Memorial of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Dear friends, today we celebrate the Memorial of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary. This memorial was first instituted by Pope Pius XII in 1954. The Catholic Church teaches that “as Christ is King of the world and saves the people from their sins, Mary is queen over the earth because of her role in the story of divine redemption, serving as mother to the Savior.” The fifth Glorious Mystery of the Rosary speaks of the Coronation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. This means that Mary is crowned Queen of heaven and earth. Why should she be regarded as queen?
In Africa, and particularly in Cameroon and in some of our traditions, we have traditional leaders who are called “Fon” equivalent to King. A ‘Fon” must be from a royal family and only male children of the royal families become Fons. Their mothers are automatically called Queen mothers and when they play their roles well, they are loved by the people. Their roles are always to solicit the Fon to listen to the pleas of the people and grant their requests. The people will respect the mother of the Fon without hesitation. There is that closer connection with this description and the Kingship of Jesus and the Queenship of Mary.
Pope Benedict XVI draws a closer look at the link between the Kingship of Jesus and the Queenship of Mary. He says, “The small and simple young girl of Nazareth became Queen of the World! This is one of the marvels that reveals God’s heart. Of course, Mary’s Queenship is relative to Chris’s Kingship. He is the Lord whom, after the humiliation of death on the Cross, the Father exalted above any other creature in Heaven, on earth, and under the earth (cf. Phil. 2:9-11). Through a design of grace, the Immaculate Mother was fully associated with the mystery of the Son: in his Incarnation; in his earthly life, at first hidden at Nazareth and then manifested in the messianic ministry; in his Passion and death; and finally, in the glory of his Resurrection and Ascension into Heaven. Mary is a Queen in her service to God for humanity, a Queen of love who lives the gift of herself to God to enter into the plan of man’s salvation. She answered the Angel: ‘Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord’ (cf. Lk1:38) and in the Magnificat, she sings: God has regarded the low estate of his handmaiden (cf. Lk. 1:48). She helps us. She is Queen precisely by loving us, by helping us in our every need; she is our sister, a humble handmaid.”
In the Litany of Loreto, Mary is acknowledged with the following titles: “Queen of Patriarchs, Queen of Prophets, Queen of Apostles, Queen of Martyrs, Queen of Confessors, Queen of Virgins, Queen of all Saints, Queen conceived without original sin, Queen assumed into heaven, Queen of the Most Holy Rosary, Queen of families, Queen of peace.” We can approach Mary and ask for her intercession and then listen to her advice: “Do whatever He tells you” (Jn. 2:5).
The suffering people of Anglophone Cameroon, the suffering people of Ukraine, and other parts of the world that are in turmoil ask Mary, the Queen of Peace, to intercede for them. The people of the United States of America ask Mary to intercede for them so that peace may reign in their forthcoming presidential elections. The people who are struggling to make ends meet ask for her intercession.
She, as Queen, will always lead us to Christ, and ask her Son Jesus Christ to grant our needs. May Mary, our Queen, and Mother, intercede for us. Amen