The Adoration of Mary in Quebec
by Pastor Ken Lawson
Introduction
Devotion towards the Virgin Mary transcends all cultures. Wherever the Roman Catholic Church exists worldwide,
Mary is venerated. She is adored by various cultures in different languages by men and women of diverse ethnic
backgrounds. In some societies, devotion to Mary is low-key, and she is adored as one of hundreds of saints. In
other cultures, Mary is worshiped and venerated openly as the Queen of Heaven, Mother of God, Dispenser of
Grace, and other titles. The purpose of this article is to survey devotion to Mary as practiced in the French
speaking Canadian province of Quebec.
Background
The Roman Catholic Church became aggressively interested in Quebec in the early 1600's. French explorers, merchants and others soon claimed Quebec for the King of France and the Pope of Rome. For, over three centuries, the Church of Rome has dominated society, culture and government. Although some recent secularization of society has developed, the population of Quebec still claims to be 90-95% Roman Catholic.
Quebec is proud of its French Roman Catholic roots. Religious shrines, museums, and old church buildings are common in all the major cities. The names of the original French missionaries are commonly known to school children as great heroes of the Catholic Church and the Quebec people. Their tombs are frequently visited by those seeking aid from these so-called departed saints. The first mass was observed in Quebec in 1650.
Although the Bible is silent as to the names of the parents of the virgin Mary, Roman Catholic tradition from the medieval period identifies them as Joachim and Anne. Just as devotion to Mary has evolved over the centuries, so has veneration towards the mother of Mary. The Saint Anne de Beaupre shrine, located about thirty miles east of Quebec City, was originally dedicated to Anne and Mary in 1658. The present building was constructed in 1923.
Immediately upon entering the enormous St Anne de Beaupre shrine, the visitor is impressed by various mosaics, precious paintings, and 200 massive stained glass windows. Mary and her mother Anne are everywhere represented in tapestries, statues, paintings and icons. Each year, approximately one and one half million visitors come to this shrine, which was declared a basilica by pope Leo XIII in 1887. People flock to this site from all over the world to ask the help of Mary and her mother Anne in prayer, veneration and worship
Although the architecture of the building is spectacular, my attention was more drawn to the acts of worship practiced in the French language towards the images of Anne and Mary. Men and women of all ages wept with raised hands in adoration. They prayed, "Saint Anne and Saint Mary, leads us to Jesus." Many went forward to kiss the feet of statues dedicated to the mother and grandmother of Jesus. Others knelt before the supposed relic of Anne's hand covered in gold, surrounded by carvings of angels in poses of reverence.
In visiting this shrine devoted to Mary and her mother, I found three aspects of the site most interesting. First, ' there was the huge marble carving above the main door, depicting angels bowing in worship towards the mother of Mary. Second, there were hundreds of crutches and canes on display, reportedly from people that had been heated. Third, I was most amazed at the statue devoted to Anne and Mary raised twenty feet above the ground upon a single pillar, elevated above the altar to the left, They are here represented as coqueens of heaven, with elegant crowns upon their heads, robed in royal garments, resting in the clouds of heaven. The number of people that bowed before this fetish while I was watching was amazing.
Quebec City
The city of Quebec is the capital of the province of Quebec. Located about four hours drive from the USA, it has a population of 600,000, of whom 95% are French speaking Catholics. Here in this
modern city there are various examples of homage toward Mary.
In the western part of the city is a seminary devoted to training men for the Roman priesthood. Immediately upon entering the compound, I discovered a large shrine dedicated to the apparitions of Mary which supposedly occurred in 1858 in Lourdes France. The seats were well worn from young priests in training bowing before the image, seeking guidance from the mother of Jesus. The chapel of the Ursulines in Quebec City is a classic example of French devotion to Mary. Most of the interior decor, dating from the early 1700's, represented the virgin in paintings, sculptures and woodwork. An interesting mural shows the first Roman Catholic missionaries offering their first converts to the care of Mary. Here pilgrims seek Mary's assistance for daily problems.
The Notre Dame of Quebec basilica, a huge structure dedicated to Mary, is the oldest church building on the continent north of Mexico. This richly decorated site has been encouraging veneration towards Mary for over 350 years. A visitor cannot help but be awed by the history and architectural beauty of this place. Mary is here presented as the Queen of Heaven and Co-Redeemer of humanity. She is represented in artwork as above her son in priority and prestige. People come to this basilica by the hundreds every day to dedicate themselves to Mary. This cathedral is the metropolitan seat of the archdiocese of Quebec, and a mother church to French speaking Roman Catholics throughout Canada and the USA.
Montreal
The first Catholic church in Montreal was established when the city was founded in 1642. The modern Montreal is an urban, cosmopolitan, cultural and religious center for millions of French Canadians. The city is both high-tech and traditional, both New Age and conservative Romanism. Two major sites devoted to Mary in Montreal attract millions of pilgrims and tourists each year: the Notre Dame de Bon Secours chapel and the Notre Dame basilica.
The Notre Dame de Bon Secours chapel is a medium sized building located in historic Montreal, near the St. Lawrence River. The unusual thing about this facility is the three statues it possesses in devotion to the Virgin. The image above the main western entrance displays Mary covered in brilliant gold, with the crown of a queen upon her head and the baby Jesus in her arms. The second statue is high upon the west side of the chapel, overlooking the waterfront. Here an enormous image of Mary in polished metal shows her with the stars of heaven as her crown, her hand raised to dispense grace to all that come to her. The third fetish is inside the building, having been donated to the chapel in 1672. This idol is reputed to be miraculous, and is worshiped as "Our Lady of Good Hope."
The second major shrine devoted to Mary in Montreal is the Notre Dame basilica. As the city's oldest parish, the current structure was completed in 1829. This magnificent building us among the world's most famous French Catholic churches. The interior of this architectural wonder has few equals in the massive religious murals, delicate woodwork, and enormous stained glass windows. The area surrounding the main altar has a spectacular series of huge hand carved wooden images of the apostles and of other saints. A visitor is easily mesmerized by the flamboyant and flagrant idolatry of the Roman Church in this French community.
This Notre Dame basilica represents the true Church of Rome, free and independent of any strong Protestant influence for over 350 years. Masses are spoken daily to rescue souls from purgatory. Prayers offered for 50 cents allow people to access Mary for intercession. The priests are viewed with awe and fear by the common people, as they supposedly all have the power to forgive sins and offer the sacrifice of Christ in the Mass. In all this rampant superstition, idolatry and human traditions, there stands above the main altar an image of Mary being crowned as Queen of Heaven.
Notre Dame du Cap Shrine
This spacious site is located about halfway between Quebec City and Montreal. Several buildings, holy sites, dozens of statues, a basilica and even a small lake are consecrated at this spot to Mary. Upon approaching the massive basilica, visitors are dwarfed by an enormous elevated contemporary sculpture of Mary being worshiped by angels. Inside, the size and proportions of this gigantic chapel are amazing, as the view is unobstructed by columns or pillars. A small statue of Mary is placed between the congregation and the altar, symbolic of the Roman Catholic belief that we must go "To Jesus through Mary."
The most significant image of Mary at the Notre Dame du Cap site is not found in the massive basilica nor at the flower covered idol resting on its own island in St. Mary's lake. The most remarkable fetish to Mary at this shrine is the historic chapel built for Mary in 1720. Tlis is the oldest chapel in Canada that has retained its primitive state. In all the years I have been researching Marian shrines, I have never observed such flagrant obnoxious idolatry.
The small stone chapel appears ordinary and conservative from the outside. However, as the visitor enters the shrine he is immediately overwhelmed by a massive pedestal and enormous image representing Mary. Elegant gold leaf artwork upon the ivory white circular walls and domed ceiling surround the solitary statue of Mary. Flowers presented as offerings surrounded her image. While I was observing, people prayed to the image of Mary, wept before it, and knelt in adoration and awe as they approached her idol.
The worship of Mary at the Notre Dame du Cap shrine is indescribably pagan and completely against the biblical condemnations of idolatry. The site is openly and obviously a center for the deification of Mary. Surrounding the fetish of Mary are titles belonging to Christ yet in blasphemy are given over to Mary. Examples of this deification of Mary are in the titles such as Mary our Hope; Our Faith; Our Salvation; Our Advocate; Our Help and Our Mediator.
Conclusion
I was initially surprised at the limited emphasis that these French Canadian Catholics had upon Marian apparitions, especially the Lourdes visions from France. Their limited dependence upon visionaries of Mary is an example of how entrenched the Roman Church is in this community. The emotionalism and excitement of apparitions is not as necessary in a community that already has committed obedience to Rome.
People in traditionally Protestant countries such as the USA and Great Britain would be shocked to see the results of centuries of Roman Catholic control over a society such as that of the French Quebec people. Superstition, idolatry and an ignorance of the Bible are some of the familiar curses that result from Roman Catholic oppression of any society.
