Created in the city of Tolosa, Spain in the fourteenth century, the statue of Our Lady of Remedies is said to be one of the oldest statues of Mary on the American continent as it traveled over-seas with Spanish conquistador Hernan Cortes. She was brought into battle as Spanish soldiers set out to conquest Mexico, marching from Veracruz to the Aztec capital, Tenochtitlan, which is now the current day Mexico City.

On the night of July 8, 1520, Our Lady was hidden under the brush of a cactus as the Spaniards fled from the Aztecs on the Noche Triste, or "night of sorrows." Here she remained for twenty years until she was found by Juan Cuautli, an Indian chief who collected the image and housed it in his private chapel for many years until moving it to the Nuestra Senora de los Remedios church in Naucalpan, near Mexico City.  Here you can still find the centuries old statue, dressed in embroidered and bejeweled robes, carrying the baby Jesus in her arms.

Along the walls of the church are statements and pictures from grateful followers describing their personal experiences of help from Our Lady of Remedies. She became known for her power of intercession in times of urgent need and great disaster when she protected people from floods, droughts, epidemics, wars, and political crisis. People still believe that if it wasn’t for their devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Spaniards would never have come out victorious in their fight for the land.

Hansen, Mary. 2011. Madonnas of Mexico: Miraculous Images of Our Lady. North Bay, Ontario, Canada: Heavens Above! Publications, 2011. 

Liguori. Mary Throughout Latin America.  MO: Liguori Publications, 2005.

Researched by Mary T. Landry

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