Legion Founder Frank Duff wrote in the Legion Handbook: "The Acies is the great central annual function of the Legion, so that it is necessary to stress the importance of attendance on the part of every member. The essential ideal of the Legion, upon which all else is built, is that of working in union with and in dependence on Mary, its Queen. The Acies is the solemn expression of that union and dependence, the renewal - individual and collective - of the legionary declaration of fealty. Hence it is manifest that any legionaries who can attend, and yet fail to do so, have little or none of the spirit of the Legion in them. The membership of such persons is not an asset to the Legion."
ACIES* is a Latin word that the Roman Legion applied to an army ranged in battle array; appropriate to a ceremony in which the legionaries as a body assemble to renew their fealty to Mary, Queen of the Legion, and from her to receive strength and blessing for yet another year's battle with the forces of evil. We also recall the army allegory in our weekly meetings in prayer; "Who is she that comes forth as the morning rising, terrible as an army set in battle array?"
*Literally, line. Pronounced AH-chess
On September 7,2021, the 100th anniversary of the founding of The Legion of Mary, Legionairies from the Praesidiae of Ogdensburg and Watertown marked the occasion by celebrating the annual Acies Ceremony at Holy Family Church in Watertown
Members of Ogdensburg's OUR LADY OF PERPETUAL HELP Praesidium were joined by Rev. Matt Conger, Parochial Vicar at Holy Family parish. LR: Bryant Sandburg, Ellen Mallette, Deacon Bill O'Brien, Fr. Conger, Margie Randall, Mary Wood, Dan Washburn. Absent from photo: Jane Rishe & Angie Morley.
OUR LADY OF PERPETUAL HELP Praesidium gathered on March 25 for its annual ACIES celebration.