In the apocryphal book of Baruch, which is considered to be inspired scripture by the Catholic Church, we find a very interesting description of the pagan practices of the Babylonians, who at the time held the Jews in captivity. While not considered a book of the Bible by Protestants, there is no reason to doubt the accuracy of this historical account of Babylonian idolatry in the 6th chapter of Baruch. The following scripture quotations are taken from the Catholic Douay Rheims Bible:

	Crowned silver statue of Our Lady of Bon-Secours carried in procession in Tournai, Belgium.
Baruch 6:3 But now, you shall see in Babylon gods of gold, and of silver, and of stone, and of wood borne upon the shoulders, causing fear to the Gentiles. Baruch 6:4 Beware therefore that you imitate not the doings of others, and be afraid, and the fear of them should seize upon you. It is worth noting that Israel, by God's instructions, carried the Ark of the Covenant in procession, which contained the Ten Commandments of God written on tables of stone by God's own finger, which prohibited graven images in very clear terms. In ironic contrast and bold apostasy, idols are similarly carried in procession and venerated by Catholics, in open and direct contradiction to God's explicit commandment law.
	Photo by Frédéric Denonne © 1996

The above photo of a crowned silver statue of Mary being carried in procession is from the Great Procession of Tournai, Belgium, an event which occurs every September to honor the Virgin Mary for her allegedly saving the city from the plague during the Middle Ages. The statue shown is just one of many that are displayed and carried in procession for the event.

May Crowning of Mary Statues and Processions

The month of May is specially devoted by the Catholic Church to the crowning of statues of Mary (perhaps most commonly with flowers), and processions in honor and adoration of the "Queen of Heaven". Below a statue of Mary, crowned with flowers, is knelt before by the priests and congregation, bowing in prayer.

Images © 2001 by EWTN

Baruch 6:5 But when you see the multitude behind, and before, adoring them, say you in your hearts: Thou oughtest to be adored, O Lord.

May Crowning Processions.
May crowning gives Mary honor she deserves?
May, Mary's Month, Marian Coronation.
2001 MAY PROCESSION AND MAY CROWNING.

The May Crowning Festival has pagan origins!

May Day

in medieval and modern Europe, day (May 1) for traditional springtime celebrations, probably originating in pre-Christian agricultural rituals. Though local usage varied widely, these celebrations commonly included the carrying in procession of trees, green branches, or garlands; the appointment of a May king and May queen; and the setting up of a May tree or Maypole. Originally such rites were intended to ensure fertility to the crops, and by extension to cattle and human beings, but in most cases this significance was gradually lost, and the practices survived merely as popular festivities.

Source: Encyclopedia Britannica Online entry on May Day.

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Crowned statue of Mary in the Notre Dame du Cap, Cap-de-la-Madeleine, Quebec, Canada.
	Baruch 6:6 For my angel is with you: And I myself will demand an account of your souls. Baruch 6:7 For their tongue that is polished by the craftsman, and themselves laid over with gold and silver, are false things, and they cannot speak. Baruch 6:8 And as if it were for a maiden that loveth to go gay: so do they take gold and make them up. Baruch 6:9 Their gods have golden crowns upon their heads; whereof the priests secretly convey away from them gold, and silver, and bestow it on themselves.
From the book "Miraculous Images of Our Lady", by Joan Carroll Cruz -Copyright © 1993, TAN Books and Publishers, INC., Rockford, Illinois 61105.

Baruch 6:10 Yea and they give thereof to prostitutes, and they dress out harlots: and again when they receive it of the harlots, they adorn their gods.
Baruch 6:11 And these gods cannot defend themselves from the rust, and the moth.
Baruch 6:12 But when they have covered them with a purple garment, they wipe their face because of the dust of the house, which is very much among them.

Statue of Peter photo from "Rome in Colour" copyright by Casa Editrice Lozzi, Rome, 00165 - Via della Lungara, 5.	Our Lady of Guadalupe photo from "Miraculous Images of Our Lady", by Joan Carroll Cruz -Copyright © 1993, TAN Books and Publishers, INC., Rockford, Illinois 61105.
Crowned and dressed statue of Peter in St. Peter's Basilica, the Vatican.	Crowned and dressed statue of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Caceres, Spain.

At left is a candlelight service with a crowned statue of Mary being carried in procession in Fatima, Portugal. Virtually everyone in the crowd is holding a candle. Baruch 6:18 They light candles to them, and in great number, of which they cannot see one: but they are like beams in the house. Baruch 6:25 And having not the use of feet they are carried upon shoulders, declaring to men how vile they are. Be they confounded also that worship them.

From the "Be Not Afraid" series of videos, Copyright ©1993, Apostolate for Family Consecration

Our Lady of Fatima at Christus Rex.

Also, please visit this page at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, Washington D.C., which has a nice photo of Mary, Mother of Mankind. In particular, please note the candles at the feet of the statue.

This is the crowned statue of Our Lady of Zapopan, said to be the second most venerated image in Mexico after Our Lady of Guadalupe. On October 12th, 1999, Catholic World News reported about two and a half million Catholics accompanied the statue in procession, a tradition that began in the year 1735. The 13-inch statue, the patroness of Guadalajara, is said to be dressed in crimson (a reddish purple) with a blue mantle, and is believed to have miraculous powers of protection against storms and plagues.

Baruch 6:35 They cannot deliver a man from death nor save the weak from the mighty.
Baruch 6:36 They cannot restore the blind man to his sight: nor deliver a man from distress.
Baruch 6:37 They shall not pity the widow, nor do good to the fatherless.
Baruch 6:38 Their gods, of wood, and of stone, and of gold, and of silver, are like the stones that are hewn out of the mountains: and they that worship them shall be confounded.

Baruch 6:71 By the purple also and the scarlet which are motheaten upon them, you shall know that they are not gods. And they themselves at last are consumed, and shall be a reproach in the country.
Baruch 6:72 Better therefore is the just man that hath no idols: for he shall be far from reproach.

So, according to the 6th Chapter of Baruch, the ancient pagan Babylonians crowned their statues with crowns of gold or silver, carried them in procession on their shoulders, dressed them with regal clothing, and lit great numbers of candles to these statues of gold, silver, stone and wood. Modern Babylon, the Roman Catholic Church, does exactly and precisely the same to honor its statues of Mary, Jesus and what it calls Saints.

Rev 18:2 And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.
Rev 18:3 For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.
Rev 18:4 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.
Rev 18:5 For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.

Rev 9:20 And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk:

Note: the 6th chapter of Baruch may sometimes be set apart as a separate book titled the Letter of Jeremiah, in Bibles that include the apocrypha. The Revised Standard Version is an example.