(There were certain times and places in history when communities of Christians have experienced the power of Mary’s intervention in most dramatic ways.)
The Battle of Lepanto One of the greatest victories of all time took place at the naval battle of Lepanto, Greece. A mighty Turkish fleet threatened to invade and overrun all of Europe. The saintly Pope Pius V called for rosary crusades and Blessed Sacrament procession everywhere. The Christian forces aboard their tiny fleet publicly prayed the rosary and received the Sacraments before going into the battle against their enemies who outnumbered them with bigger and more powerful ships. At first, the Christian fleet fared badly, but suddenly, in the midst of the battle, the wind which had been against them changed in their favor. This threw the Turkish fleet into confusion, with one ship shooting another. As the battle raged into the late afternoon, a great storm arose, sinking many more of the Turkish ships. Finally, the few that remained fled in Turkish power over the Mediterranean was broken
To commemorate the victory of the Naval Battle of Lepanto, Pope Pius V ordered:
The institution of the Feast of the Most Holy Rosary on October 7, 1571; and
The addition of the invocation “AUXILIUM CRISTIANORUM, ORA PRO NOBIS” (Help of Christians, Pray for Us) in the Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Litany of Loreto)
INSTITUTION OF THE FEAST OF MARY HELP OF CHRISTIANS (May 24, 1815)
On 1809, Rosary petitions once again went up for Mary’s help. Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte had responded to his excommunication by abducting Pope Pius VII with the intention of pressuring him to sign a treaty that would give the Emperor powers over the Church and state in France and all conquered territories.
While Christians everywhere prayed to Mary for the frail, exiled pontiff at Fontainbleau, Napoleonencountered the winters of Moscow and met his Waterloo. He was forced to sign his abdication from power. On May 24, 1814, Pope Pius VII returned home from his five year exile to a tumultuous reception in Rome. A year later in 1815, Pope Pius VII consecrated that day perpetually to Mary and instituted the FEAST OF MARY HELP OF CHRISTIANS, “to commemorate the unhoped for help of Mary, most holy toward the Pope and the Christian people.” In due time, other dioceses and entire nations followed suit and initiated yearly celebration of the same feast. In 1948, Bishops in Poland asked the Holy See to extend the cult and celebration of the feast of Mary Help of Christians to their nation. One of the signatories of the petition was a newly elected bishop by the name of Karol Wojtyla, the late Pope John Paul II. Other nations, Australia and Columbia, adopted Mary Help of Christians as their National Patroness.
MARY HELP OF CHRISTIANS and DON BOSCO St. John Bosco, the man destined by God to be an Apostle of Mary Help of Christians, was born on August 16, 1815 in Becchi, Italy – the same year that the feast of Mary Help of Christians was instituted. Had Don Bosco not given new interest in the propagation of devotion to Mary Help of Christians, it might have remained in obscurity.
How did Don Bosco learn about Mary Help of Christians?
In March 1862, a painting of Mary in a rundown church near Spoletto in Fratta had spoken to a little boy Righetto Cionchi (5 years old). Then on March 19, 1862 a young farmer was miraculously cured by the image. Crowds of people went to the miraculous image and it was seen by many to shed tears. The Archbishop Ar-naldi of Spoletto officially named the image, OUR LADY HELP OF CHRIS-TIANS, convinced that this title was “the most suitable in every respect”. Don Bosco learned of these events in Spoletto and he joyfully narrated some of the miraculous events in his Goodnight Talk on May 24, 1862. In 1863, a vision of our Lady appeared to Don Bosco asking him to build a Church to honor Her as Mary Help of Christians. Aspiring to realize Mother Mary’s request: “This is my house, from here My Glory shall shine forth,”
Don Bosco started working against all odds – with lack of funds and the presence of strong anti-clerical act by civil officials during that time. With strong devotion to Mary Help of Christians and Jesus Christ, he built the church under miracu-lous circumstances with financial help coming from practically unknown devotees.
In 1865, Don Bosco asked the artist Thomas Lorenzone to paint the picture of Mary Help of Christians. After three (3) years of work, the painting was finished and put in its place over the main altar of the Basilica.
Don Bosco's Description of the painting was:
‘Our Lady stands out in the center, bathed in light and majesty. She is surrounded by ranks of Angels, who are doing Her honor as their Queen. On Her right hand, She holds a scepter, the symbol of Her power, and on Her left arm, She carries the Child with arms outstretched as a sign of the graces and mercy He offers to all who have recourse to His royal Mother. At each side and underneath are the Holy Apostles and Evangelists, exalted in ecstasy as though exclaiming: “Queen of Apostles, pray for us” while gazing in wonder at the Holy Virgin. At the lower part of the painting is shown a portion of the City of Turin, with the Sanctuary of Valdocco in the foreground and the Sanctuary of Superga in the rear.’In 1868, Don Bosco completed the grand Basilica of Mary Help of Christians in Turin, Italy. It has become the center of devotions and Mother Church of over 150 shrines dedicated to Mary Help of Christians around the world including the Philippines. Its feast is celebrated starting last week of April and closes on May 24. it is the most attended church services in Turin, Italy.
Mary Help of Christians in the Philippines
Devotion to Mary under the title Mary Help of Christians saw its birth in the Philippines with the appointment of Salesian Archbishop William Piani as Apostolic Delegate to the Philippines. In 1922, he brought the statue of Mary Help of Christians to Manila. The statue was first enthroned at the Manila Cathedral.
Spread of the Devotion of MHC in the Philippines
In 1942, during the Japanese occupation, the statue of MHC was brought to our Lady of Loreto Church in Sampaloc, Manila for safekeeping. During the years it was there, the Archcon fraternity of Mary help of Christians in the Philippines was organized.They continuously offered novenas and masses every 24th day of each month to Our Lady. Perhaps due to Archbishop Piani’s influence, the following parishes adopted Mary Help of Christians as titular and Patroness: Maypajo, Caloocan, Balimbing, Boac. Basista, Pangasinan, San Enrique, Iloilo, San Antonio Bacolor Pampanga, and Marawi City, Iligan.
In 1951, the first group of Salesians of Don Bosco (SDB) first arrived in the Philippines. They were surprised to learn of the existence of devotion to MHC as shown in churches dedicated under this title. Then in 1955, the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians (FMA), better known as Salesian Sisters, arrived in the Philippines and helped spread the devotion to MHC. These Salesians helped build the works of Don Bosco in our country.
The first shrine in the Philippines dedicated to MHC was solemnly blessed and inaugurated in 1969 by Archbishop Carmine Rocco, Apostolic Delegate, and Bishop Pedro Batigue, Bishop of San Pablo, at the Don Bosco Seminary Canlubang, Laguna.
MHC National Shrine
But all the while, the whole Salesian Family fixed their gaze upon a bigger sanctuary to be built in Metro Manila where Mary could welcome devotees in the traditional left by Don Bosco at the Basilica of Mary Help of Christians in Turin, Italy – hic domus mea, inde Gloria mae, “This is my house, my glory shines from here”. Then on May 24, 1972 the cornerstone of the temple was laid by Archbishop Rocco in the land donated by the Serrano and Dolor families. in Better Living Subdivision, Parañaque, adjacent to the then provincial office of the Salesians of Don Bosco.
Block by block, month by month, the shrine rose from the ground. Mary Help of Christians would finally have a home of her own.Hic domus mea. In June of 1975 His Eminence Jaime Cardinal Sin, DD, Archbishop of Manila, created the Parish of Mary Help of Christians and designated the Shrine as the Parish Church and Fr. Pierangelo Quaranta, SDB, its first Parish Priest. By July 24, 1975 the parish of Mary Help of Christians was officially inaugurated. The Church was solemnly consecrated on December 4, 1976 during the Silver Jubilee Year celebrations of Salesians presence in the Philippines.
On August 15, 1985, the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines headed by Achbishop Antonio Mabutas, gave the approval of the statutes bestowing upon the church the title of a National Shrine. Fr. Leo Drona, SDB was appointed as its first Rector.
On August 24, 1985, the solemn mass and official proclamation of the National Shrine of Mary Help of Christians were celebrated with Msgr. Bruno Torpigliani, Jaime Cardinal Sin, Salesian Family, friends and devotees in attendance. Then, during the celebration of the Great Jubilee celebration of the Shrine as a Parish—the National Shrine of Mary Help of Christians had the privilege of being a Jubilee Church (Pilgrim Church).
Past Parish Priest of the MHC Shrine
Fr. Pier Angelo Quaranta, SDB
Installed Parish Priest on July 10, 1975
Bishop Leo Drona
Installed Parish Priest on April 28, 1987
Fr. Eduardo Revilla, SDB
Installed Parish Priest on July 7, 1987
Fr. Rolo Alcasid, SDB
Installed Parish Priest on May 24, 1997
Fr. Danilo Torres, SDB
Installed Parish Priest May 24, 1994
Fr. Gaudencio Carandang, SDB
Installed Parish Priest May 24, 2000
Fr. Ramon Garcia, SDB
Installed Parish Priest June 24, 2003
Fr. Gerardo Battad, SDB
Installed Parish Priest December 8, 2006 Current Parish Priest