Côte d’Ivoire: The National Marian Shrine of Abidjan celebrates its 35th anniversary.

Françoise Niamien - Vatican City.

Recently, the Rector of the Marian shrine, Father Eugene Adingra, unveiled some of the major events that will take place during the months of commemoration.  He said the celebrations would be of a thanksgiving nature: Thanksgiving for many graces received through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary. He added that countless persons have testified to graces granted them through the intervention of the Virgin Mary.

A shrine loved even by non-Catholics

According to Fr Adingra, the Shrine of Our Lady of Africa in Ivory Coast is loved by all -even by many other ‘children’ of the Blessed Virgin Mary. They come from all over the country and beyond to pray at the Shrine and testify of graces received.

“Protestants, Methodists, Evangelicals, and even Muslims, not to mention our brothers and sisters from traditional religions. They have all trodden the grounds of this Marian shrine to implore the intercession of the Virgin Mary, and they have been heard,” Fr Adingra said.

He continued, “The Virgin Mary, mother of all the children of God, never ceases to demonstrate her maternal tenderness without the slightest distinction. That is why we want to celebrate these 35 years by simply saying, ‘Thank you to the Lord, thank you to Mary,’” the Marian Shrine Rector explained.

Pope Saint John Paul II gave the Shrine its name

Built between 1985 and 1987, the Marian Shrine has become an important place of the Marian pilgrimage in Côte d’Ivoire.

Pope Saint John Paul II blessed the first stone of the building in 1980 during his first visit to Côte d’Ivoire.

The Holy Father, himself, suggested that the Shrine be dedicated to ‘Our Lady of Africa.’ Cardinal Bernard Yago, then Archbishop of Abidjan, added: “Mother of All Graces.”