The Catholic Defender: Journey with Mary as we travel to Dong Lu (Tong Lu) China 1900

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The Virgin Mary appeared as a beautiful lady in the skies when Catholics implored her to save them from their enemies and their city from destruction during the Boxer Rebellion.

In thanksgiving for Our Lady’s protection over the city of Dong Lu (Tong Lu), a beautiful church was built in her honor.

It was meant to serve as a constant reminder to the people of Mary’s loving and motherly protection.

When the Boxer Rebellion broke out, nearly 10,000 hostile soldiers attacked the small impoverished mission village of Dong Lu (near Peiping), home of 700 - 1,000 Christians and founded by Vicentian fathers.

The Virgin Mary appeared as a beautiful lady in white in the sky surrounded by light.

The soldiers, in senseless rage, started to shoot into the sky.

Then suddenly they fled, frightened, and never came back again when a fiery horsemen - perhaps St. Michael - chased the attackers out of the village.

The Chinese pastor of the village, Father Wu, had prayed for Our Lady's intercession.

April 1900

When the Boxer Rebellion broke out, nearly 10,000 hostile soldiers attacked the small impoverished mission village of Dong Lu (near Peiping), home of 700 - 1,000 Christians and founded by Vincentian fathers. The Virgin Mary appeared as a beautiful lady in white in the sky surrounded by light. The soldiers, in senseless rage, started to shoot into the sky. Then suddenly they fled, frightened, and never came back again when a fiery horsemen - perhaps St. Michael - chased the attackers out of the village. The Chinese pastor of the village, Father Wu, had prayed for Our Lady's intercession.

In thanksgiving for Our Lady’s protection, a beautiful church was built in her honor. It was meant to serve as a constant reminder to the people of Mary’s loving and motherly protection.

The pastor secured a painting of the Dowager Empress Ci Xi, the long time ruler of the Manchu Qing Dynasty, dressed in imperial robes. He commissioned an artist to use it as the background for the image of Our Lady holding the Christ Child. The picture was hung above the altar in the Church of Dong Lu, which eventually became a famous place of pilgrimage starting in 1924.

1924

Shanghai Synod of Bishops in China, the first national conference of bishops in the country, chose this image to be denoted as "Our Lady of China" or "Our Lady Queen of China". People began coming to the shrine.

1924

Following the event, Archbishop Celso Costantini, Apostolic Delegate in China, along with all the bishops of China, declared the Chinese people dedicated to Our Lady of China, using the official image.

1928

An officially-sanctioned image of Our Lady of China was blessed, granted and promulgated by Pope Pius XI.

1929

First official pilgrimage to Dong Lu.

1932

Pope Pius XI approved it as an official Marian Shrine.

1941

Pope Pius XII designated the feast day as an official feast of the Catholic liturgical calendar.

1941

Shrine is destroyed during the Second World War when it caught fire due to Japanese artillery bombardment.

1973

Following the Second Vatican Council, the Chinese Bishops conference, upon approval from the Holy See, placed the feast day on the vigil (day preceding) of Mothers Day (the second Sunday of May).

1992

Shrine rebuilt as the largest church building in north China.

May 23, 1995

Over 30,000 Catholics from the unofficial Church had gathered for Mass at the Donglu shrine on the vigil of the Feast of Our Lady, Mary Help of Christians. There were four bishops of the unofficial Church concelebrating the Mass and nearly 100 unofficial priests standing in the open field. Suddenly, during the opening prayer and again during the consecration, the people observed the sun spinning from right to left. Light rays of various shades emanated from the sky. Participants saw Our Lady fo China and the Child Jesus in the sky and also the Holy Family, the Heavenly Father, and the Holy Spirit. The phenomenon lasted approximately twenty minutes.

May 24, 1995

The Public Security barred all pilgrims from joining anyone on the hill. The police forced people back into buses and trains without offering any explanation. Still, as many as 100,000 successfully reached the area by finding alternative ways to get there to celebrate the Feast of Mary Help of Christians.

April 1996

An official government announcement forbade anyone from going to the Dong lu shrine. The Chinese government mobilized 5000 troops, supported by dozens of armored cars and helicopters, destroyed and leveled that Marian shrine, confiscated the statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary and arrested many priests.

The picture of Our Lady of China remains intact because only a copy of the picture was used in the church. The original was hidden in the wall behind the copy, and this was recovered and found intact. It is now in possession of Chinese priests who carry out their activities in disguise.

DESCRIPTION

The Virgin Mary appeared as a beautiful lady in white in the sky surrounded by light. The resulting paiting using a painting of Emperess Dowager CiXi as a backdrop, features the image of the Blessed Virgin in the royal robes of the pagan Empress, with the Christ Child on her knees, is vivid expression of Chinese tradition. It is a shrine of the Mother and her Son. Though her robes be pagan, she belongs to every age, to all people and to every race.

APPROVAL

At the close of the 1924 Shanghai Synod of Bishops in China, the first national conference of bishops in the country, Archbishop Celso Costantini (剛恆毅), Apostolic Delegate in China, along with all the bishops of China, consecrated the Chinese people to the Blessed Virgin Mary. In 1941, Pope Pius XII designated the feast day as an official feast of the Catholic liturgical calendar.

CONSECRATION OF THE CHINESE PEOPLE TO OUR LADY OF CHINA

O Mary, Mother of God, our Mother, with sincere filial love, we consecrate to thy most tender, most loving Immaculate Heart, our bodies, souls, abilities, lives, words and deeds, and all that we have. We also consecrate to thee the Chinese people throughout the world. We pray that thou be the Mother of priests and all missionaries. May they loyally and zealously proclaim the kingdom of God. Be the Mother of all Christians. Help them to progress in virtue and to shine forth evermore the splendor of the Faith. Be the Mother of all unbelievers. Deliver them from darkness and lead them into the light of Faith. We beseech thee to show mercy to the immense population of Chinese descent. That they all may be redeemed by the Precious Blood of thy Divine Son. Through thy most efficacious intercession, may they all take refuge in the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the Source of life and holiness, and become one fold under One Shepherd in the Holy Catholic Church.