Archbishop Honors Feast Of Detroit Patroness Saint

DETROIT (WWJ) - Detroit Archbishop Allen Vigneron will celebrate Mass at 7 pm on Tuesday, July 26, in honor of the Feast of Saint Anne. The celebration marks the first feast day for Saint Anne since she was announced on May 5, via a decree from the Vatican, to be the official patron saint of the Archdiocese of Detroit.

The Mass will take place at the historic Ste. Anne de Detroit Church at 1000 Ste. Anne Street in Detroit. A rosary service will begin at 6:15 pm.

Saint Anne is the mother of the Blessed Virgin Mary and grandmother of Christ. A patron saint is seen as the particular advocate for a chosen place or activity. Catholics pray to saints for their intercession and look at their lives as examples of how to be good Christians.

Masses in honor of Saint Anne's feast day also are being celebrated at the Detroit area's other three Catholic churches named for Saint Anne - in Monroe, Ortonville and Warren.

The local Catholic Church's relationship with Saint Anne dates to the city's founding. The first Mass in the Archdiocese of Detroit was said to have been celebrated on Saint Anne's feast day, July 26, in 1701.

The same day, Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac and 51 settlers established Sainte Anne de Detroit – the first Catholic church in Detroit and now the second-oldest Catholic parish in America. Because of this history, Saint Anne had been assumed by many over two-plus centuries to be Detroit's patron saint.

Saint Anne was officially declared the city's patron saint on May 5, 2011. Saint Anne is also considered the patroness saint of housewives, women in labor, cabinet makers, horse riders and miners.