Over the weekend, on the Second National Day of Prayer in Côte d’Ivoire, the country was again consecrated to the Virgin Mary.
Vatican News with Marcel Ariston Blé – Abidjan.
The Rectors of the nation’s four Marian Shrines promoted the initiative of reconsecration. According to Father Eugène Adingra, Rector of the main national Marian Shrine in Abidjan, the reconsecration seeks to restore the Virgin Mary to her rightful place in Côte d’Ivoire.
After the last official consecration by Pope John Paul II, Côte d’Ivoire was again placed in the hands of the Virgin Mary for the third time last Saturday.
The country needs peace and reconciliation
The initiative was arrived at by the consensus of the four rectors of the country’s major Marian Shrines, namely, the National Marian Shrine of Abidjan -Our Lady of Africa Mother of All Graces in Abidjan Attécoubé; the Shrine of Our Lady of Notre Dame de la Garde in Bonoua, Diocese of Grand-Bassam,; the Shrine of Our Lady of Deliverance in Issia in the Diocese of Daloa; and the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Raviart in the Diocese of Yamoussoukro.
“Côte d’Ivoire needs true peace, fraternity, reconciliation, co-existence and solidarity. We need to rediscover the Côte d’Ivoire of yesteryear,” said Father Adingra.
“It’s time we restored the Virgin Mary to her rightful place at the heart of this country so that God may help us,” he remarked.
A day of prayer for the Church in Côte d’Ivoire
The day of reconsecration of Côte d’Ivoire was also designated as a day when the faithful would be invited to pray for the country at the four shrines. According to organisers, the reconsecration was preceded by the Angelus midday prayer. Soon after, all the nation’s Marian shrines were meant to make the act of consecration, Father Adingra explained.
Côte d’Ivoire was officially consecrated to the Virgin Mary for the first time by Pope John Paul II in 1980 on his first visit to the country. The second consecration occurred on 10 September 1990, at the inauguration of the Our Lady of Peace Basilica in Yamoussoukro.
