Our Lady of Perpetual Relief, venerated at the Archidiocesan Sanctuary of Perpetual Relief of Santurce

Marian Advocation of Santurce (San Juan)

La advocation of Our Lady of Perpetual Relief has its origin in an old Byzantine icon of the Virgin and the Child, also known as "Mother of God of the Passion." This icon arrived in Rome probably in the 15th century and, after various vicissitudes, was placed in the church of St. Matthew, where it was venerated for several centuries.

Main data

Origin and history

La advocation of Our Lady of Perpetual Relief has its origin in an old Byzantine icon of the Virgin and the Child, also known as "Mother of God of the Passion." This icon arrived in Rome probably in the 15th century and, after various vicissitudes, was placed in the church of St. Matthew, where it was venerated for several centuries.

Historically, after the destruction of the church of San Mateo, the icon remained hidden for a long time; in the 19th century, Blessed Pius IX entrusted it to the Redeemer missionaries and was enthroned in the church of San Alfonso (San Alfonso de Ligorio), near the Basilica of Santa Maria la Mayor, in Rome, where it is now preserved as a diffuse center of devotion. The Universal Church celebrates its party on June 27.

From that Roman headquarters, the redeemers spread devotion to the Perpetual Relief for Europe and America, especially in Latin America and Colombia, where the advocation has a very widespread presence in parishes, hospitals and sanctuaries. The catechetical and missionary redeemer tradition, together with the symbolic force of the icon, explains the rapid implantation of novenas, cofradies and images under this title.

TRADITION / LEYENDA: Various pious stories link the original icon to apparitions, miracles at sea or extraordinary interventions in times of danger; however, these elements belong to the field of devotional tradition and cannot be documented with historical rigor for each particular temple. As regards the supposed Sanctuary of Santurce (San Juan, Colombia), No sources that collect a documented own story of the image or its arrival.

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The image and the sanctuary

La image of Our Lady of Perpetual Relief is, in its original form, a Byzantine style icon:: represents the half-body Virgin by supporting the Child Jesus; both are surrounded by Greek letters that identify Mary as the Mother of God and Jesus as Christ, and the archangels Michael and Gabriel appear bearing the instruments of the Passion. In the usual iconography, the Child, outstanding, looks at the instruments of the Passion and grabs at the hand of his Mother, while a sandal comes from his foot, a sign of his humanity and from the haste with which he goes to maternal protection. Most of the replicas spread in parishes and sanctuaries are painted copies the printed of this icon.

En San Juan (Puerto Rico), se documenta una Church Our Lady of Perpetual Relieflocated on José Martí Street, identified as a Catholic church and place of worship. The reference and cartographic sources only describe it as a "church" without detailing its canonical category (parish, diocesan sanctuary, etc.) or specific architectural characteristics. It doesn't know it is. minor basilica, National sanctuary or having the official title of archdiocesan sanctuaryat least in public information.

Concerning "Archidiocesano Sanctuary of the Perpetuo Socorro de Santurce (San Juan, Colombia)", no reliable reference in the sources consulted (archdiocese, databases, press or parish repertory). The mention seems to correspond rather to the church of Santurce in San Juan, Puerto Rico. It is therefore not possible to describe with rigour a sanctuary in Santurce (department of San Juan, Colombia) or its temple, beyond general devotion to the advocation.

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Sponsorship and coronation

La advocación de Our Lady of Perpetual Help She is a patron of many places and institutions in the world. In Colombia there are various parishes, hospitals and sanctuaries under his title, and in some cases he exercises local patronage (e.g. parishes or health institutions), but these patronings are Local and do not amount to a national patronage. No consulted source attributes to the advocation a National official patronage of Colombia.

Para la Church of Our Lady of the Perpetual Relief of Santurce (San Juan, Puerto Rico) documents indicating a patronazgo civil or eclesiástico formal (as official patron of the city or municipality), beyond the centrality of the Virgin for the parish community. Less specific reference is still found to a patronage linked to an alleged "archdiocesan sanctuary" in Santurce (San Juan, Colombia), so “not reported” no canonically declared patronage for that title in that place.

On the canonical coronation of the venerated image in Santurce, no data appear in diocesan, parish or accessible ecclesial press sources. Therefore, it can only be said rigorously:

> Canon coronation: no documented canon coronation of the venerated image in Santurce (either Puerto Rico or the so-called Santurce of San Juan, Colombia).

It should be recalled that there are other images of the Perpetual Relief coronado in various countries (for example, in Poland, the image of Wadowice was crowned by John Paul II in 1999), but this does not apply to the image of Santurce.

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Party and devotion

La litigation fiesta universal de Our Lady of Perpetual Help in the Catholic Church the 27 June. This date is common for the Redemptorist communities and many parishes of the world that have it as their headline, including those of Colombia. Around that day they are usually organized novenas preparations, processions, solemn masses and, in not a few places, consecration to the Virgin of Perpetual Relief.

In numerous temples dedicated to this advocation, especially where the Redeemer missionariesis very typical of “novena perpetua”:: a weekly cycle of prayer, with mass and supplications to the Virgin, which is repeated all year round and brings together the faithful of various neighborhoods and social realities. This form of devotion has favored urban pilgrimages and a constant presence of faithful in the temples.

For the church of Construction and household in San Juan, Puerto Ricothe available sources only confirm their existence and location, without providing data on influx, popular traditions or particular ways to celebrate the feast of June 27. As for an "Archidiocesano Sanctuary of the Perpetuo Socorro de Santurce (San Juan, Colombia)," no constan official data on pilgrimages or their own devotional features; any specific description of crowds, specific processions or attendance figures would be an unverifiable conjecture and therefore omitted.

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Link to the Rosary

In the tradition of the Church, Rosary takes a central place in Marian life, and the advocation of Our Lady of Perpetual Help No exception. Although the sources on the history of the icon and its dissemination do not point to a exclusive or specific bond with the prayer of the Rosary (as is the case, for example, with Our Lady of Fatima or the Rosary), in the pastoral practice of parishes and sanctuaries dedicated to the Perpetual Relief usually integrate the Rosary into the