Our Lady of Santa Maria de Minneapolis

Marian Advocation of Minneapolis (Minnesota)

♪ documented history ♪

Main data

Origin and history

♪ documented history ♪

The present Basilica of Santa Maria is the second seat of the ancient parish of the Immaculate Conception of Minneapolis. The building was designed in 1906 by French architect Emmanuel Louis Masqueray, also responsible for the Cathedral of Saint Paul, at the request of Archbishop John Ireland. The first Mass in the new temple was held 31 May 1914When only the outer shell of the building was finished.

The interior works were completed in the late 1920s by the architecture firm McGinnis & Walsh, Boston. The church received the title of minor basilica in 1926, becoming the first basilica established in the United States. He was subsequently appointed concatedral (co-cathedral) of the archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis, sharing the seat with the Cathedral of Saint Paul.

At present the basilica has a very large community, with more than 6,000 families of which approximately 60% are young adults, making it a particularly living centre of Catholicism in the Twin Cities.

# # Tradition and local memory

There is no Marian apparition or a specific miraculous account linked to the origin of this advocation in Minneapolis. The dedication to Santa Maria is part of the great Marian tradition of the Latin Church, which honors the Mother of God as patron and model of the Christian community. The devotional accent of the basilica has developed mainly through its function of gran urban Marian templeof its liturgical importance and its symbolic presence in the landscape and history of the city.

The image and the sanctuary

♪ The Marian imagen

The sources consulted describe in detail the architecture and the artistic set of the temple, but do not provide a specific, complete and verified description of a single headline image of the Virgin (material, author and date) as the unique center of devotion. It is known that the interior of the basilica is profusely decorated with Christian and angelological themes, with 675 figures of angels in different materials (glass, marble, steel, bronze, plaster and wood), but a unique Marian statue or icon which defines the advocation by itself is not accurately documented. For prudence, there is no specific description of the headline image of Our Lady of St. Mary of Minneapolis.

### The sanctuary / temple

The temple bears the official name of Basílica of Saint Mary / Basílica de Santa María and is located in the centre of Minneapolis, at the intersection of Hennepin Avenue with 17th Street North. It's a minor basilica y concatedral of the archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis.

Architectural, it's a monumental work of style. Fine Arts with strong influence of French classicism, considered "an outstanding example of French architecture." The outer building extends approximately the length of an American football field, and its dome reaches about five sexts of that height, becoming a visual milestone on the horizon of Minneapolis. In the interior are:

– Una gran nave con rica decoración en mármol y otros materiales nobles. – El ventanal circular o roseton, restaurado recientemente. – Un conjunto de 675 angels representados en diversos medios artísticos. – Un crucifijo esculpido There. inspired by a miraculous crucifix from Lyppias, Spain.

Although it works primarily as an urban parish and a cathedral, because of its Marian character, its basilica rank and its importance in diocesan life, it plays the role of Pedestrian marijuana of the city. It is not known to have the rank of officially declared national sanctuary.

Sponsorship and coronation

The Basilica of Santa Maria is Cathedral of the archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis and, as the main Marian temple of Minneapolis, it exercises a significant spiritual patronage over the city and the local Catholic community. A formal declaration of civil patronage (for example, official patron of the city by municipal decree) has not been found in the sources. no consta legally defined beyond their ecclesial weight and influence.

In relation to the canonical coronation of the Marian image, neither diocesan sources nor historical descriptions consulted mention a canonical coronation granted by the Holy See or by pontifical delegate. Accordingly:

– Canon coronation: there is no documented canonical coronation.

Party and devotion

The Marian devotion of the Basilica is especially focused on the great solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, el August 15, which is the main Marian feast linked to the advocation. In addition to this solemnity, the liturgical calendar of the basilica includes the other Marian feasts of the Latin Church (Immaculate Conception, Holy Mary Mother of God, etc.), but the sources consulted do not detail their own celebrations or unique local traditions exclusively linked to this advocation.

The Basilica of St. Mary is also a place of intense ordinary liturgical life, with many Sunday and ferial Masses and a remarkable influx of faithful. The parish community, of more than 6,000 families, makes the temple a focus of evangelization, charity and culture, with a significant presence of young adults. The basilica has often been linked to civic and cultural events in the city, which reinforces its role as a corazón del catolicismo of the Twin Cities.

The sources consulted do not provide official figures of annual pilgrimages or describe great romanies in the way of other international Marian shrines; devotion is expressed mainly through ordinary veneration, great liturgical solemnities and the constant presence of faithful and visitors.

Link to the Rosary

It does not contain, in the sources consulted, a specific form of devotion to the Rosary own of the Basilica of Santa Maria de Minneapolis (for example, an official multi-year weekly Rosary, historical fellowship of the Rosary or particular promise linked to this advocation). It is reasonable to assume, by the usual practice of the Marian parishes and basilicas, that the Rosary is usually praying among the faithful and in some community groups or moments, but there is no precise and documented data to describe a unique rosarian tradition of this advocation.

In a broader sense, the dedication of the temple to Santa Maria It naturally invites you to contemplate the mysteries of Christ's life with the eyes of the Virgin, as proposed by the Rosary. The Rosary can accompany the devotion to Our Lady of St. Mary of Minneapolis:

– Al meditar los joyful mysteries, se contempla el misterio de la Encarnación que fundamenta toda vida parroquial y sacramental. – En los painful mysteries, la comunidad se une a la cruz de Cristo en las heridas sociales e históricas de la ciudad. – En los glorious mysteriesthe Assumption of Mary, fiesta titular, anticipación del destino de la Iglesia. – En los light mysteriesthe evangelizing and sacramental mission that the Basilica exercises as a concatedent and center of proclamation of the Gospel is reflected.

In this way, although there is no particular rosarian tradition documented