Our Lady, Cause of Our Joy, of Yujing - Marian Sanctuary of Tainan

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In Yujing, between the mountains and the mango crops of the interior of Tainan, venerates Mary as Cause of Our Joy. The sanctuary unites an invocation of the laurean litany, an image coming from Rome and an architecture that expresses the inculturation of the faith in Taiwan.

The first church built by the new diocese

The Catholic mission of Yujing began in 1959 with the Dominican Spanish father José Yüeh. After the creation of the diocese of Tainan in 1961, its first bishop, Stanislaus Lo Kuang, decided to complete the unfinished temple and dedicate it to Mary, to whom the new local Church had entrusted.

The building adopted a Chinese language: two-storey galleries, columns inspired by palaces and a tower transformed from a Spanish design to an oriental form. The 8 September 1962the feast of the Nativity of the Virgin, as the first sanctuary of the diocese.

The image of Rome

For almost thirty years, Monsignor had served him in Rome to an association linked to the small chapel of Madonna dell'Archetto. Upon learning about Yujing's project, that community commissioned a special copy of his Marian image. St. John XXIII blessed her in August 1962; she remained in the papal chapel two days and was then sent by the State Secretariat to Taiwan.

The bishop received it, exposed it in different Tainan churches and finally led it personally to Yujing on August 15. The painting is therefore a material and spiritual link between Rome and the young Taiwanese diocese.

From Madonna dell'Archetto to "Cause of Our Joy"

The Roman original was venerated since the late 17th century. The diocese of Rome retains the testimony that, on July 9, 1796, many people present claimed to see their eyes move, in the context of other similar phenomena then investigated by the ecclesiastical authority. In 1851 the current chapel was built for the image.

Yujing adopted a different title: Case Nostrae Laetitiae, "Cause of Our Joy," invocation of the laurean litany. Mary is a cause of joy because she welcomed the Savior and led the faithful to Christ, the full source of salvation.

A spirituality of Christian joy

The pastoral letter of 1962 explained a joy based on straight consciousness, divine filiation, the victory of justice and the hope of eternal life. Mary's intercession and example help to preserve this joy even between sacrifices and difficulties.

Verified location

The diocese publishes direction 432 Minsheng Road. The map link of your file places the building in 23.1227536, 120.4637173. The marker corresponds to the parish sanctuary of Yujing and not to another temple in the district.

Prayer to Our Lady, Cause of Our Joy

Mary, Cause of Our Joy, you took the Saviour and delivered him to the world. Hold us when hope is weakened and teach us to seek the joy that is born of a clean consciousness, trust in the Father and service to others. He blesses Yujing and the diocese of Tainan; he leads every pilgrim to Jesus. Amen.

Sources consulted

• Diocese of Tainan: full history, image and meaning of the title.
• Diocese of Tainan: current description, address and map.
• Diocese of Rome: Madonna dell'Archetto and events of 1796.
• Rome Capital: historia artística de la Capilla del Archetto.

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