Mary, Queen Of Heaven
Today, the Holy Roman Catholic Church celebrates Mary as Queen of Heaven. Exactly one week ago, the emphasis was on her assumption – the forth Joyful Mystery of the Rosary. Today it is her crowning as Queen of Heaven – the fifth Joyful Mystery – which is a logical progression from her assumption into heaven, celebrated one week ago.
While it was Pope Pius XII who introduced this feast in 1954, Mary as Queen of Heaven has the Scripture as its origin. In Revelations chapter 12, verse 1, we are told, “Now a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman, robed with the sun, standing on the moon, and on her head a crown of twelve stars.” That woman is Mary. At the Annunciation, the Angel Gabriel announced that Mary’s son Jesus, would have the throne of David and that he would reign forever. This is contained in the prophecy of Isaiah chapter 9: 5 – 6. At the visitation, Mary is addressed by Elizabeth as “the Mother of my Lord”. Mary is therefore closely linked with Jesus, and her title as Queen of Heaven is a share in Jesus’ kingship.
In the forth century, long before this feast was established, St. Ephrem referred to Mary “Lady” and “Queen of Heaven.” It was later that the Church fathers as well as doctors continued to use the title.
Hymns of the eleventh to thirteenth centuries address Mary as queen: “Hail, Holy Queen,” “Hail, Queen of Heaven,” “Queen of Heaven.” Christian art – even those that were created long before this feast day was established – commonly depicts Mary in royal robes. The Dominican rosary as well as the Franciscan crown in addition to countless invocations in Mary’s litany celebrate her Queen of Heaven.
The feast is a realistic follow-up to the Assumption and it is now celebrated on the octave day of that feast. Pius XII points wrote in his encyclical entitled “To the Queen of Heaven”, that Mary needs the title because she is Mother of God, because she is the “New Eve” with Jesus’ work of redemption, because of her preeminent perfection and because of her intercessory strength.
