renovated Church of Grand Case
BASSE-TERRE--Every year on August 15, the Catholic Church celebrates the Assumption of the Virgin Mary into heaven and her coronation.
In this diocese, where Marian devotion is deeply rooted, this date corresponds to the patronal feast of several parishes: Grand-Bourg de Marie-Galante, Petit-Bourg, Trois-Rivières, Pointe-Noire, Terre-de-Haut, La Désirade and Saint-Barth (Gustavia and Lorient).
Monsignor Philippe Guiougou, Bishop of Guadeloupe, will preside at two masses in the Cathedral of Notre-Dame de Guadeloupe, in Basse-Terre, to mark the feast of the Assumption, first at 6:30am, then at 10:00am (in the presence of the cooks’ association). But all parishes will be celebrating.
What does the feast of the Assumption mean to the Catholic Church? The Assumption of Mary is often associated with the Ascension of Christ; in fact, the words are similar and in both cases there is a mysterious ascent to heaven in the glory of God.
“However, ‘assumption’ does not come from the Latin verb ‘ascendere’ (to ascend,), which gave rise to ‘Ascension’, but from ‘assumere’ (to assume, to remove),” the diocese explains. “Etymology thus underlines divine initiative: Mary does not ascend to heaven on her own; it is God who chooses to ‘assume’ her, body and soul, by uniting her with his Son without waiting for the final resurrection, so well had she united herself, body and soul, with Him during her earthly life.
“In the wake of the Ascension, Mary inaugurates the destiny opened up to mankind by the resurrection of her Son and anticipates what will become the condition of the saved at the end of time.
“The liturgy of the Assumption celebrates Mary: she is with Him with her glorious body and not just with her soul; in her, Christ confirms his own victory over death. In this way, Mary fulfils the purpose for which God created and saved mankind. In celebrating her, believers contemplate the pledge of their own destiny, if they choose to unite in turn with Christ.”
For this Assumption Day 2024, the diocesan communications department will be implementing a service. It can be followed live on Radio Massabielle and in pictures on the diocesan Facebook page “Catholic Church in Guadeloupe”, the solemn mass broadcast from Notre-Dame de l’Assomption church in La Désirade at 9:30am.
