Historic Lourdes Grotto hosts spectacular May crowning ceremony | Shalom World News
A striking May Crowning ceremony unfolded at the National Shrine Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes, a historic mountain shrine situated on the campus of Mount St. Mary’s University in Emmitsburg, Maryland. At the heart of the celebration stood Mary, Mother of the World statue, whose towering height necessitated the use of a professional construction crane to carefully place the ceremonial crown—an image that underscored both the monument’s scale and the occasion's reverence. The ceremony drew a large gathering of the faithful, who assembled in prayer and devotion amid the scenic hillside setting. Among those present was the university’s president, Joyce, joining pilgrims and local worshippers in honoring the Blessed Virgin Mary. The event combined solemn liturgical tradition with a powerful visual expression of Marian devotion, reflecting the enduring significance of May Crownings within Catholic life.