Our Mother of Sheshan
| Our Mother of Sheshan 佘山聖母 | |
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| Our Lady of Sheshan, Our Lady of Luck, Our Lady of Good Luck, Mother of China | |
| Venerated in | Roman Catholic Church |
| Major shrine | Sheshan Basilica |
| Feast | 24 May |
| Attributes | Blessed Virgin Mary standing on top a Chinese dragon, Infant Jesus in cruciform gesture |
| Patronage | China, Roman Catholic Diocese of Shanghai, Chinese Catholics |
Our Mother of Sheshan or Our Lady of Sheshan (佘山聖母), also known as Our Mother (or Lady) of Zosé (Zosé being the earlier romanization of the Shanghainese pronunciation of Sheshan), is a celebrated Marian title of the Blessed Virgin Mary venerated by Chinese Roman Catholics. Among its religious devotees, the statue is sometimes known as Our Lady of Luck or Our Lady of Good Luck due to the Chinese symbology of "Fu" (福) associated with the styling posture of the entire image. The original image is currently enshrined in the National Shrine and Minor Basilica of Our Lady, Mary Help of Christians in Shanghai, China.
The city of Shanghai, located on the east coast of China, was an important access point to the Yangzi River Valley. As a treaty port it was also home to an international community. Shanghai served as the missionaries’ port of entry to China, a depot to gather supplies needed for the interior missions, a place of relaxation and safety from political strife, and a place to connect with a Chinese Catholic culture that went back to the 1600s.
The shrine dedicated to Our Lady of Sheshan is located in Songjiang District, western Shanghai, and is dedicated to Our Lady Help of Christians of Sheshan. In 1863, the then Superior of the Jesuit community in Shanghai purchased property on the south side of the mountain of Sheshan, and built a retreat house for retired Jesuit Fathers, with a small chapel next door. On March 1, 1868, the Bishop of Shanghai, Bishop Adrien Languillat, SJ, consecrated the chapel and blessed the image of Our Lady Help of Christians, which was copied from Our Lady of Victory in Paris.
During the attack of the Taiping Rebellion, the Superior of the Jesuit community in Shanghai, Fr. Gu Zhen Sheng, promised the Blessed Virgin that if the diocese was spared from attack, he would build a basilica in thanksgiving for Our Lady’s special protection. On April 15, 1873, Bishop Languillat of Shanghai consecrated the Basilica on the hilltop. Since then, Our Lady of Sheshan has become the special protector of the Diocese of Shanghai. In 1874, Pope Pius IX granted an indulgence for all pilgrims who completed a pilgrimage to the Shrine during the month of May.
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Wikipedia