Turning to Exodus chapter 20, verses 4 and 5, in his own Bible (Catholic Douay Version) each Catholic will find these explicit words of God: “Thou shalt not make to thyself a graven thing, nor the likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or in the earth beneath, nor of those things that are in the waters under the earth. Thou shalt not adore them, nor serve them: I am the Lord thy God, mighty, jealous, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children.”

Certainly Luxembourg’s “Holy Lady” is a graven thing, and it is adored and served with pomp and fervor as though it were a divine being. How does anyone, be he priest or bishop, ruler or subject, have the right to set aside and violate the plain command of God? Can he expect to go unpunished?

But there is more to consider. At Jeremiah chapter 10, verses 3 to 5, in the Douay Version Bible, these words can be found: “For the laws of the people are vain: for the works of the hand of the workman hath cut a tree out of the forest with an axe. He hath decked it with silver and gold: he hath put it together with nails and hammers, that it may not fall asunder. They are framed after the likeness of a palm tree [here the Catholic Aschaffenburger-Bibel says, “they are like a scarecrow in a cucumber field”], and shall not speak: they must be carried to be removed, because they cannot go. Therefore fear them not, for they can neither do evil nor good.”

In the case of this figurine, the workman cut down a lime tree and carved out of it the “Lady of Luxembourg,” which cannot speak, nor can it do either good or evil. True, superstitious forefathers were led to believe that this lifeless image could perform miracles. But what of enlightened, educated people today? Is it proper to perpetuate such a belief that is entirely contrary to the inspired Word of God?

The teachings of God’s Son, Jesus Christ, are very clear in this respect. For example, note these words spoken by his apostle Paul: “Being therefore the offspring of God, we must not suppose the divinity to be like unto gold, or silver, or stone, the graving of art, and device of man.” (Acts of the Apostles, chapter 17, verse 29, Douay Version) And Jesus’ apostle John gave this clear warning: “Little children, keep yourselves from idols.”​—1 John 5:21, Douay.

No “Queen of Heaven”

What about the titles “Queen of Heaven” and “Mother of God” that have been applied to this figurine?

It is interesting to note the mention of ‘queen of heaven’ in the Holy Scriptures at Jeremiah 7:18. There the Bible shows that the “queen of heaven” was a false goddess, and Almighty God was angered when his people turned to such false worship. The Bible account says: “The children gather wood, and the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead the dough, to make cakes to the queen of heaven, and to offer libations to strange gods, and to provoke me to anger.” Should not people who claim to be “Christians” fear to provoke God to anger today with like pagan idolatry?

The title “Mother of God,” too, has long been connected with pagan worship. Not once is it mentioned in the Bible. Contrary to what many have been taught to believe, Jesus Christ gave no command to his followers that they should either adore or address their prayers to Mary, his earthly mother. Instead, Jesus plainly declared: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No man cometh to the Father, but by me. . . . Whatsoever you shall ask the Father in my name [not his mother’s name], that will I do: that the Father may be glorified in the Son.” (John 14:6, 13, Douay) And the apostle Paul speaks of no ‘mediatrix,’ but declares: “For there is one God, and one mediator of God and men, the man Christ Jesus.”​—1 Tim. 2:5, Douay.

It would be wise to act in harmony with these very pointed expressions of God’s Word: “The idols of the Gentiles [non-Jewish peoples] are silver and gold, the works of the hands of men. They have mouths and speak not: they have eyes and see not. They have ears and hear not: they have noses and smell not. They have hands and feel not: they have feet and walk not: neither shall they cry out through their throat. Let them that make them become like unto them: and all such as trust in them.”​—Ps. 113:4-8, Catholic Douay Version.

Certainly you do not want to become lifeless like a carved image that cannot speak, see, hear or walk. You do not wish to end up in the company of those graven things. God will soon put an end to all of them and all those that honor them. His Word very frankly says: “How puny, then, is man’s skill, how sorry a thing is the carver’s workmanship; after all his pains, only a lifeless counterfeit! Fond imaginations, fantastic figures, when the time comes for reckoning, they will be heard of no more.”​—Jer. 10:14, 15, Catholic Monsignor Knox translation.