The Virgin Mary in the heart of Catholic China

The Mary Help of Christians Shrine of Zo-sé (or Sheshan), located in the heart of Catholic China, is of national importance. It rises on a hill a few kilometers from Shanghai.

Its origins date back to 1844 when a missionary, noticing the site of a dilapidated Buddhist temple, thought of building a shrine there in honor of Mary. His dream came true in 1867, and soon the Christians came there on pilgrimage.

It was to this shrine, in 1924, that the Apostolic Delegate in China, all the bishops and many priests came to publicly consecrate China to the Blessed Virgin. The present shrine, inaugurated in 1935, was declared a minor basilica by Pope Pius XII in 1942.

After the Communist Revolution confiscated the grounds in 1949, the shrine was damaged and remained closed for 20 years. But the courage of more than 30,000 pilgrims unblocked the situation. From March 15-17, 1978, pilgrims entered the interior of the (ruined) cathedral and placed a small statue of the Virgin there. The authorities could not intervene, because the action took place peacefully. Thus reopened to worship, the shrine was entrusted to the priests of the National Church, then separated from Rome, who in 1990 had a statue of Mary Help of Christians brought from Turin.

Attilio GALLI, Madre della Chiesa dei Cinque continenti, Ed. Segno, Udine, 1997