Theological Significance of Act of Consecration Explained

 From Vatican News:

The Heart of Mary is the heart of God. We must think that Mary is the one who shared her only Son with the Father. That Son was loved immensely by the Father and the Mother, as John Paul II and Paul VI and the whole tradition have reminded us. Mary opened up for us the way to love, who corresponded, more than any other creature, to God's immense love. So we are all called to conform ourselves to this Heart in order to be able to love Jesus in others. We are convinced that true peace does not come from the United Nations, from weapons, or from the politics of States, but only from God. Therefore, if we want to create peace, we must conform our hearts to the one who loved God and who loves the Church and our brothers and sisters, that is, to Mary. Therefore, this is the Immaculate Heart of Mary: a heart that loves immensely, giving itself to all of us. Therefore, if we really want to create peace, we must start from our hearts conformed to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. (Read more.)

 

 "Terra del Cielo" in the Italian version  or "Earth of Heaven" is NOT a pagan reference but from the Byzantine tradition. In the English version it is "Queen of Heaven" since that is a title with which we are familiar. From the National Catholic Register:

An official at the Vatican’s Dicastery for Communication has offered an explanation of the “Earth of Heaven” reference in some non-English translations of Pope Francis’ consecration of Ukraine and Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

In an editorial published by Vatican News on March 25, Andrea Tornielli, the dicastery’s editorial director, described the Byzantine-Slavic origins of the title “Earth of Heaven.”

“The expression ‘Earth of Heaven’ is taken from a Byzantine-Slavic monastic hymn, and it poetically signifies the union of heaven and earth that we can contemplate in Mary assumed bodily into Heaven,” Tornielli said.

The Vatican official’s explanation came after some Catholics raised concerns about the inclusion of the phrase in the Italian and Spanish translations.

Bishop Joseph Strickland of Tyler, Texas, alluded to the concerns on translation in a social media post.

“There are questions about some translations in other languages. We must ensure that all translations are accurate & honor Mary, Queen of Heaven,” he wrote on Twitter on March 24.

Tornielli also offered details about some of the other Marian titles and devotions from different parts of the world. 

One line in the consecration refers to Mary as the “living fountain of hope” and asks her to “water the dryness of our hearts.” According to Tornielli, this is taken from a quotation from St. Bernard of Clairvaux’s prayer, “Virgin Mother, Daughter of your Son,” found in the last canticle (XXXIII) of Dante Alighieri’s Divine Comedy.

The consecration prayer references Mary, Undoer of Knots, a Marian devotion close to Pope Francis’ heart.

It also directly quotes Our Lady of Guadalupe’s words to St. Juan Diego: “Am I not here, I who am your Mother?” (Read more.)

 

Entire Act of Consecration, in every language, HERE.

UPDATE: From Bishop Athanasius Schneider:

In the Act of Consecration of Russia and Ukraine to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, the expression “terra del Cielo” [from the Italian original] has been translated into the Romance languages (Portuguese, Spanish, French) in the same way. In German, it has been translated: “Du Irdische im Himmel” (i.e., You are the earthly one in Heaven). In many Slavonic languages, and in Russian, it has been translated: “heavenly earth”; in Slovak: “earth from heaven”; and in Polish: “earth of heaven.” And as you note, in English it has been translated “Queen of Heaven,” when a more accurate rendering would be “Heaven’s earth” or, more literally, “earth of Heaven.”

While there is an evident discrepancy in the translations, the expression “heaven’s earth” [terra del Cielo] is not it itself heretical or Pagan. One should not immediately see in this expression a parallel to Pachamama but interpret it in an objective, benevolent, and Catholic way, which is possible. There are traditional Catholic Marian poems and songs with quite similar expressions like “Mary is the heavenly garden” or the “garden of Heaven.” Let us consider how the expression accords with Sacred Scripture, the Fathers, and the Liturgy:

Sacred Scripture

The expression “earth of heaven” or “heaven’s earth” can be interpreted in a manner consistent with Sacred Scripture. It can have the meaning of “new earth” used in 2 Peter 3:13 and Revelation 21:1-2 and is consistent with the Old Testament prophecy that we see fulfilled in Mary: “Let the earth open, that salvation may sprout forth” (Isaiah 45:8).

Church Fathers and Doctors

We also find similar expressions in the Church Fathers. St. Ephrem the Syrian wrote: “The virgin earth of old gave birth to the Adam who is lord of the earth, but today another virgin has given birth to the Adam who is Lord of heaven” (Hymns on Nativity, 1:16). Here, virginity is compared to earth; the “virgin soil” chosen by God to bring forth the first Adam is a type of Mary, the virgin earth who gave birth to Jesus Christ, the second Adam. Later, St. John Chrysostom would say:

The word Eden signifies virgin land. Now such was that region in which God planted paradise. … Now this virgin (earth) is a type of the Virgin. For as that land, without having received any seed, blossomed forth for us paradise; so too Mary, without having conceived of man, blossomed forth for us Christ (De mutatione nominum, 2, 3-4).

Likewise, St. John Damascene said: “The gates of paradise open and receive the God-bearing earth, on which Christ, the tree of eternal life originated” (Homily 3 on the Dormition of St. Mary). And in an eleventh century hymn composed by St. Peter Damian in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the saint exclaims “Es et terra cœlestis,” i.e., “and you are the heavenly earth” (Rhythmus de S. Maria virgine).

Byzantine Liturgy

According to an article published on March 23, 2022, in the Vatican newspaper, The Osservatore Romano, the expression “terra del Cielo” is “taken from a Byzantine-Slavic monastic hymn, and poetically signifies the union of heaven and earth that we can contemplate in Mary, who is also assumed into Heaven with her body.” The Byzantine liturgy does, in fact, contain expressions similar to “Heaven’s earth.” Of Mary it is said: “I am the untilled earth” (Byzantine Liturgy, Octoechos [Book of Hymns], voice 8, Sunday, hymn 6), meaning, “I am the heavenly earth”, “the virginal earth,” the “paradisiac earth.” And elsewhere she is praised as “Blessed earth, blessed Bride of God, earth untilled and saving the world” (Canon for Holy Communion, Ode 1, Theotokos). (Read more.)

 

UPDATE: Okay, people can stop sending me links to Dr. Marshall's "Terra del cielo" lecture. I am content with Bishop Schneider's explanation, not that I doubted the Holy Father's choice of words. For that matter, I could mention any number of titles which we use for Jesus and Mary that were also designations of pagan deities, including "Queen of Heaven," "Morning Star" and " King of kings." Some people choose despair and darkness, and there seems to be no way to help them.

 

The entire Consecration ceremony on March 25, 2022, Solemnity of the Annunciation, at St. Peter's Basilica can be seen here: