Hajja Salesjana

by Marge Fenelon (National Catholic Register) It’s here. May, the month in which the earth springs into bloom (at least in the Northern Hemisphere) and we start thinking about planting gardens, family picnics, and making vacation plans. It’s also the Month of Mary. Having gone to a Catholic grade school run by the Schoenstatt Sisters of Mary, my early childhood memories include honoring Mary during May – a practice I’ve continued all of my life and taught my children to do as well. It’s as natural and essential to me as my morning coffee (only far, far more joy-filled if you can even imagine that). I know a number of Catholics who see May as the Month of Mary, and we all get the same question from time to time: Why is May Mary’s month? Here’s a brief explanation. For centuries, the Catholic Church has set aside the entire month of Mary to honor Mary, Mother of God. Not just a day in May, mind you, but the entire month. The custom spans both centuries and cultures, with roots going back as far as the Ancient Greeks. In early Greece, May was dedicated to Artemis, the goddess of fecundity. In Ancient Rome, May was dedicated to Flora, the goddess of blooms, or blossoms. They celebrated ludi floralis , or floral games, at the end of April and asked the intercession of Flora for all that blooms. In medieval times, similar customs abounded, all centering around the practice of expelling winter, as May 1 was considered the start of new growth. During this period, the tradition of Tricesimum , or “Thirty-Day Devotion to Mary,” came into being. Also called, “Lady Month,” the event was held from August 15-September 14 and is still observed in some areas. The idea of a month dedicated specifically to Mary can be traced back to baroque times. Although it wasn’t always Why is May the Month of Mary? Tommaso Andrea Lorenzone - Wikimedia Commons William-Adolphe Bouguereau - Wikimedia Commons 14 April-Ġunju 2023 hajja