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"Historia Popular de la Virgen del
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Presbyter Alberto Santiago Miranda OUR LADY OF THE
VALLEY: Abridged Edition
The figure of the Holy Virgin Mary is venerated, under different advocations, all over the Latin American continent, and Our Lady of the Valley is one among the many denominations under which She is also known in Argentina. Father Alberto Santiago Miranda, a native of Catamarca, wrote Her story out of his deep devotion and a sound foundation of faith in Her intercession and miracles. Translating his work was considered a challenging commitment, especially for the nature of prospective recipients, so far away as cultural distance is concerned. Nevertheless, the aim was oriented at achieving the greatest possible correspondence, both referentially and pragmatically, so as to keep the ideas of the source language text. This is one of the reasons why many explanations, which would normally be under footnotes, were included within the text, just for the purpose of attaining immediateness of information. One of the problems faced consisted in deciding whether to keep the original words of the author or to make the necessary adjustments for the benefit of the new recipients. Though this was not the most orthodox solution, the second position was adopted. Moreover, the desirable objective was to produce an equivalent effect in spite of there being many cultural items to be explained. Thus, certain technicalities were adapted on the basis of componential analysis (e.g. the Virgin's shield, Her Upper Chapel, the Virgin's wardens, etc.) and a detailed terminological work. Non-shared concepts between cultures represented a hard task because complete meaning or significance whether of word, sentence or text can hardly ever be attained. This is clearly the case of institutional and cultural terms related to customs and ways of life at the time of the Spanish conquest in America, e.g. "encomienda", "encomendero", "merced", etc. Concerning Christian names referring to Biblical figures, i.e. names of saints in Biblical times and later, they remain translated as much as possible. Positions and institutions in the Roman Catholic Church were dealt with following the closest equivalents. As regards translation of poems included in this work, it must be remarked that languages vary according to the element which is the basis of its rhythm; therefore, figurative meaning and concrete images were reproduced following target language poetic form, that is, within the framework of traditional English rhyme. In the case of the Official Hymn to Our Lady of the Valley, phonetic versions of some terms were provided for ease of reference. The bibliography is presented according to the way it appears in the source language text, that is why some data regarding facts of publication are missing. Besides, some technical and semantical adjustments and adaptations on the work had necessarily to be made for the sake of clarity and preciseness as far as content is concerned. Methodologically, a communicative approach was followed, that is, at the reader's level of language and knowledge. The goal in mind aimed at trying to render the most appropriate contextual meaning of the original in such a way that both content and meaning can be readily acceptable and comprehensible to the readership. Besides, it must be remembered that in translation nothing is absolute; that is why every translation is always subjected to further improvements. I am deeply indebted to the Rector of the Sanctuary of Our Lady of the Valley of Catamarca, Father Julio Quiroga del Pino, who kindly, patiently, and generously helped me to clarify many concepts regarding content of the original text during long hours of intensive work. Professor Emilio Jorge Paolantonio also deserves my warmest thanks for the translation into English of the Official Hymn to Our Lady of the Valley as well as some stanzas from "Loores a la Virgen del Valle" ( In Praise of Our Lady of the Valley) by Juan Oscar Ponferrada. Finally, my thanks go to the authorities of the Faculty of Humanities of the National University of Catamarca who trusted on my work and that of my friend, the reviser, Ms. Blanca Balma. I would also like to thank all those who, with their criticism, suggestions, advice, interest and understanding have helped me to complete this work. Needless to say, I have only myself to blame for those inadequacies which may be present in the text. Catamarca, June 1999 Olga Gavrich
The present edition has been especially written as an answer to the great number of suggestions and requirements made by a lot of devotees of the Blessed Virgin under the consecration of Our Lady of the Valley. This work is an abridged version of the complete one entitled: "Our Lady of the Valley: Popular Story". The aforementioned requirements are considered quite valid and reasonable since this historical image is also venerated in Palestine, Lebanon, Croatia and many other European countries where English is spoken as a second language. It is known that the laity has played a leading role in the propagation of Her devotion. It was so, at the beginning, in 1672, and it is still so nowadays, in 1999. This period of almost 400 years has been so fruitful in the spreading of Her veneration that there has always been a lay devoted to publishing Her story. This situation sometimes rivalled with the clergy and even overpowered it, though this does not mean that the Church has not been concerned with this subject. Though this is an abridged version, it is important to include some quotations which belong to previously published editions. The journalist and Canon Msgr. Arturo Melo wrote in the first edition: "The remarkable features of this work are: historical objectivity, carefully selected documentary information, literary moderation, apostolic simplicity and sacerdotal piety. This work is aimed, above all, at keeping alive the fire of the devotion to the Blessed Virgen of the Valley". Another canon, who is one among the six Diocesans in Catamarca says: "As a Bishop of this Diocese of Catamarca, it is a great pleasure for me to accept and recommend this 2nd edition of the work "Our Lady of the Valley: Popular Story", in which the author's filial piety is perceived all over". In the Prologue to the 3rd edition, Presbyter Angel Custodio Oviedo remarks: "This work has been repeatedly accepted by thousands of readers within the province of Catamarca and beyond its boundaries.....because it spreads the light that guides pilgrims to Her Motherly heart" . The 4th edition was the result of the driving force of parishioners belonging to the parish church of Andalgalá (Catamarca). The Prologue was written by Mr. Luis Alberto Gianoglio, a teacher of History at the local high school, who remarks: "The sound biblioghraphy consulted, which is joined to the moral values of its author, is the basis of a literary edifice worked out with a smooth, clear and concise prose. The intelligent and critical reader becomes convinced that the courses of science can also lead us to God. We are invaded by the purifying halo of the truth that reveals us the story of the " Vírgen Morena"(She is so called because of Her dark complexion), which fills us with the peace which is only produced by truth and faith". Finally, in the Prologue to the documentary work published on the occasion of the Centenary of Her coronation, "Virgen del Valle - Centenario de su Coronación" ( Our Lady of the Valley-Centenary of Her Coronation, 1993 edition) Ms. María Elsa Gómez, a language teacher from the University of Catamarca, says: " Presbyter Miranda, a skilled writer in the handling of our language, follows the way of his predecessors (B. Orellana, S. Lafone Quevedo and A. Larrouy) in a mixture of styles, which are both plain and scientific". The above mentioned statements may be considered a Prologue to this abridged version of the work "Our Lady of the Valley: Popular Story", an Image which is closely related, in Her veneration, to the history of Catamarca. Andalgalá (Catamarca) Alberto S. Miranda
COMMENTS ON THE SPANISH EDITION The main objective of this edition , "Our Lady of the Valley: Popular Story", is to make it known even to people living in far off regions where Spanish is not spoken. It contains a great bulk of historical data, both of Our Lady of the Valley and of our province, Catamarca (Argentina). Thus, we consider it is worth pointing out some of the most important comments made on this publication: " An important work that spreads the knowledge and love to the Blessed Virgin Mary". Píus Laghi, Papal Nuncio to the Argentine Republic. " We happily celebrate the publication of "Our Lady of the Valley: Popular Story" and we are sure that Her devotees will also receive it with great joy" . Carlos Hanlon, canon lawyer, fourth bishop to the Diocese of Catamarca. " The author of the work "Our Lady of the Valley: Popular Story" is worthy of high praise; the work must also be highly recommended to Marian devotees so that they welcome it as it does deserve, zealously". Msgr. Miguel Angel Vergara. "Our Lady of the Valley: Popular Story" is a beautiful work in which correct style, adequate selection of lexis and the author's piety stand out. It is a work which reveals and develops the most important and best documented topics on our Mother's story". Friar Luis Córdoba. "The reading of the beautiful work "Our Lady of the Valley: Popular Story" made me become aware, once more, of the origin of my deep devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary as well as to the "Morena del Valle", and further advocations I had the pleasure to get acquainted with. This work allowed me to increase my knowledge of Her story" . Pedro Ignacio Galarza, writer. The author, the parish priest of Andalgalá, introduced me to the patron saint of Catamarca through his work "Our Lady of the Valley: Popular Story". I read it during a long stay in Andalgalá (Catamarca) and I consider he is a respected author who influences upon his readers not only for what he says but also for the way he lives..." J.B. Magaldi.
This work was first printed in April 1952 thanks to the determination of the then Bishop of Catamarca, Msgr. Carlos Hanlon, who entrusted the task to his private secretary at that time, Presbyter Alberto Miranda. The publication of "Our Lady of the Valley: Popular Story" resulted in the printing of 25.000 copies of 200 pages each volume. This first edition was printed in the City of Tucumán at the printing house "La Raza"; the publication was joyfully welcomed to such an extent that it was soon sold out. Unfortunately, it could not be reprinted due to social and economic problems of the time. It must be remarked that the costs of this first edition were completely paid by the Diocesan Bishop, Msgr. Carlos Hanlon. The next two editions were approved by Msgr. Alfonso Torres Farías. They came out in volumes of 248 and 272 pages respectively and were printed by Guadalupe Editions (Buenos Aires). The fourth edition, on which this simplified version is based , was authorized by the present Diocesan Bishop, Msgr. Esmer Osmar Miani. All editions were written on the basis of a careful and detailed research. In this book the author followed the precise indications given by the late Msgr. Carlos Hanlon. It is not addressed to scientific researchers or literary writers. It is addressed, above all, to the faithful devotees of the Blessed Virgin Mary so that they may have the blessing of keeping Her motherly image deep in their hearts throughout their lives. An impression that can enable them to bear in mind Her life, Her graces and Her kind generosity, in past and in present times. Therefore, it is addressed to those readers, who, besides seeking pleasure and spiritual guidance, may be interested in ecclesiastic and civic historical data. As regards structure, it is divided into three parts: PART ONE consists of 25 chapters. It contains concepts on Mariology and on the finding of the image. This discovery immediately made of the Virgin Mary the object of deep popular devotion which quickly went beyond provincial and national borders. This section also includes a great amount of data concerning the building of Her churches as well as the marvellous spreading of Her veneration. PART TWO consists of 15 chapters. It deals with the history of the coronation of Images of the Blessed Virgin Mary in different places of the world, both in Europe and Latin America. It must be stressed that this is a rigorously documented synthesis of a hundred years of history of the Coronation of the Blessed Virgin Mary (1891-1991) in which the corresponding celebrations of subsequent anniversaries are included: Silver Anniversary (1916), Golden Anniversary ( 1941), Diamond Anniversary (1966) and Centenary (1991). PART THREE contains 6 chapters. It is about the miracles --in their theological and biblical sense - which are credited to Her mediation before Her son, our Lord. Significant parts of The 1674 Report referring to those carefully documented prodigies are also included herein. APPENDICES. This section includes five supplemantary parts dealing with the life of the ecclesiastic hierarchies in Catamarca, at that time and at the present, the Official Hymn to Our Lady of the Valley, Her shield, Her Upper Chapel, situated high above and behind the High Altar, where the Virgin is especially venerated. It also refers to Her cathedral and the shrine made in the cave in which She was found.
PART ONE The subject of our discussion in the present chapter will be : Mary,
Virgin Mary and the outstanding differences between: prerogatives and
advocations, as well as appearances and findings of Her images.
This discussion is backed up by a long experience of 54 years of pastoral
activity.
MARY, VIRGIN. MOTHER OF THE REDEEMER According to the Bible, we can say that the Virgin Mary is the Mother of God, since "....when the fullness of the time was come , God sent forth his Son, made of a woman..." "...that we might receive the adoption of sons." (Galatians. IV, 4 and 5). This is the Voice of the Church in all ecumenical councils in the past and at present. This truth has already been taught by the Church in the Council of Ephesus ( 431A.D.), in Caledonia ( 451A.D.), and in the Council of Constantinople III (680 A.D.), which stated: "Jesus Christ descended from heaven for our sake and through the mediation of the Holy Ghost was incarnated in the Virgin Mary...". Now, the Vatican Council II (1962 - 1965) points out : " Indeed, the Virgin Mary who, upon the Angel's announcement, received the Word in Her soul and body and gave birth to Jesus, our LordHer body gave life for the world. She is acknowledged as the true Mother of God and of the Redeemer". The document we cite refers to Her 16 times as the Mother of God; numerous other passages mention Her as Mother of the Redeemer and Mother of Jesus, the Incarnated Word. The book of Christian doctrine teaches us : "The Holy Ghost carries out the kind intention of the Father. The Virgin conceives and gives birth to the Son of God through the mediation of the Holy Ghost. Her virginity turns into unique fecundity thanks to the power of faith and of the Holy Ghost ". (cf. Luke.C.4, 28-38; Romans, C.IV, 18-21; Galatians, C.IV,26-28).
Although it is true what Paul the Apostle says in his First Epistle to Timothy: "For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Jesus Christ;"..."Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time".( I, Timothy, II, 5 - 6), both the Church and the Bible teach us about the Divine Maternity. "Mary, in the economy of grace, will for ever be the Mother from the very moment she accepted the Announcement of the Angel......Her maternal love assists her Son's suffering bretheren who still wander about on earth until the day they will be led to the heavenly Motherland". Thus, She becomes our "Mediator", "Assistant", and "Helper" before Her son. These roles should not be understood as partly depriving the power of Christ, who is the unique mediator. Finally, it must be stressed that, for Catholics, it is a matter of faith that the images belonging to the Blessed Virgin Mary must be honoured with due veneration. This is clearly stated by the Niceo Council II and Ecumenical Council VII: "Likewise the precious and vivifying Figure of the Cross ....the image of Our Saviour, our Lord Jesus Christ, the image of the Immaculate Lady , our Mother of God, should also be venerated". Every Catholic knows perfectly well that all references made to the Virgin Mary are to the Mother of God and of men. From now onwards, our references to Her will be under the advocation of Our Lady of the Valley of Catamarca.
CHAPTER II MOTHER OF THE VALLEY The Blessed Virgin Mary is deeply venerated under Her different advocations of Our Lady of the Valley, MOTHER OF THE VALLEY of Catamarca. The whole population of the vast northwestern region of Argentina venerates this sacred Image with intense devotion. The Blessed Virgin Mary, under Her different advocations, was the protecting Mother of the legendary heroic warriors who conquered these lands. Mary, the Assistant Mother , also helped the corageous and enduring natives who defended their rights in the early times of the conquest. From the very beginning, the people of Catamarca have always called upon Her as Mother. In every feast celebrated in Her honour, She makes them feel she was and will for ever be the Mother. She was also the Mother in the early Christianizing times of this part of the world, both in the ecclesial and cultural aspects. This evangelizing movement was represented then by the self-sacrificing monks and priests who, with their hard and important work in the missions, contributed to the formation of what would become, in the course of time, great bishoprics and learning centres.The Virgin Mary, the Mother of the Valley, was the protecting Mother of the vast cotton plantations at the beginning of the XVII century as she is now of man's labour. Our Mother is the mediator who attained marvellous deeds through Her maternal intercession and has even become the source of poetic inspiration: "Lady of our land whose real wonder's The Virgin is glorified in two traditional celebrations, in April and in December. The December celebration was started in 1640, while the one in April was begun in the year of Her coronation, i.e. 1891. It must also be pointed out that more than a hundred festivities were celebrated up to the Centennial Anniversary of Her Coronation in 1991. Her Upper Chapel was first opened on May 5th, 1916 and it is the visiting place for her devotees all the year round. A similar situation has been observed in all Her churches since 1700, where all Her children come with the certainty that She is their protecting Mother. The same as in times past, when she was on the small shelf placed on the wall of the doorway of Don Manuel Salazar's house, Her devotees offer Her their filial love and devotion. While she, who is the Mother of Light, the Mother of Jesus, is the Mother of all who believe in Him and mediates before Her Son to protect Her children. As every loving Mother she understands suffering and pains as well as misfortunes. And no Mother as the Mother of the Valley can ease pain or provide comfort....for this is what She has been doing for almost four centuries.
CHAPTER III THE PROVINCE OF CATAMARCA The province of Catamarca is situated in the north-west of Argentina,
between 26º 30' and 29º 30'south latitude, and 65º 55' and 69º 28'west
longitude. It covers an area of 113.819 Sq.Km. of which 48% is
mountainous. It is bounded by the provinces of Tucumán, Santiago del
Estero, La Rioja and Córdoba, its western border being Chile, separated
by the Andean range. At present, a new pass joins our province to Chile
through the Andes. Catamarca, which etimologically means "a fortress
at the foot of the mountain", is considered the patrimony of Our Lady
of the Valley. It was only in 1778 that Catamarca was organized into a
province by royal charter. Catamarca separated from the area known as
"Antiguo Tucumán"( Old Tucumán), which included all the north
western provinces of the nation during the early jurisdictional
organization of our country. The separation from this region meant the
local autonomy for the province, this power was attained on August 25th,
1821.
It is the name of three localities in the province of Catamarca. Our reference in this case, is to the one situated in the vicinity of the capital of the province. "Choya" is a term derived from an aboriginal language, "cacán" meaning "clear", "clean". Cacán was the language spoken by the Diaguita indians, who were the early inhabitants of this region. By 1611, Pedro de Maidana, his family, his numerous relatives and Don Manuel de Salazar were the owners of these lands, which had been granted to them by royal charter. At the time, people cultivated the land widely and cotton plantations covered vast areas of the region. Religious services were held at a small parish church which was 55ft. long and 26ft. wide. Unfortunately, no traces exist now and historical records do not contain enough data for us to ascertain that the image of Our Lady of the Valley had ever been in this church. In 1684, the population was made up by around thirty families. The Choya of that time was inhabited by "encomenderos" (Subjects of the Spanish crown who were given grants to take possession of the land and to have indians to work for them), Spaniards and indians who were mostly Christians. Among the indian population the men were in charge of cultivating the land and taking care of cattle, horses, oxen and mules. Women and children (older than 12) were shepherds of goats and sheep, the former also worked skillfully with the loom, thus making wonderful knittings. They lived peacefully in an environment, which according to their belief, had been chosen by the Virgin Mary to show and provide them the gift of Her Image from a hidden cave of Her hillocks. This image would later be called Our Lady of the Valley.
The image was found in a cave by a Christian indian who was at the service of Don Manuel de Zalazar, a Spanish "encomendero"(cf. chapter III and IV). It was a cave situated at the lower spurs of the Ambato hill. This place was later (1700) called : "The Virgin's House". By 1730, it looked like a cave, but Don Antonio de la Vega reported, in 1760, that the cave had been hidden by a landslide. So much so, that by 1880, its real location was not clearly known. On December 18th, 1887, a commission which was presided by Don Segundo Moleas, was made up to prepare the celebrations of the 2nd centennial anniversary of the allegiance sworn by faithfuls to the Patronage of Our Lady of the Valley. A publication made on the subject in the newspaper "El Montañéz" called the attention of the members of that commission and they soon started investigating and gathering evidence as to the place known as "The Virgin's House". On January 31st, 1890, Mr.Segundo Molas, Mr. Odorico Esquiú, Mr.Félix Avellaneda and the priests, Fathers Simón Varela and Rodolfo Ahumada including the guide, Mr. Guillermo Villagra, followed the same route that Manuel de Salazar and the neighbours had taken a few days before, i.e. along a ravine known as "San Lorenzo", in Choya.. This path became an evidence which they made 'official'. They reported everything as it follows: "The guide said his name was Guillermo Villagra ..... a rather old worker, 85, ....that he was very familiar with this ravine .....and that the path we were following led to the cave,.......that he had heard the indian Juan Estéban Sánchez, nicknamed 'Totorita', saying the same thing. 'Totorita' knew all about the cave,...he had heard about it from another indian, Nolasco Cabrera, who had, in due turn, been acquainted with Salazar's indian when he was a child". Afterwards, they carried out an exhaustive search until they found the cave. Don Odorico Esquiú was the man who had the greatest knowledge on the subject, therefore, the commission requested him to write a report about it. Mr. Esquiú had made several visits to the place, before and after the 'offical' one made by Don Segundo Molas. Thus, he said : "The cave is at more or less 82ft. above the level of the small valley which could be considered as its base....." And he continued " As you may very well remember," addressing the president of the commission, " the small round pebbles of quartz, that looked like being original from the cave because of their weight and softness, showed some signals of tallow and burnt wax.....By late evening, on January 28th, it was reported that a lamp light had been found the day before,......the Ramírez family, nearby neighbours, also reported that the same day in the morning, María Solorzanos found another lamp light in the place . I myself, added Esquiú, found two, also María Isabel Albornoz , an eleven year old girl.......and Margarita Solorzano, 21" . Then, he concluded: "If this fact does not contribute to throw enough light to convince people of the identity of the historical cave, Salazar himself would not be given credit, even if he rose from his grave and claimed: "This is the cave where I enjoyed the blessedness of finding the image of Our Lady of the Valley and whence I took her to my home". This fact was testified by the witnesses' statements which were taken under oath in the 1764 Report.
CHAPTER VI Don Manuel de Salazar is one among the many outstanding figures of the time who was most closely linked to the history of our Lady of the Valley. Up to the year 1764, almost nobody knew about his Christian name and nationality. It was only then that his relatives, Don José de Salazar and Don Matías de Cuello y Salazar, attested that this man was called "Manuel"and that he was from Biscay, in Spain. This man, Don Manuel de Salazar, seems to have come to these lands, which were being conquered by the Spaniards, in a military expedition that set out from Spain in 1600. Its aim was to fight against the Araucan indians in Chile. By 1605, he moved out to the province of Tucumán in Argentina with Don Alonso de Rivera, where he gave up his military life and became a farmer, and, in the course of time, the Main Sacristan of the Image of Our Lady of the Valley. Salazar in Andalgalá (Catamarca): In 1607, he became the administrator of a group of indians belonging to the political jurisdiction of Guazán, nowadays called Huasán in the district of Andalgalá. According to a contract he signed on June 18th, 1610, he became responsible for those indians during two years. Salazar had a time limit of six months in which he had to have them build houses and a church where to indoctrinate them but he failed to do what was agreed in the contract and gave up his job five months later. Salazar, landholder in the Valley: Historical documents point out that Salazar owned lands "on the other side of the river", the current jurisdiction of Villa Dolores, San Isidro and Sumalao. At the same time, he administered Pedro de Maidana's possessions, another wealthy landholder, and he was also the commissioner of the whole district. His marriage to Doña Beatríz de Acuña increased his possessions. She was de Maidana's relative and her dowry consisted in a great extension of land which included water for irrigation, an important factor in this agrarian region. The matrimony had only a daughter, called Juana de "Aguila" (Eng. "eagle"), after a member of the family. Juana married Diego Salazar in 1633, and had two sons, José and Matías. Don Manuel was widely recognized for his moral values and scholarship throughout the "Colonia del Valle", which was inhabited by indians and Spaniards. He was a police inspector for the former and a judge for the latter. He was also the writer of minutes and chronicles. He dedicated the last years of his life to venerating the Blessed Virgin Mary in Her advocation of "Our Lady of the Valley". His deep devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary started when he brought the Image home and put it on a small shelf on one of the walls in the doorway of his house. He died in his possessions of the district of Valle Viejo between the years 1638 and 1640.
CHAPTER
VII Since this district, situated in the province of Catamarca, was the birthplace of the veneration to Our Lady of the Valley. The importance achieved by the area leads us to deal with it in a separate chapter. Jurisdictional Demarcation: The lands making up the current jurisdiction known as Las Chacras include the districts of Fray Mamerto Esquiú and Valle Viejo. The area has a right-angled shape looking north west of the capital city. It begins on the other side of the river del Valle, whose waters irrigate the arable soil surrounding the area. The image of the Blessd Virgin Mary was first venerated in Valle Viejo, though veneration was formerly devoted to the Immaculate Conception. It was only after 1645 that the people from the area started venerating Our Lady of the Valley, in an atmosphere of deep Christian spirituality. By 1601, Don Pedro Mercado y Peñaloza granted Luis de Medina, part of the current area known as Las Chacras. In 1608, Pedro de Maidana bought more lands situated in the district of Valle Viejo, which he later on expanded by buying further properties from the indians. Documents dated in 1600 refer to settlers as already cultivating these lands by 1592, mention is also made to small farms and cotton plantations existing in the region. The workers were indians, among whom we can mention : Don Juan, who was the chief of the tribe; Rodrigo Ichanti, Miguel Machinca, Andrés Pemano, Martín Aloa, Juan Sanca and Alonso Sevalí who had already been converted to Christianity. By the year 1607 the village had developed to such an extent that they had even built a flour mill. Valle Viejo showed a striking contrast with the neighbouring villages which were weather beaten and constantly attacked by indians. Valle Viejo was a progressing village thanks to the protection of the "Mother of the Valley"
Tradition and documentation indicate that it was an indian who discovered the Image later on called Our Lady of the Valley. He belonged to an "encomienda" which was under Manuel de Salazar's responsibility. This indian had already become a Christian and was one of those who were paid for their day's labour, i.e. an "anacona". Therefore, his survival completely depended upon working for the Biscayan settler. The governor of the Old Tucumán (it was the region comprising the provinces of Jujuy, Salta, Tucumán, Santiago del Estero and Catamarca, i.e.all the north west of the country), Don Juan Ramírez de Velazco, was the first Spaniard to be granted a "merced" (royal charter), on November 9th, 1591, for the possession of the lands currently occupied by the localities of Huaycama and Santa Cruz in the district of Valle Viejo. This royal charter became official on July 22nd, 1597. The First Act of the Indies Digest says: "Once peace has been made, the Adelantado ( title given to conquerors who received royal permission to exercise the control of the lands to be discovered in the new territories in the American continent), who plays the role of Governor and Peacemaker, shall distribute the indians among the rich landowners, so that each one becomes responsible for providing them food and shelter as well as teaching the Christian doctrine and administering the sacraments. Encomiendas The common statement when handing over a group of indians to a Spaniard was: "These indians are entrusted to you, teach them the principles of our Christian faith," that is why the human group was called "encomienda" (derived from the Spanish verb "encomendar", to entrust) . This name later on included the surrounding lands inhabited by the indian community which were looked after by Spaniards who came to be known as "encomenderos". The "encomiendas " of this colony were "mercedes" handed over for two generations. This situation lasted until 1611 when it was decided that the aborigenes should pay the Spaniards a tribute. The tenth part of the entrusted indians worked the land for the "encomendero". "Mitayas" was the name given to those who worked in small farms and had to support themselves while "Anaconas" were those indians who were in permanent service and were fed by their master, the "encomendero". Religious instruction was an obligation to be strictly fulfilled by the "encomendero". He also had to pay the indians for their day's work, such payment being made only to men from the ages of 18 to 50. The obligation of teaching religion brought about the building of churches. Thus, by 1600 we find churches in Pomangasta ( currently called "La Puerta", in the district of Ambato) and the Choya parish church, which is situated in the neighbouring area in which the Virgin was found, i.e. the Cave. Curacy of the Valley : At that time, the valley was already inhabited by a considerable number of indians and Spaniards. The growth and progress of the region led Bishop Fernando de Trejo y Sanabria, a remarkable benefactor of the region, to found the Curacy for the Valley, which had a vast ecclesial jurisdiction. It included the districts of Ambato, Paclín, Capayán, Valle Viejo, Fray Mamerto Esquiú and the capital city. Probably, the first parish priest was Presbyter Don Juan de Medina. The history of the Mother of Heaven and Her gentleness, Her prerogatives and advocations throughout Latin America, from the River Grande in Mexico to Tierra del Fuego in Argentina, is completely made up by people of humble origin. No celebraties are associated with Her appearances.
CHAPTER IX
Sound investigations show that between the years 1619 and 1620 an indian, who was at the service of Don Manuel de Salazar, was walking up the ravine of San Lorenzo while he was doing his shepherd work he suddenly heard some voices. It was late afternoon nevertheless he consinued his walk up the hill, then, he came across a small group of young indian girls. They were carrying some flowers and some small objects in their hands. He paid no further attention and went on looking for his animals, later on he lost sight of the girls. Some days later, his curiosity took him further away from his everyday routine. He was amazed at what he saw in the daylight. * It was a well-worn path, with signals of having been treaded on very frequently by human beings. * The path led to an open space which seemed to have been made on purpose. It looked as if bonfires had been burnt and probably ritual dances had taken place. This scenery arose his curiosity so he started searching all over the area. Then, he discovered something like the entrance to a big cave. It was some feet above the level of the path he was following. He climbed quickly to what looked like a cave, which it really was. He became shocked at what he saw. There was an Image of the Blessed Virgin Mary.....very small but beautiful......She had a dark complexion and She held Her hands together. He watched Her enrapted wondering how She had arrived there. Later on, he left the place with respectful care, and went on with his everyday work while he continued pondering over the question. No doubt, his indian brothers had already been there, they visited Her and celebrated Her with bonfires, flowers and lights. After a time, the indian revealed his finding to Manuel de Salazar. The happy indian told his master every detail about he what he had watched including the bonfires and the dances in front of the Image. Salazar became really worried when he listened to him. His mind was immediately blurred by the ominous shadow of Satanic idolatry as practised and proved in Latin America since its discovery in 1492. Fr. Fernando de Trejo y Sanabria had been bishop and missioner in the Old Tucumán from 1596 to 1650 and during that period no conversions to Christianity among the Diaguita Indians (tribe which inhabited the region) were recorded Pedro Sotelo y Narváez wrote between 1533 and 1635: "These indians are not truly Christians, they are pagans and apostates.They are deeply deceived by Satan; besides, no doctrine is accepted beyond their pagan beliefs". In the period between 1618 and 1628 a Jesuit missioner reported: "Our religious work in these lands is valueless and useless, they are inhabited by wild races as far as spiritual life is concerned. Indians are as ready to accept Catholic faith as to give it up without any reason.....they fight against faith as fierce wild animals, who, in my own view, are the worst human beings I have ever come across ". A parallel situation was observed in Mexico, as it is pointed out by the scientific historian Schalaman in his work "Tierra de Volcanes" (Land of Volcanoes): "The indians withstood, passively, the preaching of the Gospel in their communities ..... It was only after the appearance of the Virgin to Juan Diego that massive conversions started and real Christianizing began". Though the finding of the Image of Our Lady of the Valley took place some time later, we can state that Salazar was right when he was so deeply concerned about the indians idolizing the image.
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X Salazar did not distrust the indian's revelation but he did fear the Image of the Mother of God would become an object of idolatry. Therefore, he decided to make sure by himself of the indian's finding. So, by late evening, he went to the cave with the indian, he expected to find people engaged in revelry. But he did not see anything abnormal. As soon as he saw the Image he was sure it was the Image of the Queen of Heaven, the Sovereign, in Her advocation and prerogative of the "Immaculate Conception". Consequently, he decided to take it home. Meanwhile, all the "choyanos" (the natives from Choya), who had gathered in the place, were in silent expectancy. The news that the Image would be taken away, had spread like wild fire. The Image was small and simple, like their lives; so, they wanted to protect and defend it as their treasure, they wanted the Image to stay there. That is why, they would not allow anybody to take it just like that. They had no weapons, and even if they had had any they would not have used them in front of that cave which was so full of spiritual significance for them. The indians grieved over the loss of their Image because it represented a source of spiritual comfort for them. However, they saw their Image being taken away from the cave, which up to then had been a mysterious attraction. It held them happily together in their hard zeal as farm workers and shepherds and in every way of their community life. The Image kept them away from getting drunk with "chicha" ( an alcoholic drink made from the fermentation of corn, it looks like a beer) and from suffering the devastating consequences brought about by alcohol.
CHAPTER XI No authentically valid documentation exists reporting the history of the Image besides what is known by word of mouth. Every historian, even the most reputed like Fr. Antonio Larrouy and the scientist and linguist Samuel Lafone y Quevedo always state that whenever they discuss the subject of the origin of the Image, they are based on suppositions. As far as I am concerned, I have been studying this subject for more than fifty years. Up to the present (1998), the only conclusions I can arrive at are the following: :"There are no precise data as far as its origin or about how it arrived at Her cave in Choya...This is by itself a true prodigy" The historians Fr. Ramón R.Olmos and Mauricio Herrera wrote in 1941: "A lot has been written about the material of which the Image is made of...However, this does not explain the simple fact of Her finding.....Nothing is known about this....that is why we say that this defines Her first and great prodigy......" Fr. Larrouy was one of the first great historians who did extensive research on the history of Catamarca and that of Our Lady of the Valley. He was, undoubtedly, the most respected among all those who wrote about the subject; nevertheless, he based his discussions on suppositions. Thus, he said: "It is possible but very unlikely that the Image might have belonged to an indian from Choya. It was a relatively valuable piece for any of them to have bought it. It could not have been stolen since neither uprisings nor pillagings had occurred until then. Choya had a parish church, the only one in that environment. The church might have had an image of the Virgin, small and simple, and so was the figure of our Lady of the Valley that was found among the indians from Choya. Therefore, it can easily be concluded that it might be the same as the one in the Choya church......." But this historian remarks: "This is above all a hypothesis, nevertheless, I believe, though I cannot testify, that the figure of our Lady of the Valley comes from the original Parish Church of Choya". Larrouy's statements arose the poet's feelings which led him to say: ............................................................................... "Who might have brought Her? What blissful hand ..........................................................
Concerning the origin of crowned Images of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Latin America, I can find similarities between the finding of Our Lady of Andacollo, in Chile and Our Lady of the Valley, in Choya, Catamarca. Chilean tradition states that one of Pedro de Valdivia's soldiers, Juan Bohn, carried an image of the Virgin Mary with him. Don P. de Valdivia, a Spanish conqueror, founded the city of La Serena ( Chile) in 1544, while he was crossing through the Atacama region. It was then that Bohn decided to leave the Image there. Five years later, the rebellious Araucanians (an indian tribe inhabiting Chile) destroyed the town and the surviving Spaniards took shelter and hid in the mountains near the Coquimbo river. In the meantime, they hid the Image in the rugged surroundings of Andacollo. It was there that a converted indian discovered it. She is now called Our Lady of Andacollo. A similar event happened a century later with the discovery of the Image of Our Lady of the Valley on this side of the Andean range. It must be agreed that, in our story, it is an Image of the Mother of Our Lord Jesus; whatever its origin may be, what is most important is what happened next. We believe there is something supernatural, considering that it brought about conversions, resurrections and miraculous facts through Her mediation before Her son, facts which are above natural laws. As a result, we can state that it must be accepted as something having an undeniable importance. CHAPTER XII THE IMAGE The only valid existing documentation concerning the Image of the Mother of the Valley is mainly based on a thorough examination made of the Image of Our Lady of the Valley and dated in 1983. The conclusions stated that: "It is a carved figure. The face and hands are made of polychromed wood, and the body of XVI century glued cloth . It is placed on a quadrangular base which has three simple molded steps. The first two, starting from the bottom, show rests of red clay while the third one is gilded, with indistinct traces of paint. There is a blurred golden inscription on the front which says: "N.S.AC.". The polychromatic face has a natural flesh-like dark tint, the eyes and eyebrows are painted, the hands, also flesh-like tinted, are carved in an exaggerated size, following the usual style at the time. The body is covered with a yellow glued-cloth puckered dress with patterns of "fleur de lis" in scarlet red, and a wide renaiscence-style belt. It has a large blue cloak over the dress which is gold-star patterned, its lining is vermillion with gold adornments. The cloak is held by a gilded diadem carved in wood". This historical report adds : "The dress looks as if it had been retouched from the waist down likewise the inside of the cloak. The glued cloth has very small holes, probably produced by insects",........."All the Image has been repeatedly repainted after its making......the original base has another circular one probably attached to it later on". The bishopric of Catamarca received and accepted this document and gave it an official character for the history of the Image. Besides, the historian Father Antonio Larrouy, tells us that the image had a flesh-like appearance, the same as the one described in the document. Its height is 1.37ft. from head to foot, without including its base. Larrouy also remarks what he had seen of the Image : "....the hands are not properly close together, but joined on their brims in such a way that they make up a sort of hollowness that gives them an appearance of solidness....but the fingers are carefully molded....the face is too angular...it lacks the contours made by artists......the cheeks are slightly pink, which when seen from a close distance appear less dark. However, She is above all "La Morenita" (this is a term of endearment referring to Her dark complexion), as the people lovingly call Our Lady of the Valley." This is the way in which the Image of the Lady of the Valley is described by the arts, science and researchers, who are very conclusive on a reality which cannot be invalidated by further publications of a different nature on the subject. Finally, we must add that the Image is not very heavy, as it has been occasionally published, its weight is about 10 lb., including the richly embroidered dress.
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XIII The Mother of Jesus, the Redeemer, seemed to show Her maternity - in the Image of Our Lady of the Valley - in a mysterious way, both to Spaniards and to Her humble indians. The natives filialy paid homage to Her at Salazar's home.....numerous neighbours and colonizers also rivalled among themselves to venerate Her.........And the indians probably needed Her most.....especially where they used to have Her before......(the cave in the mountain) She also wants to protect them and this maternal disposition is proclaimed to all Her children, according to declarants in the 1764 Report. This maternal protection can be considered as one of Her first prodigies of Her history. One day, at dawn, and before leaving to his everyday tasks, Don Manuel de Salazar went piously to the shelf on which he had the Image but it was not there........without worrying much he said to himself: "Beatrice,....she may probably know about it." Unfortunately, his wife knew nothing about what had happened to the Image. She was sure it was there the night before when she put some flowers for the Image on the shelf. Consequently, the atmosphere in the Biscayan's home soon became uneasy, they were full of suppositions, doubt and mistrust......Who would have taken it from its shelf?.....Would the Image be in its cave...? The indian seemed to love it deeply. Distrusting the indian, Salazar pressed him with numerous questions on the Virgin's whereabouts. But the indian was also greatly amazed, he became terrified when he understood that the little image was not on the shelf and that nobody knew about it. He said again and again that he knew nothing about it. Salazar perceived he was telling the truth because he could see it through all the indian's gestures and tone of voice. The humble aborigene was completely distressed and sobbingly repeated: "Mother 'Achachita'(beautiful mother) isn't here, is she? So, Salazar understood the indian was honest, he knew nothing about the Image. And if anybody might have taken the Image somewhere else, he was the only person who could know about it. The people at home and the nearest neighbours soon learnt what had happened. In the meantime, Don Manuel continued pondering over different possibilities on the basis of a number of hypotheses...."Wouldn't she be in Her cave again? He asked himself again and again. Finally, he decided to go to the cave and see by himself. She was there, the same as on the happy day in which the indian showed Her to him. But now, there were neither flowers nor candles, nor human traces which indicated that someone might have been there. Salazar took Her home again and on the way he talked to the Image and caressed it tenderly. He placed it again on the shelf and kept a watchful eye day and night In spite of Salazar's concern and that of his family, the Image "ran away" many times, therefore, he had to go to the cave in Choya again and again "To catch the fugitive", he said. He went together with many devotees who considered the Virgin's disappearances as a true prodigy.
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XIV The supernatural characteristics of the Virgin's repeated disappearances from Salazar's home arose generalized attention since the fact started being considered as one having the features of a prodigy. It spread as such even to far off regions. Another supernatural event was the fire put out in Salazar's home by the mere presence of the Image when brought to the place. This occurrence arose a sounder devotion to the little Image, especially from those who knew Her from earlier times.Veneration was also deepened by the new pilgrims who started coming to see her by the thousands. It was like the dawn of a true Marian veneration which grew in the site known as "Las Chacras" (a farming area near the capital city). It was a veneration nourished with piety and filial enthusiasm. The gatherings of the Marian devotees increased in number day by day, as well as the visits and prayers to the little Image. The entrance hall in Salazar's home was no longer suitable for religious purposes. First Church: The local devotees and a great number of neighbouring pilgrims felt the need of having an adequate place for their meetings and prayers, so they decided to build a church dedicated to the sacred Image. Mr. Juan Cisternas, 90, a witness who testified under oath for the 1764 Report, said: "After having seen Her make so many prodigies, they built Her a church, which by old tradition was situated where the present (1764) walls of the main church are built, that is, to the west and within short distance of the river del Valle. It is known that this first church was small and it was built with the contribution made by Spaniards and indians, which consisted in money, building materials and manual labour. The main contributors to the building of the first church in honour of the Blessed Virgin Mary - Our Lady of the Valley since 1645 - were wealthy families, such as the Maidanas and Rodríguez Beltrán, the well-known Manuel de Salazar, Mateo de Acuña, Baltazar de Orellana, the Pérez de Hoyo brothers, Francisco de Salamanca, Francisco Díaz, Gregorio Varela, Francisco Narváez and Juan Domínguez. Even though we have no documentary evidence, we are certain that some ecclesiastical authority might have given the consent for the building of this first church. Besides, parishioners might also have been probably entrusted to some priests so that they could have spiritual guidance and comfort.
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XV Once the small parish church was finished, the population looked at the
building, which arose over the humble and shanty dwellings of the
surroundings, full of spiritual expectations. It was as the "first
sanctuary" in honour of the Blessed Virgin Mary. According to oral
and written tradition, the authorities and the population, indians and
Spaniards, brotherly joined to take the venerated Image solemnly, on a
portable platform, to Her new church. There are no documents pointing out
the precise date of this joyful religious event in the colony of the
Valley. It can only be stated that it might have taken place between 1638
and 1640. This is so since the most credited historians said that the
Blessed Image was already publicly venerated in that church by 1648. From
1640 onwards, the devotion to the Sacred Image had already spread to many
regions. A document written by Father Pedro Grenón, a historian, says
that the Governor of La Nueva Rioja, Don Bernardo Ordoñez de Villaquirán
carried out a novena on May 1st, 1640, "on the occasion of the
opening of Her first parish church ".
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XVI Father Antonio Larrouy is the only historian who mentions, among his many publications, some data concerning the history of the colonization of the Valley (1688) and that of the building of the first Main Church in honour of Our Lady of the Valley (1670). Colonization of the valley had already started when Don Pedro Bazán Ramírez de Velazco was ordered, in 1688, by the royal tribunal of Charcas (Peru) to found a village in this area. No definite name was given to it, but in the course of time it became known as "Las Chacras"(term derived from old Quechua: farms). Later on it was known as "Población del Valle" ( Population of the Valley). The layout of the village followed the Spanish style, in squares with blocks, houses and a plaza. The New Church. The prodigies made by God through the mediation of the Mother of the Valley brought about a continously increasing number of pilgrims to venerate the Image. This situation led Bishop Melchor Maldonado de Saavedra to make arrangements for the building of a new and bigger church which was begun in 1670. Some time later, the work was personally supervised by the Mayor of the Valley, Don Bartolomé Ramírez de Sandoval. The new building rose within a short distance from the previous one and it was located no less than 100ft. away from the Maidanas' wide irrigation ditch. Its main entrance faced the west while its two side doors looked on to the south, it also included an area for a cemetery of the poorest. Unfortunately, the names of the architects and bricklayers who participated in the construction are not recorded, except the names of those who embelished the inside of the church, the brothers Lázaro and Blas Gómez de Ledesma. They were from the province of Jujuy and relatives to the Pérez de Hoyos family. All the works in gold and further refinements were made by a hired specialist, Lieutenant Miguel Grande de Yodar, who charged $250.00 pesos for the job. The amount was very high for the neighbours to pay since the funds were very scarce; therefore, Father Juan de Aquino had to sell a church bell to the parish priest from the "Sierra de Machigasta" (District of El Alto) in order to get some more money; the funds were also increased by further collections from the neighbours. It is also known that Don Luis Pérez de Hoyos made generous donations for the building of the church. He was a Spaniard and Don Luis de Maidana's son in law, who was an "encomendero" of the region of Choya. Another member of that large family, Doña María de Hoyos, also contributed greatly. The only existing documentation about this enterprise dates back to 1671, in which Don Luis de Hoyos says:" I've been an administrator of this sanctuary for several years and not only I have contributed with many objects but also the neighbours, upon my own requirement" Then, Don Luis refers to the new sanctuary by saying: "I myself made the necessary arrangements for the church to be built where it is now. The area, which included the church and its cemetery, was bought with the money collected from offerings. Besides, I also paid 280 pesos, which were raised among 190 devotees. It was Captain Bartolomé de Sandoval the one who built that church". Thus, the Mother of the Valley's devoted children built Her second church, which was to become, in the course of time, the first Main Church. Their funds were very scarce, so, the enterprise meant great effort and sacrifice. It must be remarked that generosity and sacrifice are prevailing features in numerous curacies of the capital of the province and in the countryside.
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XVII The denomination of "city", given to villages founded at the time, is widely criticized by contemporary scholars. Nowadays, the name "city" designates populations in terms of their number of inhabitants. But, in colonial times, the word "city" mainly meant "Capital of a Jurisdiction", from the very first day of its foundation, even before houses had been built. The city existed from the moment the founder came and stated that he founded it, this was previous to actual settlement. The boundaries of the new jurisdiction were established at the same time the founder founded a new province and stated its capital. The "Scroll of paper" or "the Tree of Justice" was placed in the middle of what would later become the plaza, and it was only then that settlement of the "city"could begin. The "tree" was an unworked log which was buried in the ground; it was the symbol of the city jurisdiction and the place where criminals were to be executed, a punishment which could only be carried out in the capital cities. The Curacy of Londres. By 1630, there were already four cities in the vast region of the Old Tucumán. Their boundaries, with their respective jurisdictions, were recognized by the Valley of Catamarca. They were the cities of: Santiago del Estero, San Miguel de Tucumán, Todos los Santos de la Nueva Rioja and San Juan Bautista de la Rivera de Londres. Santiago del Estero was founded in 1553 by Francisco de Aguirre on the banks of the Dulce river. Diego de Villarroel founded San Miguel de Tucumán in 1565 while Viceroy Juan Domingo de Velazco founded Todos los Santos de la Nueva Rioja in 1591. The foundation of San Juan Bautista de la Rivera de Londres can be traced back to 1601. Bishop Fernando de Trejo y Sanabria founded the Curacy of Londres in the same year. Its ecclesiastical jurisdiction comprised 70.000 Sq.Km and it included the present districts of Santa María, Belén, Andalgalá, Pomán and Tinogasta. The city of San Juan de la Rivera de Londres did not progress while the area known as "Las Chacras" grew rapidly, probably because the little Image of Our Lady of the Valley had been taken there. So, in the course of time, the "city" known as San Juan Bautista de la Rivera de Londres, which had been born among many difficulties in the present district of Pomán, gradually disappeared .
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XVIII Upon the request made by neighbours inhabiting the region known as Población del Valle, the Council of Indies issued a royal charter creating the province of Catamarca on August 16th, 1679, but the news was known in these regions only in 1681.Two years later, in 1683 and between June 21st or 22nd, the new city, called San Fernando del Valle de Catamarca, was founded. The great number of formalities that had to be complied with and the lack of agreement about the proper place for the foundation of the new capital city brought about a major hold-up. The site was considered the "ideal capital" though its seat had not been definitely determined. It really became a city the same year, on July 5th, when the Scroll or the Tree of Justice was fixed, and its size established. Jurisdictionally, the province of Catamarca was then constituted in the following way: two foothills were taken from the hills situated in the east, the area also included all the north of the Valley which previously belonged to the province of Tucumán; the southern area started in the El Tala river and extended as far as the district known as Chumbicha, which belonged to the province of La Rioja. This province was given in exchange the villages of Machigasta, Aimogasta and Valle Vicioso. The newly born territory also comprised the old jurisdiction of Londres. Our emphasis on civil and historical data could be questioned since we are telling the story of the Virgin Mary under the advocation of "Our Lady of the Valley". But each story is a complement of the other and the history of Catamarca can not be explained without referring to the story of the Virgin Mary and vice versa. Since this is a research work and not a confessional book, we are mainly concerned with the story of an Image and its veneration as related to the history of a vast region in the Argentine north. Our interest in the subject of the creation of the Province of Catamarca, which we could properly call "Province of Our Lady of the Valley", is widely justified, because, from the very beginning, the history of the province runs parallel to the story of this marvellous Image. That is why the real foundation of the capital of San Fernando del Valle de Catamarca is closely linked to the Image of Our Lady of the Valley.
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XIX Though the capital of the Province of Catamarca was officially founded
in 1683, it was definitely settled by February 1684 when Fernando de
Mendoza y Mate de Luna, the founder, decided on the precise place and the
distribution of water from El Tala river among the colonizers.
Unfortunately, the city did not develop as it was expected, so he himself
ordered its moving to a new place together with its authorities and
population. Bartolomé de Castro, a high-ranked officer of the army and
one of the main founders, devoted all his attention and efforts to the
building of the new church, which took a certain time to be finished.
In the course of 1688, Our Lady of the Valley was declared Patroness of
the province of Catamarca. To that end, a ceremony was carried out for Her
faithfuls to swear their allegiance to Her as Patron saint of our
province. The event took place in several steps: firstly, in the parochial
order, secondly in an interparochial order and finally in the
interdiocesan order.
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XXI Concerning the subject of the Virgin's Confraternity, nowadays called Archconfraternity of Our Lady of the Valley, Msgr. Samuel Toranzos Ramírez says in his work "Reseña Histórica" (Historical Review): "The true veneration to the Blessed Image started on the very first day of its discovery. It all appears as if this Image had been bound to become the cornerstone of the would-be city and of the province of Catamarca, something which, in the long run, became true. This is clearly shown by the great number of new settlers who came attracted by Her maternal graces". In relation to the foundation of the Confraternity, Msgr.Toranzo Ramírez says: "The resolution creating the Confraternity of the Immaculate Conception was issued in 1645 by the Bishop of the Old Tucumán, Friar Melchor Maldonado de Saavedra, and countersigned by his secretary and amanuensis, Presbyter Andrés Cano de Fuentes. The aim of the regulations of that Confraternity was to provide the greatest spiritual comfort and guidance to devotees". It is also known that the most distinguished members, both from the spiritual and intellectual levels, together with the civil authorities were devotely assembled in that Marian institution. The confraternity was led by a commission made up by parish priests, a Virgin's warden (the person who was in charge of the whole organization of the Virgin's feasts), representatives from the government and an Elder Brother. The confraternity was in charge of the administration of the Image's possessions. According to a disposition issued by Bishop Melchor Maldonado de Saavedra, the Virgin's Warden was to be elected every year, at the end of the procession, during the December feast. The signal which called the members of the Immaculate Conception's Confraternity was the ringing of the main bell of the Sanctuary. The Parish Priest, Don Luis de Medina, was quoted as recollecting that the participants were greatly interested in being elected Warden, so much so, that they even quarrelled for the position. Finally, these elections were eliminated and the parish priest decided to choose two Main Wardens. They would be accompanied by several assistants. The feasts were superb, organizers competed among themselves and with their predecessors in solemnity and splendour, and fireworks generally constituted the closing stage of the procession. Some time after 1872, it was decided that the celebrations would last nine days, a disposition which is respected nowadays. After the creation of the Diocese of Catamarca, in 1909, the starting date of the festival was set ahead so that it would finish on the same day of the dogmatic definition, i.e. December 8th. Since then, the "December Festival" start on November 29th with the solemn celebration of "The Descent" (it is so called because the Virgin is brought down from the altar situated in Her Upper Chapel and carried on the shoulders of the Bishop to the nave of the cathedral where she will stay during the nine days' celebration).
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XXII The Blessed Virgin Mary in Her advocation as Our Lady of the Valley is
highly honoured during two main celebrations which take place in the
months of April and December every year; thus, these commemorations are
called December and April festivals.
CHAPTER
XXIII It is called "The Descent" because, since 1916, it means the removal of the Image of Our Lady of the Valley from the throne in Her Upper Chapel, and Her placing in a special one in the nave of the Basilican Cathedral. The ceremony is conducted by the Diocesan Bishop or his substitute. The Virgin remains in this throne in the nave of the Basilican Cathedral during the December and April festivals. Many years ago, this solemn ceremony, which started the celebrations, was begun immediately after the church bells were tolled three times announcing the event. The Diocesan Bishop and his Vicar-general together with the Canons of the Cathedral headed in procession for Our Lady's Upper Chapel. It was then that the priest performing as master of ceremonies took the Image away from its shrine and handed it to the Diocesan Bishop. After that, the slow procession started its way down the stairs towards the nave of the Cathedral where they placed the Image in a special throne prepared for the occasion. The ecclesial authorities held long thick candles in their hands and wore their purple vestments and a black cap adorned with a violet tassel. Numerous priests as well as Presbyters were accompanied in the ceremony by a large number of seminarists standing all along the steps of the stairs leading out of the Upper Chapel, who were students of philosophy and theology at the Northern Main Seminary in Catamarca, and a similar number of seminarists belonging to the Council Seminary. They all looked nicely dressed in their black cassoks with wide blue belts. This ritual was repeated both for the novena in December and for the octave in April. The ceremonial act not only included prayers but also the singing of the Loretian litanies and the Official Hymn to Our Lady of the Valley all the way from the Upper Chapel to the new throne. The crowd of devotees who could not enter the cathedral were in the street and in the plaza in front of the Basilica. They took part in the ceremony by waving their handkerchiefs joyously likewise those who were inside the sacred building. Nowadays, there has been a change in the ceremony of the Virgin's Descent. This is due to the fact that the escort, which have been noticeably reduced in number because of the disappearance of the Northern Main Seminary, wait in the wide sacristy and from there they keep company to the sacred Image on Her way towards the throne in the nave. This ceremony is followed by a great number of visitors and faithfuls who remain as numerous as always.
CHAPTER
XXIV Documents dated in 1700 give evidence that the structure of those first churches was completely unstable. It is known that soon after the building of the first Main Church was finished it gradually started falling down by sections, to such an extent that only the sacristy was left. Upon these conditions, Our Lady of the Valley was placed in a retable but veneration to the Image and religious celebrations were very limited due to deficiencies in the building. An inventory made in 1738 lists the following items: "A retable in the High Altar, with its pillars, and painted in colours. A niche painted in gold holds the statue of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception (now Lady of the Valley).There is also a wooden cross with a painted crucifix on its base which is placed against the shrine of Our Lady. The Image of Our glorious Father, St. Peter, is in its shrine above Our Lady's retable. The niche has a whitish curtain, and the image of St. Peter is dressed in a faded brown cloak with a crimson taffeta lining". The building of the second Main Chruch started in 1734 thanks to public contributions. The layout included a nave and two aisles, and its laborious construction lasted ten years. It was opened between October and December 1774 when the authorities, both ecclesial and civil, and the congregation took the Holy Image to the temple with "pious solemnity" . At that time, i.e. from 1650 onwards, lack of money did not allow people to buy adequate building material for this kind of construction. Besides, due to its dimension and purpose, it also required technical direction, which was impossible to afford. All these factors contributed to have unstable and dangerous constructions. Therefore, by the year 1754, the above mentioned church was very seriously damaged in its roof, just over the altar and in several other parts. In spite of these deficiencies, the second Main Church in honour of the marvellous Image of Our Lady of the Valley stood firm for more than one century. Then, all of a sudden, the building thunderously fell down on December 6th, 1862. It was Saturday, just after the end of the celebration of the so-called " Virgin's Mass". It produced great panic among those who were still in the church and in the surroundings. Fortunately, there were neither injured nor dead people. The collapse of the roof could have had very serious consequences, especially in the area reserved for women. The accident was not only caused by faults in the construction but also because works had been started in the surroundings in order to repair the building. Another reason was the beginning of the construction of the present Basilican Cathedral, a subject which will be dealt with in another section of this work.
CHAPTER
XXV The year 1979 witnessed "a sparkling explosion" of Catholic
devotion, of Eucharistic and Marian faith in the Patagonian region of the
country. It is undeniable that there are more people from Catamarca living
outside the province than within its borders. A great number of families
moved to the vast area close to the Gulf of San Jorge ( St. George) in the
provinces of Santa Cruz and Chubut. In fact, they were mainly attracted by
working positions offered in the rich oil wells located in Caleta Olivia
and in Río Gallegos (Santa Cruz). Marian faith soon grew in these cities
and it was warmly fed by ecclesial, episcopal and parochial sees. Bishop
Miguel Angel Alemán and the Parish Priest Father Jordán , both dead at
present, were at the head of this movement. Veneration to Our Lady of the
Valley led the Parish Priest Father Jordán to suggest the building of a
church in Her honour. His proposal produced such great enthusiasm that
devotees immediately started the project which was followed by encouraging
realizations. It was decided that the Image should be a faithful copy of
the one existing in the Sanctuary of the Valley. The preciseness of the
copy had also to include the peculiarities of the image found in the Cave
of Choya. Popular concern on the said event soon involved civil and
ecclesial authorities who started official arrangements to carry out their
project. The Diocesan Bishop of Río Gallegos (Santa Cruz), Msgr. Miguel
A. Alemán requested an audience from the Bishop in Catamarca, Msgr.
Alfonso Torres Farías on June 16th, 1979. This was immediately granted.
He came with the Mayor of Caleta Olivia and the under secretary of Tourism
of the city of Río Gallegos (Santa Cruz). The anniversary of the
foundation of Caleta Olivia was to be commemorated on November 17th, 1979.
They considered it was a good opportunity for the solemn enthronment of a
replica of the Image of Our Lady of the Valley, which was to be taken
there on official pilgrimage from Catamarca. The prevailing enthusiasm in
the south, on the occasion of the coming event, soon caught up people from
Catamarca. The Diocesan Bishop entrusted the replica of the Image to the
then Chief Secretary and to the late Bishop of Santiago del Estero, Msgr.
Gerardo Sueldo. The latter required the sculptor Mr. Virgilio Aválos to
do the work. He carved the image in wood taken from carob trees which grow
in the district of Pomán. Sister Hilda Antonia Facioli, a member of the
Ecclesial Brotherhood of St. Francis of Assisi, was in charge of
presenting the Image dressed and decorated as the authentic one. The Image
was even more embellished with the figure of a half moon made of silver
and placed on its base. This half moon was worked by the well-known
silversmith Mr.Manuel Díaz, a native of Catamarca. As a complement to
these preparations, radio messages were broadcast throughout the country
spreading the news of the long journey, from Catamarca to Caleta Olivia. A
journey which was to be undertaken by the sacred Image. The news also
included the place names of the stopping points of the Virgin's journey.
Msgr. Ronchino, from Río Gallegos, sent invitations to outstanding
members of the church such as Cardinals, Archbishops and Bishops and civil
authorities who had the their see in Buenos Aires, Mendoza y Catamarca.
The government of Catamarca passed a resolution supporting the Marian
event. "Catamarca, October 19th, 1979. CONSIDERING THAT, the
programme for this celebration achieves an outstanding importance because
of the initiative of the people from Catamarca living in that region, the
Sacred Image will be taken there with true religious devotion. - It is
propitious to express the approval of this Government for the homage paid
to the Sacred Image by the great number of catholic parishioners, a homage
which surpasses people's enthusiasm. - At the same time, it is necessary
to make it possible for government officials to attend the ceremony.
CORONATION OF THE IMAGE OF OUR LADY OF THE VALLEY
1891
CHAPTER
XXVI A thorough understanding of the story of the coronation of Our Holy Mother can only be achieved by taking into consideration the history of coronation of Images of the Blessed Virgin Mary in XVII century Europe. In 1630, the Marian Franciscan Friar, Gerónimo de Forli, gathered the people of the city of Parma (Italy) and pursuaded them to proclaim the Blessed Virgin Mary their Sovereign. Therefore, in due time, they swore to have her perpetuated as their Queen in a ceremony which was seen as a reaction against dissenting Catholics of the time. Afterwards, the local bishop and the Duke of Parma officially placed a gold crown on the head of the Blessed Virgin Mary and proclaimed Her SOVEREIGN OF PARMA. This was the first crowned image in Europe. Meanwhile, in the new world, in the lands peopled by the Calchaquí indians, the veneration to the Image of Our Lady of the Valley was spreading. The pious, moving ceremony of crowning Images of the Virgin Mary gained ground all over Italy in less than five years, to such an extent that it surpassed the limits of the country, and similar actions were performed in different regions of the world. This crowning 'movement' also extended to Hispanic America where the first image, "Our Lady of Hope", was crowned on February 24th, 1886, in the small Mexican indian town of Jacona. On July 3rd, 1638, Alejandro Sforza, Count of Borgognovo bequathed a considerable amount of money to the Vatican (St. Peter's Venerable Chapter) on condition that crowns for venerated images should be made of gold, especially for those which were to be proclaimed sovereigns. He also required the Vatican to take active part in the said ceremonies. Thus, the crowning of Images of the Blessed Virgin Mary became a ceremony officially performed by popes on the occasion of great Marian events. Pope Braschi, who ruled the church under the name of Pius VI ( 1775 - 1799 ), on his return from Vienna, crowned the Image of "Our Lady of Savona" with great splendour and solemnity. It was an expression of gratitude for his liberation from Napoleonic prisons, where he had been jailed. Pope Gregory XVI ( 1831 - 1846 ), a member of the Capellar family, also paid a similar homage to the ancient Image, which, according to tradition, was painted by St. Luke. At present, this Image is venerated in the Main Basilica in Rome. The glorious Roman Pope Pius IX ( 1846 - 1878 ) crowned two Images of the Virgin Mary : one of the Immaculate Conception in 1854, on the occasion of the proclamation of the Dogma stating that prerogative, and another one which is now venerated, at El Monte de la Guardia, in Bologna. Pope Pius IX also set the rules authorizing prelates to crown images on his behalf. In the course of time, the Vatican regulated the liturgical rituals to be performed in accordance with this celebration. The ceremony of the crowning of Our Lady of the Valley, on April 12th, 1891, was performed following these regulations.
CHAPTER
XXVII Despite the conciseness of this work we feel it is worth pointing out some relevant religious, political and cultural events taking place at the time of the coronation, both in Europe and in Argentina. At the time, Italy was ruled by King Humbert I (1878 - 1903 ) , Spain by Alfonso XIII ( 1886 - 1931 ) and Russia by Tzar Alexander III ( 1881- 1894). Pope Leo XIII, was in charge of the canopied throne from 1878 to 1903. On May 15th, 1891, he wrote his renowned encyclical letter "Rerum Novarum" (Of the New Things) on the occasion of the first celebration of Labour Day. In the meantime, Emile Zola (1840 - 1902 ) published in France "The Human Beast", which was one of the twenty novels written by this controversial author. In Argentina, the year 1890 was characterised by constant political commotion. The great ecclesial communities, ruled by Archbishop Federico Anéiros, were still deeply disturbed by the anticatholic campaign started by General Julio Argentino Roca, Eduardo Wilde and Domingo Sarmiento himself. They had brought atheistic ideas from France and were trying to influence their countrymen. Fortunately, these principles were strongly and brilliantly rebuked by Nicolás Avellaneda, Alejo Nevares, Emilio Lamarca, Tristán Achával Rodríguez and Rafael Igárzabal, all of them under the strong leadership of Juan Manuel Estrada. The Bishopric of the City of Salta, which was vacant, was administered by a native of the province of Salta, Msgr. Pablo Padilla y Bárcena, canon lawyer, while the province of Catamarca had a Diocesan Adminstrator as its representative in Salta and its Vicar-general was the distinguished Presbyter José Facundo Segura. Between 1888 - 1891 the province of Catamarca was subsequently ruled by governors: José Dulce and Gustavo Ferrary, and it was the latter the one who presided the coronation ceremony of the Image of Our Lady of the Valley. He died on November 20th, 1913. Coronation of the Image of Our Lady of Luján. On April 29th, 1886, the Archbishop from Buenos Aires, Mons. Federico Anéiros, canon lawyer, together with the suffragan bishops from San Juan, Córdoba, Paraná, Salta and the support of the Bishop from Montevideo (Uruguay ) Msgr. Inocencio María Yaregui, canon lawyer, requested Pope Lion XIII to crown the Image of Our Lady of Luján and to arrange for the festivities of the Patronage of the Virgin under that advocation. On October 1st of the same year, Rome gave an answer to their request: "We have blessed this crown and we commit you, Dear Brother, to crown the Image of the Virgin, the Mother of God". Consequently, the "Patronage" was granted to Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay on December 18th, 1886. Then, on Sunday, May 8th, 1887, the Archbishop of Buenos Aires, Msgr. Federico Anéiros, canon lawyer, crowned the Image of Our Lady of Luján "under the dome provided by the sky". The solemn celebration was attended by civil and ecclesial authorities, together with an impressive crowd. This coronation ceremony represented a sort of powerful antidote against the strong laicism which tended to prevail over all Argentine spirits.
CHAPTER
XXVIII On Sunday, December 18th, 1887, the Diocesan Administrator, Presbyter José Facundo Segura summoned a group of outstanding men and women from the community to make up a commission which would be in charge of all arrangements connected with the coronation. The commission was made up by Francisco Cubas, Segundo Molas, Felipe Avellaneda, Abel Terán, Ramón Gil Moreno, Luis Castaños, Horacio Correa and Miguel Soria. So, they all met in the vicarial see to discuss matters related to the coming event. Additional members were later called to join this comission as representative delegates of different districts of the province such as: the village of Saujil (District of Pomán), Vicar Facundo Segura; the capital city, Canon Lugones and Friar Orellana; Andalgalá, Priest Alberto Olmos, Samuel Lafone Quevedo and José Pío Cisneros; Belén, Presbyter Lino Hernández; Ancasti, Carlos J. Castillo, Moisés Soria and Cristóforo Ponferrada; Capayán, Mateo Herrera and Miguel Astudillo; Paclín, Manuel Rodríguez; El Alto, Luis Brandán; Piedra Blanca, Basilio de la Vega, Odorico Esquiú and Eufemio Maubecín; Santa Rosa, David Sierra; Santa María, Agustín Augier (jr.); Ambato, T. Delgado. The communication concerning the organization of the said comission was sent to the Chapter-vicar of the church council, Msgr. Padilla y Bárcena and it was signed by Mr. Cobarrubias Terán, secretary, on December 18th, 1888. The main aim of this comission was to make all necessary arrangements for the renewal of the oath of allegiance to the Patronage of Our Lady of the Valley. The closing lines of this communication stated: "The sound devotion to Our Lady of the Valley leads us to request that you petition our Blessed Father, the Pope, to pass a resolution authorising the solemn coronation of the sacred Image of Our Lady of the Valley". On January 3rd, 1889, the Chapter-vicar from the province of Salta answered: "You can count on my cooperation for the work you have started, you may be sure that I shall do whatever is within my own reach and that I shall make the necessary arrangements to have the Sovereign Pontiff give us the longing grace of the coronation". Two months later, this distinguished Marian prelate started to take the necessary steps to fulfil his promise. Consequently, he sent a long document to Rome containing the story of the petition for the coronation and the liturgy of the Mass dedicated to the sacred Image. He also requested it himself on behalf of the thousands of devote Catholics venerating Our Lady of the Valley. Another important historical fact is represented by the Commendatory Letters issued by the Chapter-vicar Msgr. Pablo Padilla, canon lawyer, on March 13th, 1889. In these letters, he commended the Franciscan Marian priest from Catamarca, Friar Bernardino Orellana, to take all papers to the Pope. These had been countersigned by the Vicar's secretary, a member from the clergy in Catamarca, Presbyter Román Nuñez de la Rosa, a Franciscan priest.
CHAPTER
XXIX Since this prominent Franciscan Friar played an outstanding role in all
negotiations concerning the coronation of the Image of the Mother of the
Valley, we consider worth including some data related to his biography.
Friar Bernardino Orellana was born in Catamarca, on October 13th, 1834; he
was raised in the Christian home of his parents, Don Raimundo Orellana and
Doña Marcelina Castillo. Friar Orellana was baptized Calixto in the
Basilican Cathedral of Our Lady of the Valley. Bernardino was the name he
took when he was ordained priest on November 8th, 1859, in the convent of
the Franciscan Order in Buenos Aires. Later on, in 1860, he became a
professor of Phiolosophy, Theology and Canon Law. Afterwards, on January
17th, 1863, he was appointed Guardian of the Convent in Catamarca. In
1870, he was promoted to General Inspector and then to the Chair of the
Chapter of the Order. On July 8th, 1872 he became Guardian of the convent
of the same Order in the province of Tucumán; then, on May 31st, 1884 he
was chosen Provincial, a position which he held until 1887. As we
mentioned before, between 1888 and 1891, he had been officially
commissioned by the Bishopric and the Franciscan Order to make all
arrangement to secure, from the Vatican, the resolution authorising the
Coronation, the Mass and special offices in honour of Our Lady of the
Valley of Catamarca.
CHAPTER XXX The present chapter is devoted to the whole document which granted the cononical coronation of the Image Our Lady of the Valley. "Eduardo Enrique Woward, by Divine mercy, Bishop of Túsculo, Cardinal of the Holy Roman Church and Prefect of the Sacred Congregation of the Reverend Church Administration, and we, the Chapter and Canons of the same Basilica: To the Most Excellent and Most Reverend, Msgr. Pablo Padilla, canon lawyer, Canon Doctor of the Cathedral Church of the province of Salta and governor of the same Diocese under vacant see, Chapter Vicar, health in Christ, the only and true health. Friar Bernardino Orellana, former Minister Provincial of the Minor Regular Observants, on your Excellency's behalf, explained before this College that in Catamarca, a diocese belonging to the bishopric of Salta, there exists an Image of the Blessed Virgin Mary under the advocation of the Valley (del Valle). This Image has already been exposed to public veneration and it is most renowned not only because of its ancientness but also because of its frequent miracles and the large number of local devotees and pilgrims who come from very far off regions to venerate Her. Taking all these facts into consideration, he begged us earnestly to honour that Image with a gold crown. Therefore, we, who have the right and the honour to crown sacred Images of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, who is most celebrated by Her devotees' pious veneration and the fame of divine prodigies, are convinced of the truth by the historic documents ( kept in the library of our Basilica) showing that the Image meets all the necessary requirements for its coronation. We have decided, on a meeting held on October 13th of the present year, to accept this petition with pleasure because it is in accordance with religion and piety. This is considered a favourable and agreeable good work to enhance the glory of God all-mighty, who bestowed graces and privileges upon the Virgin Mary and Mother of His only-begotten Son. It is also pleasant to see the veneration to the gold-crowned Mother being spread in the Image of the Virgin Mary, who was blessed among all women by the Holy Spirit, under the advocation of the Valley, the patron saint of Catamarca. Thus, in order that this solemn coronation may be carried out, we hereby grant you, Most Excellent, Most Reverend Brother, the power to place the gold crown on the head of the said Image. We require that this coronation be performed in accordance to the specified rite, as stated by our Basilica, which has already been made known in a booklet entitled "ORDERS TO BE OBSERVED" , a copy of which is enclosed. In case you cannot perform this ceremony, we also grant you the power to appoint somebody holding an ecclesiastical rank to carry out the celebration, somebody, who, in his position and on our behalf may perform the stated rituals. As a documentary proof for the aforesaid, we have required these LETTERS to be issued and sealed with our Chapter Seal and have them dispatched to you by Our Undersigned Chancellor. Issued in Rome, in Our Chapter Room, on the twentieth of October of the year eighteen eighty nine , year of our Lord's Incarnation, Dominica XIX, after Pentecost on the eleventh Roman indiction, on the twelfth year of the papacy of Our Blessed Father in Christ, Our Master, Leo XIII, Pope by Divine Providence. A. Apini, secretary; Filiberto Pomponi, Chancellor.
As soon as the news about the pontifical decision granting the petition for the crowning of the Image of the Mother of the Valley was known, people bursted out into intense joyousness. This touching emotion was described by the Franciscan scholar Friar Luis Córdoba as: "The long expected news produced such a deep outburst of jubilation that this feeling prevailed in the people's spirit for a long time, and it was also the dominating subject of conversation as well as a topic for priests' everyday preaching. I remember that when I was a child I usually heard my elders talk about this long expected coronation of the Virgin with such an enthusiasm that it seemed to fill their spirits. They looked forward eagerly for the time of this coronation. And even we, the children, caught up by their joyousness, jumped happily without probably realizing what it meant". The crown had been made by a famous jeweller in France, in January 1890, and it arrived at Catamarca in September of the same year. It was brought by the Lourdist priests who came to manage the Seminar of Our Lady of the Valley. The crown was made with 68 diamonds, a lot of precious precious stones, and further pieces sent from Catamarca (6 ounces of gold, one "condor" , a gold coin used in Chile and Colombia; a gold ring and 8 gold coins). In commemoration of the event, 30.000 gold medals were coined and a large number of illustrations printed. In order to spread the news of this happy religious event all over the country, the Main Commission founded a magazine called ANALES DE LA VIRGEN DEL VALLE ( Annals of Our Lady of the Valley ). Its first issue appeared on July 15th, 1890 and continued to be published until July 1st, 1893 though with some interruptions. Unfortunately, the total number of issues only amounted to 10. We learnt from this magazine that all the neighbouring provinces had also made up procoronation commissions since the names of organizers from Salta, Tucumán, Jujuy and Santiago del Estero were mentioned in some publications. The arrival of the crown in Catamarca was the main reason for the preparations of the programme to be carried out on the occasion of the crowning. It was an event which had already achieved national characteristics. Communications and invitations sent to various dioceses of the country were answered immediately. Thus, Friar Francisco Machado, from the province of La Rioja; Mr. Juan A. Trejo from the province of Tucumán; Presbyter Max Oller, from the province of Jujuy and Friar Pedro Miranda, from the province of Santiago del Estero, assured their own active participation and that of their representatives in the great Marian festivity. By delving into different passages in the history of the sacred Image of Our Lady of the Valley, one constantly finds the kind presence of some Franciscan friars. This is because priests belonging to the order of St. Francis of Assisi have a deeply-grounded love for the Mother of God and of men. So, they permanently proclaim Her solemnly in Her prerogatives and numerous advocations. These facts enable us to understand why many neighbours from the provinces of Catamarca and Tucumán asked the Provincial of the Franciscan order, Friar Juan de Garay, to request the Bishop to hand over the sacred and miraculous Image of the Immaculate Conception of the Valley to the Franciscan priests. No favourable answer was ever received.
CHAPTER
XXXII The information contained in this chapter was taken from two works of my authorship "Madre Coronada" (1991) (Crowned Mother) and "Vírgen del Valle: Centenario de su Coronación"(1993) (Our Lady of the Valley: Centennial Anniversary of Her Coronation). In 1890, Msgr. Linares was temporarily substituting Msgr.Padilla at the Bishopric of the province of Salta. He was himself the Dean of the Cathedral Chapter and pro-Vicar of the Diocese of Salta. So, on May 11th of that year, he wrote to the Diocesan Administrator in Catamarca and said: " As you may very well know, dear Brother, our Sovereign Pope Leo XIII, under his supreme apostolic authority, has decided on the honours to be paid during the coronation of the sacred Image, which is venerated in its sanctuary in Catamarca, under the sweet advocation of Our Lady of the Valley. The grace given by His Holiness becomes an undeniable proof that God has chosen the Mother's Sanctuary as the centre of His great mercy and the throne of His Divine piety". As Msgr. Linares was wholly aware of the joyousness prevailing in Catamarca, he added: " In all fairness, the faithfuls' hearts have beaten in pure joy, and their enthusiasm has been sanctified when learning about this grace bestowed upon them by His Holiness". Then, he continued: "We have even further reasons to rejoice ourselves upon this great triumph of the Immaculate Conception. We can see, on this particular occasion, the light shed by God's breath over the mountainous ground of Catamarca, a light which is seen as spreading even beyond its borders to illuminate the whole population of the Argentina country. Devotion increases day by day thanks to the particular graces She grants, from Her Sanctuary, to the numerous pilgrims who visit it in spite of the summer heat and the difficulties of long journeys. It is amazing to see how people organize themselves for these pilgrimages dedicated to pay a thankful homage to the powerful Mother". Finally, the document stated: " We warmly wish to contribute to the greatest splendour of this festivity, which we consider must be really magnificent. Therefore, we feel we must suggest that you cooperate to the most for its realization. We request this appealing to your love for the Virgin Mary..... the Holy See has also granted numerous graces and indulgences to those who contributed to the organization of this magnificent event". The date for the coronation was finally fixed in a document signed by Msgr. Pablo Padilla y Bárcena and his secretary, Presbyter Román Nuñez de la Rosa, on October 2nd, 1890. This final step had been preceded by long discussions about general considerations and details on all the ceremonies concerning the Coronation of the Virgin. The document produced said: "By virtue of the authority which has been granted upon us, by the Papal Resolution, we are pondering over the most adequate time for this event so that it may attract the largest possible number of devotees. In order that our wishes may be fulfilled and that the celebration may achieve the splendour we long for to glorify God and the Blessed Virgin Mary, we have consulted some prominent and respectable people within and outside our Diocese. The opinions from members of the Main Commision, of our Cathedral Chapter and of the Diocesan Administrator in Catamarca have also been gathered. The latter is in charge of the works started to embellish the Virgin's Sanctuary. So, we have taken this decision on the basis of authoritative viewpoints and this is what we want to make known. ......As a result of the power granted upon us by the Vatican Chapter and the Holy See, we decide that the solemn ceremony of the coronation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, who is venerated in our Main Church and within our own jurisdiction, take place on the second Sunday after Easter next year, i.e. eighteen ninety-one. This must be done according to prescribed rituals for the case, and for ever be celebrated with the greatest solemnity on the anniversary of this glorious occasion". The closing paragraph of this document stated: " Let us give thanks to the Divine Providence for having chosen our Bishopric as the warden of one the Images of the Virgin Mary, which has deserved the honours of the Pontifical coronation ..... Be this document sent to our representative in Rome". The paper concluded by addressing the Diocesan Administrator of Catamarca and the members of the Main Commission: "We beg you to entrust Our Lord and Our Lady of the Valley with the protection of all those people who contributed to carry this Coronation through. Be this recommendation made known to all those who, in the future, may also contribute to the splendour of this ceremony.....Once this document is received, it shall be read out in all churches and chapels of our jurisdiction, during the High Mass on the first day of the Virgin's festivity. It shall also be sent to our representative in Rome so that he may request from the Holy See the indulgences normally granted on the day of this celebration. Issued in Jujuy, on the second of October, in the year eighteen ninety. (There appear two signatures) Msgr. Pablo Padilla y Bárcena, by order of His Holiness, and the Chapter Vicar, Friar Román Nuñez de la Rosa, secretary.
CHAPTER
XXXIII The present description of the ceremony of the Coronation of the Image of Our Lady of the Valley is based on the work written by the Lourdist Father, Luis Novoa, who used the rough copies made by Father Antonio Larrouy. We also include Mr. Segundo Molas's description of the event who was at that time the president of the Main Commission. "The magnificent ceremony of the Coronation had to be celebrated in a park situated about five blocks from the Main Church", Father L.Novoa said. It must be remarked that this park, located on the west side of the city, is nowadays called 'Paseo General Navarro'. "The park had a lake in the middle which was dry. So, we used the sand to make a sort of embankment measuring 65ft. long and 13ft. wide on the northern side of the park. A 16ft. high structure was built all along the embankment for the ceremony to be celebrated. It was a sort of gallery with columns supporting a wooden roof which was completely decorated with coloured narrow strips, numerous flags and the pontifical shield. Right in the middle of this gallery, a magnificent throne, which could be seen from all corners, was raised. The area in front of the throne, of about a block, both in length and width, had been cleared of shrubs for the public to be there. It was also wonderfully decorated with coloured strips and flags", Mr. Molas stated. "It must be remarked that a particularly great number of people attended the ceremony. The column of the procession was so long that its head had already reached the wooden platform raised for the celebration when the prelates had not yet left the Main Church; this meant a five-block column of people more or less", Father Novoa remarked.. The Pontifical Route. "The procession was opened by a band and it was followed by different groups of pilgrims who identified themselves by banners corresponding to their respective districts and provinces, such as: La Chacarita, Valle Viejo, Piedra Blanca, Paclín, Andalgalá, Tinogasta, Ancasti and the provinces of Santiago del Estero, La Rioja, Tucumán and Salta. Then, they were followed by members of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul and associations devoted to the poor's relief, the Apostolate of Prayer, the Third Franciscan Order, representatives from the press, Catholic Societies, Coronation Commissions, private and state primary schools, Maria's Daughters of the Diocese of the province of Salta, Carmelite's schools, Superiors and Guardians of convents, the cross of the Lourdist Fathers and of the Franciscans together with the processional crucifix. Then, the secular clergy, parish priests and diocesan administrators followed in the processional order together with provincials belonging to religious congregations, representatives of Ecclesiastic Chapters and General-Vicars from different churches of the country", Fr. Novoa said. "The crown was being taken by the Reverend Father Friar Rosa Quiroga, Provincial of the Franciscan Order, who represented the Definitor General, Friar Bernardino Orellana. Friar Quiroga was accompanied by some prelates wearing dalmatic vestments, and by the representatives of the provinces of Salta and Tucumán, Manuel C. Lobos and Julio Zavaleta. Then, came the Image. It was being carried by several priests and escorted by canons and bishops . The civil and military authorities went after the clergy", Father Novoa continued. "Soon after the Virgin left her Sanctuary she was greeted with fireworks, military marches, ringing of bells and songs. The Image was immediately covered with flowers tossed by the crowd. The procession went up the main street to the celebration place but on its way back, it took a different street which had been especially decorated for the occasion. There was a large number of flowers, flags and coloured ribbons hanging everywhere. Banners held across the streets could be read as saying: "To the Founder and Protector of Catamarca", "To the beautiful Lily of this Valley", "To the sublime defender of the Old Tucumán", "Dear Lady, save our youth from schooling without God". "The Blessed Image was placed on the altar under a roundish flag which covered it as a roof. Then, before the ceremony started, a wreath was placed at its feet by Maria's Daughters of the province of Salta". "The Apostolic delegate was standing in front of the altar, by the Gospels. He was aided by the Canons, Fathers Lugones and Ciccarelli. The bishops occupied the front seats according to their seniority, then came the clergy; Mr. José Dulce, the governor of the province and Don Gustavo Ferrary, governor elect were also sitting in the front row. The remaining outstanding members of the community took the front seats of the gallery, the men on the right- hand side and the women on the left, as it was customary at that time. The celebration was presided by the pontifical representative, Msgr.Federico Anéiros, while the sacred chair was held by Presbyter Gregorio Romero who said: "This precious crown is to be for ever seen by the people of Catamarca. It represents all the tears and the abated pains of the sufferers, as well as all the blessed homes. Oh, Lord, behold this crown which is the glory and the power of our coronated Queen, the most brilliant consecration of the prodigies and wonders bestowed upon us by the Queen of the Valley in the course of centuries". "Once the Pontifical Mass was over, the ceremony reached its climax when Friar Rosa Quiroga, preceded by the thuriferous, carried the valuable crown in his own hands. He was accompanied by Vicar José Facundo Segura, the patron of the ceremony, who was holding the traditionally thick candles for the ceremony. Then, Msgr.Pablo Padilla y Bárcena went up the steps leading to the throne where the Virgin had been placed. She was wearing a richly adorned dress made by a young girl called Corina Cobarrubias", the journalist stated. "The apostolic delegate reverently knelt in front of the Image and incensed Her three times. Silence was so extremely profound that it could be heard and even touched. Then, the moment of deepest solemnity came when the shaking hands of the bishop placed the gold and diamond crown on the head of the Image, as he pronounced the ritualistic words: "So likewise ye are crowned on earth by our hands, may we deserve to be crowned in the glory of heaven and honoured by our Lord, Jesus Christ". The crowd burst into tears and an unending acclamation with waving flags and banners followed. The bells rang a full peal, the bands broke out in triumphal marches, the cannonade was heard to fire 21 times, a flock of doves was released, and flower petals showered down from rooftops and balconies. It was an outburst of people's joyousness". Vicar José Facundo Segura's emotion: "The vicar was so extremely moved and his emotion was so intense at seeing his dreams come true that he shuddered", an eye-witness said. He wept unendingly and movingly, his tears ran along his old creased face without his being aware of them. It was a face worn out by years and beaten by the weather during his long pastoral mission. ......The kind Mother, the Mother of the Divine and Eternal Priest, Jesus, under her advocation of Our Lady of the Valley would, no doubt, accept these venerable tears with great pleasure, they were a gift from a priest son, they were tears which could be melted into the pearls of Her crown. The vicar was a consecrated man who, through the long years of his sacerdotal mission, had long watched over Her veneration. Vicar José Facundo Segura died on April 29th, 1891, seventeen days just after the coronation of the Virgin and after being ill in bed for only four days. Our Lady must have probably changed into golden roses his fifty one years of sacerdotal ministry and into white daisies his 77 years of age, as an expression of thanks to a true Christian wholly devoted to God.
CHAPTER
XXXIV Between May 7th and May 14th, 1916, the Silver Anniversary of the
coronation of the Image of Our Lady of the Valley was wonderfully
recalled. The Diocesan Bishop of Catamarca, Msgr. Bernabé Piedrabuena,
canon lawyer, presided the Marian celebration. On March 13th, 1916, the
ruling Pope, Benedict XV, joined the joyous Catamarca and numerous
Argentine communities by issuing his Apostolic Letters. The pope's
Apostolic Legate, Internuncio, Msgr. Aquiles Locatelli, came to Catamarca
together with Msgr. Pablo Padilla y Bárcena and numerous distinguished
prelates. A great number of pilgrims from the city of Buenos Aires also
came to the celebration. The pontifical ceremony was presided by the same
prelate who had been at its head twenty five years before, i. e. Msgr.
Anéiros. The same happened with the sacred chair which was held by the
then Bishop Msgr. Gregorio Romero, a young presbyter at the time of the
coronation. The Diocesan Bishop Msgr. Bernabé Piedrabuena issued a number
of Diocesan Letters, of which only the most relevant features are pointed
out: - On September 22nd, 1915, Msgr. Piedrabuena decided on the formation
of a commission which would be responsible for the "social and
popular celebrations". - Msgr. Rafael D'Amico, his Vicar, was
appointed honorary chairman of that commission together with Mr. Julio
Herrera and Mr. Sofanías Vergara, who held important positions in the
aforementioned commission". - The 25th anniversary of the coronation
as well as the 300th anniversary of the finding of the Image should be
properly commemorated. - A pastoral document was issued in order to
officially report the beginning of the celebrations and to invite the
people to join them with filial joyousness. - Msgr. Piedrabuena's Pastoral
Letter, issued on March 15th,1916, started with optimistic terms due to
the double celebration: civil and ecclesial. The former because of the
100th anniversary of our national political independence from Spain
(1816-1916), the latter because of the 25th anniversary of the canonical
coronation of the Image of Our Lady of the Valley. The homage was to be
paid both to the homeland and to the Mother of Heaven. - The benefits and
graces received from the crowned Mother as well as the promises made to
Her must be recalled on this occasion. - Mary, Virgin Mother, is the first
human throne of the Redeemer of the world. So, She is the best means to
know and reach the Redeemer of mankind. - This Virgin Mother, under Her
various prerogatives and advocations, was the most excelling preacher in
this part of the continent. - Being Our Lady of the Valley of Catamarca,
she was the heart and soul of the spirit and culture of the province, the
protector and the assistant of its civil organization. She represents an
imperishable glory in its long and fruitful history. Her miracles and
prodigies represent protection for Her cherished children of Catamarca and
for those of the rest of the country. - She is "what we can see with
our eyes, what we can touch with our hands and what we can hear with our
ears". This is the reason why she is so well-known, not only in
Catamarca but also in the provinces of La Rioja, Córdoba, Santiago del
Estero, Chaco and even in neighbouring countries as Bolivia. Her patronage
has been the glory of the Old Tucumán since 1688, and nowadays (1916),
she is even venerated in Rome. - The faithfuls of the Mother of the Valley
are advised to fight against the country's prevailing atheism and
disbelief, especially in this "Lenten time" and be prepared for
the coming Marian celebrations; this is the Mother's hope under the
immediateness of her children's demands. Prayers for our Pope, our
homeland, the Argentine Church, the Diocese of Catamarca and all the
Virgin's children are also required. Msgr. Piedrabuena's Marian prayer was
really a passionate invocation to our Shining Star of the Valley.
"Guiding light in the lives of her pilgriming children" is the
closing statement of this beautiful and long document. His choice of words
shows the depth of his filial Marian love. Pontifical Letter:
CHAPTER
XXXV The celebrations of the 50th anniversary of Our Lady's coronation took place between April 25th and May 4th, 1941, in the Virgin's city. Pope Pius XII was the head of the Holy See and the Diocese of Catamarca was ruled by Prelate Msgr. Carlos Francisco Hanlon, who was heart and soul of these celebrations. Roberto Ortíz, lawyer, was the president of Argentina while our province was governed by General Adolfo Martínez Pita who held this position until June 21st, 1941. He was not a governor-elect but had been appointed by the federal government likewise Gustavo Martínez Zuviría , lawyer, who followed him in the same position. The political scene of the country was completely disturbed; nevertheless, the Diocesan Bishop of Catamarca issued a Pastoral Decision so as to have arrangements for the Marian celebrations started. He invited the clergy and all communities belonging to the Diocese to join commissions in charge of the necessary preparations. The bishop himself was at the head of the main commission in which he included a coordinating secreatary, a general secretary and a treasurer. The parishioners of each church in the province also contributed greatly through their district commissions which were headed by their respective parish priests. As a result, a certain number of subcommissions arose, such as: Press and Publicity, Spirituality, Economy, Culture, Liturgy, Lodgings, and so on. Early in 1940, all members of these commissions started to work with great zeal and even rivalled among themselves as to which achieved the most immediate and the most important accomplishments. The solemn celebrations commemorating the coronation began early in the morning on April 28th, 1941.The Marian city of Catamarca was overcrowded with pilgrims coming not only from the rest of the province but also from all over the nation and even neighbouring countries. The Blessing and Opening of a Small Chapel. Both, the daily paper "La Unión" and the magazine "Stella", issued by the Sanctuary of Our Lady of the Valley, dedicated their pages to announcing every news related to the celebration of this Golden Anniversary. The starting point of this Marian celebration was the opening of a small chapel in the place in which the Image of Our Lady had been originally found. It was blessed and opened to the public on April 28th, 1941. The ceremony was presided by the Diocesan Bishop and the governor of the province, and a large number of native parishioners and pilgrims coming from far and wide. The programme describing the activities was published on March 4th, 1941. It included all celebrations to be performed in the Sanctuary of the Virgin of the Valley in Catamarca, from April 26th up to May 4th, 1941. It was divided into three sections; however, for the sake of brevity, only the third one will be considered here, since this included all those ceremonies which had a social and popular nature. April 27th: The opening of the first exhibition of regional hand-woven fabrics, craft and agricultural products took place in the square nowadays called "Plaza del Maestro". April 28th: A shrine in honour of the Virgin of the Valley was built in the parade ground of the local military quarters. The ceremony, which was attended by all army officers of the time, consisted in the blessing and proclamation of the Image as Patroness of this military post. May 1st to May 4th: A statue made in honour of Vicar José Facundo Segura was unveiled in the park currently known as "Paseo General Navarro". A special homage to Vicar Segura was also paid by the ecclesial hierarchies of Catamarca in an interior yard of the Northern Regional Seminary. Gold and silver medals as well as coins and a large number of prints with the Virgin's Image were also made in memory of this golden anniversary. The commemoration of this anniversary gave way to a large number of publications by local authors celebrating the event. The work "Reseña Histórica de Nuestra Señora del Valle" (Historical Review of Our Lady of the Valley) written by Father Ramón R. Olmos and M. Herrera was presented to the public. Another work, written by Msgr. Samuel Toranzo Ramírez was also published; it contained the petition made to the Vatican for the Cathedral to be considered a Minor Basilica. Msgr. Toranzo Ramírez also reviewed some data related to the Image and the church. Likewise, Juan Oscar Ponferrada's work dedicated to Our Lady of the Valley entitled "Loor de Nuestra Señora del Valle" (In Praise of Our Lady of the Valley), a long and delightful poem, also appeared on this occasion. The merry pealing of bells started and ended at the same time in all churches of Catamarca indicating the beginning of the sacred ceremony, i.e. the removal of the Virgin from the throne in Her sanctuary to the throne especially placed in the nave of the cathedral. The church and the square in front of it were both overcrowded. The commemoration started with the Marian Litanies which were repeatedly invoked by the devotees. The visiting bishops were in charge of celebrating the Pontifical Masses to which a large number of people attended, they were not only natives of Catamarca but also from different areas of our country. The ceremony held on May 1st was dedicated to children and it was presided by Msgr. Carlos Hanlon. At the end of the celebration, the Rector priest of the Cathedral, Canon Moisés Varela, handed Msgr. Hanlon a present to the Mother, which consisted in a metal plate; it was a gift from all children of Catamarca in commemoration of this Golden Anniversary. Many prominent visitors came for the celebrations. Msgr. José Fietta, canon lawyer, who was the Papal Nuncio to the Argentine Republic, represented Pope Pius XII as apostolic delegate to the sacred celebration. He arrived by train on May 1st, together with many national government officials, and a crowded party representing different important organizations. All of them were warmly welcomed on the railway platform, not only by ecclesial, civil and military authorities but also by the people in general. On the other hand, a large number of students and neighbours were standing all along the streets leading to the cathedral where the visitors were to arrive. Scholarly speakers were in charge of the speeches for the celebrations in memory of this Golden Anniversary. The first to occupy the sacred chair, on April 27th, was the then Provincial of the Franciscan Order, Friar Luis Córdoba. Then, the speakers who followed him were: the Claretian Missioner, Reverend Father Luciano Martínez; the Franciscan Friar Reinero Nieva; Presbyter Eusebio Esperoni, canon lawyer; Msgr. Andrés Calcagno, canon lawyer, and Military Vicar; Msgr. Anunciado Serafini, canon lawyer and Diocesan Priest of the city of Mercedes (Buenos Aires - Argentina); Msgr. Froilán Ferreyra Reynafé, canon lawyer, and Diocesan priest of the province of La Rioja; finally, the Archbishop of the province of Santa Fe, Msgr. Nicolás Fassolino, canon lawyer. There was a light drizzle when the closing Pontifical Mass started; however this was no hindrance for the enthusiastic crowd who remained in their positions, not even for the children's choir who also continued singing "The Office of Angels' which was being broadcast over the loudspeakers used for the occasion. By the time Msgr. Nicolás Fassolino started reading the Gospel, the light drizzle had turned into a storm. Then, he intended to interrupt his homily but the throng of faithfuls remained expectant in their places as if they were waiting for a miracle to occur. So, he had to continue his speech, which finally became a piece of wisdom and eloquence. Miraculously, as he ended his homily the rain suddenly stopped and the Holy Eucharist could easily finish within an atmosphere of piety and deep devotion. Afterwards, the Marian devotees swore, once more, their allegiance to the Virgin recognizing Her as Patroness of this Valley. Then, surprisingly, the heavy rain started again. The crowd was poured with rain and it started running in all directions looking for shelter: government authorities soaked to the skin ran to their cars, very old priests, canons with their purple vestments almost wind-blown, ecclesial authorities from all over the country..., old and young people,....all of them ran happily in a situation which could have been annoying to anyone, but it looked as if it were a joyous offering to the Mother of the Valley. The final procession in celebration of this Golden Anniversary started at 6.30 p.m., on May 4th, 1941; the weather conditions had improved and the sun shone again. The procession was presided by Msgr. José Fietta, canon lawyer, who was accompanied by bishops from different Dioceses of the country, canons, priests and seminarians, among whom were Father Angel Custodio Oviedo Ruiz and Father Manuel Calvimonte, young deacons at the time; unfortunately, Father Calvimonte passed away some years ago. National, provincial and district civil authorities walked after the Image, and then came the people, the beloved Mother's children, by the thousands. They walked slowly praying and singing constantly till they finished the march around "25 de Mayo" square, in front of the Cathedral. Msgr. Anunciado Serafini delivered his brilliant farewell speech in a spiritually moving atmosphere. His message represented a revival of hope and faith for the visiting pilgrims and filial joyousness for those natives who would stay beside the Mother. Once the procession had finished, the Virgin entered the Cathedral to the sound of the beautiful song "Adiós Reina del Cielo" ( Good-bye Queen of Heaven). In the meantime, thousands of white handkerchiefs were waved by the people saying good-bye.
CHAPTER
XXXVI The Year of the Jubilee and this new anniversary of the Coronation of the Image of our Mother of the Valley were officially announced through a document signed by the Diocesan Bishop Msgr. Pedro Alfonso Torres Farías. This Anniversary, which was commemorated on May 6th, 1966, represented a marvellous Marian event in the history of the sacred Image. The Diocesan Prelate's announcement stated: "The appointed sacerdotal commissions are already working with particular zeal on programming the different religious ceremonies included in these celebrations...". The commemorations of this 75th anniversary started, in the afternoon of April 23rd,1966, with the traditional "Descent"of the Virgin from the throne situated in Her Upper Chapel to the throne placed for the purpose in the nave of Her Basilica. She was being waited for by provincial civil authorities who were headed by the Governor of the province, Mr. Armando Navarro; members of the national cabinet were also there, and numerous devotees, who not only overcrowded the inside of the cathedral but also every corner of the square in front of it. The crowd welcomed the Image with their waving handkerchiefs and the singing of the first stanza of her official hymn: "O, Lady of the Valley / Thy Argentine people / Have come toThy altar / From roads far and wide /.........." And in fact, the Argentine people were really present, they had come from every corner of the country, from La Quiaca (Jujuy) in the far north to Tierra del Fuego in the southernmost point of the nation; from the Andean range to the River Plate, i.e. from west to east. There were also people from neighbouring countries, like Uruguay, Paraguay and Chile. The most outstanding and most solemn ceremonies were, undoubtedly, the Sacred Eucharist, the Pontiffical Masses and the throng of worshippers who had the Eucharistic Bread. All the liturgies were presided by bishops and priests coming from all over the country. The Pontifical Masses were conducted by the visiting bishops, the Archbishop from the province of Tucumán, Msgr. Carlos Aramburu; the Archbishop of the City of Paraná (Entre Ríos), Msgr. Adolfo Tortolo; the Archbishop from the province of Salta, Msgr. Carlos María Pérez, canon lawyer; the Bishop from the City of Concepción (Tucumán), Msgr. Juan Carlos Ferro, canon lawyer, and Msgr. Enrique Pehuán Marín, canon lawyer, Bishop from the City of Cruz del Eje (Córdoba). We must remark that many additionally relevant ceremonies having a religious, cultural and artistic nature were also held. Among the most important celebrations were the renewal of the oath of allegiance to the Patronage of the Virgin which was sworn by the members of the local military post. Further ceremonies included the unveiling of a beautiful plate in memory of the Main Sacristan of the Mother of the Valley, Msgr. Carlos Francisco Hanlon; the opening and blessing of a Home for Religious Retreat; the opening of courses on Catholic Culture; the opening of the school of Social Service. Another celebration which must be especially recalled is the return of the Image of our Mother of the Valley, for the first time in its history, to the cave in Choya in which she had been found by Salazar's indian. This ceremony not only renewed but increased and revived people's eucharistic and Marian faith. Likewise the fiftieth anniversary celebrations, the present ones reached the climax of solemnity and religiousness during the closing procession and the renewal, for the sixth time, of the oath of allegiance to the Virgin sworn by the devotees belonging to all those northwestern provinces of the country. The Diocesan Bishop, Msgr. Pedro Alfonso Torres Farías was in charge of taking this sixth oath which was followed by the acclamation of about 80.000 faithfuls who attended the procession.
CHAPTER XXXVII The content of this chapter is based on a former publication of my authorship which appeared in May, 1993, and which was entitled "Centenario de la Coronación" (Centenary of the Coronation). Therefore, it includes some historical data which can be traced back to 1891 (the Coronation), to 1991 (Centenary of the Coronation) and to the three interim celebrations, such as the Silver (1914), the Golden ( 1941) and the Seventy-fifth Anniversaries ( 1966). The Pastoral Letter issued by the Diocesan Bishop on September 15th, 1977, stated: "It is a great pleasure for me to greet you all on behalf of the Diocesan Church of Catamarca. I must also tell you that since today we are celebrating the festivity in honour of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we consider it a suitable date to start all arrangements for the task ahead, i.e. the ceremonies celebrating the Centenary of the Coronation. The work will be carried out under the name "Crusade for the Prayer in Family" or "Mission of the Rosary", which will be later on, as of November 9th, after the maternal protection of the Virgin Mary in Her advocation 'of the Valley' ". The task was performed within the four pastoral areas into which the church jurisdiction was then divided; it was led by its deacons, Presbyters Alberto Santiago Miranda, Miguel Holuviec, Luis Arch and Juan Carlos Alfonso. As a result of this hard spiritual work, thousands of families prayed the Rosary at home everyday. The historical enthronment of a replica of the Image, which was carried out in Caleta Olivia in November 1979, represented, according to Bishop Msgr. Alfonso Torres Farías, the linking of the spiritual atmosphere prevailing in Catamarca with the rest of the country as a preparation for the Centenary of the Coronation of the sacred Image. Chapter XXV of the present work deals with the ceremonies which took place in Caleta Olivia on the occasion of the said enthronment of the Virgin in that far off Patagonian region. The Pastoral Letter written by the Diocesan Bishop, Msgr. Alfonso Torres Farías on June 6th, 1987, on the event of the International Marian Year, also granted a special permission for the Image of the Virgin to "pay a visit" to all parishes belonging to the Diocese. Therefore, on October 23rd, 1987, after the Diocesan resolution, the Mother started going around for nearly a year from home to home. Thus, Her comfort and maternal presence enlightened even the farthest parish see. As the time of the great Centenary drew nearer, numerous pilgrimages coming from different parishes of the diocese were organized according to a resolution issued by Msgr. Alfonso Torres Farías in June, 1987. Thus, a large number of pilgrims from the archbishoprics of Buenos Aires, Córdoba, Salta and the diocese of Cuyo ( a region made up by the provinces of San Juan, Mendoza and San Luis) visited the Mother's sanctuary. Bishop Msgr. Alfonso Torres Farías died on November 5th, 1988; therefore, his see became vacant and, according to canonical rules, the position was temporarily assumed by Msgr. Gerardo Denett, a native priest of Catamarca. The new Bishop, Msgr. Elmer Osmar Miani, was appointed two years later, on March 3rd,1990. His main job, then, was to continue the preliminary arrangements for the Marian celebration started by Msgr. Torres Farías. We must remark that he had the generous and steady cooperation of Msgr.Gerardo Denett, Msgr. Mario Antonio Cargniello and Father Oscar Alfredo Tapia together with all parish priests of the diocese as well as Sisters Hilda Faccioli and Isabel Karqui. A large number of lay people, from all over the diocese, were also deeply committed. Besides, a lot of people worked very hard within the different commissions made up for the purpose, such as: Liturgy, Spirituality, Ecclesial Vocations, Board and Lodgings, Public Relations, Entertainments, Health, Finances and Publicity. The official programme for these celebrations also included the logotype identifying the religious event, a special prayer celebrating the anniversary, and the Official Hymn to Our Lady of Valley. The said programme was developed from April 6th to April 15th.
CHAPTER XXXVIII In fact, no previous religious commemorations in Catamarca could be matched to that of the Centenary of the Coronation of Our Lady of the Valley. These celebrations were honoured by the attendance of the highest authorities of the country, both civil and ecclesial. Among the most distinguished personalities who were present for the occasion, we must mention the Papal Legate, Cardinal Juan Carlos Aramburu; Primate Cardinal Raúl Primatesta, several national government officials and government representatives from different provinces; as regards the provinces, we must point out that those governments which were not represented sent messages supporting the celebrations . The Argentine Bishopric also joined these celebrations by holding the National Episcopal Assembly in Catamarca, as a way of celebrating its 61st anniversary. Thus, there were about eleven archbishops, forty-three diocesan bishops, two coadjutor bishops, fourteen assistant bishops, two bishops emeriti, two bishops from the army, nullius prelates, and two Eastern-rite priests. The Diocesan government of Catamarca was made up by four deaneries which comprised twenty-one parishes. Besides, it also included three sanctuaries: Our Lady of the Valley in the capital city of the province, Our Lady of Belén in the district of Belén, San Roque in the locality of "La Chacarita", a small area within the capital city. The Department of Culture of the provincial government prepared a long programme abounding in different performances of a cultural nature. This programme was submitted to the Central Commission "Pro-Centenary Celebrations of the Coronation" on March 20th, 1991. The said performances were to take place between March 27th and April 31st. A series of lectures were delivered not only in the City of Catamarca but also in cities located in the interior of the province such as the Cities of Tinogasta and Andalgalá. They were in charge of outstanding local historians such as Pedro Ignacio Galarza, Luis Navarro Santana and Presbyter Alberto Santiago Miranda. Besides, it must be pointed out that a great number of books and booklets related to the occasion were published: - Our Lady of the Valley's Prayer Book - Mass Glorifying Our Lady of the Valley. (book) - Liturgy of the Hours in Glory of the Blessed Virgin under the Advocations of Our Lady of the Valley (booklet) - The Pilgrim's Guide. (booklet) - General Programme of Celebrations. - Hymn Book. It must be remarked that all these publications were made by "Ediciones Diocesanas". Besides, the Diocesan Curia requested the official historian of Our Lady of the Valley, Presbyter Alberto S. Miranda, to publish a booklet on "The Virgin's Wonders'; the National University of Catamarca also showed its support to the Centenary with the publication of the work "Madre Coronada" (Crowned Mother). The newspaper "La Unión" contributed to the preparation of the Marian atmosphere with the publication of numerous articles written by different intellectuals of the time, such as: Presbyter Santiago Sonzini; Luis Navarro Santana; María Elsa Gómez; Msgr. Gerardo Denett; Msgr. Manuel Calvimonte; Friar José Paz; Elsa Ahumada de del Pino; Presbyter Miguel Holuviec; Julia A. de Nicolini; Presbyter Oscar Tapia; Luis Alberto Cárdenas; Carlos Martínez; Narciso Acevedo; Presbyter Elio Fernández; Presbyter Mario Villagrán. Besides, the official historian of the Virgin, Fr. Alberto Santiago Miranda, published weekly articles under the title of "Amor Maternal"(Maternal Love). Between 1990 and 1991, all the parishes of the Diocese of Catamarca worked so hard that they even rivalled in their arrangements for the cultural and religious celebrations. The ceremonies which took place between April 6th and April 15th, 1991, were among the most brilliant and moving ever seen. They were presided by Church authorities such as: Cardinal Msgr. Antonio Quarracino, Cardinal Msgr. Raúl Primatesta, Bishop Gerardo Sueldo and Bishop Msgr. Emilio Ognonovich. Special Eucharistic celebrations were arranged for the various strata of the society to pay homage to the Mother. Thus, primary, secondary and university students as well as teachers were assigned one day, the family and the sick another day, and so on. This distribution allowed everyone , from his own position, to have the chance of paying his/her devote homage to the marvellous Image of Our Lady of the Valley, to be at the Mother's feet.
CHAPTER XXXIX The commemoration of this centenary was accordingly celebrated by Pope John Paul VI, who sent a warm salutation to our Bishop Msgr. Elmer O. Miani, in which he also included his teachings and exhortations to the Catholic congregation in Catamarca. We believe its content is worth being transcribed here: "Dear Bishop Miani, Dear Brothers and Sisters: It is a great pleasure for me to send you all my warmest regards on this solemn celebration commemorating the Centenary of the Coronation of the Patroness of Catamarca, Our Lady of the Valley,who has been venerated since the early XVII century under the advocation of the 'Immaculate Conception', as she was called upon by her children, over whom God spread His gifts. This Marian devotion has spread not only to other regions of the Argentine Republic but also to many Latin American countries, thus becoming a feature of Christian identity". "The ecclesial community of the province of Catamarca, gathered in its cathedral, is celebrating now the first Centenary of the Pontifical Coronation of this deeply venerated Image. A coronation which was granted by the Letters signed by Pope Leo XIII and carried out by his Papal Legate Msgr. Pablo Padilla y Bárcena on April 12th, 1891. St. Peter's successor also wants to show his filial devotion to Our Lady of the Valley and to join, spiritually, those who take part in these solemn celebrations; that is why my special Legate, Msgr. Juan Carlos Aramburu, Archbishop Emeritus of Buenos Aires (Argentina) will be my representative during the said ceremonies". " You are ready to close this Centenary with a solemn Eucharistic celebration as a way of showing that the Eucharist is at the heart of Christian life, as a true signal of unity and a testimony of greater love, "....that a man lay down his life for his friends"( St. John, XV,13). As the Acts of the Apostles mentions "......Mary, the Mother of Jesus"( The Acts...I,14) is actually present since the very beginning of the Church, this is the main reason for Her maternal protection over the faithful people of Catamarca. It is also a signal of our Saviour, Her Son, a summons to follow Him for ever and ever after, "Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it"( St. John, II, 5) "We are also aware that all of you, as brothers and sisters in Christ, are preparing to celebrate the Fifth Centennial of evangelization of the new world. This is a particular means of reviving your Catholic faith, by deepening and strengthening the basic principles of Christian life, both at personal and community levels. Consequently, each of you must preach the Gospel to the others through the different ways offered by the church; this must be the result of the evangelization undertaken by each of you. II Vatican Council teaches us that Christian vocation is, by its own nature, apostolic vocation (Apostolicam Act. 2). Therefore, every Christian must live according to his faith and provide evidence of it. This is a society in which moral and spiritual values are constantly being attacked by material culture and by those who consider religion a relic of the past. And what is even worse, there are groups who attempt to weaken the unity of the Church by carrying out proselitytizing and sectarian campaigns". "The present situation urges us to intensify evangelization at all levels in order to accomplish what St. Paul says: 'Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ' (Ephesians, IV, 13)". "Unfortunately, there are still many Christians who do not live in accordance with their faith, they make no effort to obey neither God's Commandments nor the rules set by the Church. They should be reminded St. James's words: 'For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also'( The General Epistle of St. James, II, 26). On the other hand, true Christians, who strive to live under Christian faith and put its principles into practice, should also be reminded of Jesus' exhortation when looking for the lost sheep. They should help their brethrens to come back to Church so that these may feel reconciled with God, as well as accepted and loved by their brothers in Christ". "The closing ceremonies celebrating the Centenary of the Canonical Coronation of Our Lady of the Valley must help to remind Christians that the Blessed Virgin Mary is the genuine example of Christ's true disciples who "... ... hear the word of God, and keep it"( St. Luke, XI, 28), and at the same time, Catholics must endeavour to spread the message of salvation. Consequently, my final words are: "...that the Mother of God and Her Son... be recognized in all your expressions of piousness, that He be loved and glorified and His Commandments obeyed"( Lumen Gentium, p.66). This is the way that true Marian devotion, which is far from being merely expressed in a sentimental manner, "derives from genuine faith...... leading us to filial love towards our Mother and to the imitation of Her virtues" "I humbly kneel before the venerated Image of Our Lady of the Valley and I beseech Her to mediate before Her Divine Son and to bestow Her graces over all natives of Catamarca and the beloved children of the Argentine country. At the same time, and with all my love, I bless you in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost. Amen. Vatican City State, April 12th, 1991 (there appears a signature) Joannes Paulus, P.P. II The commemorations celebrating the Centenary of the Coronation in Catamarca left an everlasting impression in the spirit and heart of all ecclesial hierarchies of the Argentine Church. This was made evident by the great satisfaction shown by the Papal Legate, Cardinal Juan Carlos Aramburu; the Primate Cardinal of Argentina, Msgr. Raúl Primatesta; Bishops Msgr. Sigampa, Msgr. Valdomero Martini and Msgr. Stockler. They did not only express their own impressions but they were also the voice of the great number of pilgrims who arrived for the occasion. Closing Procession, Consecration and Final Supplication: The then President of the Argentine Episcopacy, Cardinal Msgr. Antonio Quarracino was in charge of renewing the consecration of Catamarca and of the Argentine nation before the official closing of the Centennial celebration, which was under the responsibility of the Most Reverend Diocesan Bishop of Catamarca, Msgr. Elmer Osmar Miani. Thus, Msgr. Quarracino said: " Mother ofthe Valley, look after the children of our homes... ... ... do not let them lose their course in life and be withdrawn from your Son Jesus; may husbands and wives live in close unity, faithfulness and love......Do aid our bishops, priests, nuns and the laity in their spiritual task. .... Mother, we do entrust you the poorest of the poor, the sick, the old, the neglected children. ....For what your Son's power represents on earth, for those who do not believe in God,....for our young people who represent hope in life". Then the Cardinal finished his moving and eloquent speech by saying: "Queen and Lady of valleys and plains, of mountains and seas of our country......Your hugging holds all our nation which is always in need of skilful labour, at schools, at workshops and in factories. .....Mother of the Valley, our Pope commits us to preach love ... ... Mother of God, Queen and Lady of the Creation, Queen and Lady of our hearts, may your mediation allow us to reach what we need and succeed in fulfilling our trascendental pledge to keep the glory of your Divine Jesus ....O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary!... Cardinal Quarracino's words resounded in the devotees' hearts and minds as a sparkling light which stregthened their devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary under Her dear advocation of the Valley. It was a light which has shininig been for over four centuries in the gentle contours of the cave in which she was found in Choya, among the Spaniards and the indians converted to Christianity. She is the torch which shows men the way to the heavenly kingdom of our Divine Jesus. She is also the miraculous Mother of everlasting glories for humanity, the mediator for all God's graces because she is God's grace herself.
CHAPTER XL Soon after the commemoration of the Centenary of the Coronation, two further important events took place: the 100th anniversary of the foundation of the Council Seminary of Catamarca and the celebration of the LXI Argentine Episcopal Assembly in Catamarca. The Council Seminary of Catamarca: The Council of Trent ( 1545-63 ) brought about a kind of revival for the Roman Catholic Church, the popes of this period put the interests of the Church above all those of temporal power. This new position of the Catholic Church was aimed at fighting against Protestantism and winning back heretics. Therefore, the changes also implied the training of the young to a life especially devoted to the papal service in institutions which were called Council Seminaries. Thus, the name Council derives from the drastic reforms introduced by the Council of Trent. In Catamarca, the cornerstone of its Council Seminary was laid on January 1st, 1882, and it was built by the famous architect Luis Caravatti. The chapel of the Seminary, in which the Image of Our Lady of the Valley was enthroned, was opened on December 17th, 1885. Afterwards, on September 12th, 1889, the Lourdist Congregation took the spiritual control of the new institution; then, on April 15th, 1891, the new building was blessed by Msgr. Federico Anéiros. The institution was called "Seminary School" and the classes started with 19 students on May 1st, 1891. It must be stated that this "Seminary School" is neither the same as nor a continuation of the one founded on April 22nd, 1850, under the name of "Federal Seminary School", which was definitely closed in 1866. The above mentioned "Seminary School" became known as "Council Seminary" due to a special resolution issued by Msgr. Pablo Padilla y Bárcena on May 4th, 1898. In the course of time, Msgr. Bernabé Piedrabuena promoted the institution to the rank of "Major Seminary School"; which afterwards, on April 18th, 1932, became known as the "Northern Major Seminary School" . Humanities, theology and philosophy together with akin sciences were included in its syllabus. Languages such as: Latin, French, Greek, Hebrew and Spanish were also taught in this institution which, during more than thirty one years, educated priests for the dioceses of the provinces of Catamarca, Jujuy, Salta, Tucumán and Santiago del Estero. The Seminary was originally ruled by six French priests who managed the institution from 1891 to 1922. Then, the Secular Clergy of Catamarca continued managing it from 1922 to 1932 under Msgr. Aníbal Villagra, who belonged to the Diocesan Clergy. Afterwards, the Congregation of the Divine Word became responsible for its administration from 1932 to 1963, a period during which the Seminary was ruled by seven Principals. From 1963 up to the present time, the institution has gone through the administration of seven Diocesan Principals, since the agreement signed between the Diocesans of the north-west of the country and the Congregation of the Divine Word ended in 1963. Its current name is "Diocesan Seminary". As a whole, the long and fruitful lifetime of this centennial Seminary has been managed by twenty-two Principals, with the cooperation of a number of scholarly priests. The work done at the institution was so excellent that the visiting bishops attending the ceremonies of the Coronation said: "The Seminary is one of the finest pearls among the jewels of our crowned Mother, because it is a source of the cultural life and rich tradition, which is firmly rooted among the people of this province. Its graduate priests are characterized by their sound scientific and spiritual training, a feature which distinguishes the whole clergy of the northern Argentina under the beloved protection of the Mother of the Valley. Therefore, young seminarians must bear in mind that this rich and beautiful reality means a valuable inheritance, which must be multiplied for the benefit of prospective priests all over this vast region of our country. Besides, the people of this area must be especially thankful to the generous spiritual care and guidance provided by priests belonging to the Lourdist Congregation as well as those of the Divine Word". LXI Argentine Episcopal Assembly: A Collective Pastoral Letter, which was issued by the Argentine Episcopacy on September 24th, 1953, provided a sound support to the Marian veneration to the Blessed Virgin Mary under the advocation of Our Lady of the Valley. The Letter stated that the City of Catamarca would be the see for the II National Marian Congress to be held on May 7th, 8th and 9th, 1954; the approval of this decision was signed by two cardinals, six archbishops, twelve bishops and three chapter vicars. Thus, the Congress was actually held with due solemnity and splendour. Thirty-seven years later (1991) Catamarca was chosen again as the see of an important religious meeting, the LXI Argentine Episcopal Assembly, which took place on the occasion of the celebrations in memory of the Coronation of our Mother. The presence of about eighty Argentine bishops provided the solemn framework for this annual congress of prelates. The chairman of the Assembly, Msgr. Antonio Quarracino, said on behalf of his brethren: - "The magnificent celebration in honour of the Blessed Virgin of the Valley was a sound proof of religious faith". - "We start our meetings of this annual Assembly by calling upon the Holy Ghost, within Our Lady of the Valley's Diocese, which is her Basilican Cathedral". - "The present Assembly is carried out here in order to glorify and to pay our homage to the Blessed Virgin Mary during the celebrations of the Centenary of the Coronation of Her Image ( 1891-1991). Consequently, we entrust our Mother Her protection and aid for the success of this work". - "Argentine bishops will never forget their experience of this memorable celebration, the images of love and the gratitude shown by the people of Catamarca and from all over the country towards the Mother will be kept in their hearts and minds for ever and ever after". Veneration to the Mother of the Valley over the Country: An inquiry aimed at learning about the veneration to Our Lady of the Valley was made among different Argentine dioceses, to which, bishoprics, archbishoprics and prelate nullius sent affirmative answers. As a result, a long list can be mentioned: The Bishoprics of cities as Cruz del Eje (Córdoba), Gualeguaychú (Entre Ríos), Bahía Blanca (Buenos Aires), Puerto Iguazú (Misiones), Añatuya (Santiago del Estero), Zárate (Buenos Aires), Santa Rosa de Lima ( La Pampa), San Ramón de la Nueva Orán (Salta), Comodoro Rivadavia (Chubut), Quilmes (Buenos Aires), San Francisco (Córdoba), San Miguel (Buenos Aires), San Roque(Chaco), Resistencia (Chaco), Río Cuarto (Córdoba), Rafaela (Santa Fe), San Luis, San Isidro (Buenos Aires), Santo Tomé (Corrientes), Mercedes (San Luis), the Archbishopric of the City of Rosario (Santa Fé), the Archdiocese of the City of Paraná (Entre Ríos), the Diocese of Alto Valle del Río Negro (Río Negro); the Prelacies of: Cafayate (Salta), Deán Funes (Córdoba) and Humahuaca (Jujuy). All these answers represented the full assurance on the devotion to Our Lady of theValley, a devotion which was widespread all over the nation. Veneration in Lebanon, Croatia and the Holy Land: "It was a miracle that took the Image of the Virgin to Lebanon", such was the story told by some Lebanese who happened to be here in Catamarca; they also ramarked that the veneration to the marvellous Image had quickly spread in their country. This story was collected by Father Lorenzo Cordero, the respected canon from our Basilican Cathedral who gave testimony about it many years ago. Documentary evidence shows us that, in December 1992, the Diocesan Bishop of Catamarca got a letter from Lieutenant Colonel Miguel Angel Moreno, who was an officer of the Argentine army belonging to the Peace Forces sent by the UN to Croatia. He reported our bishop that, on December 8th of the same year, an Image of Our Lady of the Valley had been enthroned in a church situated in the district known as Grubusno Polje. In February 1996, Roman Catholic pilgrims went to the Holy Land taking an Image of our Mother so that She would be present among the various advocations of the Virgin Mary there. The Image was placed in a chapel made by Franciscan Friars in the Shepherds' Field (Bethlehm). This work, in honour of the Mother of Heaven, covers a period running from 1600 to 1998. As we stated before, it is aimed at providing information to prospective researchers on this exciting subject. The said period was also remarkable because of the prodigies credited to the Blessed Virgin, Mother of God and of men, a topic which will be dealt with in the next section.
OUR LADY OF THE VALLEY'S INTERCESSION BEFORE GOD HER MIRACLES Her miraculous Image has been shining for almost four centuries over the valleys, mountains and rivers of our province. Her miracles were like a revival of some old biblical passages which took place again thanks to the mediation of the Mother of God and of men; many blind saw the daylight, many non-believers believed in God, many crippled could walk, many sick recovered their health and even resurrections occurred. A miracle is defined as a divinely natural occurrence that must be learned humanly, but it is the Church...as Mother and Teacher ( Mater et Magistra ) the one which comes to a final decision as to its implied supernatural value, the only one institution which can evaluate and judge these facts in matters of Faith. A discussion of Her miracles necessarily leads us into the evidences collected in different documents, especially the one known as the 1764 Report. On February 10th, 1764, sergeant Don Leonardo Valdéz, the town representative, insisted on a petition he had made to the ecclesial authorities on March 27th, 1761. He also sent a similar request to the local Rector Priest and Diocesan Administrator, Father Francisco Salcedo; the head of the Diocese of the Old Tucumán, upon which the bishopric of Catamarca was dependent, was Msgr. Manuel Abad Illana, canon lawyer. Mr. Valdéz requested ecclesial authorities to collect this information under oath, so that the report of the miracles made by God our Lord, through the intercession of Our Lady of the Valley may not fall into forgetfulness. Then, on April 10th of the same year, the Rector, Father Francisco Salcedo requested Presbyter Francisco de Cubas to collect the information asked for by the civil authority. Besides, the town representative, sergeant Valdéz, had also requested the Rector "to have a Mass celebrated and a procession carried out in order to pray for the success of the work ahead; that is, the documented information concerning the origin of the Image and the miracles credited to Her intercession", Father Antonio Larrouy is quoted as saying in a work published in 1915. This important historical work was started immediately after the solemn Mass and procession on April 25th, 1764. The members of the committee in charge of collecting the statements gathered in the Rector's office where the first witness to give his testimnoy was Don Juan Antonio de la Vega. This valuable document containing the story of the Image of our Virgin Mother is nowadays kept in the Diocesan Archives of Catamarca. It must be remarked that, for a time, it was considered lost. Fortunately, it was recovered from the Diocesan Archives of the province of Córdoba after having been previously kept, for many years, in the province of Salta. Content of the Document: The witnesses had been chosen among the members of the community and in accordance with their recognized moral values. There were about fifty and some of them gave testimony twice because of the varied nature of occurrences. Thus, the number of statements amounted to fifty-four instead of fifty as it had been expected. Up to the year 1764 there had been different versions about the origin of the Image. Therefore, the witnesses were asked a number of questions such as: Who had found the Image? Where was it taken after its finding? Who was this man called Salazar? Was he an indian or a Spaniard? What was the Image made of? Why was it in the cave of Choya? and so on. Having an answer to these questions was a matter of great importance, especially to those concerning the miracles credited to the Virgin's intercession. As to questions concerning the finding of the Image, eleven witnesses gave their testimony under oath, the same as the others did, and they said it was an indian who belonged to an "encomienda' entrusted to Don Manuel de Salazar, a Bizcayan. They added that they had learned this from conversations held with descendants of people who lived at that time. The remaining witnesses said that: - The Image had been found in the cave of Choya. - Don Manuel de Salazar had taken the Image to his home at Motimo ( a locality which is nowadays called Polcos and situated in the district of Valle Viejo). - The Image mysteriously and repeatedly disappeared from Salazar's home and went back to its cave of Choya. - Marvellous cures were known to have occurred under the invocation of the Sacred Image's intercession. - Unbelievable resurrections had taken place, a fact which was testified by twenty-seven witnesses. - Nobody knew who the Image belonged to, neither did they know what it was made of nor how it appeared in the cave. This testimony was given by five persons who also stated: "Ever since then and even now, there are many suppositions on that matter".
CHAPTER XLII The occurrence of some marvellous and uenexplainable facts as the Image's disappearance from Salazar's home and its subsequent appearance in the cave had revived and strengthened the Bizcayan's Marian devotion. In addition to this, there occurred another striking fact at his home which called everybody's attention. This can be considered as the first widely known miracle by the people of that time as well as it is now by most Marian devotees. A fire was started in a store-room in which Salazar kept his cotton crop. As soon as he learnt about it and without any delay he brought the Image, put it over the fire and called upon the Virgin for help. The fire was immediately quenched. Don Matías Cuello y Salazar, Manuel de Salazar's great grandson, was one of the four witnesses who testified on this prodigy.He stated: "My parents remembered many miracles and they said that one day somebody carrying a candle happened to pass by the store-room in which my great grandfather kept the cotton. Unfortunately, a spark lit the cotton and the fire started. Having seen the damage and fearing the house might also catch fire, Salazar fetched the Image, which was on a shelf in the doorway of his house, and put it over the fire... and mysteriously, it was put out". Those who witnessed this fire considered its extinguishing was a real miracle, so, the news spread quickly over the neighbourhood and even reached far off villages. This event brought about an increase in Marian faith as well as a great number of visitors from remote regions.
CHAPTER XLIII The Virgin's golden chain is a renowned jewel in connection with the Image; it is so, because of a miracle which is closely related to Her story. Eleven witnesses gave testimony of its occurrence during the sworn statements collected in 1764. The event was considered so remarkable that almost all other witnesses mentioned it, in one way or another; despite the fact that it was not the subject of their specific testimonies. They stated that it was something known from generation to generation, though they could not provide a precise date as to its occurrence. The story says that: "A very wealthy Peruvian nobleman left his country in search of cure for his illness, since he had been suffering terrible pains and was starting to be affected by paralysis. He had already seen doctors, witch doctors and even quacks, with no use. Despite his pains he continued his journey seeking for cure. He happened to be in the region known as the Old Tucumán when he learnt about a miraculous image which was venerated in a remote region known as "Ambato" (the name derives from the mountain range in Catamarca). This Image was considered very miraculous and it was called Our Lady of the Valley. He felt tired out of sufferings; nevertheless, he ordered his servants to take him to see the famous Image". This is the way described as to how he reached our Mother's feet in Her church. Fourteen witnesses agreed simultaneously on their statements, their words sounding as powerful as those of the Gospel when they reported how the Peruvian recovered health: " And he got healthy again", witnesses said. The sick man felt so deeply moved that he left the Virgin his golden chain as a proof of his thankfulness; then, he started his long journey back to his country. He was riding through the dry plains of Santiago del Estero when he met an old friend of his whom he told he was well again thanks to the powerful intercession of a miraculous Image, Our Lady of the Valley of Catamarca, and he added that he had to leave Her his beautiful golden chain in payment for the favour...". The second part of this narration says that: "... in the evening of that day he felt terribly sick again. His servants became shocked when they found the golden chain he had left to the Virgin amid the folds of his travelling rug. The Peruvian felt immediately repented at realising this was the Virgin's answer for having said "in payment". So, he soon returned to Catamarca and left the Virgin the jewel again showing Her he was deeply repented. The Virgin favoured him with the grace of health once more. That is why the golden chain is known as "the miraculous chain", and it is on exhibit for thousands of pilgrims to admire it.
CHAPTER XLIV Don Samuel Lafone y Quevedo, historian and linguist, thoroughly deals with the subject described under the title of this chapter in his work "Historia de la Virgen del Valle" (1894) ( History of Our Lady of the Valley) and from which we shall only point out the most outstanding features connected with this prodigy. There was a middle-aged man who lived alone in a remote region called Totoralejos.This is a small locality situated in the vast plains bordering our province and that of Córdoba. He was in agony, suffering from a fatal disease. He was about to die when he remembered Our Lady of the Valley and begged Her for life. In return, he promised to go on a pilgramge to Her shrine. Soon after that, he recovered his health without any visible explanation, to such an extent that his neighbours were surprised at watching him work the soil as he usually did. After a time, he decided to fulfil his promise to the Virgin, so he started his long journey to Catamarca through the vast dry plains which characterise the region bordering the province of Córdoba. In the meantime, the church guardians of the Basilican Cathedral had discovered the disappearance of a silvery pot which was kept in the Virgin's altar. They searched everywhere and asked about it to whoever they came across with, but it was useless. Two weeks later, a pilgrim came to the Cathedral and asked for the Parish Priest. Then, he told the priest, in very simple and touching words, that he had recovered his health thanks to the Virgin's "help" and he intended to fulfil the promise he had made Her, to visit Her shrine. He said he had made a very long and difficult journey through the salt marshes (the place is called "Salinas Grandes") which border our province with that of Córdoba. The place is awfully barren and desolate, there is no water available nearby, so, he and his mule were absolutely parched. Therefore, he, again, asked the Virgin for "help", he just wanted a bit of life, and She gave him what he asked, i.e. "a lot of water", he added movingly, "...because we could both drink out of a silvery pot which suddenly appeared on the road looking like a fountain flowing from the very heart of earth, water flowed and flowed, so that we could both quench our thirst", he said with tears in his eyes. He immediately took the silvery pot out of his bag and handed it to the priest saying with the accent which characterizes "cordobeses" (natives of Córdoba) : "Here you....my dear father". It was the silvery pot which had disappeared from the Virgin's shrine. This pot is nowadays called "The Miraculous Pot" or the "Virgin's Pot.
CHAPTER XLV About twenty-one further miracles, some of them including resurrections, were recorded during the testimonies given in 1764. The Resurrection of Juan Alonso Gordillo: When he was a child he suddently got ill and died of a serious and unknown illness. The distressed parents took the body of the young boy and placed him at the Virgin's feet and begged Her to give him life again, under the promise that, if she did they would consecrate his life to Her veneration and service. When the boy grew up, he decided to enter a religious congregation but soon after that, he became completely blind. It was then that his parents told him that, when he was just a child, they had promised the Virgin to consecrate him to Her service for ever if She gave him life again. So he did, with humbleness and deep attachment to Her veneration. Afterwards, another miracle took place, the recovery of his sight before he was ordained priest. In the course of years, he became the Parish Priest of the Cathedral. Baby Juan's Resurrection: There once was a highborn Spanish matron, Doña Mariana Navarro de Velazco, who had a coloured servant called Ana. This maid had no children, so almost everybody thought she was sterile. Her longing for a child produced her deep suffering to such an extent that her grief moved her mistress's feelings. So, Doña Mariana begged the Virgin's mediation for the grace of a child to her servant. She promised the Virgin to devote the child's life to Her service in church if the servant became pregnant. After a time, the servant gave birth to a boy who was called Juan. He was such a lively and charming boy and everybody loved him at home; they were so enchanted by the little boy that Doña Mariana forgot her promise to the Virgin. Then, one day, Don Alonso Navarro, her brother, reminded her of her promise to the sacred Image. The woman answered somewhat uncomfortably, "What does the Virgin want the boy for? I can give Her the equivalent to the child's weight in wax for the church". The witnesses stated that soon after this conversation, on the next day, the boy's mother went to wake him up but found him dead. She was overwhelmed by grief, since he was healthy and strong when she put him to bed the night before. An ominous shadow of pain fell over the whole family. There was no sound at all, only tears and deep sorrow prevailed in their hearts. Grief joined their souls in prayer, so, they devoutly begged Our Lady of the Valley for the child's life. According to the witnesses' testimony the boy miraculously came to life again thanks to the Virgin's mediation before her Son. By the time this information was collected, 1764, Juan was a strong and hard-working fifty-year old devout man dedicated to the Virgin's service in church. Doña Ana de la Vega's Resurrection: Doña Ana de la Vega was a young child when she got ill from a strange suffering which soon caused her death. She died in 1648, while her father, General Don Antonio de la Vega y Castro, was away from home, involved in the constant warfares aimed at crushing the brave "calchaquíes" (indian tribe which inhabited Catamarca). She was an only daughter, so her father felt terribly distressed when he learnt the bad news. He saw no other way out but to visit Our Lady of the Valley and tell Her his misfortune and at the same time he begged Her to use Her powerful mediation before God to give life to his daughter. Then, the witnesses stated, he took his daughter's small body in his arms and carried it to the Virgin's church, situated about one and a half mile away, where he put the body near the Virgin's shrine. To everybody's astonishment he, later on, picked her up alive and healthy. Such a well-known miracle was meticulously examined and credited to Our Lady of the Valley's intercession. The girl grew up into a strong and healthy woman who later on married, first, Don Juan Bernardo de Nieva and in second wedlock, Don José Cabrera. She lived a very long life and died suddenly while preparing some candles for her private altar, just a day before the beginning of the octave in honour of our Lady of the Valley, at the time the December festivity was celebrated as such. Further Miracles: The hard work carried out by church officials, entrusted to collect testimonies of the miracles credited to the Virgin's mediation before Her Son for over 144 years, had already begun. There were about fifty witnesses who gave testimony of the miracles they knew of. They were prodigies which had been taking place for more than 144 years just by invoking Our Lady's name. This work also started with a remarkable miracle, which was later on included in the report. The miraculous event consisted in the supernatural cure of one of the witnesses just while he was giving testimony of the numerous prodigies. This man was Don Melchor Sánchez de Vera, a high-ranked army officer, who swore over the Gospels and by God, our Lord: "to tell the truth and nothing but the truth". Once he finished, he was asked to sign his statement. He made a great effort to use his right hand since he had been suffering terrible pains in his bones to such an extent that he sometimes spent long periods in bed; consequently, this illness had made his right arm almost useless. He had learnt to cope with disability by becoming left-handed, but the solemnity of the situation probably led him to try his best. When he finished, he left the room, but some of those who were present noticed his face suddenly lit up with glee. Don Melchor Sánchez y Vera came back a few hours later to tell everybody that the Virgin had made another miracle, She had completely cured him from his illness. This was considered as a divine reward for the effort made to sign his testimony with his disabled hand. It was April 25th, 1764, when he swore for the second time, and touching the cross of our Lord Almighty, he said that the Virgin had suddenly cured him for the effort made. All this information is documented in numbered records, and the testimonies on the Virgin's miracles are entered under Records VIII and IX. Don Melchor's almost illegible signature can be seen on page one of Record VIII, that is, the one corresponding to his first testimony, whereas the second signature, which appears in Record IX, is quite legible because he had already overcome his disease. "She had suddenly and completely cured Don Melchor from his illness and never again was he heard of suffering from it", all witnesses commented. The recorded information about the Virgin's prodigies included thirty-four cases of miraculous cures. For the sake of brevity, only the most outstanding ones will be mentioned: The priest in charge of collecting the said information, Presbyter Don Francisco de Cubas, recovered his health as well as Presbyter Don Pedro Ignacio Acuña, who was cured from complete blindness. The Virgin's maternal intercession was also shown in several other cases such as: the recovery of Doña Lorenza de Arce who was in agony due to an incurable disease; the miracle of the young indian girl; the child bitten by a poisonous snake; the agonizing man wounded by a bullet, and many others. The Virgin's Protection in Battlefields: Bloody and constant indian rebellions characterized the historical panorama of the Argentine northwest, so much so, that the period between 1632 and 1636 is generally known as the "General Indian Uprising". The province of Catamarca also suffered from the hostility and ferocity of these wild indians. Cities and villages were very frequently besieged by these marauding indians and, of course, their inhabitants were massacred and their houses were set on fire. In fact, all the province was threatened by these savages. Nevertheless, the Virgin also showed Her maternal protection over those women, children and old people who were left defenseless in the villages. One of the most significant signals of Her protection became visible at the "Pucará" of Polcos ("pucará" is an aboriginal term referring to fortifications built by indians which generally included their living quarters). The area is nowadays called San Isidro, in the district of Valle Viejo (Catamarca). Life in these fortifications was constantly being menaced by the presence of a number of warring tribes, both from North and South. They were the "Aconquijas", "Mallis", "Singuiles", "Capayanes", "Huyllapimas", "Pipanacos", "Pisapanacos" and "Andalgaláes". The danger of attacks even spread to far off regions as those situated in the district of Londres. Thus, not only the village of Polcos but also the neighbouring area known as "Las Chacras" were exposed to indian hostilities and assaults. It was at the time of those nightmaring days that a wild indian army crossed the river in order to besiege the unprotected villagers. The tribes were quite confident that their attack would be successful, so they roared and howled only as indians do as a signal of battle. But as soon as they started to climb the steep sides bordering the river a sudden celestial appearence terrified them: it was our Sovereign Lady. The sky was overcast and a hurricane-like wind turned the river into a swirling torrent. The indians became so overwhelmed with panic that they confusedly scattered without ever attempting another criminal assault. The witnesses testifying on this event were quite convinced that: "Our Lady of the Valley defended and saved Polcos and its surroundings from the wild and cruel indians". Lorenzo Sapujil, a more than a hundred-year-old indian, gave testimony of the appearance of the Image of Our Lady of the Valley over the battlefields. A very trustworthy man and a chief indian's descendant, he was also one of the oldest witnesses in the well-known 1764 Report. "She suddenly appeared and crossed the skies swiftly over the battlegrounds, scaring indians to death", he was quoted as saying. The said appearance took place during one of those battles in which the Spaniards marched against the indians just for the sake of showing their resistance to them, because they were aware the indians far outnumbered their own army. The ill success of the battle was already clear for the Spaniards when, suddenly, piercing screams from the indians' side were heard. Their screams sounded as if they were scared to death, terror immediately made indians quit battle, confusion prevailed among them to such an extent that they fell into complete disorder during their retreat. They wounded one another with their weapons and thousands of them became crushed by their horses during this chaotic quitting. The Spaniards were shocked at the indians' reaction since victory was on the enemy's side; they found no explanation for the savages' withdrawal. The Spaniards, then, ran after them taking a significant number of prisoners. When indians were asked about the reasons for their shameful retreat they answered they had seen a lady in the sky whose royal bearing terrified them. They also said that they sometimes saw a handsome young boy in shining armour, who moved swiftly in front of her, and very often descended to cause great damage with his sabre among them. The suddenness of his descents was compared to that of a flash of lightning.. The Spaniards also remembered that they had asked the Virgin's protection to defeat the indians and so, they went to Her shrine to thank Her. They had taken some captive indians with them but soon after the Image was unveiled in Her altar the indians showed great fear and tried to escape, because " she is the lady we saw in the sky....", they remarked. Devastating Plagues: A solemn Mass and procession took place on March 25th, 1764 as preparation for the hard task of collecting testimonies under the well-known 1764 Report. This date was remembered as the Angel's announcement to the Blessed Virgin of Her divine maternity, according to oriental tradition. Therefore, It was a good opportunity for the suffering farmers and their families "to pray the Blessed Lady of the Valley to liberate them, through Her powerful intercession before God, from the devastating plague and its consequences". Some days before testimonies on the Virgin's miracles started, as we know, in 1764, a devastating plague of greedy worms caused great damage to the cotton crops, to such an extent that farmers considered their harvest was lost. After a time, the distressed farmers went to the fields to see the damage. They could not believe their eyes, the cotton plantation looked bright green as if it had never been devastated by a plague, neither they could see any withered plants nor any worms at all. They carried out a thorough examination of every plant and even of the whole field. They were deeply amazed, they could find no rational explanation of what they saw. What had happened? Was it not a true a miracle? Both, believers and devotees immediately knelt to say prayers to Heaven and they repeated once and again: "The Mother of the Valley has listened to us". A further plague which produced great harm was represented by swarms of voracious locusts, they brought about the greatest disasters for agriculture over the whole northwest of our country. Concerning the consequent damage caused by this plague, the well-known native historian, Don Samuel Lafone Quevedo, states in his work: "Historia de laVirgen del Valle"( History of Our Lady of the Valley): "It is not surprising that farmers had repeatedly appealed to the Virgin's protection whenever they were threatened by the damages caused by this plague". A few years before 1764, swarms of locusts frequently arrived at the valley. They devoured everything on their way, leaving trees and bushes completely leafless; the desolate landscape caused deep distress among peasants and farmers. Then, one day, to make their distress even greater, they learnt that another swarm of locusts was coming near the buildings situated within the haciendas. The sad news made them aware that they were completely defenseless, so, everyone attended Supplication Masses in honour of our Lady of the Valley praying for Her maternal and all-powerful intercession against this evil force. Nevertheless, that very night, a large swarm could be seen in the surroundings of the village. But, the next morning, soon after the beginning of the Mass and when the sun was just shining over the fields, they learnt that the threatening swarm was unexpectedly heading south, it looked like a whirling mass rotating up in the air. This meant that danger was over, 'the Mother of the Valley defended us against evil' the peasants convincingly stated".
Several witnesses stated that by the year 1715 the Image of Our Lady of the Valley was somewhat neglected, it seemed as if devotion to the Blessed Virgin had decreased, to such an extent that: "She did not even have a small altar for herself", the witnesses stated. They also remarked that in times past the farmers'greatest efforts were laid on the cultivation of cotton plants rather than on the growth of vegetables because cotton was easier to grow, since no plagues attacked them. All people who gave testimony on the Virgin's prodigies concerning the destruction caused by worms and the swarms of locusts were convinced that they were the Virgin's signals of attention because of the devotees apparent forgetfulness. They considered this was a proof which had beneficial consequences since it zealously revived faith and confidence in Her maternal protection. A protection She has lovingly provided for centuries and which inspired the poet, Juan Oscar Ponferrada, to say: .............................................................
For, thus, the very people, from their first-day feel
APPENDICES APPENDIX I BISHOPS AND During the period, from 1570 to 1688, eleven bishops ruled the bishopric of the Old Tucumán, which had its see in the neighbouring province of Santiago del Estero. They represented, in their own turn and number, different orders such as Franciscans (3), Augustinians (3) , the Secular Clergy (3), Carmelites (1) and Dominicans (1). In the course of time, this seat of the bishop's authority in Santiago del Estero was changed to the province of Córdoba (1695-1789) and later on moved to the province of Salta (1807-1860); it was successively ruled by three bishops, two from the Secular Clergy and one from the Franciscan order. Finally, the bishopric was once again moved, this time to the province of Tucumán and was ruled by Msgr. Pablo Padilla y Bárcena. He was first appointed Chapter-vicar in 1885, and later on became Diocesan Bishop. He is worth mentioning because he was the prelate who crowned the Image of Our Lady of the Valley in 1891. Special emphasis is laid on the most prominent bishops who did their best to spread Marian devotion not only at that time but also in a recent past. - Friar Fernando de Trejo y Sanabria, Franciscan bishop, founded both the Curacy of the Valley of Catamarca and the University of Córdoba, the oldest of our country. - Presbyter Julio Cortázar, canon lawyer, became the head of the see in 1617, that is, by the time the Image of our Lady was found in Choya. He was later on transferred to the bishopric of Santa Fe ( Colombia - 1625), where he died on October 21st, 1630. - Friar Melchor Maldonado de Saavedra. He made several pastoral visits to the Curacy of Londres, an experience which enabled him to learn how the devotion to the Image of our Lady of the Valley was marvellously spread. He died in his see in the province of Santiago del Estero on July 11th, 1661. - Msgr. José Luis Gabriel Segura y Cubas and Friar Buenaventura Rizo Patrón were both bishops belonging to the clergy of the province of Catamarca; likewise Msgr. Agustín Herrera, canon lawyer and Msgr. Gerardo Eusebio Sueldo who were both whole-souled devotees of Our Lady's veneration. Mention should also be made to, Msgr. Manual Abad Ilana, canon lawyer, and Msgr. Bernabé Piedrabuena whose contributions have already been pointed out in previous chapters. - Seven Marian bishops have ruled the Bishopric of Catamarca since its creation (1909): Msgr. Bernabé Piedrabuena, Msgr. Inocencio Dávila y Matos, Msgr. Vicente Peira, Msgr. Carlos Hanlon, Msgr.Adolfo Servando Tortolo, Msgr. Pedro Alfonso Torres Farías and the present one, Msgr. Elmer Osmar Miani. Furthermore, the Diocese of Catamarca was subsequently ruled by four Chapter-vicars, and a diocesan administrator whenever its see became vacant. They were Msgr. Julio Arnedo (1930-1933), Msgr. Friar Luis Costolla ( 1934-1935), Msgr. Carlos Toranzo Plá (1959-1960) and Msgr. Manuel Calvimonte ( from January to March, 1963) and the only Diocesan Adminstrator, Msgr. Gerardo Denett who administered church affairs from 1988 to 1990.
APPENDIX II THE SHIELD AND THE OFFICIAL HYMN TO OUR LADY OF THE VALLEY The Shield: Since the
Image of the Blessed Virgin Mary, under the advocation of the Valley, was
a crowned queen, the Diocesan Bishop considered She should have a shield
in accordance with regal conventions. The celebration of the Silver
Anniversary of the Coronation was a good reason for the Image to have Her
shield. Consequently, in 1914, the bishop committed Father Antonio
Larrouy, a well-known historian, to design a shiled following the usual
heraldic standards. So, he did the work which was later on entrusted to an
expert in heraldry, Mr. Thomas, who worked for a well-known firm
specialized in heraldry.
APPENDIX III THE PRESENT BASILICAN CATHEDRAL Msgr. Luis Gabriel Segura, the Diocesan Administrator, signed a contract with two Italian architects, Carlos Tanivella and Natalio Balloca, on April 16th, 1859, entrusting them the building of the new main church of Catamarca. The work was started immediately, but unfortunately the death of one of the architects, Natalio Tanivella, interrupted it for a time. Then, Friar Wenceslao Achával, who was the Diocesan Administrator, signed a new contract, in May 1862, with another Italian well known architect, Don Luis Caravatti. On September 11th, 1862, Presbyter José Facundo Segura, was appointed Rector of the Curacy of the Parish Chruch of Our Lady of the Valley. This time, the work gradually grew thanks to the unbending will of this pious priest. He was supported by the Marian faith of parishioners belonging to the province of Catamarca, Santiago del Estero, La Rioja, Tucumán, and many other Argentine provinces. They contributed generously with money and labour. The national government also provided economic support. Thus, the great building slowly arose, and it was only half-finished when it was officially opened on December 4th, 1869, but it took six years more for the work to be completed, i.e. in 1875. The bishopric of Catamarca was created under Act Nº 6.771 dated on October 4th, 1909. On February 5th, 1910, Pope Pius X issued a Founding Bull by which the then Main Church became a Cathedral. Then, on April 5th, 1941, Pope Pius XII answered the Diocesan Bishop's requirement, Msgr. Carlos Hanlon, and designated the Cathedral, Minor Basilica. Msgr. Hanlon's request was based on his desire to have a more brilliant and adequate celebration of the Golden Anniversary of the Coronation of the Image of our Lady of the Valley, who was the Patroness of this church. In view of the fame achieved all over the country and the richness of its architectural features, the Basilican cathedral became a historical monument, as stated by an act issued by the central government. The government's decision was also an answer to the personal interest shown, in due time, by politician of the time like General Justo José de Urquiza ( a well-known Argentina army officer ), and other men who also contributed to the national organization of our country. The church , which is the Basilican Cathedral of Our Lady of the Valley of Catamarca, and Her Sanctuary, shows the delicate and refined traces of classical Greek style. The vast nave and aisles are big enough for a lot of people to attend celebrations. Its vault, transept and dome are decorated with paintings which represent different scenes of the miracles credited to Our Lady of the Valley. This decoration was made on the occasion of the Golden Anniversary of Her Coronation and during the diocesan administration of Msgr. Carlos Hanlon.
APPENDIX IV OUR LADY'S UPPER CHAPEL This beautifully decorated upper chapel was opened by the first bishop of the Diocese of Catamarca, Msgr. Bernabé Piedrabuena, on May 5th, 1916. But its overall decoration was completed by Bishop Carlos Hanlon in 1941. The interior displays numerous refined details worthy of a sacred place for the veneration of the Image of our Lady of the Valley. Architecturally, it follows a Romanesque style, though with some variants, since some adjustments were made because of the small place dimensions. Marble columns are finished with highly ornamented capitals and its windows are all made of stained glass of German origin. This chapel was designed by architect Isaac Lecouna, a Marian worshipper. The Virgin is placed in Her shrine at the top of the high altar so that she can be seen from the nave, the Upper Chapel is situated up above and behind this altar and at the level of Her shrine. The Image can be turned both sides according to celebrations, i.e. facing the nave of the Cathedral or the small nave of Her chapel, e.g. during the Virgin's Mass, which is said here every Saturday. Its entrance is located on the southern side of the building, it consists of a double set of stairs, leading up and down the chapel; there is also an elevator for disabled and sick people who want to pay homage to our Lady of the Valley. The walls of the chapel are all covered with carefully distributed votive offerings which represent the faithfuls' gratitude for Her favours. Offerings range from those presented by the illiterate peasant to the highly theologically learned priest, from the staunch military man to the hopefully tender bride and the distressed mother, all levels of society are present through their vows. Votive offerings represent the Mother's graces upon Her children, taking on different shapes and sizes. They are loving gifts glorifying the maternal protection of our Lady.
APPENDIX V THE CHAPEL BUILT IN HER CAVE Msgr Rafael D'Amico was a faithful Marian devotee and he thought it might be convenient to have a chapel built in the cave in which the Image was found, so the work was started in the place by the early 30's. Unfortunately, lack of funds produced an interruption. The work was undertaken again when the time of the celebrations of the Golden Anniversary of the Coronation of the sacred Image (1941) was near. A commission was appointed to be in charge of all matters concerning its building; thus, the chapel was soon finished and opened on April 26th, 1941, by Msgr. Carlos Hanlon. The small chapel encloses the cave in such a way that its natural features have been preserved, its structure is designed in an arcade fashion reproducing the entrance to a cave. Its interior only contains an ordinary altar made of stone and a small sacristy. The front is partly closed with a railing from top to bottom; this railing has a small door which is only opened for celebrations. parishioners to stand during Masses. The place is overcrowded with votive offerings from the Virgin's devotees, they are the signals of the Mother's miracles upon Her children and their gratitude for Her graces. Restoration of the place was carried out by 1966, the work included protective guard rails to the set of stairs leading to the small structure and the addition of allegorical figures representing some of the Virgin's miracles, as for example, the golden chain, and the pot (cf.chapters XLIII and XLIV). They are stone-made and distributed in the surroundings leading to the cave.
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