Our Lady of the Refuge, venerated in the Sanctuary of Our Lady of the Refuge in Colima

Marian devotion of Colima (Colima)

La advocación de Our Lady of the Refuge belongs to the wide set of Marian titles that present Mary as amparo, mediation and comfort for the faithful; in its most widespread formulation, it is known as Our Lady of the Pecador Refuge. The devotional tradition places its historical impulse in Italywhere an image began to spread under this title and was attributed a special spiritual effectiveness in the conversion and consolation of sinners.

Main data

Origin and history

La advocación de Our Lady of the Refuge belongs to the wide set of Marian titles that present Mary as amparo, mediation and comfort for the faithful; in its most widespread formulation, it is known as Our Lady of the Pecador Refuge. The devotional tradition places its historical impulse in Italywhere an image began to spread under this title and was attributed a special spiritual effectiveness in the conversion and consolation of sinners.

In the most widespread tradition, the liturgical and devotional spread was linked to a pontific coronation concedida por Clemente XI y celebrada el 4 July; several devotional and Catholic sources repeat that date as the feast of the advocation. However, for this fact sheet, the specific documented history of the Colima shrine is not sufficiently detailed in the sources consulted; therefore, the most accurate local data on origin, foundation and early stages of the cult in Colima no constan in the revised documentation.

The image and the sanctuary

The image of Our Lady of the Refuge is described in diocesan sources as a representation of maternal protection of Mary; it is shown with pink dress and an iconographic language of reception and amparo, although in the sources consulted they do not accurately record the material, las size nor a complete technical description of the size or painting venerated in Colima.

The cult is concentrated in the Sanctuary of Our Lady of the Refuge in Colimapresented as a devotional reference centre of the diocese; however, in the sources available for this consultation no con seguridad if the temple has the canonical category of minor basilica, National sanctuary o diocesan sanctuary in formal terms. For a strictly verified record, this data must be confirmed by the sanctuary itself or by the diocese.

Sponsorship and coronation

In the revised sources, no consta an officially documented patronage of this advocation on the city, el Town Hall o la diocese Colima with the precision required for a safe tab. It also does not contain, in the documentation consulted, a documented canonical coronation of the venerated image in Colima.

In contrast, the general tradition of the invocation of the Refuge linked to a pontific coronation under the pontificate of Clemente XIbut that data corresponds to the general history of the Marian title and should not be confused without verification with the concrete image of the Colima shrine.

Party and devotion

La main party of Our Lady of the Refuge is usually celebrated the 4 July. This date appears in a stable way in devotional sources and in diocesan pages, associated with the liturgical memory of the advocation.

As for popular devotion, the sources consulted stress that this advocation highlights the maternal protection of Mary y su dimensión de shelter, help and comfort for the faithful. The revised materials do not contain reliable data on Annual flow, number of pilgrims or specific popular traditions of the Colima shrine; these elements should be confirmed with local sources of the sanctuary or of the diocese.

Link to the Rosary

The sources consulted do not contain a unique and exclusive historical relationship between this advocation and a concrete practice of Rosary. Even so, from Catholic spirituality, the Rosary naturally accompanies this devotion because it contemplates the mysteries of Christ with Mary and presents the Virgin as intercessor mother and refuge of the faithful, in full conformity with the spiritual sense of this advocation.

If desired, a expanded and more local version where direct sources of the Colima shrine, del diocesan site or historical parochial documentation.