Our Lady of Valleverde

Marian devotion of Bovino (Apulia)

As far as accessible sources (official pages of dioceses, sanctuaries, repertories of Marian advocacy and digital Catholic press) reach, does not contain documented information on an advocation called "Nuestra Señora de Valleverde" as patron of a Bovino located in Apulia, Colombia.

Main data

Origin and history

As far as accessible sources (official pages of dioceses, sanctuaries, repertories of Marian advocacy and digital Catholic press) reach, does not contain documented information on an advocation called "Nuestra Señora de Valleverde" as patron of a Bovino located in Apulia, Colombia.

It is documented, instead, the Madonna di Valleverde as a Marian advocation linked to the municipality of Bovino, Foggia province, Apulia region, Italywhere there is a rural sanctuary and a tradition of apparition in a wooded valley, with a strong pilgrimage of diocesan scope; however, the historical details (exact date of apparition, episcopal documents, bulas, etc.) are not easily found in the general sources consulted, and no official historical dosier has been located accessible online.

Therefore, with regard to a possible transfer or replica of the advocation in Colombiaor the recognition of this Virgin as local patron in Colombian territory, not included in the sources consulted. Este punto requiere confirmación directa ante: – la curia diocesana competente (Colombia), – la parroquia o santuario donde efectivamente se venere esta imagen, – y, en su caso, los archivos del santuario de Bovino (Italia), si existiera algún vínculo misionero o migratorio.

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The image and the sanctuary

In relation to the concrete image venerated in Colombia under this title, no consta en fuentes abiertas: – si se trata de pintura, escultura u otro tipo de imagen; – el material (madera, lienzo, yeso, etc.); – la iconografía detallada (posición, atributos, presencia del Niño, coronas, paisaje de valle, etc.).

Tampoco consta con seguridad: – el official name of the temple or sanctuary donde se veneraría en Colombia, – su rango canónico (parroquia, santuario diocesano, santuario nacional o basílica menor), – ni sus características arquitectónicas o históricas.

Concerning original Italian shrine, it is mentioned in general references that it is a rural sanctuary located in a forest valley, with a strong pilgrimage from the diocese of Bovino, pero sin una descripción técnica de la imagen (tipo de talla o pintura) ni de la arquitectura del templo en las fuentes accesibles en abierto. Estos datos deberían recabarse en: – la página oficial del santuario de Valleverde (Italia), – la diócesis de origen, – guías oficiales de santuarios de Apulia.

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Sponsorship and coronation

– Sponsorship in Colombia: It is not recorded in the consulted sources that "Our Lady of Valleverde" has been canonically proclaimed Patron of a municipality or diocese in Colombia. This can only be considered reliable when there is an episcopal decree or official act, which in this case not located.

– Patronazgo en Bovino (Italy): It is a well-established local tradition that the Madonna di Valleverde is venerated as patrona de Bovino (Foggia, Apulia, Italy)However, the text of the patronage decree, its date and legal form do not appear easily in the general resources available; verification is needed in the diocesan archives.

– Canon coronation: As for a canonical coronation (i.e. granted by the Holy See and made by a pontifical delegate or the bishop himself with a mandate), does not contain a documented canonical coronation for advocacy in Colombia. The data of a pontifical canonical coronation of Valleverde's image in Bovino (Italy) have not been located with certainty either. Without secure documentation (decree, official news of the diocese, Vatican acts), it is not possible to affirm year, Pope or celebrant.

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Party and devotion

The starting information indicates that the party would be held at the 31 May. Since no confirmation of this date has been found en: – calendario litúrgico oficial de una diócesis colombiana, – página del santuario o parroquia, – ni en repertorios de fiestas patronales colombianas,

this date should be considered for now, “date to be reinvestigated”.

Of the Italian tradition it is understood that the Madonna di Valleverde is the subject of an important diocesan pilgrimage hacia su santuario rural en Bovino, con fuerte participación de fieles; sin embargo, las fuentes abiertas no precisan: – número aproximado de peregrinos, – procesiones concretas (fechas, recorridos), – ni las expresiones más típicas de la religiosidad popular (promesas, exvotos, vigilias, etc.).

About a possible organized devotion in Colombia (own novas, local romanias, patronal processions, co-fradies or hermandades with approved statutes), no consta información verificable en línea. Para incluir estos datos con rigor, se requeriría: – el texto de la novena propia (si existe), – programas oficiales de fiestas patronales, – y documentos parroquiales o diocesanos que los respalden.

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Link to the Rosary

Not included in the sources consulted a specific or historical link between the advocation of Our Lady of Valleverde and the rezo of the Holy Rosary (for example, as "Virgin of the Rosary of Valleverde," or an explicitly rosarian fellowship).

In the absence of a particular documented relationship, it can be noted, in general Marian key and fully consistent with the spirituality of the Church, that:

– Toda advocación de la Virgen, incluida la que se venera en Bovino (Italia) como Madonna di Valleverdeis inserted in the only mystery of Mary, Mother of God, which the Church especially considers through the Rosary, recorriendo con Ella los misterios de la vida de Cristo. – Allí donde se honra una imagen mariana —sea en un gran santuario reconocido o en una pequeña capilla rural— el Rosary suele ser la oración más difundida: acompaña las novenas, procesiones, peregrinaciones y vigilias, y ayuda a los fieles a vivir una devoción ordenada, centrada en Cristo y en el Evangelio. – Por tanto, incluso si no existe una cofradía rosariana “oficial” vinculada a Nuestra Señora de Valleverde, el Rosario constituye el modo más sencillo y seguro de to unite local devotion to the pace of prayer of the whole Churchwith Mary, contemplating the mysteries of salvation.

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Given the high degree of uncertainty about this advocation in its alleged Colombian location, any responsible catechetical or devotional publication should, before presenting it as a local patron or setting dates and titles, consultar directamente:

– la diocese to which the place of worship in Colombia belongs, – la parish or rectory of the sanctuary, – y, si se quiere profundizar en el origen italiano, la diócesis de Bovino (Foggia, Apulia) and the rectory of the sanctuary of Madonna di Valleverde.

Until such data are available, it is prudent to keep the formulas in the tab: “not stated”, “date to be reinvestigated”