Our Lady of the Apostles

Patrona de Camerún

# # Tradition and spiritual context According to the missionary spirituality spread in Cameroon, the title "Our Lady of the Apostles / Mary Queen of the Apostles" is directly inspired by the Acts of the Apostles, which present Mary with the apostles in the Upper Room, persevering in prayer in the waiting of the Holy Spirit. This biblical image underlies the conviction that Mary accompanies and supports the mission of the Church, especially in the lands of first evangelization, hence the strong relationship of this advocation with missionary activity in Cameroon.

Main data

Origin and history

# # Tradition and spiritual context According to the missionary spirituality spread in Cameroon, the title "Our Lady of the Apostles / Mary Queen of the Apostles" is directly inspired by the Acts of the Apostles, which present Mary with the apostles in the Upper Room, persevering in prayer in the waiting of the Holy Spirit. This biblical image underlies the conviction that Mary accompanies and supports the mission of the Church, especially in the lands of first evangelization, hence the strong relationship of this advocation with missionary activity in Cameroon.

♪ documented history ♪ Historically, it is observed that 1890 The Palotine parents arrived in Cameroon, who began their mission in Monte Febe (Mont Fébé)in Yaoundé, and "they gave the country Our Lady of the Apostles," that is, they put it under their Marian patronage. This consecration deeply marked the life of the young local Church and consolidated the use of this advocation in the context of evangelization.

The devotion then developed in a special way on the hill of Mvolyéin Yaoundé, where the Marian sanctuary of national reference was erected. The Fides Agency expressly identifies the "Sanctuary of Our Lady of the Apostles on the hill of Mvolyé in Yaoundé" as one of the great Marian shrines of the country. Over time, this sanctuary was consolidated as a place of pilgrimages, national celebrations and visible expression of the link between Mary and the mission in Cameroon.

This advocation and its sanctuary should be distinguished from other Marian churches in the city, such as the Cathedral of Our Lady of Victory in the center of Yaoundé, which has a different advocation.

The image and the sanctuary

The image The sources consulted identify the place of worship as Sanctuary of Our Lady of the Apostles / Basilica of Mary Queen of the Apostles (Basil Mary-Reine- de-Apôtres) in Mvolyé, but do not provide a detailed and verifiable description of the material, author or exact style of the main image (size, painting, mosaic, etc.). The type of artistic support (wood, stone, metal) and its specific iconographic features are not, therefore, accurately documented; it can only be stated that the advocation represents Mary in her spiritual relationship with the apostles, in the light of the scene of the Upper Room.

Since no official description of the main sculpture or image issued by the sanctuary or archdiocese has been found, no consta the detailed iconography (position, symbols, attributes) of the headline image venerated in Mvolyé.

♪ ♪ The sanctuary / basilica Devotion is concentrated in the Basilica Marie-Quine-des-Apostleslocated in the district of Mvolyéin Yaoundé. This basilica is described as a remarkable religious building by its 12 columns, which symbolize the twelve apostles, structurically underlining the union between Mary and the Apostolic College. Other sources of divulgative character describe the temple of Mvolyé as a large and modern sanctuary, raised in the place where the first evangelizers of the country worked.

The basic sanctuary of Mvolyé is considered in practice a National Marian Sanctuary of Cameroon, linked to the Latin Catholic rite, although the revised sources do not explicitly detail the legal decree of erection as a national sanctuary. It is distinguished from catedral of the archdiocese (Notre-Dame-des-Victoires) that is in the center of the city.

Sponsorship and coronation

* * * * * * * * * Mary Queen of the Apostles of Mvolyé in Yaoundéthat is, the advocation of Our Lady of the Apostles venerated in this sanctuary. The consecration of the country to Our Lady of the Apostles, made by the Palotines in 1890, reinforces this character of National patronage.

It can therefore be said:

– Documented patronazgo: Cameroon (national patronage, with strong roots in the ecclesial life of the country).

No specific reference has been found to a formal decree of diocesan patronage other than the national recognition that this title enjoys.

Canonical coronation The sources consulted (Marian encyclopedia, missionary information, Catholic press notes and tourist resources) do not collect any data about a canonical coronation of the image of Our Lady of the Apostles / Mary Queen of the Apostles in Mvolyé, neither on the year nor on a concrete pontifical delegate.

En consecuencia: does not contain a documented canonical coronation.

Party and devotion

In spirituality linked to this advocation, the date close to the Pentecost vigilby reference to Mary in the Upper Room with the apostles, waiting for the Holy Spirit. However, the available sources do not clearly indicate a official fecha de fiesta litúrgica propia for "Our Lady of the Apostles" in Cameroon with national rank, not a specific date of celebration promulgated by the Episcopal Conference or the Archdiocese of Yaoundé. Therefore, no consta surely a unique official holiday date for the whole country.

The character of place of pilgrimage of the Mvolyé shrine, which is among the main Marian shrines of Cameroon, with a large influx of Marian faithful and celebrations of diocesan and national scope, especially around great Marian solemnities and strong moments of the liturgical year. No precise statistical data on the annual number of pilgrims have been found.

Devotion is characterized by:

– fuerte impronta misioner, en continuidad con la obra evangelizadora de los primeros misioneros en Yaundé; – protagonismo en grandes celebraciones nacionales y en visitas de pontífices o enviados de la Santa Sede, donde se invoca a la Virgen como Queen of the Apostles y Madre de la Iglesia en Camerún; – arraigo popular en Yaundé y otras regiones, que acuden a Mvolyé como lugar de referencia mariana.

Link to the Rosary

The sources consulted do not expressly describe a specific practice or tradition that uniquely links the advocation of Our Lady of the Apostles in Mvolyé to a particular way of praying the Rosary (for example, a rosary of its own, specific promise or co-fraternity of the Rosary officially erected in the sanctuary). So, at this point no consta a devotional relationship differentiated from other Marian shrines.

However, in the spiritual life of Cameroon and the universal Catholic tradition, the Rosary is closely related to the contemplation of the mysteries of Christ with Mary. In an advocation so linked to the mission and to the scene of the Upper Room, the prayer of the Rosary:

– ayuda a contemplar a María como Mother of the Church and the Apostles, intercediendo por la efusión del Espíritu Santo sobre las comunidades cristianas; – sostiene la oración por la evange