The Queenship of Mary
One could ask if the
title of Queen is not a bit out of line with the contemporary
preference for democracy and one could ask the same question about the
title Christ the King.
Mary's Queenship is probably best seen as a
consequence of her Assumption.
The feast occurs a week after 15th
August.
Link with Assumption
The link between Mary's
Assumption and the feast of her Queenship is recognised in article 59 of
the Vatican II Constitution on the Church Lumen Gentium: "The
Immaculate Virgin... was taken up body and soul into heavenly glory when
her earthly life was over, and exalted by the Lord as Queen over all
things, that she might be the more fully conformed to her Son, the Lord
of lords (cf Rev 19:16) and conqueror of sin and death".
Formerly on 31st May
The institution of this
feast was requested at Marian Congresses in Lyons (1900), Fribourg
(1902), Einsiedeln (1906); it was again requested after the institution
of the feast of Christ the King in 1925. In the centenary year of the
proclamation of the Immaculate Conception (1954), Pope Pius XII
instituted the feast with his encyclical Ad coeli reginam. At that time it was celebrated on the last day of May. Since 1969 it takes place a week after the Assumption.
"You will reign with Christ forever"
The antiphon
of the Magnificat at Evening Prayer links Mary's queenship with her
acceptance of he motherhood of Christ: "Blessed are you, O Virgin Mary,
because you believed in all the things which were told you by the Lord:
you will reign for ever with Christ".
Many beautiful hymns
There are many well-known and beautiful hymns saluting Mary as queen: Ave Regina caelorum, Salve Regina and Regina caeli.
Fifth Glorious Mystery of the Rosary
We also celebrate the Queenship of Our Lady in the Fifth Glorious Mystery of the Rosary.