Our Lady of Boulogne

Marian title of Boulogne-sur-Mer (Alta France)

En Boulogne-sur-Mer (Paso-de-Calais, France) was venerated from the altomedieval time to Our Lady of Boulogne, also called No. Give me the Mer., linked to the tradition of an image of the Virgin coming miraculously by sea on a boat, towards the 7th century. This tradition took great strength in the Middle Ages and turned the place into one of the great Marian pilgrimages of France, especially from the 11th to 13th centuries, in relation to the veneration of the Virgin and the transit of pilgrims to England and to Santiago de Compostela.

Main data

Origin and history

En Boulogne-sur-Mer (Paso-de-Calais, France) was venerated from the altomedieval time to Our Lady of Boulogne, also called No. Give me the Mer., linked to the tradition of an image of the Virgin coming miraculously by sea on a boat, towards the 7th century. This tradition took great strength in the Middle Ages and turned the place into one of the great Marian pilgrimages of France, especially from the 11th to 13th centuries, in relation to the veneration of the Virgin and the transit of pilgrims to England and to Santiago de Compostela.

Historically it's documented Marian sanctuary de Boulogne-sur-Mer in the Middle Ages and the importance of their pilgrimages, as well as the existence of basilica dedicated to Notre-Dame de Boulogne, rebuilt in the 19th century after the revolutionary devastation. The main party is held around the Assumption of the Virgin (August 15), following the traditional French Marian calendar. The devotion, born in France, has spread to various countries; in Colombia, Catholic communities have taken on this vocation and linked it to the French city of Boulogne-sur- Mer, although it does not contain an ancient history of apparitions or miracles locally documented in Colombia. No Colombian diocesan or parish sources have been found to detail a specific historical chronology of the implementation of this advocation on Colombian territory; therefore, on precise historical dates about its arrival and development in Colombia.

The image and the sanctuary

The traditional iconography of Our Lady of Boulogne in France presents the Virgin as Mother of God, in the attitude of Theotokos (Mother who carries the Son), usually standing, bearing the Child Jesus in arms, with regious attributes (crown) that emphasize his condition of Queen and Lady of the sea and of the city. The original medieval image was destroyed during the French Revolution; the current images are subsequent reproductions and reinterpretations, in polychrome wood or modern materials, following the traditional Marian model of the region. Some representations explicitly refer to the sea or a boat, recalling the tradition of its arrival by sea.

En la Boulogne-sur-Mer (France) the advocation is venerated in the Basilica of Notre Dame de Boulogne, church of great neoclassical proportions, with monumental crypt, recognized as minor basilica and Marian sanctuary of regional importance. In Colombia, the presence of the Our Lady of Boulogne is given in parish or community contexts that have adopted it as a spiritual patron who is symbolically linked to the French sanctuary, but no consta (in sources consulted) the existence of a national, minor basilica or diocesan sanctuary officially recognized with this title in the department of Atlantic or in another region of the country; it should therefore be indicated that does not contain a canonically erected and documented sanctuary in Colombia under this title.

Sponsorship and coronation

In France, Our Lady of Boulogne is traditionally considered patron of the city of Boulogne-sur-Mer, with a very deep-rooted patronage in the local religious life and in the city's marine history. Several French sources point to their importance as a protector of the navigators and of the coastal city, but not always with a modern formal decree that has been explained in the popular sources.

In the Colombian context, some communities have assumed Our Lady of Boulogne as a private employer (e.g. of chapels, apostolic groups or neighborhoods), but no consta in the accessible sources an official decree of patronage at the diocesan or municipal level under this title. No reliable documentation on a canonical coronation specific to an image of Our Lady of Boulogne in Colombia or explicit mention of pontifical coronation of the French image in the sources consulted; therefore, according to the criteria requested, it should be stated: does not contain a documented canonical coronation.

Party and devotion

La main party de Notre-Dame de Boulogne is traditionally celebrated around the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Virgin (August 15)with novenas and celebrations that highlight the presence of Mary as Queen of heaven and protector of the city and the sea. In Boulogne-sur-Mer (France) there are processions and pilgrimages, and the sanctuary organizes solemn celebrations with great participation of the faithful, in continuity with the long medieval tradition of pilgrimage.

In communities that veneration Our Lady of Boulogne in Colombia, the party usually also joins the Assumptionwith a solemn Eucharist, prayer of the Rosary, processions with the image and spaces of fraternal coexistence, as can be seen in the calls and communications of the "Notre-Dame de Boulogne Sanctuary" on social networks. Devotion is characterized by a strong emphasis on the trust in the maternal protection of Maryespecially for families, and for simple gestures of popular piety: flowers, candles, personal and community consecration. No official statistical data on inflow nor figures of pilgrims for Colombia in available sources.

Link to the Rosary

The specific sources of Our Lady of Boulogne they do not point to a spirituality of their own exclusively linked to the Rosary (as is the case, for example, in advocates explicitly linked to Lepanto or Fatima); therefore, it should be stated that there is no specific and unique historical link with the prayer of the Rosary for this advocation. However, within the framework of the present Marian pastoral and the life of the sanctuaries, the Rosary is one of the main forms of Marian prayer recommended by the Church and, in fact, appears in a regular way in the celebrations and days of the sanctuary and of the communities that veneration Notre- Dame de Boulogne, as part of common Marian piety.

The Church teaches that the Rosary es “compendium of the whole Gospel"and that in him the Christian learns to with Mary the face of Christas John Paul II stressed. Thus, the prayer of the Rosary before Our Lady of Boulogne It helps to unite the memory of the local tradition (the Virgin who comes by sea to accompany her people) with the contemplation of the mysteries of Christ's life, strengthening trust in Mary's intercession and belonging to the Church. Where the Our Lady of Boulognethe Rosary becomes a simple and deep way to live its patronage: mystery to mystery, it welcomes Mary as Mother who leads to Jesus and as a Lady who accompanies the community in her "journey" of faith.