinus, a disciple of Saint Denis, converted the city of Verdun to the True Faith, and later made it an Episcopal city when he became its first bishop. He built a church there in honor of Saints Peter and Paul. In the year 457 Saint Pulchrone, whose name is often mistakenly spelled Polichraine, built the first church located at the site where Our Lady of Verdun is presently located. The fifth Bishop of Verdun, Saint Pulchrone, built the church inside the walls of the city on top of ancient Roman ruins. This church was actually named to honor Mary as Mother of God, a title that had recently been confirmed at the councils of Ephesus and Chalcedon. It was at the council of Ephesus in 431 that Mary was formally affirmed to be Theotokos, “God-bearer,” or “the one who gives birth to God.” At Chalcedon, the nature of Christ was formally defined, teaching that He was God and man, “one and the same Christ, Son, Lord, Only-begotten, known in two natures, without confusion, without change, without division, without separation.” With this definition Mary was shown to be the Mother of God, and not just of Our Lord in his human nature. The church and Our Lady of Verdun was celebrated for numerous miracles. In the year 990 Bishop Heimon built a new cathedral to Our Lady of Verdun, and in the 12th century a choir and two portals were added. In 997, the Emperor Otto III conferred on this Bishop Heimon, or Haymon, the title of count, making him and his successors Episcopal Counts. The cathedral was consecrated by Pope Eugene III in 1147. In the 14th century the flat wooden ceiling was replaced with a vaulted one, and side-chapels were added to the nave. Another side chapel dedicated to the Blessed Virgin in the Assumption was built in the 16th century. In 1755 the roof and towers were hit by lightning, which set them both on fire, which did significant damage to the church. The church was repaired and rebuilt in the Neo-Classical style in 1760. The cathedral was once again severely damaged in World War I, as it was hit by artillery rounds in the Battle of Verdun which destroyed the towers. The crypt was rediscovered during the renovation that went on until the year 1936, and a re-inauguration took place in 1935. The millennial celebration of the cathedral took place in 1990. The Arbennes family were the counts of Verdun, and Godfrey of Bouillon was a member of that family. Godfrey gave up his right to the count-ship before leaving on the First Crusade. |
Crosswords can be a fun way of reminding ourselves of what we already know and also learning new facts that we did not know. We hope to regularly post crosswords that deal with a variety of aspects concerning Our Lady: her life, her apparitions, her messages and devotion to her in general. We hope you find time over your favorite snack or drink to tackle these not-too-difficult crosswords.
You can download each crossword in an Adobe PDF format (which will include the blank crossword, the clues and a filled-in crossword showing the correct answers; or you can print the crossword from what you see online, that is on your computer screen (which will include the blank crossword and the clues, BUT NO ANSWERS, as the answers will be posted a day or two later. Enjoy! Ave Maria! (CLICK HERE TO GO TO THE CROSSWORD PUZZLE PAGE) |