Our Lady of Compassion

Patrona de Bulle

There is no detailed and documented history, easily accessible to the public, about the advocation of Our Lady of Compassion venerated in Bulle (canton of Freiburg, Switzerland) and on the historical erection of urban santuary of Notre-Dame de Compassion In the city of Bulle; in the main repertories and open databases of Marian advocations in Spanish, only the title "Our Lady of Compassion" appears in a generic way, with no data of place or precise dates. Therefore, there is no online solid chronology with documents, founders, or episcopal decrees that can safely rebuild the historical origin of this particular sanctuary in the Gruyère.

Main data

Origin and history

There is no detailed and documented history, easily accessible to the public, about the advocation of Our Lady of Compassion venerated in Bulle (canton of Freiburg, Switzerland) and on the historical erection of urban santuary of Notre-Dame de Compassion In the city of Bulle; in the main repertories and open databases of Marian advocations in Spanish, only the title "Our Lady of Compassion" appears in a generic way, with no data of place or precise dates. Therefore, there is no online solid chronology with documents, founders, or episcopal decrees that can safely rebuild the historical origin of this particular sanctuary in the Gruyère.

On the plane theological and spiritualthe advocation of "Our Lady of Compassion" is part of the great tradition of the Church which contemplates Mary associated with the Passion of Christ, close to the advocations of the Virgin Dolorosa or Our Lady of the Seven Dolores. Under this title, the Virgin is venerated as a Mother who shares the sufferings of Christ and is compassion for sinners, with atoning and repairing accents, features that in contemporary spirituality are linked to reparation for personal and social sins.

It has not been found, in the sources consulted, narration of apparitions, wonders or foundational legends specifically associated with Notre-Dame de Compassion in Bulle; therefore, no consta a legendary tradition or account of this Chapel - sanctuary that can be distinguished from common theology over the Blessed and Compassionate Virgin. In the absence of verifiable data, any local legend that could exist cannot be reproduced here rigorously.

The image and the sanctuary

The accessible sources do not provide a precise and verified description of the concrete image venerated in the Chapel-shrine of Notre-Dame de Compassion in Bulle (type of size or painting, date, author, material, artistic style or particular iconographic details); it is only possible to say, in general, that the title refers to a Virgin Dolorosa, that is, a representation of Mary associated with the mystery of the Cross, contemplating or supporting the suffering Son, and symbolizing his compassion and union to the redeeming sacrifice. Since no specific data have been found, no consta with certainty if it is a dress sculpture, a polychrome size, a relief or a painting, or the number of pains represented (swords, heart past, etc.).

There is also no detailed architectural record of the capilla-santuario de Notre-Dame de Compassion in Bulle: no date of construction, architectural style, architect, or major reforms accessible online. The sanctuary is generally described as a urban sanctuary of the Gruyère region, located in the city of Bulle, in the canton of Freiburg, Switzerland, but without mention to a special canon title (minor basilica, national sanctuary, etc.) in the available sources. Consequently, no consta that the chapel of Notre-Dame de Compassion de Bulle enjoys a title of a minor basilica or of recognition as a national sanctuary; its character as a sanctuary is, at least according to publicly accessible information, of reach local / urban and diocesanthe competent diocese.

Sponsorship and coronation

No official decree declaring a Our Lady of the Compassion of Bulle head of the city of Bulle, the district of La Gruyère, the canton of Friburg or a Swiss diocese; therefore, in a strictly legal code, no consta a canonical patronage formally proclaimed. It is reasonable, however, to consider that the sanctuary has a de facto patronage on the community of Bulle and the Gruyère region, as a Marian reference point and a devotional convergence point, although this does not appear in easily accessible magisterial documents.

As for the canonical coronation of the image, the usual databases of Marian coronations and the available synthesis on the vocations of the Compassion or of the Virgin Dolorosa do not mention a canonical coronation of the image of Notre-Dame de Compassion in Bulle, neither by a pontiff nor by decree delegated by the Holy See. Therefore, while maintaining the criterion of not stating what is not clearly documented, it should be indicated: does not contain a documented canonical coronation for this image.

Party and devotion

In the accessible sources, no liturgical decree has been found to establish a special memory of "Our Lady of the Compassion of Bulle" different from the celebrations already present in the Roman Calendar or in the calendars of our own (for example, the memory of Our Lady of the Dolores on September 15, or the commemoration of the Seven Dolores in the framework of the Servite tradition). Therefore, no consta a specific and exclusive liturgical date of this advocation in Bulle; devotion is likely to be linked to the classic Marian dates of the Dolorosa, but without specific documents it cannot be specified.

Similarly, there are no official figures of inflow of pilgrims nor detailed descriptions of the popular traditions of the Bulle shrine accessible in the open sources consulted. In the Catholic spirituality of the countries of Latin and Central European tradition, the sanctuaries dedicated to the Virgin Dolorosa are often places of:

– oración atoning and repairing, en unión con los sufrimientos de Cristo. – acogida de quienes atraviesan situaciones de dolor, duelo o enfermedad, que se confían a la compassion de la Madre. – celebración más intensa en el tiempo de Quaresma and Easter, when Mary's contemplation at the foot of the Cross acquires special relief.

For the specific case of Bulle, however, no constan in line, with precision, processions, novenas or other devotional practices of their own that can be described rigorously.

Link to the Rosary

The sources consulted do not collect a specific and documented link between the advocation of Our Lady of Compassion in Bulle and the prayer of Rosary (for example, the Rosary's cofradies formally erected in the sanctuary, special indulgences or particular diocesan campaigns). It should therefore be clearly stated: no consta a particular historical or normative relationship of this advocation with the Rosary.

From the theological and spiritual point of view, the relationship is, however, very deep. The Rosary invites you to contemplate the painful mysteriesin which the Passion of Christ is meditated accompanied by the faithful presence of Mary, especially in the mystery of the Crucifixion. The advocation of Our Lady of Compassion rightly places the emphasis on this union of the Mother with the Son in the redeeming suffering.

To pray the Rosary to the image of Our Lady of Compassion helps:

– entrar en la school of Mary, que enseña a acoger la cruz con fe y amor. – unir el propio dolor al sacrificio de Cristo, bajo la mirada compasiva de la Madre. – vivir los misterios dolorosos como camino hacia la Pascual hopeknowing that Mary's compassion does not end in Calvary, but leads to the Resurrection.

Thus, although there is no particular legal or historical link, the Rosary is presented as one of the most coherent and rich forms of feeding devotion a Our Lady of Compassion, especially in contexts of suffering, reparation and request for mercy.