OUR LADY OF ALTAGRACIA

Day 254: January 21

Our Lady of Altagracia, Higüey, Dominican Republic

The basilica of Our Lady of Altagracia in Higüey is perhaps the most important Marian structure in the entire Dominican Republic and also the most visited not only by tourists, but also by the Dominican people themselves. It was built in the place where the Virgin Mary had appeared.

Our Lady of Altagracia is considered the protective and spiritual mother of the Dominican people, the patron saint of the whole Latin America. She was given the name Altagracia, because none other than she, who is the Mother God, can give us, her children, a higher number of graces.

Located in the main street and in the center of the city of Higüey, the current basilica was inaugurated by Dr Joaquín Balaguer (1974-1978). The front door is made of 24-carat gold-plated bronze. At the top of the massive building is the bell tower with 45 bronze bells, the same material used for the door. Upon entering, you immediately notice the Latin cross plan, but the most important thing about the Basilica is the image of Our Lady of Altagracia on the altar dedicated to the Patroness of the Dominican Republic.

The painting of Our Lady of Altagracia is 33 cm wide and 45 cm high and according to experts it is a primitive work of the Spanish school painted at the end of the fifteenth century or the beginning of the sixteenth century. The painting of the Virgin of Altagracia is an icon. There is no element, no color, no relationship that does not have a very specific meaning. And it is also one of the few paintings in the world printed in pure gold. It shows a scene from the Nativity where the Virgin adores the Child Jesus in a cradle. It was restored in Spain in 1978, as time, the smoke of the candles and the caresses of the hands of the devotees, had altered it considerably, making it almost unrecognizable. The frame that supports it is the most refined expression of Dominican goldsmithing. An unknown artist of the eighteenth century built this marvel of gold, precious stones and enamels, probably using some of the jewels that the devotees had offered to Our Lady as a sign of gratitude.

Tradition has it that people go there on foot on pilgrimage. On the night of the eve, families, couples and pilgrims, groups of friends and the church parade; the most remarkable are those who perform penance. The construction of the Basilica that lasted from 1954 to 1971 seems to have taken place in the same place as a Marian apparition, but there are several versions, one of which can even be traced back to Christopher Columbus.

Monsignor Juan Pepen in his book "Dónde floreció el naranjo" (Where the orange blossomed) cites the testimony of Juan Elías Moscoso in 1907 who tells of a Spanish colonizer who lived more than three centuries ago in the city of Higüey and sold cattle, so always on his way to the city of Santo Domingo. According to John Pepen in his book "El Padre" on one of his trips to Santo Domingo, his two daughters asked for an errand: the elder daughter asked him to buy women's dresses, ribbons, lace and other accessories; instead the younger daughter only asked him to bring the image of the Virgin of Altagracia, since he had seen it in a dream.

It was strange to everyone, since no one had heard of such a Virgin. The girls' father, despite having asked everyone, including the archbishop himself, could not find the image. Passing through the town of Los Dos Rios, he spent the night at an old friend's house. While he was having dinner, an old traveler who was also hosted by him listened to the story of the mysterious image and his father's displeasure in not being able to find it. The old man then unrolled a Parchment showing the Image of the Virgin of Altagracia and leaving it to the cattle seller for his daughter, mysteriously disappearing the following day. The father was therefore able to deliver the gifts to his daughters and to the younger he gave the famous image right at the foot of an orange tree that is still preserved, despite the centuries and which is now located on the site of the ancient sanctuary of Higüey.

It is also said that the Virgin herself appeared on the orange tree; and so we find it in the mosaic created by an artist from San Pedro de Macoris, Said Musa. Some historians and pastors of the Catholic Church claimed that it all began on May 12, 1502 when, by order of the bishop of Santo Domingo, García Padilla, to form a new parish in the city of Higüey. The brothers Trejo Alonso and Antonio brought the sacred image of the Virgin of Altagracia to the country, from Plasencia, a city of the autonomous community of Extremadura, in Spain. In fact, it was in the city of Siruela in Extremadura that the Virgin had appeared to a peasant on a tree, hence the name of Alta Gracia that came from heaven.

Her feast day is January 21st, and since the day is a holiday, many faithful devoted to Our Lady go to her Basilica on this day to venerate her, coming from all parts of the Dominican territory, including the islands. As a demonstration of the fame of this sanctuary, we can say that at least 3 out of 10 women in the Dominican Republic bear the name of Altagracia and in ancient times it was also given to men if they were born on a Saturday or simply in January.

Some historians say that the official feast of Our Lady of Altagracia is January 21, because from that moment the battle of the Royal Sabana was held in the eastern part of the island of Santo Domingo, where the Spanish army, led by Miniel Antonio defeated the French army on January 21, 1691. And this victory would be attributed to the prayers addressed by the Spaniards to the Virgin of Altagracia who later decided to celebrate it on this particular day of the year.

But the historian Alejandro Paulino Ramos, says that the veneration of the Virgin of Altagracia began in the mid-sixteenth century, in the area of Santo Domingo around the city of Higüey and the feast day was August 15, because on that date the image was brought for the first time on the island, in reality being the feast of the Assumption they did not want to overlap the two dates and so it was decided for January 21.

Our Lady of Altagracia had the special privilege of being crowned twice by the highest authorities of the Catholic Church, Pope Pius XI and John Paul II. Her first coronation took place on August 15, 1922, when Pope Pius XI was in the Dominican Republic. During Pope John Paul II's first visit on January 25, 1979, he blessed the Shrine of Altagracia (now the Basilica of Higüey) and on October 12, 1992, on his second visit to the country, he personally crowned the image of the Virgin of Altagracia with a golden silver diadem.

St Justin Russolillo Writes...

"Holy Mary, grant that we may enter, remain and ever grow through our Union with you, in the grace of the children of God, in the spirit of loving adoration, to the greater glory of God the Father."

(Justin Russolillo, Spirit of Prayer, trans. Louis Caputo, Vocationist Fathers, Newark, 1996, p. 154)