Our Lady of the Abbey of Muquem

Marian vocation of Niquelândia (Goiás)

La advocación de Our Lady of the Abbey of Muquem is linked to the gold cycle and Portuguese colonization in the interior of Brazil, in the region that today corresponds to the municipality of Niquelândia, state of Goiás, in the Brazilian Central-West. The Romeria del Muquem is considered the the oldest of the state of Goiás, with origin traditionally fixed at 1748and with more than 270 years of uninterrupted continuity.

Main data

Origin and history

La advocación de Our Lady of the Abbey of Muquem is linked to the gold cycle and Portuguese colonization in the interior of Brazil, in the region that today corresponds to the municipality of Niquelândia, state of Goiás, in the Brazilian Central-West. The Romeria del Muquem is considered the the oldest of the state of Goiás, with origin traditionally fixed at 1748and with more than 270 years of uninterrupted continuity.

### Tradition and legend

According to the tradition collected by authors such as Fr. Arlindo Ribeiro da Cunha and by the sanctuary itself, the initiator of devotion was Portuguese. Antonio Antunes de Carvalho, dedicated to gold exploration in the Muquem region. It is said that, accused in the Portuguese court, he voted that if he was free of that cause, he would return to his native land in northern Portugal and bring an image of Our Lady of the Abbey of the famous Marian monastery of Bouro (Diocesis of Braga). The vote was completed, he would have acquired the image there, crossed the Atlantic to Salvador (Bahia) and then travelled the interior by the "Caminho dos Currais do Vale do São Francisco" to the Arraial do Muquem, where he arrived in 1748. The image was placed in the small chapel of São Tomé as a payment of the vote, and around it was formed popular devotion.

This tradition also highlights the continuity with the devotion to Nossa Senhora da Abadia in the Shrine of Bouro, explaining why the great feast in Muquem is celebrated the August 15, coinciding with the Portuguese Marian Romany on the same date. In this way, the people see in Muquem a "transposition" into the interior of Brazil of a Marian devotion coming from the Lusitian roots.

♪ documented history ♪

On the historical-documentary plane, the sources of the sanctuary, the diocese and civil organizations converge in some firm points:

– La devoción y la romería están atestiguadas desde mediados del 18th century y se sitúan en el contexto de la minería aurífera en la Capitanía de Goiás. – El año 1748 se presenta de forma constante como referencia de inicio de la devoción y de la romería, siendo el dato cronológico más repetido por el propio santuario y por materiales institucionales. – La Romeria of Our Lady of the Abbey of Muquem is recognized as the oldest religious Romeria of Goiás y la Marian Romany of the Central-West Region, con varios siglos de continuidad celebrativa. – La devoción está hoy bajo la jurisdicción de la Diócesis de Uruaçu, which recognizes the place as the Marian sanctuary of reference for the state of Goiás.

Some biographical details of Antônio Antunes de Carvalho, as well as the precise account of the journey with the image from Portugal, belong mainly to the field of devotional tradition, collected by chronists and by the memory of the sanctuary, and are not recorded as verifiable data in civil or ecclesiastical documentation of the time.

The image and the sanctuary

The image venerated as Our Lady of Abadia of Muquém is an old size, of Portuguese origin, brought specifically for veneration and linked to the monastery of Nossa Senhora da Abadia, in Bouro. The sources highlight their historical character (18th century) and devotional origin, but do not provide in a detailed and verifiable way technical data such as the exact type of wood, author or sculptural school; therefore, no consta precisely documented material or authorship. On iconography, it is presented in tradition as an image of Our Lady under the title "Abbey"related to Mary's maternal protection over the people and the walkers, in continuity with the Marian iconography of the Shrine of Bouro; however, no consta a detailed official iconographic description (position, specific attributes, etc.) in the sources consulted.

The main place of worship is the Diocesan Shrine of Our Lady of Muquémlocated in the district of Muquem, a 45 km from the city of Niquelândia (Goiás)in rural areas. The sanctuary itself is described as a great pilgrimage center, located in an environment of "ecological sanctuary," surrounded by mountains, kill native, streams and wildlife. During the pilgrimage, the surrounding area becomes a true "city of faith," with space for camps of thousands of pilgrimage.

The diocesan sources and Marian spirituality point out that the Diocesan Shrine Our Lady of Abadia of Muquém is one of the largest Marian shrines in Brazil and has a title "gemellaggio" (twinning) con la Basilica of the Annunciation in Nazareth (Israel), which underlines his Marian vocation and his insertion into the spiritual geography of the universal Church. It is not, however, clear that the temple has received the title of minor basilica nor is it officially recognized as National sanctuary; the sources explicitly present it as diocesan sanctuary.

Sponsorship and coronation

The sanctuary is located in the territory of the Diócesis de Uruaçu, in the municipality of Niquelândia (state of Goiás, Brazil)and is recognized as Diocesan Shrine Our Lady of the Muquém. Devotion is a Marian reference to the State of Goiás and for the entire Central-West region, often referred to as the largest Marian Romany in this area of the country. The institutional sources of Niquelândia highlight the Romeria as one of the main religious events of the municipality, with a strong impact on local civil and religious life.

As for a patronazgo formal (for example, official proclamation as a patron of the state of Goiás or of the diocese by canonical decree), the sources consulted do not offer a clear and explicit document: therefore, no consta in documented form a specific canonical patronage beyond its evident devotional centrality for the municipality and the diocese.

On a canonical coronation of the image (by pontifical mandate or by decree of the Congregation for Divine Worship and Discipline of the Sacraments), the sources of the sanctuary, the diocese, the Catholic press and the official bodies consulted no mencionan no act of canonical coronation with clearly identified date, decree or pontifical delegate. Accordingly, according to the information available, it should be indicated that does not contain a documented canonical coronation.

Party and devotion

La main party of Our Lady of the Abbey of Muquem is celebrated around the August 15, the day that links with the tradition of the Pilgrimage in the Shrine of Bouro, in Portugal. In current pastoral practice, the Romería de Muquém is usually extended from 5-15 or 16 Augustaccording to the calendar of each year, with an intense programme of masses, novenas, processions, confessions and pastoral activities.

Various ecclesial and civil sources agree that:

– La Romería del Muquém es la oldest in the state of Goiás, with more than 270 years de historia. – Es considerada la ma