MARIA BAMBINA


 Believe it or not, the first time I heard of the devotion to Maria Bambina was when a pilgrim friend exclaimed, as she discovered the little infant Mary in the altar of a Second Order Seat -  Santa Beatriz, "Oh, it is Maria Bambina!" And she knelt down to venerate the statue. 

I was curious thereafter to find out more about this devotion. God gave me the opportunity to learn more from a book written by Msgr Joao Scognamiglio Cla Dias, Founder of the Heralds of the Gospel. 

In the second book of the Trilogy Mary Most Holy: Paradise of God, penned  by Msgr Joao, with references to 'The Mystical City of God' - a revelation to Venerable Mary of Agreda - the entire life of Mary has been documented in detail. 

Mystical City of God 
https://www.ecatholic2000.com/agreda/mystical/city.shtml

I returned home to Goa and checked online for more information on the internet. 

From an Indian website, I gathered some information as below:

The Italian words "Maria Bambina" mean "Baby Mary/ Child Mary". The Holy Childhood of the Blessed Virgin, under the image of Our Lady as an infant, is honored in Mexico, Poland and Italy. 

Several saints, including St. John Eudes, St. Joseph Cupertino and St. Padre Pio loved to contemplate the Blessed Mother as a baby.  








HISTORY 
The simulacrum (image) was modelled in wax in 1735 by Sister Isabella Chiara Fornari (1697-1744), superior of the Poor Clare Sisters in Todi, Italy. Life size waxen images of both the Infant Jesus and the Infant Mary were widely venerated during the counter-reformation (16th century). 

For further information on the history of Maria Bambina, please go to the website https://hcikolkata.org/history.php


Soon after I learnt about Maria Bambina, my soul sister brought a statue to venerate during the novena days. 


And, few days later, when I attended a funeral of a former neighbour, I was pleasantly surprised to see that the church had a statue of Maria Bambina. 


From Wikipedia this is what I got 

The canonical Scriptures make no mention of the birth or infancy of Mary, and the devotion relies primary on Sacred Tradition and private revelation. 

Devotion to the Infant Mary in Italy, called Maria Bambina, can be traced back to at least 1007 AD,[8] in the city of Milan. In 1007 the church of Santa Maria Fulcorina (Later Milan Cathedral) was dedicated to the "mystery of the Nativity of Mary." This devotion would further grow in Milan as the church became the Cathedral of Milan, and in 1251 Innocent IV granted in perpetuity a plenary indulgence for those who visit the cathedral on the feast of Mary's Nativity. In the 16th century St. Charles Borromeo would construct the present dome for the cathedral, dedicating it to the birth of Mary. The words Mariae Nascenti,[9] meaning roughly "to the infant Mary," would be inscribed in the main entrance of the cathedral.[10]

In the early 18th century, devotion to Maria Bambina experienced a revival due to the donation of a wax simulacrum of the Infant Mary by Sister Isabella Chiara Fornari, a Franciscan from Todi. Between 1720 and 1730, Fornari gifted this artifact to Monsignor Alberico Simonetta. Upon Simonetta's death in 1739, the simulacrum was transferred to the Capuchin Sisters of Santa Maria degli Angeli in Milan. Due to subsequent religious suppressions initiated by Emperor Joseph II and later Napoleon, the Capuchin nuns moved the image through various locations: first to the convent of the Augustinian nuns, then to the Lateran canonesses, and eventually to the parish priest Fr. Luigi Bosisio. In 1842, Bosisio entrusted the image to Sister Teresa Bosio, the superior of the Sisters of Charity of Lovere, a religious institute founded by St. Bartolomea Capitanio. The image was then kept at Ciceri Hospital in Milan, and the nuns began to be referred to as the “Sisters of Maria Bambina."[11] In 1876 the image of Maria Bambina was brought to the Generalate of the Sisters in Via Santa Sofia where it remains to this day.

As the image began to fade, it fell out of use. However, starting in 1884, various miracles began to be associated with the image:[12] Several nuns of the order experienced healing from serious illnesses, and the image itself was miraculously restored, regaining its original flesh tones and coming to resemble what the nuns described as “una bambina vera,” or a "real little girl." In 1884, the image was dressed in new garments, placed in a new cradle, and moved to the convent chapel. The following year, in 1885, it was carried in a solemn procession to the Motherhouse chapel, attracting many pilgrims who sought the Infant Mary's assistance. Subsequently, an archconfraternity named Maria Bambina and the “League of the Innocent” were established. In 1904, the image was ceremoniously crowned with Papal approval by Cardinal Ferrari, contributing to the spread of devotion to the Infant Mary from Milan throughout Italy.[13]

Image of Maria Bambina in Milan Italy.

In Mexico 


Original image of the "Divina Infantita" of Mexico City

Read about the devotion in Mexico here

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infant_Mary

In India, the Nativity of Maria Bambina is celebrated as Monthi Feast. My friend sent me this picture of her Novenh Jevonh spread. 

In 2023

In 2024

Read about this great celebration on Wikipedia 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monti_Fest

Another great celebration is the Bandra Feast in Mumbai. Read about it on Wikipedia

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bandra_Fair


TODAY, as we celebrate the birthday of Our Lady, let us remember the plentitude of graces that She was born with and has for eternity. When the angel greeted her, his first words were, "Hail Mary, Full of Grace." She is the axis of history - her 'Fiat' gave mankind redemption through the birth, death and resurrection of her Son. Her suffering during His Passion united Her to Him. She is therefore Co-Redemptrix. She will reign in our hearts and in our world at the Second Coming. In the end, Her Immaculate Heart will triumph. 

Until then, let us, like Her, utter a simple "Let it be done according to your Word". Let us consecrate ourselves to be sacred slaves of Our Lady, our Mistress and Queen. She will take our prayers and thanks to Jesus, the Incarnate Wisdom. 

By Mary.
With Mary.
In Mary.
For Mary.



Note by the author:
TRUE DEVOTION TO JESUS THROUGH MARY by Louis de Montfort is a book that changed lives. If you wish to do the Consecration, use the link below 
https://l.reconquest.heralds.org/en-lp-consecration-virgin-mary/?t&website=YT-home

GALLERY


At TABOR, Motherhouse of the Heralds of the Gospel, Sao Paulo, Brazil today 8 Sept. 
Novenh Jevonh prepared
by my Aussie friend today
to keep the Manglorean tradition alive!
23 dishes were cooked. 

At Santa Beatriz, a Seat of the Second Order of the Heralds of the Gospel. Today 8 Sept.
(Shared by the pilgrim friend on our group.)

10 Sept 







Copyright @aurrsablogspot.com





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