Our Lady of the Gate of Dawn () or Our Lady of the Sharp Gate (, , ) is a prominent Catholic miraculous image of the Blessed Virgin Mary venerated by the faithful in the Chapel of the Gate of Dawn (or Sharp Gate) in Vilnius, Lithuania. The painting was historically displayed above the Vilnius city gate; city gates of the time often contained religious artifacts intended to ward off attacks and bless passing travellers.

The painting is in the Northern Renaissance style and was completed most likely around 1630. The Virgin Mary is depicted without the infant Jesus. The artwork soon became known as miraculous and inspired a following. A dedicated chapel was built in 1671 by the Discalced Carmelites. At the same time, possibly borrowing from the Eastern Orthodox tradition, the painting was covered in an expensive and elaborate silver and gold riza, leaving only the face and hands visible.

On 5 July 1927, the image was canonically crowned by Pope Pius XI. The chapel was later visited by Pope John Paul II in 1993. It is a major site of pilgrimage in Vilnius and attracts many visitors, especially from Poland. In 1761, the monk Hilarion published Relacja o cudownym Obrazie Naijświętszej Marji Panny etc, the primary source for the painting's early history and also the first collection of various miracles attributed to it. In 1773 Pope Clement XIV granted an indulgence to the faithful, designating the chapel as a place of public worship, and established a charitable society. In 1993, on the occasion of pope's visit, the painting was restored and one of its planks was dated based on its tree-rings. The scientists concluded that the oak grew in 1434–1620.

Sculptures of Mary's parents – St Joachim and St Anne – stand on both sides of the painting between the altar columns.

Divine Mercy

thumb|Chapel devoted to Our Lady of the Gate of Dawn in the [[St. Mary's Church, Gdansk|St. Mary's Church in Gdańsk]]

thumb|Lithuanian Chapel () in the [[St. Peter's Basilica]]

The icon of Our Lady of the Gate of Dawn has become associated with the messages of Divine Mercy. Eight years after the icon was conferred the title of Mother of Mercy, the first exposition of the Divine Mercy image, painted by Eugene Kazimierowski under the direction of Faustina Kowalska, took place at the chapel in April 1935. In her Diary: Divine Mercy in My Soul, she writes of a mystical experience involving the icon in the Gate of Dawn chapel. On 15 November 1935, Saint Faustina was at the Gate of Dawn chapel participating in the last day of the novena before the feast day of the icon, 16 November. She writes of seeing the icon taking on "a living appearance" and speaking to her, telling her "accept all that God asked of me like a little child, without questioning; otherwise it would not be pleasing to God."

Shrines in other locations

The image is venerated by Catholics, Greek Catholics, and Eastern Orthodox Christians of many countries whose origins lie in the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, including Lithuania, Poland, Belarus, Ukraine and their diasporas worldwide. In Lithuania itself there are 15 churches as well as Lithuanian parishes in Montreal and Buenos Aires devoted to the Blessed Virgin Mary of the Gate of Dawn. On 26 February 2007 the parish of Our Lady of Vilnius (Aušros Vartų Parapija) was closed by the Archdiocese of New York.

Liturgical Commemoration

Our Lady of the Gate of Dawn is commemorated on November 16 in the Catholic Church and January 8 (December 26 O.S.) and April 27 (April 14 O.S.) in the Orthodox Church.

Seraphim-Diveyevo "Tenderness" icon of the Mother of God

The Seraphim-Diveyevo “Tenderness” icon belonged to Saint Seraphim of Sarov and was his cell icon, which he called “Joy of All Joys.” It is a variant copy of the icon of Our Lady of the Gate of Dawn and not an Eleusa icon despite being called "Tenderness". The icon is kept currently in the Vladimirskaya Church at the Patriarchal Residence in Chisty Lane.

<gallery mode="packed" heights="170">

File:Our Lady of the Gates of Dawn copy in Paris.jpg|A nineteenth-century copy in Paris, Saint-Séverin church, with the coats of arms of Lithuania and Poland

File:Rokitno, kopia obrazu Matki Bożej Ostrobramskiej.JPG|An altar featuring the icon in Rokitno

File:Kosciol sw Stanislawa Kosina Matka Boska Ostrobramska.jpg|Icon at Church of Saint Stanislaus in Kosina

File:Maci Božaja Vastrabramskaja. Маці Божая Вастрабрамская (1850) (4).jpg|Lace decoration of Our Lady of the Gate of Dawn

File:Wayside memorial cross 2003 in Wolica 2 Our Lady of the Gate of Dawn.jpg|Wayside cross at Bukowsko, Poland

File:Maci Božaja Vastrabramskaja. Маці Божая Вастрабрамская (1887).jpg|Belarusian icon

</gallery>

See also

  • Our Lady of Šiluva

References

  • Official website of Gate of Dawn Chapel
  • Virtual panorama of the Chapel
  • Eastern Orthodox tradition regarding the Ostrabrama icon