Parishes and schools honor Our Blessed Mother this month with May crownings. While the origins of the tradition are said to reach back to the 16th century, images of Mary and Jesus wearing gold crowns can be found much earlier in early Eastern iconography. In the West, the practice of publicly crowning a statue of the Blessed Mother gained popularity in the 19th century. To do a May crowning in your own home, visit websites like www.TheReligionTeacher.com that list prayers and delve into the reasons behind the act of devotion.
While St. Francis of Assisi was declared a saint nearly 800 years ago, it was not until nearly 50 years ago that he became known as the patron of ecology. “John Paul II makes that proclamation in 1979,” explained Joshua C. Benson, associate professor of historical and systematic theology at The Catholic University of America in Washington. “There’s greater ecological awareness on the part of people – and in looking for a patron for that, Francis became an obvious choice.” As we celebrate Earth Day on April 22, here is a look at why the beloved 13th-century Italian friar became associated with creation care and how we can keep that tradition alive.