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Pope Francis establishes new feast of Mary as ‘Mother of the Church’


On May 21st, the Monday after Pentecost, the Church will celebrate for the first time the memorial of Mary, "Mater Eccelsiae."

Icon of Mary "Mater Ecclesiae" (Mother of the Church) in Saint Peter's Square

Text from Pope Francis

Continuing our catecheses on the Church, today I would like to look at Mary as the image and model of the Church. I will do so by taking up an expression of the Second Vatican Council. The Constitution Lumen Gentium states: “As St Ambrose taught, the Mother of God is a type of the Church in the order of faith, charity, and the perfect union with Christ” (no. 63).


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