Our Lady of Miracles of Caacupé
Paraguayan patron saint. Her feast is celebrated on December 8
Around the year 1600, a converted Indian, a sculptor by trade, went into the mountains and met a group of savage Mbayaes from whom he managed to escape, hiding behind a thick trunk. In the anguished moments that he spent in his hiding place, he asked the Virgin to get out of that situation alive. Once free of that risk, he carved an image with the same trunk that he had sheltered him as he promised the Virgin.
In the year 1603, Lake Tapaicuá overflowed and flooded the entire Pirayú valley, destroying everything in its path, including the image of the Virgin. However, when the waters receded, the image of the Virgin that the Indian had carved miraculously appeared. The villagers began to spread their devotion to her and began to invoke her with the name of “Virgen de los Milagros”. A devout neighbor, named José and a carpenter by trade, prepared a modest hermitage for him and the Virgin of Caacupé began to receive worship there. The image of Our Lady of Caacupé is small, just over fifty centimeters. She is Immaculate and her feet rest on a small sphere, encircling her waist with a white silk sash.
Every December 8, the feast of María de Caacupé is celebrated and thousands of pilgrims arrive at the Sanctuary to show their love and gratitude to the Mother of all, to the “Blue Virgin of Paraguay”.
Prayer to the Virgin of Caacupé written by Pope Francis
Oh! Our Lady and Mother, Virgin of so many faces and so many names, here you are infinitely loved like Tupasý Caacupé, we consecrate Paraguay to you, Heart of America, with all its inhabitants, have under your constant protection the Church of Christ present here, to rulers and all families. Also protect all Paraguayan men and women who had to migrate and even in the distance and with so many trials they do not forget you.
Help little mountain virgin so that we can all experience the infinite mercy of God, so that as missionary disciples of your son Jesus Christ we can build a holy nation inspired by the gospel where solidarity, justice, truth, joy and peace reign and we achieve the long-awaited Reconciliation for all the children of this blessed Guarani land. Amen.
Another prayer to the Virgin of Caacupé
“Most Holy Mother of God and our mother,
from your Sanctuary of Caacupé cover with your protective mantle
to your devotees and to all of Paraguay.
Intercede for our parents and benefactors,
for the helpless and all those in need of forgiveness and mercy.
Protect our Holy Mother the Church
and bring light to the magistrates to
May they do justice and have peace among men.
After the particular grace that we ask of you,
obtain for us also the grace
greater to preserve in our Faith
and in your love,
in order to deserve the realization of
the promise that Our Lord Jesus Christ
did to us when he said:
“He who perseveres to the end will be saved.”
To you then, dear Mother,
We cry out for you to obtain us such a singular favor.
Amen.”
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