The pontifical foundation Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) urges its friends and benefactors to join in prayer for the Church and Christians in China on 24 May.
May 2024 marks the centennial anniversary of the consecration of China to the Blessed Virgin Mary under the title ‘Our Lady of China, Queen of the Chinese People in Heaven’ by the bishops of China.
One year after this consecration, the construction of a St. Mary’s Basilica in Sheshan began, on the top of a hill located approximately 35 km outside of Shanghai. It has since become a popular pilgrimage site for Catholics, featuring several churches and the Marian basilica. Each year, on May 24, the Feast of Our Lady of Sheshan, Help of Christians, is celebrated with great solemnity.
In 2007, Pope Benedict XVI called upon the global Church to pray for the Church in China on May 24, emphasizing the significance of the Marian sanctuary of Sheshan. He encouraged believers worldwide to pray for the unity of the Church in the country and demonstrate their solidarity and support for Chinese Christians.
The history of Sheshan dates back to 1863, when the first Jesuit missionaries settled on the hill and built the first chapel on its summit. During the massacre of missionaries and Chinese Christians in Tianjin, 1870, the superior of the Jesuits in Shanghai went to Sheshan and made a promise to the Blessed Mother: «If the vicariate is spared from the attack, we will build a basilica and express our gratitude for the special protection of Our Lady.» Miraculously, the region was indeed spared from the killings and the destruction.
As we commemorate the 100th anniversary of the consecration of China to Our Lady, the pontifical foundation Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) invites all benefactors and friends to unite in the prayer that Pope Benedict XVI composed on the occasion of the World Day of Prayer for the Church in China, on 24 May 2008, asking for strength and grace for the Church and Christians in China. Despite governmental constraints and surveillance, thousands of pilgrims flock to Sheshan every May to pray to the Blessed Mother. Their unwavering devotion and faith serve as a testament to the enduring strength of the Catholic community in China. May that same faith continue to inspire believers worldwide:
“Our Lady of Sheshan, sustain all those in China,
who, amid their daily trials, continue to believe, to hope, to love.
May they never be afraid to speak of Jesus to the world,
and of the world to Jesus.
In the statue overlooking the Shrine you lift your Son on high,
offering him to the world with open arms in a gesture of love.
Help Catholics always to be credible witnesses to this love,
ever clinging to the rock of Peter on which the Church is built.
Mother of China and all Asia, pray for us, now and for ever. Amen!”