Nigeria is a very religious nation, where Christians make up nearly half the population, of which 32 million are Catholics; and the fact that 94 percent of them attend weekly or daily Mass also makes it the most practicing nation in the world. Marian devotion is very strong in Nigeria, which celebrates the country’s independence and Our Lady Queen and Patroness of Nigeria together, since October 1, 1960. Consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary was repeated on October 13, 2017, for the centenary of the last Fatima apparition; and again, during the Angelus in Kaduna (14th February 1982), Pope John Paul II expressed his desire «to consecrate and entrust to you, Mother of the Church, in a special way, the Church in the land of Nigeria».
The “Pilgrimage Centre of Eucharistic Adoration and Special Marian Devotion,” better known as: “International Sanctuary of Jesus the Saviour and Mother Mary”, was founded in 1985 by Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Edeh CSSp, who is also the Rector to this day. In 2016 the Center was declared a National Shrine by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), and in 2020 the Holy See elevated it to an “International Shrine”, the first and only one in all of Africa. This is in recognition of its extraordinary development, which already brings millions of pilgrims each year to the small town of Elele in the Niger Delta Region, where Fr. Emmanuel also founded the campus of the country’s first private university: the Madonna University.
The Sanctuary and the pilgrims are assisted by four religious orders, all founded by Fr. Emmanuel: sisters, priests, contemplative monks and contemplative nuns;especially during Pilgrimage Week, which takes place every first week of the month, with religious cerimonies and Masses that extend over almost 24 hours each day. The Center is also a base for a host of ministries, that provide concrete «hospitality and mercy, solidarity and sharing, assistance and giving… in effect: mediating the love of God and fraternal charity on the one hand, and the needs of mankind on the other». (“Directory on Popular Piety and the Liturgy”; n. 275).
Father Emmanuel Edeh is thus a charismatic, almost legendary figure, whose culture ranges from theology to medicine, philosophy to economics; his endless curriculum vitae can be found at https://www.fatheredeh.org/about/. We are therefore grateful to the Sanctuary for participating in the first World Rosary Day, with an extended celebration that in addition to the Rosary included Eucharistic Adoration, in front of hundreds of faithful always ready to answer the call of Fr. Emmanuel.
Yours faithfully
Umberto Angeloni (WRD Team)
