Our Lady of the Candelaria of Caguach, venerated on the island of Caguach

Marian vocation of Caguach (Los Lagos)

There is no specific Marian advocation under the title "Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria de Caguach" in Caguach, department of Los Lagos, Colombia in the sources consulted (sanctuary, diocese, Catholic press, general repertories on the Virgin of the Candelaria and its sanctuaries in Colombia). References found to Our Lady of the Candelaria of Caguach are consistent with the shrine of the island of Caguach, in the Chiloé archipelago, Los Lagos region, Chilewhere there is a well-known party with a maritime procession.

Main data

Origin and history

There is no specific Marian advocation under the title "Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria de Caguach" in Caguach, department of Los Lagos, Colombia in the sources consulted (sanctuary, diocese, Catholic press, general repertories on the Virgin of the Candelaria and its sanctuaries in Colombia). References found to Our Lady of the Candelaria of Caguach are consistent with the shrine of the island of Caguach, in the Chiloé archipelago, Los Lagos region, Chilewhere there is a well-known party with a maritime procession.

In Colombia there is a strong and widespread devotion to Our Lady of Candelaria, derived from the original advocation of Tenerife (Spain), whose universal liturgical feast is celebrated 2 February, memory of the Lord's Presentation in the Temple and the Purification of the Virgin. This advocation is a patron of several Colombian cities and municipalities (Medellín, Magangé, El Banco, Chita, among others), with well-documented sanctuaries, but none located on an "island of Caguach" or a Colombian "department of Los Lagos."

In view of the above, the reference to "Caguach, Department of Los Lagos, Colombia" is likely to have a geographical confusion entre: – la Caguach Island in Chiloé (Los Lagos region, Chile), con su histórico santuario de la Candelaria y su procesión marítima de bordas; – la Los Lagos region in Chilewithout a coraccount in the political-administrative division of Colombia.

Until new diocesan or local research reveals another reality, does not historically contain a differentiated advocation "Our Lady of the Candelaria of Caguach" in Colombia nor the celebration of a feast on 30 January in a sanctuary so called.

The image and the sanctuary

Para Colombia, the sources describe various temples dedicated to the Virgin of the Candelariabut none with the name "Caguach."

Some significant examples:

– Church of Our Lady of La Candelaria (Bogotá): Catholic temple in the historical centre, in the La Candelaria district, belonging to the archdiocese of Bogotá. It is dedicated to the Virgin Mary under the title of the Candelaria, with intense liturgical life and usual exhibition of the Most Holy. The available sources do not specify in detail the material or iconography of the main image (not recorded).

– Parish / temple of Our Lady of the Candelaria in Medellin: The Virgin of the Candelaria is the patron of the city; the old Villa was erected under its title, and its effigy appears in the shield of Medellin and the archdiocese. It is venerated in a temple located in the center of the city, next to the metropolitan cathedral. The sources consulted of a divulgative nature do not describe in detail the material or style of the image (not recorded).

– Otros santuarios colombianos de la Candelaria están documentados, como el Sanctuary of Our Lady of the Candelaria of La Capilla (Boyacá)where an old image of cedar wood is venerated. However, these are local degrees unrelated to the name "Caguach."

En consecuencia, does not contain a Colombian sanctuary called "Our Lady of the Candelaria of Caguach" nor a specific image with that name. The iconographic and material characteristics of Caguach's image correspond to Chilean veneration, not Colombian, so they are not described here to avoid confusion between countries.

Sponsorship and coronation

En Colombia, la Virgin of the Candelaria he exercises various well-attested patronings:

– Patroness of the city of MedellínThe city was originally erected as Villa de Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria de Medellín, y su imagen figura en el escudo de la ciudad y de la arquidiócesis. – Patrona de Magangué (Bolívar), donde la catedral lleva su nombre (Catedral de la Candelaria). – Patrona de El Banco (Magdalena), cuya catedral también está dedicada a Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria. – Patrona of the municipality of Chita (Boyacá)whose main church is also called Our Lady of the Candelaria.

No mention has been found of a specific patronage of "Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria de Caguach" on a diocese, city or municipality of Colombia. In Colombia, the title is simply known as Our Lady of Candelaria, sin el calificativo de Caguach.

On a canonical coronationthe general sources on the Candelaria in Colombia and the lists of coronations do not indicate any rite of canonical coronation linked to an alleged image "of Caguach" in Colombian territory. Therefore, according to the available data:

No documented canonical coronation for a Marian advocation entitled "Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria de Caguach" in Colombia.

Party and devotion

La universal liturgical feast of Our Lady of the Candelaria se celebra el 2 February, day of the Lord's Presentation and the Purification of Mary. In Colombia, this date is lived with great popular fervor in various cities, with solemn eucharisties, processions and blessing of the candelas, sign of Christ the light of the world.

In the Colombian shrines of the Candelaria, devotion is often expressed by:

– Patronal parties: por ejemplo, en Chita (Boyacá) las fiestas patronales se celebran el 2 de febrero en honor de Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria. – Local pilgrims and pilgrimages: en ciudades como Medellín o Magangué, los fieles acuden a los respectivos templos y catedrales para cumplir promesas y dar gracias a la Virgen. – Popular traditions: in Magangé, popular piety links the Candelaria to the protection against the "Mohan" of the Magdalena River, a symbolic expression of its protective intercession over the city.

No references to a party on January 30 ni a Sea processions of "bounds" in the Colombian context of the Candelaria; these elements belong to the festival of Our Lady of the Candelaria of Caguach in Chileheld around 2 February with a major maritime procession in the Chiloé archipelago. Introduce these features into the description of Colombian devotion would mean mixing two different realities (Chile and Colombia), so it is discarded.

As regards "Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria de Caguach" in Colombia, no consta the existence of a party of its own, pilgrimages or data of influx, because a Colombian sanctuary is not documented with this differentiated advocation.

Link to the Rosary

The sources consulted on the Candelaria in Colombia focus on the Feast of February 2, the symbolism of light and local traditions; they do not explicitly mention a unique practice of the Rosary associated with an advocation called "de Caguach" in Colombia. Therefore, there is no documented specific link between "Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria de Caguach" (in Colombia) and the prayer of the Rosary.

However, in the Marian Catholic spirituality, the Rosary It naturally accompanies devotion to the Candelaria in any of its sanctuaries. When contemplating the joyful mysteries, the Presentation of the Child Jesus in the Temple introduces precisely the mystery that the feast d