Our Lady of the Dolores of Manare, venerated in Peace of Ariporus

Marian Invocation of Peace of Ariporo (Casanare)

There is no widely disseminated historical synthesis of Our Lady of the Manare Dolores, venerada en Paz de Ariporo (Casanare, Colombia); the digital sources consulted on Marian advocacy offer general panorama, but do not enter into this specific local advocacy. For this reason, many details of their origin remain in the area of the oral tradition of the region, and do not contain academic studies or easily accessible online documentation that will allow for the precise setting of all historical milestones.

Main data

Origin and history

There is no widely disseminated historical synthesis of Our Lady of the Manare Dolores, venerada en Paz de Ariporo (Casanare, Colombia); the digital sources consulted on Marian advocacy offer general panorama, but do not enter into this specific local advocacy. For this reason, many details of their origin remain in the area of the oral tradition of the region, and do not contain academic studies or easily accessible online documentation that will allow for the precise setting of all historical milestones.

Tradition / legend: According to popular devotion on the Casanaean plain, the Virgin of the Dolores venerated in Manare comes from the ancient Jesuit missions of the Casanarewho evangelized the region in the XVII- 18th century. It is attributed to be an image antigua, de 1712, arrival in the area in the spiritual times and very soon had miraculous. In the believer memory of the faithful she is recognized as a Doloreous Mother close to the sufferings of the plain people, protecting in times of conflict and disease. These features fall within the scope of tradition, as no historical, verifiable online documentation has been found to confirm it.

Documented history: What it does know is that the advocation of Our Lady of the Manare Dolores is today closely linked to the municipality of Peace of Ariporoin the department of Casanare (Colombia), where it is venerated in a stable manner and recognized as the main Marian reference of the place. The data of his Jesuit origin y del Year 1712 as the date of the image appears in local descriptions, but no ecclesiastical or academic document has been found in the sources consulted to explicitly certify it; therefore, it is kept as a data not fully documented. Also, specific historical decrees on their erection as an official sanctuary or their recognition at the national or diocesan level have not been found in the accessible documentation.

The image and the sanctuary

The available sources of Marian iconography generally describe the Virgin Dolorosa as a representation of Mary at the foot of the cross, or alone, with her heart crossed by one or seven swords, evoking his pains next to Christ. For the specific case of Our Lady of the Manare Doloresno detailed technical descriptions (type of size, dimensions, material, author or school) have been located in accessible online ecclesial or academic sources; therefore, the following data cannot be safely specified:

– Tipo de imagen (bulto redondo, vestidera, relieve): no consta. – Material (madera policromada, etc.): no consta. – Autor o taller (jesuítico, quiteño, neogranadino, etc.): no consta.

In view of the historical context of the Jesuit missions of the Llanos, it is likely that this is a old size of Baroque inspiration, according to the common style of Marian images spread by missionaries in the region in the XVII-XVIII centuries; however, this is a general inference, not a documented data for this specific image.

As for the place of worship, the image is venerated in the the main parish of Paz de Ariporo (Casanare), traditionally known for hosting devotion to the Virgin of the Dolores of Manare. No official information has been found to indicate that the temple where it was venerated has been elevated to the dignity of minor basilica, National sanctuary o diocesan sanctuary; therefore, in the light of the sources consulted, does not contain a specific canon title different from the parish temple.

Sponsorship and coronation

– Patronage: In the field of popular piety, Our Lady of the Dolores of Manare is considered Peace Patron of Ariporo and especially of its faithful and the surrounding region of the Casanare. However, there is a lack of a diocesan official decree or published document that will make it possible to specify with certainty whether it has been formally proclaimed as a patron of the municipality or of the diocese; the general sources on Marian advocacy do not reflect this particular case. The Local and devotional patronagewhile the specific canonical legal recognition does not contain in accessible documentation.

– Canon coronation: In the repertory of canonical coronations and in the widely disseminated Marian chronicles, no documented canonical coronation registered of Our Lady of the Manare Dolores. No mention has been found of a pontifical decree, a decree of the Congregation for Divine Worship, or an act of coronation chaired by a pontifical delegate that can be confirmed with certainty. Therefore, according to the instruction given: "there is no documented canonical coronation."

Party and devotion

La main party of Our Lady of the Dolores of Manare is celebrated, according to the local tradition, the 6 Januarythe date that in the universal calendar corresponds to the solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord, but that in Peace of Ariporo is also associated with this Marian advocation. A diocesan liturgical calendar that explicitly confirms this could not be consulted online, but the data is consistent with the practice of some communities that join Marian patronal parties at significant dates of the Christmas cycle.

La devoción presenta rasgos propios de las advocaciones marianas del llano colombiano: – Procesiones con la imagen por las calles del municipio. – Participación de jinetes, familias campesinas y comunidades urbanas, que se acogen a la protección de la Virgen en sus trabajos, viajes y situaciones de dificultad. – Promesas y acciones de gracias por favores atribuidos a su intercesión.

There are pilgrimages of faithful from the Casanare region and from other parts of the country, though no official flow figures nor sociological studies to quantify them. Popular religiosity is expressed in novies, solemn masses, prayer of the Seven Dolores of the Virgin and other customary Marian practices in Latin American spirituality, although for this specific advocation no published manual of self-worship has been found.

Link to the Rosary

No one found a documented specific relationship between the advocation of Our Lady of the Manare Dolores and a particular form of prayer of the Rosary (for example, official fellowship of the Rosary, historical promise linked to the prayer of the Rosary, etc.). In the general sources on the Rosary and Marian asvocations, it is recalled that the Rosary is one of the most widespread forms of Marian piety in the Church.

For this reason, although there is no particular legal or historical link, the Rosary is naturally integrated into this devotion:

– Al meditar los painful mysteriesthe faithful contemplate Mary united to the Passion of Christ, in profound harmony with the title of Our Lady of Sorrows. – El Rosario ayuda a internalize Mary's pains y a unir los propios sufrimientos a los de Cristo y su Madre, lo que armoniza plenamente con la espiritualidad que se desprende de esta advocación. – En contextos rurales como el Casanare, el Rosario rezado en familia o en comunidad suele ser una de las formas más sencillas y constantes de alimentar la devoción a la Virgen.

As a result, although no conste a formal institution of the Rosary specifically linked to Our Lady of the Dolores of Manare, the practice of the Rosary is presented as a privileged way to live this devotion, contemplating with Mary the mystery of the Cross and trusting in her maternal intercession for the Church and for the plain people.