MARYS for May #11 – Mother of the Church

Madonna dei Raccomandati

Lippo Memmi, Tempera on panel c. 1350, Orvieto Cathedral

This Madonna dei Raccomandati, Our Lady of the “Recommended,” belongs to a tradition of paintings known as the “Mater Ecclessiae,” where Mary is depicted as the Mother of the Church. Her ample cloak is the bridge between heaven and earth, and both the angels in heaven and the people on earth look to Mary, who is the central axis of this painting and of Memmi’s cosmology. Mary, crowned as queen of heaven but with her feet firmly on earth, is the unifying figure of the communion of saints which is the Church. The angels and saints in heaven praise her, while the struggling "saints" on earth look to her as a guide and an advocate. Under Mary’s protection, we see men and women of all classes, with the donor just a little bit larger than the rest, so as to be sure of Mary’s notice.  The men and women are segregated according to the culture of 14th century Italy, but everyone is equally “recommended” by the Mother to her Son and by the Son to his Mother according to the eternal plan of the Father for his Kingdom.

Fifty years ago, at the conclusion of the third session of the Second Vatican Council, Pope Paul VI formally declared Mary to be the Mother of the Church. He prayed that this “most loving title” of Mary would lead Christians to honor Mary even more and to call upon her with still greater confidence:

"For the glory of the Blessed Virgin and our own consolation, 

we proclaim the Most Blessed Virgin Mary Mother of the Church, 

of the whole people of God, faithful and pastors, 

and we call her most loving Mother."

Happy Mother’s Day to one and all!