CIUDAD to - the Catholic Kingdom!

332 CITY OF GOD
after her death and transition to heaven. In return
for this ancient and universal devotion, the most blessed
Mary, as I was given to understand, has enriched these
realms more than the other kingdoms of the earth by
spreading the public veneration of so many miraculous
images, and sanctuaries dedicated in Spain to her honor.
By multiplying these favors the heavenly Mother has
sought to familiarize intercourse with Her throughout
the kingdoms, offering her protection in so many temples
and sanctuaries and meeting the devotions of the faithful
in so many places throughout the provinces. This
should induce us to acknowledge Her as our Mother
and Patroness and give us to understand, that the de
fense and the spreading of her honor through the whole
world is a special privilege of this nation.
360. Therefore I
pray and humbly beseech all the
subjects and inhabitants of Spain, and, in the name of
this great Lady, exhort all of them to refresh their
memory, enliven their faith, renew and excite their an
cient devotion toward the most blessed Mary, and con
sider themselves more bound and obliged to her service
than other nations.
Let them hold especially the sanc
tuary of Saragossa in highest veneration, as excelling
all the others and as being the starting-place of the piety
and devotion toward this Queen in Spain. And let all
those who read this history believe, that the former hap
piness and greatness of Spain was a gift of the most
blessed Mary and a reward for the service rendered to
Her by the Spanish people. If we in our days see the
glory and happiness of Spain so much diminished, it
the fault of our negligence by which we oblige Her to
withdraw her protection. If we desire a remedy for
so many calamities, we can obtain it
only through this
powerful Queen, gaining her favor by new and extraor-
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