Our Lady of Sion

https://www.roman-catholic-saints.com/our-lady-of-sion.html

November 17: Our Lady of Sion (Queen of the Jews) (1393)

The Abbot Orsini wrote: “Institution of confraternity of Our Lady of Sion, at Nancy, in Lorraine, in year 1393, by Ferri, of Lorraine, Count of Vaudemont.”

Sion, or Zion, is one of places in diocese of Toul where seed of Christianity first took root. 
The epitaph of a young Christian named Nicetius, who lived in 4th or 5th century, was found there, & it is recorded that a church dedicated to Our Lady was at center of a very large parish in Carolingian period. 

The Basilica of Our Lady of Sion is built on hill of Sion-Vaudemont in town of Saxon-Sion, in region of Saintois south of Nancy in department of Meurthe-et-Moselle.
It was built over ruins of a temple once dedicated to worship of a Roman goddess.

Bishop Gerard of Toul first built parish church of Sion in 10th century, & placed a statue of Blessed Virgin Mary behind altar. 
In year 1306 the 8th Earl of Vaudemont, Henry III, built present choir & placed a new statue there of Blessed Virgin nursing Infant Jesus.

In year 1396 Count Ferri of Lorraine & his wife founded, along with 36 lords of country, Brotherhood of Knights of Our Lady of Sion. 
There is a more recently founded organization bearing name Notre Dame de Sion, which is commonly abbreviated as NDS. 

It is also a Roman Catholic congregation, but was founded in 1843 by Alphonse Regensburg & his brother Theodore. 
Originally founded with intention of converting Jews to True Faith, congregations radically changed its orientation after Vatican II & no longer works to convert Jews. 

In 1741 nave of basilica was enlarged to accommodate crowds of pilgrims. 
The tower that rises over church was completed after proclamation of dogma of Immaculate Conception & is surmounted by a monumental statue of Virgin. 

The statue is 7 meters tall, dates from mid-19th century, weights 8 tons, & is composed of 5 parts bolted together. 
In 1873, September 10, by order of blessed Pius IX, statue was crowned.

One of chief pilgrimages of France, Notre Dame de Sion, at Saxe-Sion, is dedicated to Our Lady under above mentioned title. 
It dates from Episcopate of Saint Gerard, whose Madonna was broken during French Revolution. 
As if to demonstrate uselessness of this revolt against God & His saints, statue was replaced in 1802 by another statue of Blessed Virgin which is now also miraculous.