France gives homage to Our Lady

Every Christian land is a Marian land; there is not a nation redeemed in the blood of Christ that does not glory in proclaiming Mary its Mother and Patroness. This truth is brought into sharp relief by reflection on the history of France. Devotion to the Mother of God dates back to the early days of France's evangelization, and Chartres, one of the most ancient Marian shrines in the world, still attracts a great number of pilgrims, including thousands of young people.

The Middle Ages, which, especially through Saint Bernard, sang Mary's glory and celebrated her mysteries, witnessed a marvelous flowering of French cathedrals dedicated to Our Lady: Le Puy, Rheims, Amiens, Paris, and so many others… With their spires upthrust to the sky they announce from afar the glory of the Immaculate; they heighten its splendor in the pure light of their stained-glass windows and in the harmonious beauty of their statues. They bear witness above all to the faith of a people that outdid itself in a magnificent display of energy, leaving traces of permanent homage of their devotion to Mary far and wide.

In the cities and the countryside, on the hilltops and overlooking the sea, shrines consecrated to Mary—whether humble chapels or splendid basilicas—little by little enfolded the country in their protective shadow. Princes and shepherds of souls and the faithful without number have come to these shrines through the centuries, to the holy Virgin whom they have greeted with titles expressive of their hope or gratitude.

Here they invoke Our Lady of Mercy, OL of All Help, and OL of Prompt Succor. Elsewhere the pilgrim seeks refuge near Our Lady of Watchfulness, OL of Pity, or OL of Consolation. Pilgrims’ prayers also rise to Our Lady of Light, OL of Peace, OL of Joy, or OL of Hope. Pilgrims implore the intercession of Our Lady of Virtues, OL of Miracle, and OL of Victories. All of this is a wonderful litany of unceasing invocations that praise, from province to another, the blessings the Mother of God has bestowed on the land of France through the ages.

Pope Pius XII

Encyclical letter Le Pèlerinage de Lourdes (a warning against materialism on the centenary of the apparitions at Lourdes, to the cardinals, archbishops and bishops of France) – July 2, 1957