勝利之后聖母 / 進教之佑聖母 Mary Help of Christians

勝利之后聖母 / 進教之佑聖母 Mary Help of Christians

http://www.catholic.org.tw/bosco_tp/index2/action/5month/0524/200605_4.htm

梵二大公會議的文獻中說 ：「 ……聖母瑪利亞升天以後，她在救恩中的角色從未中止過，她以一再的轉求，繼續為我們獲取永生的恩惠。她的慈母身份延續到她聖子『尚在人生旅途上被危險和困險包圍』的兄弟姊妹們身上，直到他們被引進幸福的天鄉。因此在教會內，人呼求榮福童貞為辯護者、輔助者、求急者、中保。不過，須肯定這樣稱呼聖母，對基督唯一中保的尊嚴和能力，並無任何增損。」( 參閱《教會憲章》62 ) 教宗保祿六世於梵二大公會議後，以宗座名義發表了一篇訓辭，宣稱聖母瑪利亞為「教會之母」，並說明：此即教會中的牧人與信徒的母親。

在教會的每一個時期，信友們常體驗到聖母的助佑多麼有能力；因此在一切患難中，不論個人或團體都滿懷信心，投奔到她聖壇前，深信能獲得她的保障和助佑。

1572 年，當土耳其企圖闖入歐洲時，義勇的十字軍依恃童貞聖母的助佑，於萊濱多海戰中，大破土耳其的艦隊，榮奏凱歌。教宗庇護五世為紀念這光榮的勝利，欽定了勝利之后聖母瞻禮。

後來，在 1682 年，至聖童貞又解救了維也納城的信友，擊退了土耳其軍隊。為了感謝聖母的洪恩，教宗依諾增爵十二世批准成立聖母進教之佑善會。最後在 1814 年 5 月24 日 ，教宗庇護七世排除了拿破崙強權的壓迫，結束長期的漂流生活，榮歸羅馬。為了感謝聖母的助佑，他欽定了 5 月 24 日為聖母進教之佑瞻禮，永作紀念，而他本人亦常以進教之佑的尊號來呼求聖母。

http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/resources/mary/popular-marian-devotions/mary-help-of-christians/

The Feast of Mary Help of Christians is celebrated on May 24.

The tradition of this advocation goes back to 1571, when  the whole of Christendom was saved by Mary Help of Christians when Catholics throughout Europe prayed the Rosary. The great battle of Lepanto occurred on October 7th 1571. For this reason this date has been chosen as the feast of the Holy Rosary. In 1573 Pope Pius V instituted the feast in thanksgiving for the decisive victory of Christianity over Islamism.

Near the end of the 17th century, Emperor Leopold I of Austria took refuge in the Shrine of Mary Help of Christians at Pasau, when 200,000 Ottoman Turks besieged the capital city of Vienna, but a  great victory occurred thanks to Mary Help of Christians: on September 8th, Feast of Our Lady's Birthday, plans were drawn for the battle. On September 12, Feast of the Holy Name of Mary, Vienna was finally freed through the intercession of Mary Help of Christians. All Europe had joined with the Emperor crying out "Mary, Help!" and praying the Holy rosary.

In 1809, Napoleon's men entered the Vatican, arrested Pius VII and brought him in chains to Grenoble, and eventually Fontainbleau. His imprisonment lasted five years. The Holy Father vowed to God that , if he were restored to the Roman See, he would institute a special feast in honor of Mary. Military reverses forced Napoleon to release the Pope, and on May 24th  1814, Pius VII returned in triumph to Rome. Twelve months later, the Pope decreed that the feast of Mary Help of Christians, be kept on the 24th of May.