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Pope Francis today granted the Pontifical Coronation of the image of Nossa Senhora da Soledade, venerated in the Basilica of Mafra.
It is the third image in Portugal canonically crowned “in the name and with the authority of the Supreme Pontiff”, the previous two being those of Nossa Senhora do Sameiro, in Braga, on June 12, 1904, by the apostolic nuncio, Monsignor José Macchi. , special delegate of Pope Pius X, and that of Our Lady of Fatima, on May 13, 1946, by Cardinal Masella, papal legate.
The coronation “is the recognition, by the Holy See, of the devotion to the Blessed Virgin present in the venerable image of Soledad in the Basilica of Mafra, with the purpose of extending the importance of this Marian title and its cult to the entire Catholic world, thus strengthening Christian piety in its most diverse expressions, “explains the Royal and Venerable Brotherhood of the Blessed Sacrament of Mafra (RVISS), which has the image in its custody in a statement.
The act of crowning Our Lady is to recognize that She is Queen of the Church, of Portugal and of our lives. It is to recreate in our community the Celestial Coronation of Mary as a reminder of her royalty and to be willing, with her and like her, to humble servants of the Lord “, add the same font.
According to the Brotherhood, “this is a historical fact”, referring that in the Lusophone universe this is the fifth image to receive this pontifical distinction.
In addition to the images of Sameiro and Fátima, the other two images are those of Nossa Senhora Aparecida, the patron saint of Brazil, and that of Nossa Senhora do Carmo do Recife, also in Brazil.
For RVISS, it is “a reason of great joy” that Pope Francis “has granted such a privilege to Our Lady of Soledade de Mafra”, stating that “it constitutes a renewed incentive (…) to increase the cult of the Blessed Virgin , to whom the Basilica of Mafra was dedicated in 1730 “.
The coronation ceremony “will be announced in due course”, “as a result of the uncertain times in which we live,” according to the same source.
For RVISS, this pontifical distinction “is a dignity granted to Portugal and to the population of Mafra in particular”, considering itself “a true sign of the royalty of Our Lady, at this difficult time, in our country which, since its foundation, is called ‘land of Santa Maria’ “.
In a statement, the Cardinal Patriarch of Lisbon, Manuel Clemente, “congratulates” the RVISS “for the pontifical coronation of the image of Nossa Senhora da Soledade”
For Manuel Clemente, “Brother of Honor” of this Brotherhood, “thus two essential motifs are linked” in the basilica of Mafra: “Marian devotion and fidelity to the successor of Saint Peter”.
The image of Nossa Senhora da Soledade dates from 1773, and is usually seen in the procession of the Senhor Jesus dos Passos, through the streets of Mafra, which takes place on February 25, and in the funeral procession, on Good Friday. The image was restored, by RVISS, in 2018. At that time, seven handwritten documents were found that were sewn into the embroidery of the image’s silk tunic, with requests to the Virgin.
The seven manuscripts, dating from the end of the 19th century, were placed next to the gold thread embroidery, with requests for protection and divine assistance from the embroiderers of the then Sirgaria Bello, Jorge & Santos, supplier of Casa Real, established in Rossio , in Lisbon.
