The Simply Regal Mary the Queen of San Juan City

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Mary the Queen of San Juan City
In the modern city of San Juan, the one of the smallest yet one of the most progressive cities in the National Capital Region. Though much know n for its shopping center, San Juan  is also the home of some few yet key churches that are also known as pilgrimage sites, from the Santuario de Santo Cristo, the Shrine of St. John the Baptist, the Convent of the Sisters of Our Lady of Consolation where the remains of Ven. Mother Consuelo Barcelo y Pages can be venerated and the Parish dedicated to Mary the Queen.

The Parish of Mary the Queen served as a home for the Filipino-Chinese community of San Juan City and became a solace away from the noise of the city. The Virgin served as the Mother of the community and a source of inspiration to them.

The image

The venerable image of Mary the Queen is that of the image of the Blessed Virgin Mary holding a globe and looking upwards which is also known as "Regina Mundi" (Queen of the World). The image sports the diagnostic doce estrellas and an imperial crown to signify her role as Queen of Heaven and Earth. This image of Mary the Queen was based from the depiction of the second phase of the apparitions of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal to St. Catherine Laboure in the convent of the Sisters of Charity located in Rue de Bac, Paris, France.

St. Catherine Laboure recounts regarding this vision were the Blessed Mother standing on a cloud, holding a globe said to her: "This globe which you see is the world, France in particular and for every person living in it. I am praying for it and for everyone in the world."

The Icon of Mary the Queen in San Juan City
The Queenship of Mary

The Blessed Virgin Mary’s queenship has roots in Scripture. At the Annunciation, Gabriel announced that Mary’s Son would receive the throne of David and rule forever. At the Visitation, Elizabeth calls Mary “mother of my Lord.” As in all the mysteries of Mary’s life, she is closely associated with Jesus: Her queenship is a share in Jesus’ kingship. We can also recall that in the Old Testament the mother of the king has great influence in court.

The title of Mary as Queen dates back from the early years of the Church. In fact, in the fourth century Saint Ephrem called Mary “Lady” and “Queen.” Later Church fathers and doctors continued to use the title. Hymns of the 11th to 13th centuries address Mary as queen: “Hail, Holy Queen,” “Hail, Queen of Heaven,” “Queen of Heaven.” The Dominican rosary and the Franciscan crown as well as numerous invocations in Mary’s litany celebrate her queenship.

In 1954, Pope Pius XII published his encyclical "Ad Coeli Reginam" where he formally established the Feast of the Queenship of Mary which was then set every May 31st. Pope Pus XII points in his encyclical  that Mary deserves the title because she is Mother of God, because she is closely associated as the New Eve with Jesus’ redemptive work, because of her preeminent perfection, and because of her intercessory power. With the reforms on the Liturgical calendar, St. Paul VI transferred the feast to August 22 in place of the Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (now celebrated Saturday after the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus) which is the Octave day of the Assumption.

Mary the Queen of San Juan City participating in the early
years of the Grand Marian Procession in Manila in the 1980's
The beginning

The devotion to Mary the Queen began sometime on September 20, 1954 when the Parish intended for the Filipino Chinese Community was created by Archbishop +Rufino Cardinal Santos, then Archbishop of Manila which was then located in Pasay City. When the parish was established, the devotion to Mary the Queen developed and it even participated in the early years of the Grand Marian Procession in Manila.

In 1963, the parish moved from Pasay City to San Juan and it was placed between Xavier School and Immaculate Conception Academy. After two years of construction, the parish was opened to the faithful on May 31, 1965, the original feast of Mary the Queen.

Since then, the parish of Mary the Queen became one of the most visited parishes in San Juan City and the devotion to Mary the Queen developed over the years.

Mary the Queen of San Juan City
The devotion

The Feast of the Our Lady's Queenship is celebrated every August 22. Devotees would flock her parish to pay homage to her day by day. We should "all may recognize more clearly and venerate more devoutly the merciful and motherly sovereignty of her who bore God in her womb" said Ven. Pius XII in his encyclical. Mary our Mother was solemnly crowned by Christ and received by the whole court of Heaven as Queen.

What Christ has done in Heaven and the Church has done on our behalf we should now do individually, that is, we should recognize Mary's Queenship, enthrone her in our homes, consecrate ourselves to her and, by this means, establish in our lives the reign of Mary Immaculate Queen of the Universe.

References:

Glass, Joseph, "Miraculous Medal". Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 2000.
"Queenship of Mary", Retrieved from https://www.franciscanmedia.org/queenship-of-mary/ on August 20, 2019.

The present photographs of Mary the Queen of San Juan are courtesy of Mr. Dennis Maturan.
+AM+DG+

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