Our Lady of the Prairies

The provincial shrine of Our Lady of the Prairies, located in Holy Spirit Church, depicts Mary as a fellow prairie pilgrim. Sculptured in bonded bronze in Florence, Italy, Mary holds a sheaf of wheat as a mother lovingly and gently holds her child. The wheat, a symbol of Christ, the Bread of Life, is also an essential part of prairie life. Mary walks on the slanted pedestal, protected by her mantle cloak from the prairie winds as she moves with and protects her people on the pilgrimage of faith.

The backdrop mural by Ronald Millard illustrates in wood relief carvings and paintings the eight Marian shrines in Saskatchewan where diocesan pilgrimages are held annually: Our  Lady of Lourdes, St. Laurent, Diocese of Prince Albert; Holy Rosary Church, Reward, Diocese of Saskatoon; Mount Carmel, Diocese of Saskatoon; Our Lady of Sorrows, Blummenfeld and Ponteix, Archdiocese of Regina; Our Lady of Lourdes, Rama and Kronau, and Mary, Queen of Our Hearts Church, Lestock, Archdiocese of Regina. The Ukrainian Catholic Church (Eparchy of Saskatoon) is depicted in the mural by our Lady of Sorrows Shrine, Cudworth, and by a niche in the mural wall featuring a Marian icon.