Our Lady of the Esmeraldas Market, venerated in the Parish - Sanctuary of Our Lady of the Market

Marian Invocation of Esmeraldas (Esmeraldas)

It does not include, in accessible sources, a own and detailed history de la advocación de Our Lady of the Esmeraldas Market (Colombia) nor the documented foundation of his sanctuary. What is known with certainty is the general origin of the advocation of the Merced: it is born in Barcelona en 1218from the apparitions of the Virgin San Pedro Nolascoto the king Jaime I de Aragón y a Berenguer de Palou, bishop of Barcelona, origin of the Order of the Marketdedicated to the redemption of captives. This merchant spirituality was widely spread in Spain and then in Hispanic America.

Main data

Origin and history

It does not include, in accessible sources, a own and detailed history de la advocación de Our Lady of the Esmeraldas Market (Colombia) nor the documented foundation of his sanctuary. What is known with certainty is the general origin of the advocation of the Merced: it is born in Barcelona en 1218from the apparitions of the Virgin San Pedro Nolascoto the king Jaime I de Aragón y a Berenguer de Palou, bishop of Barcelona, origin of the Order of the Marketdedicated to the redemption of captives. This merchant spirituality was widely spread in Spain and then in Hispanic America.

In various Latin American countries, the Virgin of the Merced was assumed as Pattern of cities, regions, dioceses and armed forces, which explains that in places with a merchant presence or strong Marian devotion temples would be raised under this advocation. It is credible (but not explicitly documented for Esmeraldas, Colombia) that local devotion has come from Spanish or religious merchant missionaries and that in time the temple should be consolidated as Marian sanctuary.

It should be noted that many online references associate the Virgin of the Emeralds con Esmeraldas (Ecuador)where there is a Parish-Sanctuary of Our Lady of the Merced, described as one of the oldest temples in the city. This information can't just move. a Esmeraldas (Colombia). Therefore, for the advocation of Esmeraldas (department of Esmeraldas, Colombia) there is no precise historical narration or well-attested chronology in the sources consulted.

The image and the sanctuary

The available sources do not offer a detailed technical description (height, material, author, date) of the concrete image venerated as Our Lady of the Esmeraldas Market (Colombia). It is not certain whether it is a polychrome wood size, plaster or other material, or whether it has iconographic elements that are typical of the merchant tradition (e.g. white habit, merchant scapular, chains or shackles as a sign of the release of captives). Since this iconography is the most widespread for the Virgin of the Merced, it is reasonable to assume its influence, but is not documented for this concrete image.

It also does not make clear the Official Canon Name of the temple in Esmeraldas (Colombia) and its possible legal title (parish, diocesan sanctuary, etc.). It must not be confused with the Parish-Sanctuary Our Lady of the Esmeraldas Market (Ecuador)which does present itself publicly as a sanctuary and as one of the oldest temples in that city. For the temple of Esmeraldas (department of Esmeraldas, Colombia) no verifiable data on its date of construction, architectural style, restoration or recognition pontifical.

It is not known that the shrine of Esmeraldas (Colombia) has the title of minor basilicaor that it has been declared National sanctuary; in the absence of specific documents, it can only be stated that no consta such recognition in the sources consulted.

Sponsorship and coronation

The information available online cites a statement from the National Convention of 1861who declares the Virgin of the Merced Patroness and Protector of the Republic of Ecuadorafter a national historical event. This reference clearly belongs to the context of Ecuador and does not refer to the political organization of Colombia.

Therefore, for the invocation of Our Lady of the Esmeraldas Market (Colombia):

– Patronage: It does not contain, with the documentation consulted, a specific formal declaration which the name Official pattern of the province, diocese or city in Colombia. The texts found refer to the declaration of patronage at the level of Ecuador. To apply this data to Esmeraldas (Colombia) would be to confuse two different realities; therefore, no consta a canonical or civil patronage specific to this advocation in Colombia.

– Canon coronation: No reliable reference to a canonical coronation (neither pontificia nor diocesan) of the image of Our Lady of the Esmeraldas Market (Colombia). Accordingly, according to the above rules, it is appropriate to state: "there is no documented canonical coronation."

Party and devotion

In the universal tradition of the Order of the Merced and the Latin Church, the liturgical feast of Our Lady of the Merced se celebra el September 24. This date is common in the countries of Hispanic influence and is also assumed for the parishes and merchant sanctuaries, unless particular indication in the calendar itself.

For the advocation of Our Lady of the Esmeraldas Market (Colombia), there are no specific data on local processions, novenas, pilgrimages and influx figures. By analogy with other merchant shrines, it is likely that the September 24 be the day of special presence of the faithful and of solemn celebration of the Eucharist, accompanied by the traditional novena previabut this is not expressly documented for this particular place, so the formula must be maintained: there are no documented details about the concrete forms of local popular devotion.

In other merchant contexts, manifestations of devotion are described as processions with the image, traditional songs, promises, vows and testimonies of favors received, as well as the consideration of the Virgin of the Merced as danger protection and release of oppressions. It is reasonable to think that these theological-spiritual traits are also present in the devotion of Esmeraldas (Colombia), though do not contain specific accounts or practices of their own clearly documented for this sanctuary.

Link to the Rosary

No one found a explicit historical or regulatory relationship that links in particular the advocation of Our Lady of the Esmeraldas Market (Colombia) with a the Rosarywith specific promises related to the prayer of the Rosary or to a rosarian title of its own. It should therefore be stated that does not contain a particular documented link between this local invocation and the Rosary.

However, in the Marian spirituality of the Church, the Rosary It occupies a privileged place as meditation of the mysteries of Christ's life together with Mary. In the case of the Virgin of the Merced, whose charism is associated with the mercy and the liberation of the captivesthe prayer of the Rosary helps to contemplate, together with Mary, the mystery of the Redemption and to ask for the grace of the internal and external release of all that enslaves the human being. Thus, even if there is no unique historical link documented, the Rosary is presented as a ordinary and very appropriate path to live devotion to Our Lady of the Market in any sanctuary, also in Esmeraldas, accompanying the faith of the faithful with a contemplative and constant Marian prayer.