Marie de Nazareth
To Jesus, through Mary
The Shrine of Our Lady of Africa, Mother of All Grace, owes its existence to the long expressed wish of Abidjan’s archbishop, his Eminence cardinal Bernard Yago.
In May 1980, at the end of his first missionary journey to the African continent, Pope Saint John Paul II encouraged this project, while he renewed the consecration of Africa to the Virgin Mary. The shrine was consecrated on Sunday, February 1, 1987 by Cardinal Yago, assisted by Cardinals Zoungrana and Malula, all the bishops of Ivory Coast, many priests, and 10,000 pilgrims, in a solemn ceremony. The event was a highlight of the Marian year.
Calendar of Events
The Marianist Congregation, present in Ivory Coast since 1961, was asked to operate this shrine because of its Marian spirit.
In addition to the Eucharist on Sunday and on Marian feast days, a whole schedule of offices and activities are available:
Marian vespers on Saturday evenings, from 6-7 pm:
This office is run by different groups, but especially by young people, before the exposed Blessed Sacrament, with a read meditation before each mystery of the Rosary. The first meditation is always on the Sunday Gospel, commented by a priest. During this Marian office are some of the prayer intentions left by visitors during the week are also read.
Mass for the conversion of sinners and for the healing of the sick:
Offered each Wednesday at 7 pm, this mass was a pastoral decision of the diocese, recognizing the attraction and dangers of sects for the sick. Thence its name, “Mass for the conversion of sinners and the healing of the sick.” Homilies stress the need for personal conversion, but also God’s mercy, to whom Mary herself presents the sick. After communion, we ask those who want to be prayed over, to kneel, while the children come to the altar, and the celebrant read prayers for the sick from the Book of Blessings. Testimonies of healing often come back to the shrine heard in the days or weeks that follow.
Novenas
On several occasions, to prepare for the arrival of the pope in Ivory Coast (in September 1990) or for Peace in Iraq and the Middle East, we organize novenas of prayers in which different parishes come to pray in turn for one hour, on the day they picked.
Bible classes
Bible classes are offered on Friday evenings from 7-8:30, to further the training of catechists, and for anyone else wishing to deepen their knowledge of the Scriptures.
Consecration to Mary:
Since 1990, we offer different types of Marian consecration.
For small children: it is an ancient tradition to present newborns to Mary, in a short ceremony that usually takes place at the end of Sunday mass, in the presence of the family.
Adults: Four times a year, adults have opportunity to prepare for this consecration, during a structured program spread over 3 weeks, during which the person reads and meditates texts at home, and prays. The solemn consecration takes place on a Sunday afternoon, during a 90-minute ceremony that includes many specific readings. The required conditions to do the consecration are: being 18 years old, baptized and confirmed, being willing to lead a good Christian life with Mary’s guidance, and committing to attend the three preparation courses.
On the day of the consecration, always a Marian feast day (Annunciation, Visitation, Nativity, Presentation in the Temple) with a special homily on the Virgin Mary, a chosen phrase is read before the statue of Our Lady of Africa. After communion, each consecrated person is called by their name, then receives a Miraculous Medal to wear around their neck and a signed image to remind them of their promise.
Their commitment creates special spiritual ties with the Marian Shrine. Each consecrated person commits to saying a decade of the rosary each day for the youth and for families, after having renewed their consecration to Mary at the beginning of the day.
The priests of the shrine are happy to count on the prayers of already 650 consecrated people, who have already gone through this process since May 1990.
V. GIZARD, S.M., La dévotion mariale à Abidjan (Côte d’Ivoire) depuis le concile Vatican II, dans P.A.M.I., De cultu mariano Saeculo XX, vol V, 1999, p. 127-136, extraits choisis par F. Breynaert p. 127-136
V. GIZARD, S.M., La dévotion mariale à Abidjan (Côte d’Ivoire) depuis le concile Vatican II (Marian devotion in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, since Vatican II), in P.A.M.I., De cultu mariano Saeculo XX, vol V, 1999, p. 127-136, excerpts chosen by F. Breynaert p. 127-136.