OUR LADY OF SORROWS

Day 332: April 09

Our Lady of Sorrows of Chauchina, Chauchina, Granada, Spain



Rosaria Granados Martin was a simple woman born in Chauchina on April 25, 1839. On April 4, 1859 she married Manuel de Cantos Romero, but she was widowed very early and with three children to support: Jose, Diego and Francesco, whom she tried to educate in a Christian way by setting a good example through prayer and works of Christian charity.

One of her sons was killed by a man in a tavern in the village of Granada where Rosaria and her children lived as caretakers of a farmhouse or farmhouse. God's Mercy put the poor widow to the test by making the murderer seek refuge in her own home. When the woman learned from another of her sons what happened, she, although feeling torn by pain, did not feel like betraying the man by bringing him to justice and simply told him: "See what you did... but nothing will bring me back my son ... I forgive you ... even the Virgin forgave the executioners of her Son on Calvary ... Go, and God be with you for the world... " and before sending him away she fed him.

Despite Rosaria's great act of charity, the murderer was caught. Rosaria, thinking that he also had a mother, prayed to the Lord not to be forced to testify against him in court. Her prayer was answered: eight days before the date set for the trial, the murderer died, showing signs of sincere repentance.

The years passed and Rosaria fell seriously ill in 1903. Cancerous ulcers devoured her leg. Rosaria lived as a maid with her children, but the owner of the house no longer wanted to have Rosaria in his home because of the smell and the nauseating illness, teasing her and mistreating her. But she always bore everything with great patience and love.

On the morning of April 9, 1906, she arrived at the usual bush where she used to wash her purulent sores and change the bandages, with the help of a chair. A mourning woman approached her with a black rosary in her hand, who offered to cure her, but in return she wanted to be accompanied to the cemetery, which was quite far from them.

Rosaria agreed to leave the support of her chair to follow the woman, gradually surprised by her increasing agility in walking. Yes they knelt together to recite the rosary at the entrance to the cemetery until exhausted and falling asleep. When she woke up, the wounds as well as the woman had disappeared.

She ran to the city to tell what happened to her and everyone agreed that it had to be the Holy Virgin of Sorrows. A chapel was built near the bush. After the apparition, several people offered her money given the situation of extreme poverty, but she never wanted to accept anything for fear that it might be thought that she was using religion for her own interests.

Around 1918, in the city of Granada, José Farrugia heard this request from the ancient statue of Our Lady of Sorrows: "Take me to Chauchina!" After the third request, he decided to donate the image to the sanctuary. When Rosaria saw her, she exclaimed: "She really looks like the good woman who helped me!" Dating back to around 1600 and much restored, the image in tears was canonically crowned September 9, 2006

In the end, Rosaria died of old age and not of illness on September 24, 1921 and was buried in the cemetery. After 40 years her remains were moved to the crypt of the chapel of the Virgin in the Conventual Church, with the permission of the Archbishop of Granada. This is the inscription on his tombstone: Here are the remains of Rosaria Granados Martin, miraculously healed by the Holy Virgin on April 9, 1906, who died saintly on September 24, 1921 at the age of 82. Her mortal remains were transferred to this crypt on September 30, 1961.

In 1925, the Capuchin nuns settled in the sanctuary and they are still there today.


St Justin Russolillo Writes...

"Bring us with you, O most holy Mary, in your perpetual visitation to all souls: to all families, parishes and dioceses; to all the religious houses and holy works and temple of God; make us as your instruments of your perpetual visitation."

(Justin Russolillo, Devotional, Vocationist Editions, Pianura, 2009, p. 123)

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