STORY OF OUR LADY QUEEN OF CHINA

Feast Day - Second Sunday in May

The Virgin Mary appeared as a beautiful Lady in the Sky, when Catholics implored her to save them from their enemies and their city from destruction during the Boxer Rebellion.

In thanksgiving for Our Lady’s protection over the city of Dong Lu (Tong Lu), a beautiful Church was erected in her honor, meant to constantly remind the people of the Blessed Virgin Mary’s motherly and loving protection.

History

In April 1900, when the Boxer Rebellion broke out, nearly 10,000 hostile soldiers attacked the small impoverished mission village of Dong Lu (near Peiping), home of 700 - 1,000 Christians and founded by the Vincentian Fathers. The Blessed Virgin Mary appeared as a beautiful lady in white in the sky surrounded by light. The soldiers, in senseless rage, started to shoot into the sky. Then suddenly they fled, frightened, and never came back again when a fiery Horseman - perhaps St. Michael - chased the attackers out of the village. The Chinese pastor of the village, Father Wu, had prayed for Our Lady's intercession.

In thanksgiving for Our Lady’s protection, a beautiful church was built in her honor. It was meant to serve as a constant reminder to the people of Mary’s loving and motherly protection.

The pastor secured a painting of the Dowager Empress Ci Xi, the long time ruler of the Manchu Qing Dynasty, dressed in imperial Robes. He commissioned an artist to use it as the background for the image of Our Lady holding the Christ Child. The picture was hung above the Altar in the Church of Dong Lu, which eventually became a famous place of pilgrimage starting in 1924.

In 1924, the Shanghai Synod of Bishops was the first national conference of bishops in China. The Bishops chose this image to be denoted as "Our Lady of China" or "Our Lady Queen of China". People then began coming to the Shrine.

Following the event, Archbishop Celso Costantini, Apostolic Delegate in China, along with all the bishops of China, declared the Chinese people dedicated to Our Lady of China, using the official image.

In 1928, an officially-sanctioned image of Our Lady of China was blessed, granted and promulgated by Pope Pius XI.

In 1929, the first official pilgrimage to Dong Lu was held.

In 1932, Pope Pius XI approved it as an official Marian Shrine.

In 1941, Pope Pius XII designated the feast day as an official feast of the Catholic liturgical calendar.

In 1941, the Shrine was destroyed during World War II, when it caught fire due to Japanese artillery bombardment.

In 1973, following the Second Vatican Council, the Chinese Bishops conference, upon approval from the Holy See, placed the feast day on the vigil (day preceding) of Mothers Day (the second Sunday of May).

In 1992, the Shrine was rebuilt as the largest Church building in North China.

In May 23, 1995, over 30,000 Catholics from the unofficial Church had gathered for Mass at the Dong Lu Shrine, on the vigil of the Feast of Our Lady Help of Christians. There were four bishops of the unofficial Church concelebrating the Mass and nearly 100 unofficial priests standing in the open field. Suddenly, during the opening prayer and again during the consecration, the people observed the sun spinning from right to left. Light rays of various shades emanated from the sky. Participants saw Our Lady of China and the Child Jesus in the sky and also the Holy Family, the Heavenly Father, and the Holy Spirit. The phenomenon lasted approximately twenty minutes.

The next day, May 24, 1995, The Public Security barred all Pilgrims from joining anyone on the Hill. The police forced people back into Buses and Trains without offering any explanation. Still, as many as 100,000 persons successfully reached the area by finding alternative ways to get there to celebrate the Feast of Our Lady Help of Christians.

In April 1996, there's was an official government announcement forbidding anyone from going to the Dong Lu Shrine. Then, the Chinese government mobilized 5000 Troops, supported by dozens of Armored Cars and Helicopters, destroyed and levelled that Marian shrine, confiscated the statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary and arrested many Priests.

The picture of Our Lady of China remains intact because only a copy of the picture was used in the church. The original was hidden in the wall behind the copy, and this was recovered and found intact. It is now in possession of Chinese Priests who carry out their activities in disguise.

The Blessed Virgin Mary appeared as a beautiful Lady in white in the sky surrounded by light. The resulting painting using a painting of Empress Dowager CiXi as a backdrop, features the image of the Blessed Virgin in the royal Robes of the pagan Empress, with the Christ Child on her knees, is vivid expression of Chinese tradition. It is a shrine of the Mother and her Son. Though her Robes be pagan, she belongs to every age, to all people and to every race.

Our Lady Queen of China's apparition was approved at the first National Conference of the synod of Bishops in 1924, where the Papal Nuncio in China, Archbishop Celso Costantini (剛恆毅), with all the bishops of China, consecrated the Chinese people to the Blessed Virgin Mary.

In 1941, Pope Pius XII then, designated the feast day as an official feast of the Catholic liturgical calendar.