TO PERPETUAL REMEMBRANCE
"REGNUM MARIAE"

The Kingdom of Mary cannot, on earth, be other than the Kingdom of Christ, and both are spread together. It is evident to all and gives us matter for the greatest rejoicing. The more do the missioners preach the Gospel of Christ, even in far away countries, the deeper they excite devotion to Mary.

As the Venerable Brother, Teofano Ubald Stella, of the Order of the Discalced Carmelites, Titular Bishop of Antaeopolis and Vicar Apostolic of Kuwait referred to us, the devotion towards the Divine Mother is so increasing in Arabia, and he pointed to us many and conspicuous examples of it.

In fact in the town of Ahmadi was built the first church which has been solemnly dedicated, conseting the then Vicar Apostolic of that country, to Our Lady of Arabia, on the 8th December, 1948, the feast day of the Immaculate Conception. During the Holy Year, on the day of the Epiphany of Our Lord Jesus Christ, a statue of the Virgin Mary, which we ourselves have blessed a little before, in Our Vatican Palace, has been brought through the desert, in a solemn procession till Ahmadi and there placed in the Church. In this shrine, enriched by many indulgences and privileges, and in the year, 1949 aggregated to the Patriarchal Liberian Basilica in Rome, do people from many countries, working there at the oil business of which that country is so endowed, go often and with great piety.

Besides in That Marian Shrine there is a flourishing Sodality of Our Lady under the title of Our Lady of Arabia and St. Maria Goretti V. & M. whose young Sodalists came to Rome in the first pilgrimage in the year 1954 and have happily brought back to the town of Kuwait another smaller statue, presented by the parish of St. Teresa in Rome, and blessed, that too, by us.

Moved by all these reasons, the above praised Ordinary of Kuwait has strongly asked from us, that the Blessed Mary ever Virgin, called “Our Lady of Arabia” be proclaimed by us as the Principal Patron near God of the whole Vicariate Apostolic of Kuwait. We then, to whom nothing is more at heart than that the Virgin Mother Queen of Heaven, together with her Son, might be honoured more and more by all the peoples in the world, have decided to accept willingly this request.

Therefore, having consulted the Congregation for the Sacred Rites, taking into consideration seriously all the reasons, out of our certain knowledge and by the fulness of the Apostolic authority, in virtue of this letter and in permanent way, we do establish, make and proclaim the Blessed Virgin Mary venerated as Our Lady of Arabia Patroness at the throne of God of the whole Vicariate Apostolic of Kuwait, granting all the liturgical honours and privileges reserved to the Principal Patron of a country. Notwithstanding anything in contrary. This we do establish and order, commanding that this letter shall be and remain firm, valid and binding, even that it shall get all the results fully and be accepted now as well in the future by all those who are concerned with and thus one must judge and settle, while shall be void and null anything, by whatsoever auihority, will be attempted against it.

Given in Rome, at St. Peter’s by the Fisherman’s Ring, the 25th January, 1957, Eighteenth of our Pontifical Rule.

By special order of the Holy Father, instead of the Cardinal Secretary of State,

GUILDO BHUGNOLA
for the Apostolic Brieves.