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Mary Calendar - May

The following dates are important in May:

1 May

In many Marian pilgrimage sites, the pilgrimage season begins.

1 May

Crowning of the statue of Mary in Kortenbos, Belgium in 1898 by Victor-Joseph Doutreloux (1837-1901), bishop of Liège (1879-1901).

4 May

The apparitions of Mary to Benoîte Rencurel (1647-1718) in the French Laus were officially recognised in 2008.

6 May

-1998- The Church of Our Lady of Jesse in Hasselt (Belgium) is elevated to the status of a basilica.

8 May

Laying of the foundation stone of the great church in Saronno, Italy, in 1498. This will become the Sanctuary of the Blessed Virgin of Miracles.

9 May

Feast of Our Lady of Flanders. The effigy was created in 1846 by Jan-Baptist De Cuyper (1807-1852). On 9 May 1860, the statue was crowned, making it the oldest crowned statue of Mary in Flanders. In 1910, the song “Our Lady of Flanders” was created.

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Our Lady of Flanders

10 May

-1908- The statue of Our Lady of Lebbeke, Consoler of the Afflicted, was crowned by Antoon Schillemans (1832-1916), Bishop of Ghent (1890-1916). Lebbeke is the oldest Marian pilgrimage site in the Diocese of Ghent (Belgium).

12 May

In the restored German place of worship in Marpingen, the renovated Maria Spring was consecrated (2006).

13 May

First apparition of Our Lady in Fatima (1917). The three seers are Lúcia de Jesus dos Santos, Francisco Marto, and Jacinta Marto. The apparition is seen above a holm oak, is dressed in white, and radiates a bright light. The apparition tells them to return for the next five months, always on the 13th of the month. The Lady asks the children to pray the rosary daily for peace in the world.

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Maria and the three seers at Fatima

13 May

John Paul II, Pope from 1978 to 2005, was shot on St. Peter's Square in Rome in 1981 by Mehmet Ali Ağca. The Pope survived the assassination attempt due to the special protection of Our Lady. He is the second great Fatima Pope.

14 May

The Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Valletta (Malta) receives the honorary title of basilica (1895).

14 May

Our Lady of the Way. Celebrated in Maastricht since 14 May 2012 with the construction of the A2 motorway tunnel.

18 May

The Shrine of Beauraing (Belgium) was visited in 1985 by John Paul II, Pope from 1978 to 2005, born as Karol Józef Wojtyła (1920-2005). On this day, the Pope also visited the Basilica of Our Lady of Hanswijk (Mechelen). He turned 65 years old on this day.

19 May

Inauguration of the Crypt at Lourdes (1866)

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chapel with relics of Bernadette in the crypt at Lourdes

20 May

Crowning of the statue “Our Lady on the Pillar” in Zaragoza, Spain (1905)

21 May

First Eucharist at the Grotto in Lourdes (1866).

22 May

Construction begins of the pilgrimage church in Oostakker, Belgium (1875).

23 May

Coronation of the statue of Mary in the French pilgrimage site of Laus, where Our Lady has appeared for 54 years (1855).

26 May

Apparition to Giannetta de’ Vacchi (Varoli) in Caravaggio, Italy, after which Mary caused a spring to appear in 1432. This gave rise to the Sanctuary of Saint Mary of the Spring.

27 May

The first coronation of a statue of Mary. This concerns the statue of Mary in Parma, namely the “Madonna della Steccata” (Our Lady of the Fence). The coronation was performed by the Italian Capuchin monk Girolamo Paolucci de’Calboli (1552-1620) from Forli (1601).

29 May

consecration of the restored Marian chapel, the new visitor centre and the open-air place of worship built in the pilgrimage site of Marpingen, Germany (2008).

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Chapel of Grace in Marpingen

30 May

First stone-laying of the church in Ta’Pinu on the island of Gozo (Malta) in 1920. This stone is being laid by Giovanni Mari Camilleri (1843-1924), Bishop of Gozo (1889-1924).

31 May

Our Lady of the Visitation; Mary visits her cousin Elizabeth.

31 May

In many places, the closing of May is marked by a Eucharist, procession and/or a solemn conclusion.

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Closing of the May devotions at the church of the pilgrimage site of Zegge (Netherlands)

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Date of first publication: 1 May 2024
Date last amended: 18 May 2026
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