The Ark of the Covenant

Wow, what a thought that Mary, the Blessed Mother is the New Ark of the Covenant.  It's actually not a new thought.  The Bible spoke of Mary as the Ark in the Book of Revelation.  (Chapter 12) 

There is a fabulous Monstrance in St. Stanislaus Kostka Parish in Chicago, Illinois which honors that title of Mary.  It's the largest Monstrance in the world.

Photo: 2008 dimitre.com             http://thedivinemercy.org

**  A Monstrance is that holy piece of equipment which holds the consecrated host during Adoration.  Usually it is formed like a sun with the Host being the center part of it.

This monstrance is actually an Icon too.  It is titled "Our Lay of the Sign - 

Ark of Mercy," and was carved from linden wood then gilded.  It is nine feet tall and weighs 700 pounds. It  was unveiled and blessed by Cardinal Francis George, on May 31, 2008, on the Feast of the Visitation.

The idea of this iconic monstrance was conceived nine years before it was completed!

Look at the woman placed upon a replica of the Old Testament's Ark of the Covenant.  It is Mary. She is dressed in red as is the tradition of the Eastern Orthodox tradition.  The red symbolizes her suffering with Christ. 

The big circle in her heart is actually the place the consecrated host - Jesus - goes.  (Remember that part of the monstrance is called the luna.  Luna means moon in Spanish.)

Why do we call Mary the Ark of the Covenant?   Actually she is the Ark of the New Covenant;  Here's a quick reasoning on why: 

The Old Testament Ark Contained the Commandments, Manna, & Aaron’s Rod
New Ark Contained Christ Our Lord: Logos, Bread of Life, King/Priest
 
The Old Testament Ark was said to contain three things: the stone tablets of the Ten Commandments carved by the finger of God, the priestly rod of Moses’ brother Aaron, and the heavenly manna that sustained Israel in post-Egyptian wandering.
While the old Ark is acacia wood wrapped in gold, the New Ark of the Covenant is the Immaculate Woman Mary. Since being overshadowed by the Holy Spirit, her womb became the dwelling place of God on Earth until the birth of Christ. As the New Testament is a perfection and fulfillment of the Old, so too is Christ’s Incarnation in the Virgin Mary a perfection of the Old Ark of the Covenant. The contents of the New Ark perfect the contents of the Old Ark insofar as Christ the Lord takes upon himself the roles of the former objects: Word of God, Bread of Life, & Eternal Priest."
http://www.stpeterslist.com/2022/4-biblical-reasons-mary-is-the-new-ark-of-the-covenant/