page_title: Mary Help of Christians
section_title: Observance
hierarchical_section_title: Mary Help of Christians / History / Observance
caption_attribution_description: English: Church of Mary Help, Strahoninec, Međimurje County, Croatia - northwest view Hrvatski: Crkva Marije pomoćnice, Strahoninec, Međimurska županija, Hrvatska - sjeverozapadna strana
context_page_description: Mary Help of Christians is a Roman Catholic Marian devotion, with a feast day inscribed into the General Roman Calendar on May 24.
  Saint John Chrysostom was the first person to use this Marian title in year 345 as a devotion to the Virgin Mary. Don Bosco also propagated Marian devotion under this title. The title of Mary Help of Christians is associated with the defense of Christian Europe, the north of Africa and the Middle East from non-Christian peoples during the Middle Ages.
  In 1572, during the expansion of the Islamic Ottoman Empire intended to invade Christian Europe, Pope Pius V invoked Christian armies and its victory achieved was consequently attributed to the intercession of Mary under this title. Ultimately, Pope Leo XIII granted a canonical coronation towards the Marian image bearing the same title on 17 May 1903, now permanently enshrined within the Basilica of Mary Help of Christians.
context_section_description: The Church has traditionally focused on two aspects of Our Lady's help on this feast day. Firstly, the Church focuses in this feast on the role of Our Lady's intercession in the fight against sin in the life of a believer. Secondly, the Church focuses on Our Lady as one who assists Christians as a community, through her intercession, in fighting against anti-Christian forces.
  Michael Daniel observes that, while this approach may be regarded as outdated, in light of Vatican II, where the world and non-Christians elements therein were seen in a positive rather than a hostile or threatening light, it would seem that it would be naïve on the part of Christians to regard all movements and all social trends as either good or harmless.
  The dioceses of Tuscany adopted it on 12 February 1816. The hymns of the Office were composed by Brandimarte.
  It became the patronal feast of Australasia, a double of the first class with an octave. After the reforms of the Second Vatican Council, it was designated a solemnity to be kept on the first available Sunday on or after 24 May.
  The Fathers of the Foreign Missions of Paris, in accordance with a vow (1891), celebrated this feast with great splendor in their churches.
  It has attained special renown since Don Bosco, founder of the Salesian Congregation, dedicated his foundation to Our Lady, Help of Christians, the mother church of his congregation at Turin on 9 June 1868. The Salesians have carried the devotion to their numerous establishments.
  It was established due to the great appreciation of Saint Don Bosco for this Marian title and the development of the Salesian works in many countries since the second half of the 19th century. Although it is commonly associated with the Roman Catholic Church, the Orthodox Church has also known the devotion since 1030 in Ukraine, when the country was defended from a barbarian invasion.
  The Salesian National Shrine of Our Lady Help of Christians is located in Stony Point, New York. There is also the National Shrine of Mary Help of Christians in Parañaque City, Philippines, which is also in the care of the Salesians of Don Bosco 
  The Abbey of Mary Help of Christians, better known as Belmont Abbey, is a small American monastery of Benedictine monks in the town of Belmont, Gaston County, North Carolina, outside of Charlotte, North Carolina. The minor basilica of Our Lady Help of Christians is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
  There is a chapel of Our Lady Help of Christians at the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Washington D.C.
  Under this title, the Virgin Mary is venerated by many Chinese Catholics, particularly at the Shrine of our Lady of Sheshan. In May 2007, Pope Benedict XVI designated 24 May her feast for the Roman Catholics in China, who face persecution and restriction from the Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association.
caption: Church of Mary Help of Christians in Strahoninec, Croatia
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