The Feast of the Queenship of Mary is celebrated on August 22, honoring the Blessed Virgin Mary as Queen of Heaven and Earth. Established by Pope Pius XII in 1954 through his encyclical "Ad Caeli Reginam", it recognizes Mary’s unique role in salvation history due to her divine motherhood and close association with Jesus Christ, the King of Kings.
The concept stems from Biblical passages like Luke 1:32-33, where the Archangel Gabriel announces that Mary’s Son, Jesus, will inherit the throne of David and rule forever, implying Mary’s role as queen mother in the Davidic tradition, where the king’s mother held significant influence (e.g., 1 Kings 2:19). Revelation 12:1, describes a woman “clothed with the sun” with a crown of twelve stars, is traditionally interpreted as Mary, symbolizing her queenship.
Mary’s Queenship is seen as a participation in Christ’s kingship, not an independent authority. Her role is rooted in her divine motherhood (proclaimed at the Council of Ephesus in 431, naming her Theotokos, ("God-Bearer or "Mother of God" in Greek), her sinlessness, and her intercessory power as Mediatrix of graces.
Early Church Fathers like St. Ephrem, Origen, and St. Jerome referred to her as “Lady” or “Queen,” and hymns from the 11th-13th centuries, such as Salve Regina and Regina Caeli, celebrate her royal dignity.
Although not part of church doctrine, Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich was given a beautiful vision of the Crowning of Our Lady as Queen of Heaven and Earth.
And, of course, we honor Mary as Queen of Heaven and Earth in the Fifth Glorious Mystery of the Rosary, "The Coronation of the Blessed Virgin Mary as Queen of Heaven and Earth”.