Nestled between the glistening stained-glass windows and towering columns of the National Shrine are dozens of depictions of Our Lady, meticulously crafted in various mediums – from marble sculptures to wooden carvings. As we celebrate the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God this week, we invite you to discover five places where Our Lady is portrayed as the Mother of God in the Basilica and reflect on her example.
1. The Our Lady of Pompei Chapel
The connection of the Rosary with Pompei dates to the late 1800s, when Mary appeared to an Italian man named Bartolo Longo and instructed him to promulgate the Rosary. Bartolo led an effort to build a Marian Shrine dedicated to Our Lady of the Rosary in Campania – a town near the ruins of Pompeii. Dedicated in 2008, the Our Lady of Pompei Chapel features a mosaic recreation of the painting of Our Lady of the Rosary that is in the Basilica of Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary of Pompei, and shows the Baby Jesus holding a rosary.
2. The Our Lady of La Vang Chapel
The chapel of Our Lady of La Vang stands in memory of the persecution of Vietnamese Catholics during the 18th century. Fearing for their lives, they fled from the local villages and parishes to the nearby jungle, known as the La Vang region. They gathered every night in the jungle at the foot of a great tree to pray the rosary. One night, Our Blessed Mother appeared to them wearing a magnificent cloak, carrying the infant Jesus. Commemorating this event, the main focus of the chapel is a statue of Our Lady of La Vang in the same cloak as in her appearance, holding the Christ Child.
3. The Immaculate Heart of Mary Chapel
At the Basilica, the focal point of the Immaculate Heart of Mary Chapel is a hand-carved wooden medallion that depicts the Blessed Mother holding the Christ Child while touching her heart which is pierced by a sword, as predicted in the Gospel of St. Luke. The altar below is inscribed with the phrase: “Heart of Mary, pray for us.” This portrayal of Mary is particularly important because on October 31, 1942, Pope Pius XII consecrated the world to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
4. The Our Lady of Hungary Chapel
For centuries, the faithful have looked to Our Lady of Hungary in times of need, seeking her intercession and special graces. In 2006, the President of the Hungarian Episcopal Conference petitioned the Basilica to establish a chapel in honor of Our Lady of Hungary and Saint Stephen. That year marked the 50th anniversary of the Hungarian Revolution and War of Independence. The chapel was dedicated on August 29, 2015, and features a mosaic of Our Lady of Hungary holding the infant Jesus.
5. The Our Lady of Šiluva Chapel
In 1457, a nobleman named Petras Gedgaudas built a church in Šiluva in honor of the feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Mary, bringing an icon from Rome for the church. It became a place of pilgrimage for many, with crowds of the faithful from all over the country and neighboring Prussia coming to celebrate the Nativity of Mary. Here at the Basilica, we have a chapel dedicated to Our Lady of Šiluva which features a Trani marble statue of Our Lady and the Infant Jesus in native dress, created by Lithuanian sculptor Vytautas Kašuba.