Saint Mary of the Incarnation, titular and patron saint of the Cathedral of the Americas

Marian devotion of Santo Domingo (National District)

En la Primada Cathedral of Americain Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, the historical Marian headline is Saint Mary of the Incarnation, linked to the mystery of the Annunciation and Incarnation of the Word, whose temple began to be built around 1512 and is considered the first cathedral of the New World. Since colonial times, this cathedral has been the main focus of Marian worship in the country, although the most well-known national apvocation is Our Lady of the Altagracia.

Main data

Origin and history

En la Primada Cathedral of Americain Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, the historical Marian headline is Saint Mary of the Incarnation, linked to the mystery of the Annunciation and Incarnation of the Word, whose temple began to be built around 1512 and is considered the first cathedral of the New World. Since colonial times, this cathedral has been the main focus of Marian worship in the country, although the most well-known national apvocation is Our Lady of the Altagracia.

Documented history: The historical sources on the cathedral clearly point to its character as a Primada Cathedral of America and his dedication to St. Mary of the Incarnation (sometimes simply cited as "St. Mary of the Annunciation" or "St. Mary of the Incarnation, Primate of America"). It consists of the date of the beginning of the works (about 1512) within the whole of the first urbanism of Santo Domingo, and its consecration as an episcopal seat within the framework of the ecclesiastical organization of the Indies, but the sources consulted do not provide specific devotional details (miracles, apparitions, prodigious facts) linked to this specific advocation in the temple. An ancient narrative that describes an extraordinary origin of devotion to St. Mary of the Incarnation, associated with a miraculous image or a supernatural event, is not included in the accessible documentation.

Tradition / legend: In the Dominican popular context, the cathedral is perceived as "mother" of the churches of America and historical center of the Marian cult of the country, for its antiquity and dedication to a central mystery of the faith (the Incarnation of the Son of God within Mary). However, there are no verifiable sources of consolidated legendary stories (for example, local apparitions, prodigious findings of the image) specifically associated with the title "Santa María de la Incarnación." Where a legendary background is insinuated, there is not a sufficiently documented tradition, so, from a critical historical point of view, it remains in the field of popular piety without a firm historical basis.

It should be noted that in the consultation of public and ecclesial sources there is no recognized Marian advocation with the exact title "Santa María de la Incarnación, titular and patron of the Primate Cathedral of America" located in Santo Domingo, National District Department, Colombia: la Catedral Primada de América documented corresponds to Santo Domingo, capital of the Dominican RepublicNot from Colombia. In the revised sources, there is no canonical replica of this advocation as patron of a cathedral in Santo Domingo, Colombia. When this title is mentioned, the historical context points to the Caribbean city of Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic), not Colombian territory. In the absence of specific Colombian documentation, it is not possible to attribute with historical rigour to a cathedral of "Santo Domingo, National District, Colombia" the same title and devotional trajectory.

The image and the sanctuary

The image: The available sources on the Primate Cathedral of America describe the temple, its architecture and its historical value, but do not provide a detailed, unanimous and well documented description of a specific image of "Santa María de la Incarnación" (type, material, author, time, specific iconographic features) that can be considered as the main image of veneration under this title. It is likely, by analogy with other cathedrals of the time, that there are or have been representations of the Annunciation or of the Virgin with the Child in altars or altars, but because it does not contain verifiable data (wood size, oil on canvas, art school, etc.), it is not possible to describe the image rigorously without incurring conjectures. Therefore, no consta a precise iconographic description of the headline image under the title of Santa María de la Incarnación.

The sanctuary / temple: The place where this advocation is venerated is the Holy Church Metropolitan Basilica of Our Lady Santa Maria of the Incarnation, Primate of America, commonly known as Primada Cathedral of Americain Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. It is a late Gothic-style temple with Renaissance elements, built in coralina stone, with strong counterstrong, Renaissance main cover and several inner chapels; its construction began around 1512 and lasted during the 16th century. It was elevated to the cathedral and is part of the historical and religious heritage of the colonial centre of Santo Domingo, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

The cathedral has the title of minor basilica, granted by the Holy See (data in the official name of the temple). The sources consulted do not explicitly present it as "Marian national sanctuary" in a strict legal sense, but as a cathedral-basilica and primate, with a strong Marian imprint in its dedication and in the religious history of the country.

Sponsorship and coronation

Patronage: The title of Saint Mary of the Incarnation is primarily linked to the catedral as a mother church and to the historic city of Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic), but general sources on national patronings indicate that the national employer Marian of the Dominican Republic is Our Lady of the Highnesswhile the advocation most linked to national identity is the latter, along with Our Lady of the Rosary of the Mercedes in other areas of devotion. There is no formal declaration of Saint Mary of the Incarnation como patrona nacional del país, ni como patrona oficial de una diócesis colombiana. Por tanto, con los datos accesibles: – Patronazgo seguro: Marian headline of the Primate Cathedral of America in Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic). – Patronazgo nacional o diocesano (como título jurídico explícito en Colombia): no consta.

Canon coronation: In the revised sources (cathedral history, repertory of Marian advocations and notes on canonical coronations) does not contain a documented canonical coronation of a specific image of Santa María de la Encarnación as patron of the Primate Cathedral of America or as patron of a Colombian diocese. Neither the year of coronation nor the Pontiff nor the pontifical delegate associated with this advocation is mentioned.

In accordance with the strict criteria requested: Canon coronation: there is no documented canon coronation.

Party and devotion

The advocation is liturgically related to the Feast of the Annunciation of the Lord, el 25 Marchin which the Church celebrates the mystery of the Incarnation of the Word in the womb of Mary. This date is firmly set in the universal liturgical calendar and is the immediate reference for the title "Holy Mary of the Incarnation." It is not clear from the sources consulted that there is a different or additional day of specific feast of "Santa María de la Encarnación" for the cathedral, beyond the general celebration of the Annunciation or of local Marian parties of greater roots, such as the Altagracia, in the Dominican context.

As for the devoción popularthe cathedral is a place of constant influx of faithful and pilgrims, both for its historical value and for its Marian character, although detailed statistics of assistance do not appear in the accessible sources. Solemn celebrations are held at the great Marian parties and, in particular, within the framework of the liturgical calendar of the archdiocese of Santo Domingo. Dominican popular religiosity is strongly directed towards other national advocates (Altagracia, Mercedes), but the cathedral maintains, for its dedication, a symbolic role as a historical center of Marian devotion in the country, being the first cathedral church consecrated under a Marian title on the American continent.

For an alleged cult in Santo Domingo