Our Lady of the Assumption

Patrona de Jamaica
✔ Recognized by the Church

The Church of Our Lady of the Assumption is located in Morant Bay, on the southeastern coast of Jamaica, within the territory of the Archdiocese of Kingston. The current church was built by Jesuit Father John Alexander, SJ, and was already in operation before 1970, the year in which the priest returned to England to continue his studies, leaving the church without a pastor for some time. The exact date of the founding of the Christian community in Morant Bay is unknown.

Main data

Origin and history

The Church of Our Lady of the Assumption is located in Morant Bay, on the southeastern coast of Jamaica, within the territory of the Archdiocese of Kingston. The current church was built by Jesuit Father John Alexander, SJ, and was already in operation before 1970, the year in which the priest returned to England to continue his studies, leaving the church without a pastor for some time. The exact date of the founding of the Christian community in Morant Bay is unknown.

The image and the sanctuary

The church is dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. No description of the first Marian image enthroned there, nor its origin, is found in the available sources. The dedication is linked to the national devotion to the Assumption, patron saint of Jamaica.

Patronage and coronation

The Assumption of the Virgin Mary is the patron saint of Jamaica, a devotion of Spanish origin. There is no record of a canonical coronation of the image in this church.

Celebration and devotion

The feast day of the patron saint is the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, on August 15, which coincides with her status as national patron saint. The date of the parish feast day specific to Morant Bay is not explicitly stated in the sources.

Link with the Rosary

As a Marian devotion, the Assumption is contemplated in the glorious mysteries of the Rosary, where the Virgin's ascension into heaven, body and soul, is meditated upon. The Morant Bay community thus participates in the universal Marian devotion expressed by the Rosary.