Our Lady of the Assumption

Marian devotion of Guatemala City (Guatemala)

La advocación de Our Lady of the Assumption is linked with the mystery of the Assumption of Mary, which the Church celebrates liturgically the August 15, a solemnity deeply rooted in the whole Catholic tradition. The choice of the title "of the Assumption" for the Guatemalan capital is linked to the official name of the city: New Guatemala de la Asunciónthe foundation that replaced the ancient capital Santiago de los Knights of Guatemala after the earthquakes of the 18th century.

Main data

Origin and history

La advocación de Our Lady of the Assumption is linked with the mystery of the Assumption of Mary, which the Church celebrates liturgically the August 15, a solemnity deeply rooted in the whole Catholic tradition. The choice of the title "of the Assumption" for the Guatemalan capital is linked to the official name of the city: New Guatemala de la Asunciónthe foundation that replaced the ancient capital Santiago de los Knights of Guatemala after the earthquakes of the 18th century.

In Guatemalan history, Marian devotion to the Assumption is inserted in a broad context of strong Marian piety, where other very ancient claims such as Our Lady of the Rosary, patron of the nation and very close to the old and new capital. This multiple Marian presence explains that, together with national patronings (Virgin of the Rosary), there are patronings more directly linked to the city under other Marian titles, such as the Asunción.

It has not been located in open sources a specific legendary narration (apparition, prodigious finding, original miracle) linked to the image of Our Lady of the Assumption of the parish of area 2 of Guatemala City; therefore, does not contain a specific foundational tradition or legend in easily accessible documentation. Nor does it contain, with precision, a documented date of creation of the parish or of the enronization of the image in this parish seat.

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The image and the sanctuary

The sources consulted on Marian advocacy in Guatemala focus mainly on the Our Lady of the Rosary and other major sanctuaries, and offer little technical data on the particular image of Our Lady of the Assumption venerated in the parish of zone 2. No constaa detailed and secure description of:

– type of image (full-size sculpture, dressed figure, painting, etc.), – material (polychrome wood, stucco, etc.), – nor specific iconographic details (position, attributes, presence of angels, etc.).

Since it is an advocation of the Assumption, it is reasonable to assume that the iconography represents Mary glorified, raised to heaven, perhaps on clouds and / or angels, according to the traditional iconography of the Assumption; however, this is only a general inference by title y no consta documented for this concrete image.

As for the temple, it is venerated in the Parish of Our Lady of the Assumption, ubicada en la area 2 of Guatemala City, popularly known in the urban environment as "La Parroquia" (common colloquial name when a parish temple is especially referential in a neighborhood or sector). In general sources consulted on sanctuaries and Marian advocacy in Guatemala it is not mentioned as a minor basilica, nor as a national sanctuary, nor is a particular canonical recognition of higher rank indicated.; therefore, at the date of the available documentation, it should be indicated:

– Official name: Parroquia de Nuestra Señora de la Asunción (zona 2, Ciudad de Guatemala). – Canon range: parroquia; no consta title of a minor basilica or official declaration as a national or diocesan sanctuary in the verified sources.

Specific architectural characteristics (style, date of construction, reforms) no constan in generic repertories of advocations or in the synthesis of Marian shrines consulted.

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Sponsorship and coronation

La Assumption of Mary is the mystery that gives the capital official name: New Guatemala de la Asunción. In devotional practice, a Marian patronage over the city linked to this title, although at the legal-canonical and devotional level more broadly the national protagonism corresponds to Our Lady of the Rosary, declared "Queen of Guatemala" and very associated with the general patronage of the country.

Therefore, it can be stated:

– Patronage: Our Lady of the Assumption is patron of Guatemala City as soon as the city bears its official Marian name ("of the Assumption"). The detail of a formal proclamation (bull, pontifical decree or episcopal decree with precise date) no consta in the open sources consulted.

On a possible canonical coronation of the parish image of Our Lady of the Assumption of zone 2, no documentation found in Marian databases, devotional repertory or chronic coronations in Guatemala, which do record in detail the coronation of the Virgin of the Rosary in 1934. Therefore, following the requested rule:

– Canon coronation: does not contain a documented canonical coronation of this image in available sources.

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Party and devotion

La main party of the advocation is the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, el August 15, date established in all the Roman rite and lived with special intensity in those places whose patronage is linked to this mystery. In the case of Guatemala City, this date is of a particular nature, since it is day of the owner of the city ("de la Asunción") and the parish of the same name.

General sources on Marian devotions point out that the patrons of cities often arouse processions, novenas, solemn Eucharist, repeat of bells and holy-religious acts. However, as regards the Parish of Our Lady of the Assumption (zone 2):

– no constan, en la documentación abierta consultada, datos precisos sobre: – extensión y recorrido de procesiones, – número de fieles, – peregrinaciones formales desde otras zonas o diócesis, – tradiciones populares propias (alfombras, votos, promesas específicas, etc.).

It can be said, in general, that the parish celebrates the 15th of August as Patron party, integrated in the archdiocesan calendar of Guatemala City and in the devotional life of the neighborhood, with the usual expressions of Marian piety: solemn Mass, prayer of the Rosary, novies preparatory and possible procedural exit; however, the concrete form of these celebrations in the parish of zone 2 is not in documented detail in the literature and online resources consulted.

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Link to the Rosary

The historical sources on the Rosario in Guatemala focus mainly on the Our Lady of the Rosaryand solemnly crowned as "Queen of Guatemala" in 1934. This devotion deeply marked the Marian spirituality of the country, so that the prayer of the Rosary it was very rooted as daily practice and as preparation for the great Marian parties, regardless of the specific advocation.

In case of Our Lady of the Assumption (Parish, area 2):

– no consta en las fuentes abiertas una relación histórica específica entre esta imagen concreta y alguna cofradía del Rosario, milagro atribuido al rezo del Rosario o promesa particular ligada a esta práctica. – Tampoco se documenta una “fiesta del Rosario” particular en ese santuario vin