Sights & Sounds: Crowning Mary in the month of May

This month, parishes and schools across the Archdiocese of Newark have continued a tradition dating back to the late Middle Ages. By crowning statues of the Virgin Mary with a circlet of flowers, Catholics recognize Mary as the Mother of God and as the Queen of Heaven and Earth. Throughout the month, she will be honored in pageant, song, and prayer.

In his encyclical, Mense Maio (On the Month of May), Pope Paul VI said that he was “delighted and consoled” by the custom of honoring the Blessed Virgin Mary in Maytime celebrations. As he explained:

“Since Mary is rightly to be regarded as the way by which we are led to Christ, the person who encounters Mary cannot help but encounter Christ likewise. For what other reason do we continually turn to Mary except to seek the Christ in her arms, to seek our Savior in her, through her, and with her? To Him men are to turn amid the anxieties and perils of this world, urged on by duty and driven by the compelling needs of their heart, to find a haven of salvation, a transcendent fountain of life.”
– Pope Paul VI, Mense Maio

Visit our PHOTO GALLERY to see how parishes and schools in the Newark Archdiocese are celebrating and honoring the Blessed Mother in month of May.

Each week, Jersey Catholic features the rich and inspiring “Sights & Sounds” of the Archdiocese of Newark. Visit us regularly to explore our vibrant parishes, sacred artworks, historic landmarks, and the faithful men, women, and youth who bring our Catholic community to life.

Featured image: A young student at Lacordaire Academy in Montclair, NJ, participates in a May crowning celebration. (Photo by Lacordaire Academy)