Our Lady of Altagracia
Nuestra Senora de Altagracia Patrona de Quibor, Marian holy cards collection, ML.031 Box 28, circa 1675-2018. Marian Library, University of Dayton Libraries, Dayton, Ohio.
Country
Venezuela
Description
The Divina Pastora, or Divine Shepherdess, is the patron saint of the city of Barquisimeto. The image of Divina Pastora dates back to the early 1700s and the devotion of Divina Pastora made its way to Venezuela from Seville, Spain in 1736. But in Venezuela, she is also known as the Divine Shepherdess because a statue of her was mistakenly sent to a church in Santa Rosa, Venezuela, when the priest of the church had actually requested a statue of the Divine Shepherd. They tried to return the statue but could not lift it off the ground, no matter how much effort they put in. They concluded it was a sign that the statue was to remain in Santa Rosa.
On March 26th of 1812, a large earthquake hit the area of Barquisimeto, which affected the Santuario de Santa Rosa where the image of the Divina Pastora is housed. The temple was destroyed, but the sculpture of the Virgin remained intact, which furthered the belief that she was there to stay and to protect them. The belief that the Divina Pastora was going to protect the citizens in and around Barquisimeto was reinforced in 1854 when a major plague struck. The citizens looked to Divina Pastora for help and the epidemic abruptly ended. Many people credit the Virgin for their survival and for this reason she is much celebrated each year on January 14.
References:
Alson, Javier and Antonio Larocca. “Las Advocaciones Marianas.” University of Dayton. Accessed April 12, 2024.
Cabrera, Miguel. “Porqué millones visitan el santuario de la Divina Pastora.” Turismo religioso en el mundo (blog). January 15, 2023.
“Divina Pastora (Barquisimeto).” Wikipedia. March 29, 2024.
Researched by Mariah N. Allen
Popular Devotions
("Parish of Our Lady of Altagracia - Quibor - Songs for the Holy Mass - 1997 Edition")
Hail Mary
Dios te salve, María. Llena eres de gracia: El Señor es contigo.
Bendita tú eres entre todas las mujeres.
Y bendito es el fruto de tu vientre: Jesús.
Santa María, Madre de Dios, ruega por nosotros pecadores,
ahora y en la hora de nuestra muerte.
Amen.
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