May Crownings of 2013, in Pictures

The origin of the tradition of Marian devotions in May is not certain, but it is known that as far back as the thirteenth century King Alphons X of Castile, Spain, wrote in his Canticles of Holy Mary of the many days in May dedicated to Our Lady.

During the Middle Ages devotion to the Coronation of the Blessed Virgin also grew, and later, in the Renaissance, devotion to Mary in May became a widespread practice in Italy. Devotion to Mary in this month increased in the nineteenth century in the English-speaking world, including here in America.

The May Crowning, an act of homage wherein we recognize the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary, occurs in most countries on or around May 1.  Because Mother’s Day falls on the second Sunday of May in the United States, we typically celebrate the May Crowning on that day.  The girls of a parish process in with flowers in hand, to lay them up in a basket near a Marian statue, followed by a maiden, often in blue, who places a crown upon Our Lady’s head.

Enjoy images from May Crownings in the District, including Our Lady of Guadalupe Seminary, Saint Michael’s in Scranton, and Holy Family in Dayton.