SW News: Amid the civil war going on in Myanmar and the atrocities of the ruling junta, thousands of Catholics and non-Christians gathered at a famous Marian sanctuary to seek the intercession of Our Lady for peace and reconciliation in the country. They gathered at the shrine of the Blessed Mother in Nyauglebin which is 150 km north of the capital Yangon.

Pilgrims from all dioceses in the Buddhist-majority country assembled at the shrine to celebrate National Marian Day. While celebrating Holy Mass, Cardinal Charles Bo of Yangon told believers that those who had gathered there were seeking “physical, emotional, psychological, spiritual and national healing”. They earnestly sought the intercession of the Blessed Mother for peace to descend on the conflict-hit nation.

Citing the intervention of Our Lady at the onset of the public ministry of Jesus, Cardinal Bo made a heartfelt appeal to the Blessed Virgin, saying, Mary mother most holy, we cry with our extended arms, our six jars are empty of the life-giving wine of hope. Let us pray and fill those empty six jars with the life-giving wine of hope”. He explained that the empty cisterns symbolize violence, injustice, starvation, displacement, deaths and poverty.

The top prelate of the nation told the faithful that through the mediation of Our Lady, the six jars have to be filled with “peace, reconciliation, food, home return, human security, and community resilience.” He exhorted people not to lose hope when everything looks bleak, adding that it will arise like the start that showed the way to shepherds during the Nativity of Our Lord.

In his homily, he explained the travails the nation faced over the past three years. "Yet, Jesus calls us ‘have the faith of a mustard seed’. Everything will work out for those who believe in the powerful name of Jesus and the powerful protection of our Mother Mary,” he said, reassuring the masses that there is room for hope.
Bishop Ambrose Bigandet opened a Catholic mission in Nyaunglebin in 1892 and it was handed over to the Paris Foreign Mission priests. They were instrumental in constructing the first church there, which was made of wood. The church, which was dedicated to the Holy Virgin, began attracting many pilgrims and over the years, the influx was so large that the priests decided to build a bigger one. The bigger church was dedicated in 1902. From 1957, the Myanmar Church began celebrating National Marian Day.