England to be re-dedicated as the
"Dowry of Mary" amidst coronavirus pandemic
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| Our Lady of Walsingham |
First dedicated to Our Lady by King Richard II in 1381,
England will once again be dedicated as the “Dowry of Mary” on Sunday.
By Joachim Teigen
On March 29th at midday, Catholics and other
Christians across England will take part in the “re-dedication” of the country
to the Virgin Mary. The re-dedication has been scheduled for years, but the
current pandemic is described as “an example of why the Rededication is so
important at this moment”.
Originally each English Bishop was to hold a ceremony in his
own Cathedral, whilst a Mass was to be said at the shrine of Our Lady of
Walsingham. With the new measures aimed at limiting the spread of Covid-19 in
Britain, Christians will be invited to re-dedicate themselves and their country
to the prayers of the Virgin Mary from their own homes.
Dedication of England amidst coronavirus pandemic
On 25 March, Ireland, Spain and Portugal consecrated their
countries and peoples to the Virgin Mary, seeking her protection during the
pandemic. The re-dedication of England, however, has been in the planning since
2017. The event now takes on a new dimension as England and her people are once
again dedicated to Our Lady amidst turmoil and uncertainty.
“What can I contribute to that Dowry?” was Cardinal Vincent
Nichols’ question to all Catholics in England in the wake of the news that
public Masses would be cancelled in all of Britain. “We are Mary’s Dowry!
Please enrich that Dowry by offering to her the best that you can give” the
Cardinal said, encouraging all Catholics in England to participate in the
re-dedication from their homes.
Msgr John Armitage, Rector of the Catholic shrine at
Walsingham, released a joint statement with the rector of the Anglican shrine,
Fr Kevin Smith. The statement says, “Today, fear and uncertainty about the
future is affecting millions of lives around the world and within our own
communities and families. We see in Mary one who was not shielded from life’s
pain and difficulties. This is why we can look to Mary with confidence and
trust in times of sorrow and joy.”
Our Lady and England
The original dedication of England took place in 1381, when
King Richard II made a series of “Entrustment vows” during a ceremony at
Westminster Abbey. The country was in the midst of political uncertainty with
the Peasants’ Revolt against landlords. The 14-year-old king turned to the
Virgin Mary for her protection.
The Wilton Diptych showing Richard II presented to the Virgin and Child
by his Patron Saints
English law at the time required that a husband should
provide his wife with a portion of his land and money, to be able to support
herself should the husband die before her. This was known as the widow’s dowry.
Although other leaders, such as King Edward the Confessor,
who reigned from 1042-1066, had informally referred to England as “Mary’s
Dowry,” the dedication made by King Richard was the first official use of the
title. The King established the title in law. It was then solemnly proclaimed
in 1399 by Thomas Arundel, who was Archbishop of Canterbury.
The proclamation read: “The contemplation of the great
mystery of the Incarnation has drawn all Christian nations to venerate her from
whom came the first beginnings of our redemption. But we English, being the
servants of her special inheritance and her own dowry, as we are commonly
called, ought to surpass others in the fervour of our praises and devotions.”
Walsingham Shrine
The village of Walsingham in Norfolk, England, became a
famous pilgrimage site after a rich widow, named Richeldis, received visions of
the Virgin Mary- and the house of the Holy Family in Nazareth. Later, she built
a replica of the house of Jesus, Mary and Joseph from Nazareth. The shrine was
established in 1061 to serve as a perpetual reminder of the Annunciation. The
shrine expanded into an Augustinian priory with papal approval around 1150. It
subsequently became one of the most visited pilgrimage sites in Christendom
after Jerusalem, Rome and Compostela.
The shrine was destroyed in 1538, as a result of the
Reformation, and the original statue of Our Lady of Walsingham was brought to
London and burnt. It was only in 1897 that pilgrimages to Walsingham could once
again take place, when Pope Leo XIII requested the rebuilding of the Holy House
around one of the last wayside chapels en route to Walsingham, still known
today as the “Slipper Chapel”.
A statue of Our Lady of Walsingham, closely modelled on the
original medieval statue and crowned in the name of Pius XII in 1954, has for
the last two years made a tour of parishes throughout England to draw attention
to and prepare the re-dedication.
Behold the Dowry
This year’s re-dedication will be the latest in a series of
consecrations made by the English Bishops in recent centuries, the first one
was made at the request of Pope Leo XIII in 1893.
The timeline of events started with the Solemnity of the
Mother of God on 1 January, when Catholics in England were invited to prepare
themselves by praying the Rosary and the Angelus.
Pope Francis blesses the new image of Our Lady of Welsingham
A newly-painted icon called the “Dowry Painting” was then
brought to Rome on 12 February by the Archbishop of Westminster, Cardinal
Vincent Nichols, Msgr John Armitage, rector of the Walsingham shrine, and the
painter, Amanda de Pulford. There, Pope Francis blessed the painting during the
Wednesday General Audience, after which it was brought back to England to
remain at the shrine in Walsingham for the re-dedication Mass.
A Mass at the Marian shrine at Walsingham was to be the
focal point of the dedication, with the renewal of the same vows made by King
Richard II and Masses celebrated simultaneously in cathedrals and churches
across the country.
The Mass at Walsingham will still take place at midday on
Sunday, but the faithful are invited to participate through a live stream instead.
The Angelus prayer at the end of Mass will begin the re-dedication ceremony.
Catholics all over England will unite their “yes” to that of the Virgin Mary.
This will be followed by the “Act of Entrustment of England to the Virgin
Mary”, a prayer which draws upon all the acts of surrender and dedication to
Our Lady throughout the country’s history.
As England seeks the protection of the Virgin Mary once
again, these opening words of the prayer will resound throughout the British
Isles and beyond:
“O Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God and our most gentle
Queen and Mother, look down in mercy upon England thy “Dowry” and upon us all
who greatly hope and trust in thee.”
The texts of the Angelus promise and the Act of
Entrustment can be found by clicking here, as well
as a sign-up to take part in the re-dedication from home.
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