Manila Archbishop Jose Cardinal Advincula will preside over a concelebrated mass on May 24, Tuesday, at 3 p.m. at the National Shrine of Mary Help of Christians in Better Living Subdivision in Parañaque City in solemn observance of the Feast of Mary Help of Christians (Maria Mapag ampon sa mga Kristiyano).
Parañaque Bishop Jesse Mercado will co-celebrate the mass. The Pontifical Coronation of the revered image of Mary Help of Christians will also be held during the mass. A 30 day Family Rosary for the Pontifical Coronation was held from April 24 to May 24 at 8 p.m.
A procession of the newly crowned image will follow the mass.
The special prayer to Our Lady Help of Christians will be recited in holy masses on Tuesday.
The Church encourages the faithful to observe the day with special acts of devotion and thanksgiving prayers to the Blessed Mother, to pray the Holy Rosary in union with Pope Francis, and to make an act of consecration to Mary Help of Christians.
In 2018, Pope Francis approved the canonical coronation of an image of Mary Help of Christians in Pangasinan. Former Papal Nuncio Archbishop Gabriele Giordano Caccia led the solemn rites at the Cathedral of Saint John the Evangelist in Dagupan City.
Saint John Chrysostom was the first to use this Marian title in the year 345 in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary. St. John Bosco also propagated Marian devotion under this title.
In 1572, during the expansion of the Islamic Ottoman Empire intended to invade Christian Europe, Pope Pius V invoked Christian armies and its ultimate victory was attributed to the intercession of Mary under this title.
Ultimately, Pope Leo XIII granted a canonical coronation to the Marian image bearing the same title on May 17, 1903, which is now permanently enshrined at the Basilica of Mary Help of Christians in Turin, Italy.