Our Lady of the Almudena del Cusco

Marian devotion of Cusco (Cusco)

The Cuban advocation of Our Lady of Almudena is linked to the presence of the bishop Manuel de Mollinedo y Angulowho ruled the Diocese of Cusco from 1673 to his death in 1699 and promoted the cult with a new image carved in the city. According to the tradition of the Catholic press, 1686 the indigenous sculptor Juan Tomás Tuyro Túpac was ordered to do the size, and 1689 the image was intonized in a church of his own.

Main data

Origin and history

The Cuban advocation of Our Lady of Almudena is linked to the presence of the bishop Manuel de Mollinedo y Angulowho ruled the Diocese of Cusco from 1673 to his death in 1699 and promoted the cult with a new image carved in the city. According to the tradition of the Catholic press, 1686 the indigenous sculptor Juan Tomás Tuyro Túpac was ordered to do the size, and 1689 the image was intonized in a church of his own.

La documented history that can be affirmed with certainty is the existence of this image in the Cusco since the 17th century and its association with the devotional environment driven by Mollinedo and Angulo. The same source points out that the figure was officially named "Nativity of the Almudena", which helps to distinguish this Andean advocation from the Almudena de Madrid; the Cuban reference does not reproduce the Madrid advocation without adaptation, but integrates it into a local context under the title of Virgin of the Nativity.

The image and the sanctuary

The image is a Eculture of the Virgin venerated in the Temple of the Almudena, also called Church of Our Lady of the Almudena, en la plazoleta de la Almudena, district of Santiagowithin walking distance of the historic center of Cusco. The source consulted does not specify in full detail the material of the image, but it does indicate that it is a Cuban size carved in 1686 by Juan Tomás Tuyro Túpac.

The temple presents one ship, walls of masonry and argamase, stone arches and brick dome on drum with windows. It is part of the Monumental area of the Cusco The historic monument of Peru since 1972 and the central area registered by UNESCO as the World Cultural Heritage site since 1983. It does not contain, with the documentation gathered here, that it is minor basilica or having the category of Nacional or diocesan sanctuary.

Sponsorship and coronation

There is no officially universal patronage of a city, municipality, diocese or nation in the revised documentation. A Ingrained local devotion in the district of Santiago and in the Cuzzano area, especially around the parish and church of the Almudena.

No documented canonical coronation in the sources consulted. If such a ceremony exists, it is not confirmed in the verified information used for this tab.

Party and devotion

La main party se celebra el September 8the date on which the Archdiocese of Cusco reports the holiday in honor of the Virgin of the Almudena. This coincidence with the Nativity of the Virgin Mary explains the official title of Virgin of the Nativity of the Almudena.

The devotion is expressed in the parish and temple of Santiago, with liturgical celebrations and participation of the faithful of the Cuban environment. The verified sources here do not provide reliable flow figures or a detailed description of pilgrimages; therefore, these data no constan. It can be said that this is an advocation of strong local integration, linked to the religious identity of the historical Cusco.

Link to the Rosary

There is no specific historical association of this Cuban advocation with the Rosary, public rosaries or particular rosaries in the sources consulted. However, like all Marian devotion, the Virgin of the Almudena of Cusco is fully understood within the spirituality of the Rosarywho looks at the mysteries of Christ with Mary and usually accompany Marian parties like that of the Nativity of the Virgin.

In a devotional fact sheet, this link can be expressed in a sober way: the Rosary offers the traditional prayer framework to honor Mary under this advocation, to ask for the deceased and to meditate on the joy of her birth and mission in the history of salvation.