Our Lady of Cardigan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Our Lady of Cardigan |
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Our Lady of Cardigan
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| Artist | Sr Concordia Scott |
| Year | 1986 |
| Medium | Bronze |
Our Lady of Cardigan (Welsh: Mair o Aberteifi), also known as Our Lady of the Taper, is a special statue of the Virgin Mary. It is located in a chapel in Cardigan, Ceredigion, Wales. For Catholics in Wales, it is a very important place, known as a national shrine. The current statue was created by Sr Concordia Scott.
The Old Story of the Statue
Long ago, a legend tells of a statue of the Virgin Mary and baby Jesus. It was found next to the River Teifi in southwest Wales. This statue had a burning taper, which is a type of candle, in its hand.
People took the statue to the local church. It was moved a few times. Eventually, a special church was built just to keep this important statue safe.
A Look Back in Time
The church where the statue is now, St Mary's, has been around since about 1158. The first statue of Our Lady of Cardigan was sadly destroyed in 1538. This happened in London by order of Thomas Cromwell, a powerful advisor to King Henry VIII. Many other religious statues were also destroyed at that time.
In 1952, the Bishop of Menevia, John Edward Petit, learned about the famous old shrine in Cardigan. He decided to have a new statue made. This new statue was based on descriptions of the original one.
The new statue was blessed in Westminster Cathedral in London. Then, it traveled to every parish in the Diocese of Menevia. Finally, it arrived in Cardigan. It was placed in a church called Our Lady of Sorrows. Fourteen years later, a new church, Our Lady of the Taper, was built. The statue was then moved to its current home there.
The Statue Today
A newer statue was made in 1986. It was cast in bronze by Sr Concordia Scott. This statue was blessed at Cardiff Cathedral. It then traveled around Wales before being placed in its home. About 4,500 people came to see it installed.
A special candle was placed in the statue's hand. This candle had been blessed by Pope John Paul II in Rome. Many pilgrims visit the shrine each year.
In September 2010, the statue was taken to Westminster Cathedral. This was for a visit by Pope Benedict XVI. He personally lit a candle on the statue's hand. He also blessed a mosaic of Saint David in the cathedral.
Visiting Our Lady of Cardigan has become more popular than visiting Our Lady of Penrhys. The Penrhys shrine is in the Rhondda Valley. It is harder for many people to reach.
See also
- Shrines to the Virgin Mary
- Statues of the Madonna and Child
- Roman Catholic national shrines
