Our Lady of Carmen del Cerrito, venerated in the Sanctuary of Cerrito del Carmen

Marian devotion of Guatemala City (Guatemala)

La advocación de Our Lady of the Carmen del Cerrito is linked to Sanctuary of the Cerrito del Carmenin Guatemala City, a place of very old Marian devotion and of strong urban roots. The local tradition places the origin of devotion from the primitive hermitage raised in the 17th century, which eventually became a focus of pilgrimage for the Guatemalan capital.

Main data

Origin and history

La advocación de Our Lady of the Carmen del Cerrito is linked to Sanctuary of the Cerrito del Carmenin Guatemala City, a place of very old Marian devotion and of strong urban roots. The local tradition places the origin of devotion from the primitive hermitage raised in the 17th century, which eventually became a focus of pilgrimage for the Guatemalan capital.

As for the documented history, the sources consulted confirm that the sanctuary is considered the oldest in the city and that his Marian devotion has been present since colonial times. However, there is no detailed and fully verified chronology on the first image, exact foundation of the cult or possible renovations of the temple in the sources provided; therefore, these ends should be left in no consta if more precise documentation is not available.

The image and the sanctuary

The advocation is venerated in an image of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, that is to say, a Carmelite Marian representation; however, in the sources provided they do not safely record the material, el author nor an exhaustive iconographic description of the concrete size or painting of the Cerrito. For documentary prudence, such data should be considered no consta to have specific property or liturgical inventory.

The temple is the Sanctuary of the Cerrito del Carmenlocated in Guatemala City, and is recognized as the oldest hermitage in the capital. In the sources consulted it is not known that minor basilica or having another greater canonical dignity; therefore, it should be simply described as sanctuary o historical hermit, according to the use of each source.

Sponsorship and coronation

In the verified sources for this sheet no consta a formal and universally documented patronage of this advocation over the city, diocese or nation in the way it does with other more studied Marian images. It does, however, have its relevance as a historical urban devotion in the Guatemalan capital and as a reference sanctuary for the city.

Neither contains a documented canonical coronation of this image in the sources provided. If there is any local coronation or solemn coronation, it would be necessary to verify it in diocesan documentation or in the historical archive of the sanctuary in order to register it rigorously.

Party and devotion

La main party se celebra el 16 July, date of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. This celebration concentrates the popular devotion of the Cerrito and is integrated into the universal Carmelite tradition, widely spread in the Catholic world.

The sources consulted describe the Cerrito del Carmen as a focus of urban pilgrimage from the colony, which indicates a sustained devotion by generations of faithful in the capital. The sources do not contain reliable quantitative input data, but the historical nature of the pilgrimages and the popular veneration associated with the hermitage.

Link to the Rosary

In the sources provided no consta a specific and direct historical relationship between this acvocation of Carmen and a particular title of the Rosary. Even so, in Catholic piety both devotions converge in the contemplation of Mary as the Mother of the Lord and model of prayer, so the Rosary naturally accompanies this Carmelite veneration as a school of meditation on the mysteries of Christ with Mary.

If a more complete and strictly documented fact sheet is wanted, it would be appropriate to incorporate a second verification pass with sources of the sanctuary, archdiocese of Santiago de Guatemala y local Catholic pressespecially to specify image, patterns and possible coronation.