Our Lady of Solitude of Irapuato

Marian devotion of Irapuato (Guanajuato)

According to the tradition local, devotion to Our Lady of Solitude in Iraqi dates back to the end of the 17th century, when the Marian image began to be venerated in a chapel that gave rise to the present temple. Popular piety has also preserved stories of special protection of the Virgin in times of war, particularly during the conflicts of Independence, giving her miraculous help in defense of the population.

Main data

Origin and history

According to the tradition local, devotion to Our Lady of Solitude in Iraqi dates back to the end of the 17th century, when the Marian image began to be venerated in a chapel that gave rise to the present temple. Popular piety has also preserved stories of special protection of the Virgin in times of war, particularly during the conflicts of Independence, giving her miraculous help in defense of the population.

En la documented history, the Diocese of Iraqi states that the presence of the image of Our Lady of Soledad in the city is located at the end of the 17th century, although without an exact date. The present temple is a construction of the XVII@-@ XVIII centuries: an archival source indicates that the work of the master Marco Antonio Sobrarias dates from 1693, being completed in the 19th century with the tower. Another tourist source describes it as an 18th century building built on an earlier chapel, with a baroque cover.

In the context of War of Independencethe insurgent attack of April 30, 1811 on the Congregation of Irapuato motivated the inhabitants, grateful for the protection given to the Virgin, to ask the Bishop of Michoacán that Our Lady of Soledad be declared patron of the population. Bishop Manuel Abad and Queipo granted this request and established the annual feast 30 April; if he holds como fecha of the patronage el 30 April 1813.

The image and the sanctuary

The diocesan and municipal sources present the image as an ancient representation of Our Lady of Solitude, venerated in the parish that bears his name, in the center of Iraqi. It is a Marian image of colonial times (late 17th century), associated with the original temple of Soledad. There is no detailed technical description of the material (wood, cane paste or other) or the exact size measurements in the sources consulted, and it should therefore be indicated that these data no constan.

The temple where it is venerated is known as Parish / Temple of Our Lady of Solitude, also designated sanctuary of the patron of the city. It is located in the historic centre of Irapuato, next to the Municipal Palace. It is a baroque construction of the XVII@-@ XVIII centuries, with a baroque-style cover and a tower completed in the 19th century. It is not known that the temple has been raised to minor basilica nor to the national sanctuary; in the revised documentation it appears as a diocesan parish and sanctuary, the seat of official veneration to the patron of the city and of the diocese.

Sponsorship and coronation

Our Lady of Solitude is main patron of the city of Iraqi since the concession of the patron by the bishop of Michoacán, Manuel Abad and Queipo, with date of the patron 30 April 1813. Subsequently, with the creation of the Diocese of Iraqi (2004), a document of the Pope San Juan Pablo II He recognized Our Lady of Solitude as patron of the nine municipalities that make up the diocese, thus expanding his patronage beyond the city.

As for the canonical coronation, the Diocese of Iraqi indicates that the Pope Benedict XV concedió la pontific coronation of the image the 24 June 1921, delegating to the Bishop of Leon, Emeterium Valverde and Téllez. The coronation took place on 30 April 1922, already during the pontificate of Pío XIin a solemn celebration outside the parish of Soledad. Therefore, in this case there is a clear and documented canonical coronation.

There is no verifiable data that transfers this patronage and coronation to a supposed Irapuato in Colombia; all official references (diocese, municipality, archives) are from Guanajuato, Mexico.

Party and devotion

La main party of Our Lady of the Soledad of Iraqi is celebrated the 30 Aprilthe date linked to the employer granted in 1813 and consolidated as the day of the annual celebration of the employer. Recent municipal sources point out that in 2012 the first centenary of the Patronate was celebrated (commemorating 1812 / 1813) and in 2022 the centenary of the pontifical coronation of the Virgin of Soledad.

During this party are held Novies, processions and liturgical acts Solemn in the parish-sanctuaries, with a strong participation of the irapuatense people. Civil and ecclesiastical authorities highlight the city's deep link with its patron, and local sources mention a long tradition of internal pilgrimages and expressions of gratitude for favors attributed to the intercession of the Virgin. No reliable quantitative data of the influx of the faithful has been found in the sources consulted, so the number of pilgrims no consta.

In addition to April 30, devotion to Our Lady of Solitude of Irapuato maintains a daily and diocesan character: the diocese's website highlights that the spirituality of Our Lady of Solitude sets a clear line for the entire Diocese of Irapuato, with the constant presence of the image in diocesan celebrations and expressions of popular piety.

Link to the Rosary

In the documentation consulted (diocese, municipality, archives, historical reviews) does not contain a specific and own relationship of this advocation with some unique fellowship or practice of Rosary (for example, an archcofradia of the Rosary of Soledad, or a curative rosary that distinguishes it from other Marian devotions).

However, in the Catholic spirituality, the Rosary It naturally accompanies devotion to Our Lady of Solitude. The painful mysteries contemplate the Passion of Christ and, in a particular way, the participation of the Virgin at the foot of the Cross and in her solitude next to the tomb. This advocation invites you to meditate, in the light of the Rosary:

– Mary's presence in times of darkness and trial for the Church and its communities. – The hope that springs from Mary's faith in the Resurrection, even when all seems lost. – The Virgin's closeness to those experiencing loneliness, grief, or suffering.

Although no specific institutional link is documented between the Soledad de Irapuato and a specific Rosary association, the recitation of the Rosary is presented as a privileged way of accompanying the Virgin in her solitude and uniting the lives of the faithful to the mysteries of Christ, as lived in the Marian tradition of the Church.