The Statue of Our Lady
In July 1955 a statue bearing the ancient title, Our Lady St. Mary of Glastonbury, was blessed by the Apostolic Delegate, Most Rev. Gerald O'Hara, in the presence of Bishop Rudderham of Clifton and no less than 18,000 Catholics. And so, in the name of the Holy See the Shrine of Our Lady of Glastonbury was canonically restored.
In 1965 this statue of Our Lady was solemnly Crowned by the Apostolic Delegate, Most Rev. Igino Cardinale, in the presence of an enormous gathering which included the Bishop of Bath and Wells, and Mass was said by Bishop Rudderham in the Abbey ruins. It was an historic moment; and the influence of Our Lady drawing all Christians to worship her Son together marks an epoch in the story of Glastonbury.
The statue was designed by Mr. Philip Lindsey Clark, F.R.B.S., from the representation of Our Lady in a 14th century metal seal of the Abbey; it is medieval in appearance, but it is a work of art in its own right. Our Lady is shown crowned, with a veil and mantle, bearing the Holy Child on her left forearm, and a flowering bush on the other. This is probably nothing to do with the Glastonbury Thorn, which is not heard of until much later, but doubtless is meant to signify the Virgin Motherhood.1
Sacred art founded on the principles of Christianity has, since the Council of Ephesus A.D.431, been depicting Mary as Queen wearing a crown and royal regalia, and it has even depicted Our Divine Saviour in the act of placing a shining crown on His Mother's head. The oldest fresco of Our Lady crowned dates from the 5th century in Rome. St. Stephen, King of Hungary, A.D.1038, placed his crown at Our Lady's feet, and declared her to be the Sovereign of his realm.
From the 17th century the privilege of crowning statues of Our Lady has been reserved to the chapter of St. Peter's, Rome; they appoint a delegate and prescribe the ceremonial. Few such ceremonies have taken place in England, among them have been-Our Lady of Consolation, West Grinstead, which was the first in 1893-since then Our Lady of Walsingham (1954), Willesden & Warwick have been crowned, and Our Lady of Knock in Ireland (1954).2
Our Lady on her pedestal, surrounded by Saints and Martyrs of Glastonbury, looks towards the ruins of the Abbey; and St. Mary's Church now takes its place in the Story of Glastonbury which was begun with the “Wattle Church” more than 1,500 years ago.
1 The Story of Glastonbury, Dom Aelred Watkin, O.S.B., p.15.
2 Shrines of Our Lady in England and Wales H. M. Gillett, p.397.