Legion of Mary members meet at Ta’ Pinu sanctuary
Legion branches can be found in almost 200 countries, with over 10 million volunteers
The annual acies (gathering) ceremony for members of the Legion of Mary and its auxiliary members was held with devotion and solemnity at Our Lady of Ta’ Pinu sanctuary.
The ceremony started with the recitation of the rosary, led by the Legion’s spiritual director Mgr Carmelo Gauci, followed by solemn concelebrated mass led by Gozo Bishop Anton Teuma, who also delivered the homily for the occasion.
Following the homily, legionaries renewed their commitment through the individual and collective Legionary Promise. The liturgy was animated by the Chorus Urbanus under the direction of Mro John Galea.
The Legion of Mary is the largest apostolic organisation of lay people in the Catholic Church. It was founded in Dublin, Ireland, in 1921, by Frank Duff. Branches of the Legion can be found in nearly 200 countries, with over 10 million volunteer members.
The acies is the central annual ceremony of the Legion of Mary, held close to the celebration of the feast of the Annunciation (March 25) to renew members’ commitment to Mary. It is a formal, collective renewal of the legionary promise, often described as an “army in battle array” (in Latin: acies) gathering to seek strength for the year’s work.