Our Lady Mother of the Divine Grace of Awhum

Marian Advocation of Awhum (Enugu)

La advocación de Our Lady Mother of the Divine Grace of Awhum se venera en el Awhum sanctuary and monasteryin the state of Enugu, in the south-east of Nigeria, as a Marian pilgrimage centre linked to the Trapense monastery and the famous cave and cascade of Awhum. [] The documentation available from the sources consulted makes it possible to state its existence as place of popular Marian devotionbut does not offer a detailed foundational history nor a complete official chronology of the advocation in that enclave. []

Main data

Origin and history

La advocación de Our Lady Mother of the Divine Grace of Awhum se venera en el Awhum sanctuary and monasteryin the state of Enugu, in the south-east of Nigeria, as a Marian pilgrimage centre linked to the Trapense monastery and the famous cave and cascade of Awhum. [] The documentation available from the sources consulted makes it possible to state its existence as place of popular Marian devotionbut does not offer a detailed foundational history nor a complete official chronology of the advocation in that enclave. []

En consecuencia, no consta in the verified sources a documented tradition of a specific Marian apparition in Awhum, nor a certain date of establishment of the cult under this title. What does appear clearly is the association between Marian devotion, the Trapense monastery and the flow of pilgrims who come to the sanctuary and the waterfall, elements that have consolidated the religious relevance of the place within the local Catholic piety. [...]

The image and the sanctuary

No consta in the verified sources, a precise description of the image venerated - type, material or detailed iconography - under the title of Our Lady Mother of the Divine Grace of Awhum. [] It is therefore not wise to attribute to it specific iconographic features that have not been explicitly documented.

The place of worship is the Awhum sanctuary and monastery, identified in the information available as a Marian pilgrimage center vinculado al Trapense monastery and the cave / waterfall of Awhum. [] No consta which has been designated as a minor basilica, national sanctuary or diocesan sanctuary in the documents consulted. []

Sponsorship and coronation

No consta an official patronage documented on a city, municipality, diocese or national level in favour of this advocation in Awhum. [...]

No documented canonical coronation for Our Lady Mother of the Divine Grace of Awhum in the verified sources. [...]

Party and devotion

No consta a secure date of the main feast of this advocation in Awhum in the documentation consulted. [] Devotion is, however, clearly associated with the pilgrimage the sanctuary and spiritual experience of the place, especially by the presence of the monastery and the natural environment of the cave and waterfall. []

The sources also describe a devoción popular around the water of the place, which is held by blessed in the mercy of the faithful who come to the place. [] In the journalistic and ecclesial testimonies available on Awhum, the whole of the sanctuary and the natural site appears as a space of prayer, recollection and influx of pilgrims. []

Link to the Rosary

In verified sources no consta a specific institutional relationship between this advocation and a specific or exclusive practice of the Rosary. [] However, in the Marian Catholic spirituality, the Rosary naturally accompanies the veneration of Mary as the Mother of grace, because it guides the contemplation of Christ with Mary and promotes the prayer of supplication, praise and filial trust. []