Pilgrimage to Our Lady of Sheshan

 

The traditional May 24 celebration of the feast of Our Lady Help of Christians, which has been adopted as a national feast day for the Church in China under the name of Our Lady of China, took place at the Sheshan Shrine on the outskirts of Shanghai with the usual procession and Mass. Around 2,500 people gathered at the shrine on top of the mountain to celebrate the feast.

In 1924, the first conference of bishops met in Shanghai and adopted the image of the reported apparition as Our Lady of China, or Our Lady Queen of China, and a painting depicting the mother of God bearing the child Jesus was commissioned and hung in the local church. The annual procession dates back to that year.

The Basilica of Our Lady of She Shan is one of largest catholic pilgrim centres in China. The basilica is located west of the metropolitan area of Shanghai. "Sheshan", the name derives from a hill, east of the city where the basilica is situated. But the original name of the basilica is "Church of the Holy Mother in China."

Pope Francis was joined by Hong Kong-born Archbishop Savio Hon Tai-fai, the secretary of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples, as well as Archbishop Claudio Celli, who sat the China desk for a few years, and several Chinese priests, seminarians and sisters at his morning Mass at Domus Sanctae Marthae to mark the day of prayer for China. In inviting people worldwide to pray with and for Catholics in China during his Mass, Pope Francis made a special request for two particular graces, endurance and patience, saying that these allow people to overcome adversity with love.

More pilgrimages

One could be amazed
to see so many Catholics, and many young people in the
procession of Our Lady of She Shan ...
Let the photos tell us the story.
This pilgrimage was on May 18:
Many seminarians, teachers and 

some families of seminarians participated in
this Marian pilgrimage.