Our Lady of Soledad, venerated as Mother and Spiritual Patron of the Malvinas Islands in Argentine devotion; advocation linked to the solitude of the territory and to the memory of the fallen. The only Catholic church on the islands is Santa Maria

Marian title of Falkland Islands (South Atlantic Islands)

In the Argentine tradition, the memory of the fallen in the Malvinas war (1982) has been accompanied by various Marian gestures (masses, images, consecration), but no consta in the official bodies of the Argentine Church a canonically established advocation with the complete title "Our Lady of Soledad, Mother and Spiritual Patron of the Falkland Islands." The expression "Soledad" applied to the Virgin refers, in Catholic spirituality, to the moment when Mary remains alone after the death of Christ, a form of ancient devotion to the Virgin of the Dolores, spread throughout the Hispanic sphere.

Main data

Origin and history

In the Argentine tradition, the memory of the fallen in the Malvinas war (1982) has been accompanied by various Marian gestures (masses, images, consecration), but no consta in the official bodies of the Argentine Church a canonically established advocation with the complete title "Our Lady of Soledad, Mother and Spiritual Patron of the Falkland Islands." The expression "Soledad" applied to the Virgin refers, in Catholic spirituality, to the moment when Mary remains alone after the death of Christ, a form of ancient devotion to the Virgin of the Dolores, spread throughout the Hispanic sphere.

Historically, the Catholic presence on the islands is articulated today around the parish of Santa Maria (St Mary) in Puerto Argentino / Stanley, under the jurisdiction of the United Kingdom Military Ordinary. It is not recorded in official sources that this parish is dedicated to the advocation of the Soledad or that there is a Marian sanctuary specific to Malvinas.

Some Argentine devotional references of a spiritual or patriotic character mention the Virgin by accompanying "the solitude of the islands" and "the solitude of the mothers of the fallen," but no consta ecclesial documentation that has erected a stable public cult with this title as a national or diocesan advocation.

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The image and the sanctuary

It does not contain, in verifiable sources (official pages of dioceses, sanctuaries, ecclesial acts or serious repertories of Marian advocations), the description of a own image of "Our Lady of Soledad, Mother and Spiritual Patron of the Falkland Islands" (type, material, specific iconography). Nor has reference been found to an officially recognized image with this title in the only Catholic church on the islands, St Mary of Puerto Argentino / Stanley.

La única iglesia católica in Malvinas is the parish St Mary (Saint Mary)in the city of Stanley, of simple style, with no rank of minor basilica or recognized national sanctuary. This parish serves the local Catholic community (mainly civilian and military personnel) and, according to the information available, is generally dedicated to "Santa María," not to a particular vocation of the Soledad.

Therefore, no consta the existence of a specific Marian sanctuary on the islands linked to this advocation, neither in the category of national sanctuary, nor diocesan, nor local.

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Sponsorship and coronation

As regards patronazgothe Church in Argentina officially recognizes other Marian asvocations of national scope (for example, Our Lady of Luján). It is not clear, in episcopal documents or in repertory of reliable Marian advocations, that "Our Lady of Solitude" has been proclaimed. official employer (canonical) of the Falkland Islands or of a specific diocese or jurisdiction linked to the islands.

The expression "Mother and spiritual patron of the Falkland Islands" seems, in the light of the sources, a devotional formulation used in Argentine areas of patriotic piety, but no consta a canonical decree that officially establishes such patronage.

For a canonical coronationthere is no trace in the documentation available or in the Catholic press of a coronation of an image of "Our Lady of Soledad" linked to Malvinas. It should therefore be indicated:

> Canon coronation: there is no documented canonical coronation.

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Party and devotion

It does not contain, in Argentine or local liturgical calendars, a own party of "Our Lady of Soledad, Mother and Spiritual Patron of the Falkland Islands" with officially established date and celebration.

In the Hispanic Catholic tradition there is, in several places, the liturgical or devotional memory of Our Lady of Solitudeespecially linked to Holy Friday and Holy Saturday, when Mary is seen in solitude by the tomb of Christ. It is possible that the name "Soledad" applied to Malvinas is spiritually and symbolically supported in this tradition, associating the geographical solitude of the islands and pain by the fallen with the solitude of Mary; however, this belongs to the scope of the devotional interpretationnot to a specific documented data for Malvinas.

There are no organized pilgrimages to the islands of a Marian character and established under this advocation, no figures of influx or popular traditions of their own (processions, novies, promises) officially recognized around this particular advocation. The geographical, political and pastoral situation causes the Marian devotion related to Malvinas to be expressed mainly in the continent (Argentina), in masses, monuments and memorials of the fallen, rather than on pilgrimages to an island sanctuary; but, repeatedly, no consta a devotion structured with this title in the documents consulted.

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Link to the Rosary

No specific reference to a own and documented relationship between the invocation "Our Lady of Soledad, Mother and Spiritual Patron of the Falkland Islands" and the prayer of the Holy Rosary (for example, the Rosary's cofradies, national promises, official campaigns).

From a general Marian perspective, devotion to the Virgin in her various advocacy is usually integrated into the Catholic spiritual life through the Rosary, understood as meditation of the mysteries of Christ in the company of Mary. In contexts of war, mourning and memory of the fallen, the Rosary has traditionally been a prayer of comfort and intercession for the deceased, for families and for reconciliation among peoples. The contemplation of painful mysteries, and especially of the solitude of Mary At the foot of the cross and before the tomb, it allows Christian enlightenment of the experience of solitude and loss associated with the Malvinas Islands, even if there is no specific legal-liturgical link between this advocation and the Rosary.

In short, the Rosary, as a great Marian and Christological school of the Church, offers a praying channel to integrate any legitimate form of Marian piety - also those national expressions of affection and memory for the fallen -, although in this case no conste an own and documented tradition linked to this specific advocation.