The devotion rendered to Mary by the Church is chiefly predicated on her role in the redemptive work of God towards mankind. Mary, through her fiat, brought God to humanity in the glorious event of the incarnation to be like us in all things except sin. This, nevertheless, is a special privilege granted to Mary by God, resulting in her status as the most dignified creature of God. The Church’s appreciation of this glorious state has resulted in the plethora of devotions directed to the person of Mary, mother of Jesus, evident in various pious practices expressed by the members of Christ’s body – the Church. Over the years, the months of May and October have been specially reserved by the Church to honour the Mother of God, in appreciation of her intercessory role for mankind. Hence, they are regarded as the ‘Marian Months’.

The Seminary of Saints Peter and Paul, Bodija, Ibadan, participates greatly in this devotional acts to Mary, through various pious societies such as the Legion of Mary, the Blue Army, and other Marian societies. However, the seminary places great esteem on the ‘Marian Months’ by including the recitation of the Holy Rosary to her daily evening prayers in such months. The month of May, 2018, was not an exception, as the seminary community in union with the Universal Church, participated in the usual devotion offered to Mary. The close of the Marian devotion for the month of May was marked on the 31st of May, 2018, wherein the members of the Seminary community – priests and seminarians – recited the Holy Rosary and sang hymns in honour of our Blessed Mother Mary, to the glory of God. The movement which began from the Seminary chapel, led through various parts of the compound and culminated at the Marian Shrine, where the final blessing – at the end of the prayers – was given by Rev. Fr. Augustine Famoriyo; one of the Spiritual Directors of the Seminary.