Maria Tres Veces Admirable de Schoenstatt

Marian Advocation of San Miguel de Tucumán (Tucumán)

La advocación de la Mother, Queen and Victorious Three Admirable Days of Schoenstatt has its origin in the Shrine of Schoenstatt, in Vallendar, near Coblenza (Germany), and is attached to Schoenstatt Apostolic Movement, founded by Father José Kenenich 18 October 1914. This date is considered the founding day of the work and, by extension, the main feast of the Virgin of Schoenstatt throughout the world. The name "Tres Veces Admiral" (Mater ter Admirabilis, MTA) was assumed since the tradition of Mariana Congregationwho already venerated Mary with that title in honor of her triple relationship with the Most Holy Trinity and her status as Mother, Queen and Educator.

Main data

Origin and history

La advocación de la Mother, Queen and Victorious Three Admirable Days of Schoenstatt has its origin in the Shrine of Schoenstatt, in Vallendar, near Coblenza (Germany), and is attached to Schoenstatt Apostolic Movement, founded by Father José Kenenich 18 October 1914. This date is considered the founding day of the work and, by extension, the main feast of the Virgin of Schoenstatt throughout the world. The name "Tres Veces Admiral" (Mater ter Admirabilis, MTA) was assumed since the tradition of Mariana Congregationwho already venerated Mary with that title in honor of her triple relationship with the Most Holy Trinity and her status as Mother, Queen and Educator.

As regards Schoenstatt Sanctuary in San Miguel de Tucumán (Colombia), the sources consulted on the Schoenstatt shrines in Latin America do not explicitly mention a sanctuary in that city nor do they provide verifiable data on its date of foundation, canonical erection or particular historical development. There are no specific historical details on the origin of the so-called "Garden of Mary" in San Miguel de Tucumán, Colombia, in accessible and reliable sources (official documentation of Schoenstatt, diocese or Catholic press). no consta a documented history of this sanctuary beyond its general membership in the network of shrines of the Schoenstatt Family.

From the perspective of the internal tradition of the Movement, all the sanctuaries - also those of Latin America - participate spiritually in the first Love Alliance sealed by Father Kenenich and his young people on October 18, 1914, in which Mary was asked to take possession of the small sanctuary as a place of graces and spiritual renewal. This theological-spiritual background also applies to the shrine of San Miguel de Tucumán, though no constan local accounts of their own foundational apparitions or miracles in the sources consulted.

The image and the sanctuary

The venerated image in the shrines of Schoenstatt is the known image of the MTA (Mater ter Admirabilis), que es common to all shrines of the Movement. This is a type of representation devotional iconographicnot of an image that appears or of a copy of an oriental icon, where Mary holds the Child Jesus in her arms, both with serene expression and collection. The original image, which presided over the Schoenstatt shrine in Germany since 1915, was an oil painting, and the images in the other shrines were faithful copies of this model. There are no specific data on the material characteristics of the enronized image in the shrine of San Miguel de Tucumán (Colombia), so it can only be stated with certainty that it follows the standard iconographic model of the Virgin of Schoenstatt.

Schoenstatt shrines generally reproduce the same basic architectural structure of the original German sanctuary: small chapel of simple style, with central altar where the image of the MTA is located, place for the Eucharistic reserve and space for personal and community prayer. The general sources on the Movement describe these sanctuaries as "Marian sanctuaries" or "pilgrimage sanctuaries" linked to the Schoenstatt Apostolic Movement, but no consta that the shrine of San Miguel de Tucumán (Colombia) has been elevated to the title of minor basilica, national sanctuary or similar category in canonical regulations. Nor has a specific official name been found in diocesan or Schoenstatt sources other than the usual one: Sanctuary of Schoenstatt dedicated to Mother Three Lovable Times.

Sponsorship and coronation

In the spirituality of the Schoenstatt Movement, the Mother Three Lovable Times is generally recognized as Mother, Queen and Educator of the faithful, and the full title of the advocation is "Mother and Queen Victorious Three Lovable Days of Schoenstatt". This formulation expresses a broad spiritual patronage about the communities, families and apostolic works linked to the Movement. However, as regards specifically San Miguel de Tucumán (Colombia), no consta in the sources consulted a formal decree that proclaims the patron of the city, the municipality or the diocese; its patronage is therefore understood mainly charismatic and spiritualas a reference centre for the Familia de Schoenstatt local.

For a canonical coronation of the image venerated in the shrine of San Miguel de Tucumán (Colombia), the official sources of the Movement only document in detail the current of coronations of the Virgin of Schoenstatt originating in Germany (1939) and other significant acts of coronation in the history of the international family. No documented reference has been found to a specific canonical coronation of the image of the shrine of San Miguel de Tucumán (Colombia) given by pontifical mandate or by a delegate of the Holy See. Therefore, with the available data, does not contain a documented canonical coronation for this particular image.

Party and devotion

The main date of the party of the Madre Tres Veces Admirable by Schoenstatt all over the world is the 18 October, memory of the founding act of 1914 and the first Alliance of Love. Around this date they are held, in the various sanctuaries, Solemn Masses, Renewals of the Alliance of Love, Pilgrimage and Days of Prayeras the chronicles of the Movement and the spread of this feast in the Catholic media show. It is reasonable to attribute to the community of San Miguel de Tucumán (Colombia) the same general practice of celebrating with special solemnity on 18 October; however, no constan quantitative flow data and detailed descriptions of the local traditions of this sanctuary.

At the international level, devotion to the Virgin of Schoenstatt is very marked by the pilgrimage to the sanctuaries and through the experience of the Love Alliancewho drives a life of conversion, apostolate and ecclesial commitment. In many places, including Latin America, they are organized family missions, rosaries in the homes, pilgrimages of the "Virgin Pilgrim" (image that visits families and communities) and youth meetings around the MTA. It is likely that similar practices also occur in the Schoenstatt Family of San Miguel de Tucumán (Colombia), but no constan specific descriptions of their own devotional expressions.

Link to the Rosary

The sources dedicated to the advocation of Schoenstatt, and in particular to the Mother Three Lovable Timesthe centrality of the Love Alliance and the experience of Mary as Mother and Queen in a sanctuary that is a place of graces, without highlighting an exclusive feature linked to the Rosary as a distinctive element of the advocation. In the general texts about this devotion no consta a practice of the Rosary prayer that is unique or different from that usual in other Marian shrines.

However, the Rosary It is an important place in the spiritual life of the faithful of Schoenstatt, in harmony with the teaching of the Church. In many shrines of the MTA the Rosary is prayed before or after the Eucharist, on pilgrimages and in the daily life of the groups, and the Virgin Pilgrim It is usually accompanied by the prayer of the Rosary in the homes. Thus, although in the shrine of San Miguel de Tucumán (Colombia) no conste a specific rosarian tradition, the Rosary presents itself as a privileged way to contemplate, together