Israel, by God's

The Apocryphal Book of instructions, carried

the Ark of the
Baruch on Idolatry. Covenant in
procession, which
contained the Ten
Commandments of
In the apocryphal book of Baruch, which is considered to be God written on tables
inspired scripture by the Catholic Church, we find a very of stone by God's
interesting description of the pagan practices of the Babylonians, own finger, which
who at the time held the Jews in captivity. While not considered prohibited graven
a book of the Bible by Protestants, there is no reason to doubt the images in very clear
accuracy of this historical account of Babylonian idolatry in the terms. In ironic
6th chapter of Baruch. The following scripture quotations are contrast and bold
taken from the Catholic Douay Rheims Bible: apostasy, idols are
similarly carried in
Crowned silver statue of Our Lady of Bon- procession and
Secours venerated by
carried in procession in Tournai, Belgium.
Catholics, in open
Baruch 6:3 But now, and direct
you shall see in contradiction to God's
Babylon gods of explicit
gold, and of silver, commandment law.
and of stone, and of Photo by Frédéric Denonne © 1996
wood borne upon
the shoulders,
causing fear to the The above photo of a crowned silver statue of Mary being carried
Gentiles. in procession is from the Great Procession of Tournai, Belgium,
Baruch 6:4 Beware an event which occurs every September to honor the Virgin Mary
therefore that you for her allegedly saving the city from the plague during the
imitate not the doings Middle Ages. The statue shown is just one of many that are
of others, and be displayed and carried in procession for the event.
afraid, and the fear of
them should seize May Crowning of Mary Statues and Processions
upon you.
The month of May is specially devoted by the Catholic Church to
It is worth noting that the crowning of statues of Mary (perhaps most commonly with
flowers), and processions in honor and adoration of the "Queen
1 2
of Heaven". Below a statue of Mary, crowned with flowers, is Source: Encyclopedia Britannica Online entry on May Day.
knelt before by the priests and congregation, bowing in prayer.

Images © 2001 by EWTN
Baruch 6:5 But when you see the multitude behind, and before,
adoring them, say you in your hearts: Thou oughtest to be
adored, O Lord.
May crowning gives Mary honor she deserves?
May, Mary's Month, Marian Coronation.
2001 MAY PROCESSION AND MAY CROWNING.
Baruch 6:6 For my angel is with you: And I myself will demand
an account of your souls.
Baruch 6:7 For their tongue that is polished by the craftsman, and
themselves laid over with gold and silver, are false things, and
they cannot speak.
Baruch 6:8 And as if it were for a maiden that loveth to go gay:
so do they take gold and make them up.
Baruch 6:9 Their gods have golden crowns upon their heads;
whereof the priests secretly convey away from them gold, and
silver, and bestow it on themselves.
Crowned statue of Mary The jewel encrusted crown on the statue
in the Notre Dame du Cap, of
Cap-de-la-Madeleine, Quebec, Our Lady of Fatima, Portugal.
Canada.

The May Crowning Festival has pagan origins!

May Day

in medieval and modern Europe, day (May 1) for traditional

springtime celebrations, probably originating in pre-Christian
agricultural rituals. Though local usage varied widely, these
celebrations commonly included the carrying in procession of
trees, green branches, or garlands; the appointment of a May king
and May queen; and the setting up of a May tree or Maypole.
Originally such rites were intended to ensure fertility to the
crops, and by extension to cattle and human beings, but in most
cases this significance was gradually lost, and the practices
survived merely as popular festivities.

3 4
 "Rome in Colour"
copyright by Casa Editrice Lozzi,
Rome,
00165 - Via della Lungara, 5.
"Miraculous Images of Our Lady",
by Joan Carroll Cruz -Copyright ©
1993,
TAN Books and Publishers, INC.,
Rockford, Illinois 61105.

From the book

"Miraculous Images of Our Lady",
by Joan Carroll Cruz -Copyright © 1993,
TAN Books and Publishers, INC.,
Rockford, Illinois 61105.
Crowned and dressed statue of
Crowned and dressed statue of Peter
Our Lady of Guadalupe,
in St. Peter's Basilica, the Vatican.
Caceres, Spain.

Baruch 6:10 Yea and they give thereof to prostitutes, and they
dress out harlots: and again when they receive it of the harlots,
they adorn their gods.
Baruch 6:11 And these gods cannot defend themselves from the
rust, and the moth.
Baruch 6:12 But when they have covered them with a purple
garment, they wipe their face because of the dust of the house,
which is very much among them.

Statue of Peter photo from Our Lady of Guadalupe photo from

5 6
 At left is a are carried
candlelight upon
service shoulders,
with a declaring
crowned to men
statue of how vile
Mary being they are.
carried in Be they
procession confounded
in Fatima, also that
Portugal. worship
Virtually them.
everyone in Our
the crowd Lady of
From the "Be Not Afraid" series of videos, Copyright ©1993,
is holding a Fatima at
Apostolate for Family Consecration
candle. Christus
Rex.
Baruch
6:18 They Also, please visit this page at the Basilica of the National Shrine
light of the Immaculate Conception, Washington D.C., which has a
candles to nice photo of Mary, Mother of Mankind. In particular, please
them, and note the candles at the feet of the statue.
in great
number, of
which they This is the crowned statue of
cannot see Our Lady of Zapopan, said to
one: but be the second most venerated
they are image in Mexico after Our
like beams Lady of Guadalupe. On
in the October 13th, 2004, Zenit
house. News reported that over four
million Catholics
Baruch accompanied the statue in a 5
6:25 And kilometer procession, a
having not tradition that began in the
the use of year 1735. The 13-inch
feet they statue, the patroness of
7 8
Guadalajara, is said to be motheaten upon them,
dressed in crimson (a reddish you shall know that
purple) with a blue mantle, they are not gods. And
and is believed to have they themselves at last
miraculous powers of are consumed, and
protection against storms and shall be a reproach in
plagues. the country.
Baruch 6:72 Better
therefore is the just
man that hath no
idols: for he shall be
Baruch 6:35 They far from reproach.
cannot deliver a man Miraculous crowned statue of
from death nor save Our Lady of Aparecida,
the weak from the patroness of Brazil
mighty.
Baruch 6:36 They So, according to the 6th Chapter of Baruch, the ancient pagan
cannot restore the Babylonians crowned their statues with crowns of gold or silver,
blind man to his sight: carried them in procession on their shoulders, dressed them with
nor deliver a man from regal clothing, and lit great numbers of candles to these statues of
distress. gold, silver, stone and wood. Modern Babylon, the Roman
Baruch 6:37 They Catholic Church, does exactly and precisely the same to honor its
shall not pity the statues of Mary, Jesus and what it calls Saints.
widow, nor do good to
the fatherless. Rev 18:2 And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying,
Baruch 6:38 Their Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation
gods, of wood, and of of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every
stone, and of gold, and unclean and hateful bird.
of silver, are like the Rev 18:3 For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of
stones that are hewn her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed
out of the mountains: fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed
and they that worship rich through the abundance of her delicacies.
them shall be Rev 18:4 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come
confounded. out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and
that ye receive not of her plagues.
Baruch 6:71 By the Rev 18:5 For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath
purple also and the remembered her iniquities.
scarlet which are
9 10
Rev 9:20 And the rest of the men which were not killed by these
plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they
should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and
brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear,
nor walk:

Note: the 6th chapter of Baruch may sometimes be set apart as a

separate book titled the Letter of Jeremiah, in Bibles that include
the apocrypha. The Revised Standard Version is an example.

11