Our Lady of the Oklahoma City Relief Perpetual

Marian title of Oklahoma City (Oklahoma)

Documented history of the parish and co-cathedral

Main data

Origin and history

Documented history of the parish and co-cathedral

La parish of Our Lady of Perpetual Relief in Oklahoma City was founded in 1919when Bishop Théophile Meerschaert, the first bishop of Oklahoma City, erected the new parish community and appointed Bishop. Monnot as the first priest. The first masses were held in a living room over a grocery store, until a first parish church was built.

With the growth of the city and the Catholic community, the temple was expanded and embellished; later, when the diocesan structure was reorganized, the parish church was raised to catedral/ co-cathedral of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City, receiving the official title of Co-Cathedral of Our Lady of Perpetual Help. The dedication to this advocation inserts the life of the local Church into the great universal current of devotion to the Perpetual Relief, very widespread since the 19th century.

General tradition of the advocation of the Perpetual Relief

As for the Marian advocation of the Perpetual Relief itself, it is not a local origin of Oklahoma, but the reception of a devotion already consolidated in the universal Church. The original icon of Our Lady of Perpetual Help is an ancient Eastern icon of unknown origin, preserved today in the church of St. Alfonso in Rome, and particularly associated with the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer (Redemptive Fathers). The pious tradition tells the story of a merchant who would have taken the image from Crete to Rome, and of a family in whose home the painting remained before being enthroned into a church; these stories are part of the devotional legendwithout full historical proof.

What is documented is that the Blessed Pío IXin 1865, he entrusted the icon to the redemptorists and encouraged the global spread of this advocation. From then on, numerous parishes and shrines, especially on mission lands and in the United States, adopted the title of Our Lady of Perpetual Relief, including the future co-cathedral of Oklahoma City.

The image and the sanctuary

The image

The sources consulted do not provide a detailed and technical description of the concrete image venerated at the Co-Cathedral of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Oklahoma City (material, author, date of execution, etc.); therefore, these data no constan. In general, it can be said that the temple follows the iconographic tradition of Byzantine icon of Perpetual Relief: Mary in the attitude of Hodeguetra (the one that shows the Way), holding the Child Jesus, with the archangels that present the instruments of the Passion, according to the model spread throughout the world. However, in terms of concrete measures, technique and author of the image in Oklahoma City, no consta documented information in accessible sources.

The sanctuary / temple

The temple is officially called Co-Cathedral of Our Lady of Perpetual Help (Cathedral of Our Lady of Perpetual Relief), and is one of the cathedrals of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City. It is a parish church elevated to co-cathedral, which acts as a liturgical and pastoral center of the archdiocese, equipped with extensive presbytery, main ship with vitrals and space for great celebrations, as can be seen in the audiovisual descriptions and records of the place.

The sources consulted do not explicitly mention that the temple has been declared minor basilica ni National sanctuarynor is there any clear reference to a formal proclamation as diocesan Marian shrine. As a result, to this day, it can only be said with certainty that co-cathedral of the Archdiocese and parish under the title of Our Lady of Perpetual Relief.

Sponsorship and coronation

Patronage

La advocación de Our Lady of Perpetual Help at the universal level of the Redemptive parents y de Hatí. In the specific case of Oklahoma City, the dedication of the co-cathedral places this advocation as one of the major Marian references of the Archdiocesebut available sources do not indicate a formal proclamation as the principal patron of the archdiocese, the city or the state. On an explicit legal patronage of the Virgin of Perpetual Relief for Oklahoma City or for the Archdiocese, no consta documented information from the sources consulted.

Canonical coronation

No reference to a canonical coronation of the venerated image in the co-cathedral of Oklahoma City (Pontifical Decree, Date, Pontiff, Delegate). In the absence of secure documentation, it should be indicated: does not contain a documented canonical coronation.

Party and devotion

La fiesta litúrgica de Our Lady of Perpetual Help in the Roman calendar is celebrated the 27 June. This date is the one that usually structure the patron feast of the parish communities and temples dedicated to this advocation, and this is also celebrated in the general devotion to the Perpetual Relief.

As regards specific pilgrimages, influx figures or popular traditions of Oklahoma Citythe sources consulted do not provide any quantitative data or detailed descriptions. There is, for example, no great Romry comparable to other great Marian shrines. However, in the life of the local Church, the co-cathedral acts as diocesan celebrations centerwith special emphasis on the great solemnities and on the Marian dates, because of its status as a cathedralicia headquarters dedicated to the Virgin.

At the global level, devotion to Perpetual Relief has been characterized by the weekly venerationwith novena and eucharisties in honor of the Virgin, driven by the redeemers. It is reasonable to assume that the co-cathedral, being a temple dedicated under this title, also offers spaces of Marian prayer and celebration around the feast of June 27, but, in the absence of a detailed official program of this parish / co-cathedral, any specific description (schedules, processions, novies) no consta and cannot be strictly specified.

Link to the Rosary

The specific sources on the Oklahoma City co-cathedral do not describe a particular and own link of this local advocation with the prayer of the Rosary (as could be an officially erected Marian fellowship of the Rosary, specific promises, etc.); therefore, an explicit institutional link between this co-cathedral and the Rosary no consta in the documents consulted.

However, by its nature, a Marian cathedral dedicated to Our Lady of Perpetual Help is a place especially suitable for the Rezo of the Holy Rosaryin continuity with the Marian spirituality of the Church. The icon of Perpetual Relief concentrates on one image the great mysteries of Christ's life: the Incarnation, the childhood of Jesus held by Mary, and the anticipation of Passion through the symbols that carry the archangels. In this way:

– Los joyful mysteries ayudan a contemplar la Encarnación y la maternidad de María, que sostiene al Hijo como en el icono del Perpetuo Socorro. – Los painful mysteries connect with the Passion instruments that appear on the icon, remembering that Mari