Last January in Rome His Holiness Pope Pius XII blessed the statute which will be held in reverence for the next five days at Saint George’s Lithuanian R. C. Church.
This statue of the Immaculate Heart of Mary was blessed by the Pope before a sizeble delegation of Lithuanians living in Rome. Delivering a short speech, the Holy Father expressed his esteem for the people in Lithuania by saying. “We are aware how painfully your persecuted brothers are suffering and how mercilessly the Christian traditions of your land are being destroyed.”
In closing. Pope Pius embraced the Most Reverend Vincent Pndolskis, D. D., rector of St. Casimir’s Lithuanian College in Rome, and said, “By embracing you, I herewith embrace all of suffering Lithuania.” The Most Reverend Padolskis. incidentally, was a guest at Father Felix Norbut’s 25th Anniversary Banquet held in Norwood last May.
The beautiful statue is currently touring the various Lithuanian parishes in the United States It will eventually go to Canada and someday, when independence is gained, the statue of the Immaculate Heart of Mary will be placed in a church in liberate Lithuania.
The long-awaited statue will arrive at St. George’s tomorrow evening. A procession in devotion of the Blessed Virgin will commence at 6:30 p.m. Following the procession, both services in honor of Mary and a Mass will be offered.
Thursday and Friday mornings Holy Mass and services will be offered at G, 7 and 9 a m. On Saturday morning Masses will be at 7, 7:30 and 9 a m. Each evening at 7:30 services will be conducted in homage of the Blessed Virgin. The five-day slay of the statue will terminate on Sunday afternoon at 3 p.m. with appropriate services.
The statue, which will eventually visit 123 Lithuanian parishes in this country, offers the faithful a Marian Year plenary indulgence. The Holy Father has granted an indulgence to those who visit a church where the statue is located during the Marian Year. Requisites for the indulgence are reception of the Sacraments of Penance and Holy Euchristrist and praying for the intention of the Pope.
In the churches where the statue has been exposed thousands of people have flocked to pray for crucified Lithuania and the persecuted Church. It is expected that during the period of March 31 to April 4 hundreds people will come to St. George’s to pray for the ideals that the statue of the Immaculate Heart of Mary represents.