IN THE STAIRWELL NEAR THE CATHEDRAL CHAPEL
Mary Crowned Queen of Heaven

A great sign appeared in heaven:
a woman clothed with the sun,
the moon beneath her feet,
and a crown of twelve stars on her head
(Revelation 12:1)

This image of Mary, crowned Queen of Heaven by the Holy Trinity, dates from 1950—the year Pope Pius XII declared the dogma of the Assumption of Mary into heaven. The sculpture, which is the work of an Italian studio, hung for many years on the east wall of the Cathedral Chapel.

MEDITATION

Mary was taken up body and soul into Heaven: there is even room in God for the body. Heaven is no longer a very remote sphere unknown to us. We have a Mother in Heaven…. Heaven is open, Heaven has a heart…. Mary is taken up body and soul into the glory of Heaven, and with God and in God she is Queen of Heaven and earth. And is she really so remote from us? The contrary is true…. Being in God and with God, she is close to each one of us, knows our hearts, can hear our prayers, can help us with her motherly kindness and has been given to us, as the Lord said, precisely as a "mother" to whom we can turn at every moment. She always listens to us, she is always close to us, and being Mother of the Son, participates in the power of the Son and in his goodness. We can always entrust the whole of our lives to this Mother, who is not far from any one of us.

-–Pope Benedict XVI, Homily on August 15, 2005

PRAYER (Regina Caeli)

Queen of heaven, rejoice, alleluia!
The Son whom you merited to bear, alleluia!
Has risen, as he said, alleluia!
Rejoice and be glad, O Virgin Mary, alleluia!
For the Lord has truly risen, alleluia!

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