A miserable cave in the dead of winter, a domestic on the brink of death, a discarded picture unearthed from the rubble of a Roman church.
Throughout its long history, devotion to the Virgin Mary remains not only a hallmark of Christian piety, but also an instrument of grace that speaks to the realities of a particular generation or location. From the mystery of the incarnation, the idea that a God would take upon himself the human condition of his subjects – and its accompanying limitations and discomforts, the logic of the Christian narrative has always been a shock to every culture and age. Far from an immensely unreachable reality, the divine has always been understood as a force that constantly reaches out to an uncertain humanity.
The figure of Mary has always been a contradiction. Though not a goddess, her God-given authority over the grantor places her in a unique position that gives a touch of gentleness in the interaction between the divine and the human. This wonderful complexity has always been a source of awe and dispute, one that stretches beyond the confines of Christianity and perhaps even that of religion. The universality of her figure has allowed for the meeting of cultures while making her an unavoidable reference point among the greats of history, even those avowedly hostile to religion.
This blog aims to share on the religious and cultural sites associated with the Virgin Mary. While Lourdes, Fatima, and Medjugorje is what immediately comes to mind on this subject, smaller, lesser known sites in the same region or even on the way to these great shrines allow pilgrims and holidaymakers alike for an intimate experience. More than a writeup on churches and museums, this blog seeks to be a personal diary of the author’s encounters with Mary.
Project Maria 