Honoring Our Heavenly Queen: The Queenship of Mary

As the summer days begin to wind down, the Church celebrates a special feast on August 22nd - the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary. This beautiful feast honors Mary's unique role as the Queen of Heaven and Earth, the Mother of the King of kings.

But why do we call Mary the Queen? What is the biblical and theological basis for this title? And how can we as Catholic families honor our Heavenly Queen during this feast?

The title "Queen of Heaven" has deep roots in both the Old and New Testaments. In the Old Testament, the "queen mother" held a position of great honor and influence, advising the king and interceding on behalf of the people. The most famous example is Queen Bathsheba, who sat at the right hand of her son, King Solomon (1 Kings 2:19).

In the New Testament, we see this same dynamic played out, but with an infinitely greater King and Queen. As the Mother of Jesus, the eternal King, Mary is rightly called the Queen of Heaven. The Fathers of the Church, such as St. Ephrem and St. Andrew of Crete, wrote extensively about Mary's queenly dignity, comparing her to the ark of the covenant and the woman clothed with the sun from the Book of Revelation.

So how can we honor our Heavenly Queen during this feast? One beautiful tradition is to pray the Rosary as a family, meditating on the Glorious Mysteries which culminate in Mary's Coronation. You could also consider decorating your home with images of Mary as Queen, or baking a special "Queen's Cake" to share.

Another idea is to consecrate your family to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. This act of entrustment places your home under her maternal protection and care. As the Queen Mother, Mary is always ready to intercede for her children and lead us closer to her divine Son.

No matter how you choose to celebrate, the Queenship of Mary is a wonderful opportunity to grow in devotion to our Blessed Mother. She is the perfect model of faith, humility, and service - truly a Queen to be honored and emulated. So let us joyfully crown her as the Queen of our hearts this August 22nd!