Miss Kelly will be blogging about Mary each Saturday in May. Here’s her first one:
Since the 13th century, May has traditionally been considered the month of Mary **. This photograph of a Mary statue is from Monasette.com, and was taken at the Quin Friary in Clare (click to enlarge). They love bright, garish colors in Ireland, probably to cheer them up from all the gray skies. Lots of Mary statues and shrines can be found across Ireland.
Lots of Mary statues in cities in Massachusetts too, especially in ethnic neighborhoods (Italian, Portugese, Irish, Dominican). It’s easy to find a “Mary in the Bathtub” statue in a Somerville backyard. Across the line in Cambridge, though, you’re more likely to see a Buddha or Ganesh statue. Mary statues are considered kitschy by the educated, liberal folk. Buddha, however, is considered cool. Funny how that is…..
