Mary Queen of Peace, "Virgin of the Hill," venerated in the shrine of the hill in Salta

Marian devotion of Salta (Salta)

La advocación de Mary Queen of Peace belongs to the wide Marian title of Our Lady of Peace o Queen of Peacewhose liturgical memory appears in the Roman calendar 9 July; in some particular churches the 24 January. The most widespread historical tradition places the origin of this advocation at the end of the 11th century, in a context of reconciliation and pacification, although the concrete development of devotion has varied according to countries and sanctuaries.

Main data

Origin and history

La advocación de Mary Queen of Peace belongs to the wide Marian title of Our Lady of Peace o Queen of Peacewhose liturgical memory appears in the Roman calendar 9 July; in some particular churches the 24 January. The most widespread historical tradition places the origin of this advocation at the end of the 11th century, in a context of reconciliation and pacification, although the concrete development of devotion has varied according to countries and sanctuaries.

La "Virgen del Cerro" de Salta es una devoción contemporary linked to the testimony and alleged locutions or apparitions associated with María Livia Galliano de ObeidHowever, no formal approval of the Church for private experience nor a doctrinal definition of their supernatural character in the sources consulted. It is therefore appropriate to distinguish between the popular devotional tradition, very widespread in Salta, and documented history of the place of worship, which refers to the pastoral and pilgrim boom of recent decades.

The image and the sanctuary

The advocation is venerated in the Shrine of the hill in Salta, popularly known as the Virgin of Cerro. The sources consulted do not contain a unique and fully documented description of an original image with clearly set material, author and date of realization; therefore, data on type, material and iconography should be considered. no consta safely in this file.

Nor does it indicate, in the revised sources, that the place is minor basilica ni National sanctuary. If it is a place of prayer and very busy pilgrimage in the city of Salta, associated with devotional celebrations, rosaries and popular prayer meetings. The exact official name of the ecclesial site was not sufficiently confirmed in the sources provided, so it is appropriate to avoid more precise statements without further verification.

Sponsorship and coronation

It is not clear that this advocation has a Official patronage documented about city, municipality, diocese or nation in the sources consulted. Its dissemination is mainly devotional and popular, no necesariamente institucional.

Neither contains a documented canonical coronation for the image venerated as Virgin of the Cerro in Salta.

Party and devotion

The general liturgical date of Mary Queen of Peace se relaciona con el 9 July in the universal calendar, while some local traditions remember the 24 January. For the concrete Salteña devotion of the Virgin of Cerro, the very date of the main feast no consta with safety in the sources consulted.

Devotion is characterized by a strong afluencia popular, pilgrimages, community prayers and searches for comfort, healing and inner peace. In the contemporary Marian devotion associated with the Queen of Peace, especially in contexts such as Medjugorje, the call for conversion, prayer and reconciliation is highlighted; in Salta, similar features appear in popular devotional practice, although its historical and ecclesial framework is different.

Link to the Rosary

El vínculo con el Rosary is clear on the spiritual plane: the Marian tradition of the Queen of Peace it is naturally associated with the contemplative, penitential and confident prayer of the Rosary, although in the sources consulted there is no specific institution of the Rosary proper to this Saltean advocation.

In a general Marian reading, the Rosary accompanies this devotion because it focuses on Christ with Mary, and offers a path of inner peace, intercession and perseverance that well harmonizes with the title of Queen of Peace.