Our Lady Purísima de Lo Vásquez, great national sanctuary of the archdiocese of Valparaiso

Marian title of Casablanca (Valparaiso)

La advocación de Our Lady Purísima de Lo Vásquez corresponds to an image of the Immaculate Conception venerated in the sanctuary of the same name, in the town of Lo Vásquez, commune of Casablanca, archdiocese of Valparaiso, Chile. The devotion is part of the wide movement of Chilean Marian piety around the Immaculate, held on December 8.

Main data

Origin and history

La advocación de Our Lady Purísima de Lo Vásquez corresponds to an image of the Immaculate Conception venerated in the sanctuary of the same name, in the town of Lo Vásquez, commune of Casablanca, archdiocese of Valparaiso, Chile. The devotion is part of the wide movement of Chilean Marian piety around the Immaculate, held on December 8.

According to the sources of the sanctuary itself and the Catholic press, the image was brought from Spain in the mid-19th century. After the earthquake of 1906, the rural chapel where it was venerated collapsed, but the image remained intact, a fact that strongly promoted popular devotion and the decision to build, over the years, a larger temple in honor of the Virgin. From then on, Lo Vásquez went from being a small rural chapel to a place of increasingly busy pilgrimages, especially from Valparaiso and Santiago.

En el contexto del X National Eucharistic Congress of Valparaiso (1951), the image of the Pursima de Lo Vásquez was promoted as “Virgen Misionera”as the spiritual preparation of the people. That same year, the sanctuary was formally erected as diocesan sanctuary, consolidating its role as one of the most important Marian centers in Chile. There are no complex foundational legends associated with apparitions; tradition focuses rather on miraculous preservation of the image after the earthquake and the gradual growth of devotion.

The image and the sanctuary

In Lo Vásquez, a image of Our Lady Pursima de Lo Vásquez representing the Immaculate Conception. The sources describe the image as a Marian size of traditional style, of Spanish origin from the 19th century, without having the type of wood or other specific materials accurately recorded in the public sources. Iconographically, it is presented as Immaculate: Virgin Mary, young, without Child, in prayer or collected attitude, associated with the feast of December 8. There are no more fine technical details in the sources consulted (author, workshop, dimensions: not recorded).

The place of worship is officially called "Sanctuary of Our Lady Pursima de Lo Vasquez". It is a Marian sanctuary of the Catholic Church, belonging to the diocese / archdiocese of Valparaíso, located at 32 km al sureste de Valparaísoon Route 68, in the commune of Casablanca. The sources describe it as the most important Marian sanctuary in the country in terms of the influx of pilgrims, especially in the Solemnity of the Immaculate. It was erected as diocesan sanctuary after the 1951 National Eucharistic Congress. It does not know that the temple has the title of minor basilica nor of the national sanctuary granted by the Holy See (diocesan sources and the Gate of Mercy at the Jubilee expressly present it as "diocesan sanctuary").

Sponsorship and coronation

Our Lady Pursima de Lo Vásquez is recognized as great Marian sanctuary of the diocese of Valparaisowith strong irradiation over the region and the country, but the sources consulted do not explicitly indicate a formal appointment as a employer of the diocese or of the commune of Casablanca (beyond the actual patronage it exercises on pilgrims and faithful of the area: there is no canonically proclaimed patronage).

As for the coronation, there is a documented canonical coronation. El 13 October 1951in a solemn Pontifical Mass held in the Plaza de la Victoria, in front of the Cathedral of Valparaiso, the bishop of Valparaiso, mons. Rafael Lira Infante, crowned the image of the Purísima Virgen de Lo Vasquez by decree of Pope Pius XII. This ceremony was held in the framework of the National Eucharistic Congress and was lived as a great ecclesial event for the entire diocese.

Party and devotion

La main party of Our Lady Pursima de Lo Vásquez is celebrated the 8 December, solemnity of the Immaculate Conception. The celebration actually extends for two days, the 7-8 DecemberWhen they come thousands of people throughout the countryespecially from Santiago and the Region of Valparaiso. Various ecclesial sources point out that today the influx of the faithful more than a million peoplewhat makes Lo Vásquez the most numerous Marian pilgrimage in Chile.

The pilgrimage is characterized by the mass walk of pilgrims along Route 68 - on foot, on a bicycle and in other means - which becomes a great path of faith and penance. Aleteia points out that this is one of the most shocking manifestations of popular piety in the country. During the party there are numerous Masses, confessions, processions and community prayersAnd the sanctuary receives pilgrims all year round, not only at the main feast.

In addition to the annual pilgrimage, devotion is sustained by novenas preparations, prayer groups, meeting of ecclesial movements and a specific pastoral of the sanctuary, which is also spread through official digital media and social networks. The Virgin is especially invoked by families, workers, carriers, sick and pilgrims to entrust their way and their needs to the Most Purple.

Link to the Rosary

The sources available on the sanctuary highlight the Marian piety y la pilgrimage as central features, but do not reflect a specific historical or legal link between this advocation and a concrete form of prayer of the Rosary (for example, co-fradies of the foundational Rosary, own indulgences, etc.): no consta such data).

However, in the pastoral practice of the sanctuary, the Rosario occupies an essential place as Marian prayer par excellence of the Church. Articles of spirituality linked to this devotion emphasize that the saints and pastors who have promoted love for the Virgin of the Vásquez have also insisted on the Prayer of the Rosary as a simple and deep path of union with Mary. In a sanctuary dedicated to the Immaculate, the Rosary becomes a "school" of contemplation of the mysteries of Christ next to Mary, and accompanies the long walks of pilgrims, who often go forward praying in groups, in family or in community.

In this way, although it does not contain a specific institution of the "Rosario de Lo Vasquez," the devotion to the Purple It is naturally fed by the frequent prayer of the Rosary: many pilgrims offer their walk as "lived rosary," meditating on the joyful, painful, luminous and glorious mysteries within the framework of the pilgrimage and the feast of December 8.