Our Lady of the Rosary of Bojayá, venerated in Bellavista

Patrona de Bojayá

La of the Rosary of Bojayá is closely linked to the recent history of the municipality of Bojayá (Bellavista), in the department of the Chocó, and to the memory of the massacre of 2 May 2002when an explosive device launched in the midst of the fighting between FARC and paramilitary groups fell into the church where the population was taking refuge. In that fact, dozens of people died, including many children; since then, the image of the Virgin of the Rosary marked by the explosion was associated with the memory of suffering and the cry for peace and reconciliation in the region. This dimension is well documented by historical and ecclesial testimonies and reports about the Bojayá massacre. [a specific historical fact sheet of the advocation, only general references to the massacre and the presence of an image of the Virgin, is not included in the sources consulted]

Main data

Origin and history

La of the Rosary of Bojayá is closely linked to the recent history of the municipality of Bojayá (Bellavista), in the department of the Chocó, and to the memory of the massacre of 2 May 2002when an explosive device launched in the midst of the fighting between FARC and paramilitary groups fell into the church where the population was taking refuge. In that fact, dozens of people died, including many children; since then, the image of the Virgin of the Rosary marked by the explosion was associated with the memory of suffering and the cry for peace and reconciliation in the region. This dimension is well documented by historical and ecclesial testimonies and reports about the Bojayá massacre. [a specific historical fact sheet of the advocation, only general references to the massacre and the presence of an image of the Virgin, is not included in the sources consulted]

En la documented history later, the Church in Colombia has presented this Marian image as a sign of the Virgin's accompaniment to the people of Chocó in the midst of armed conflict, and as an icon of peaceful resistance, the dignity of the victims and the hope of peace. [no specific monograph on advocation in the consulted sources] The advocation has in fact been assuming a character of Marian coverage for the department of Chocóespecially with regard to the memory of victims, reconciliation processes and pastoral initiatives for symbolic reparation.

As regards traditions or legends of origin prior to 2002there is no detailed foundational account in the sources consulted (apparition, concrete miracle or other extraordinary fact) that has given rise to this advocation under the title "the Rosary of Bojayá." What is perceived is the continuity of the ancient devotion to the Rosary in Colombia, very deeply rooted since the colonial era, which in Bojayá is particularly embodied in this image wounded by violence and venerated as Mother who accompanies the pain of her people.

The image and the sanctuary

La image of Our Lady of the Rosary of Bojayá is a Marian representation under the title of the Rosary that was visibly damaged by the impact of the explosion in the temple during the 2002 massacre. The concrete iconography (type of size, exact material, author, date of realization) is not accurately recorded in the sources consulted; it is only known that it is an image of the Virgin of the Rosary linked to the parish of Bellavista, which presents material signs of the violent event, and has become a symbol of the memory of the victims and of the maternal protection of Mary over the Afro-descendant and indigenous people of Chocó. [no detailed technical description in the sources consulted]

The place of veneration is the church of Bellavista (Bojayá, Chocó), built as a temple of the community and scene of tragedy. After the displacement of the population and the creation of the new city centre of Bellavista, the spiritual reference continues to be linked to this temple and to the Marian image that was venerated there. It is not known, in the sources consulted, that the temple has been canonically erected as minor basilicaor Nacional or diocesan sanctuary of an official nature; first and foremost, it is a parroquia who, in pastoral practice and in the memory of the Church in Colombia, plays the role of a sanctuary of memory and reconciliation. No additional official data (dimensions, architectural style, exact date of construction or consecration) are included in the revised documentation.

Sponsorship and coronation

La advocación de Our Lady of the Rosary of Bojayá is particularly linked to town of Bojayá and the department of the Chocówhere the image is recognized as a sign of maternal protection over communities that have suffered the armed conflict. However, does not contain a formal decree of canonical patronage who officially declares her patron of Bojayá, Chocó or another ecclesiastical district. Practical devotion and symbolic reference - especially in the field of the pastoral of victims and peace - make this advocation a significant Marian reference for the territory, even without an explicit legal title.

As for a canonical coronation, does not contain a documented coronation of the image of Our Lady of the Rosary of Bojayá. In the sources consulted there are no records of pontifical decree or official ceremony of liturgical coronation with canonical rank, so, following the criteria requested: does not contain a documented canonical coronation.

Party and devotion

La General liturgical feast of the Virgin of the Rosary in the universal Church the 7 October, memory instituted by Saint Pius V and consolidated by Gregory XIII, in relation to the victory of Lepanto and the spread of devotion to the Rosary. In the specific case of Our Lady of the Rosary of Bojayáthe sources consulted do not contain a local holiday date other than the common celebration of the Virgin of the Rosary. It is reasonable to assume that the community in a special way unites this advocation both on October 7 and on the annual commemoration of 2 Maythe day of the massacre, but this link is not formalized in official liturgical documents (so it is indicated as undocumented data).

La devotion is characterized by several features:

– fuerte dimensión de victims' memory y clamor por la paz, donde la imagen dañada se contempla como signo de Cristo sufriente y de María solidaria con los crucificados de la historia; – centralidad de la Eucharist, las celebraciones de aniversario de la masacre y los espacios comunitarios de oración en torno a la imagen; – presencia de la advocación en actos eclesiales de nivel diocesano y nacional centrados en la reconciliation, forgiveness and symbolic reparationwhere the image or its memory occupies a prominent place.

There are no figures for the influx of pilgrims or precise statistical data. What is recorded, in general testimonies about Bojayá, is that the place and the image have become moral and spiritual reference for Colombiaespecially in processes such as peace dialogues and initiatives of historical memory, where the believing community comes to the Mother under this advocation to sustain her hope.

Link to the Rosary

The direct link with the Rosary is expressed above all in the very title of the advocationwhich presents Mary as Our Lady of the Rosaryin continuity with the broad tradition of the Church that proposes the prayer of the Rosary as contemplation of the mysteries of the life of Christ with the eyes and heart of Mary. Although there are no special rules or systematic campaigns for the promotion of the Rosary specifically associated with the image of Bojayá in the sources consulted, pastoral experience shows that the Rosario is one of the most used forms of prayer in contexts of suffering and conflictbecause of its simple, community and deeply contemplative character.

In this sense, the advocation of Our Lady of the Rosary of Bojayá is understood as a call to pray the Rosary for peacefor the victims of violence and for the conversion of hearts. Each mystery contemplated - joyful, painful, glorious or luminous - can be linked to the concrete history of Bojayá: the painful mysteries illuminate the suffering of the victims; the glorious sustain the hope of resurrection and reparation; the joyful and luminous help to look at the daily life of the people of the Chocó in the light of Christ. Where there is no specific data on own practices, the Marian conviction of the Church remains valid: Rosario is a school of comfort, patience and hope for wounded communities, and in Bojayá this pedagogy becomes especially eloquent in the shadow of this image marked by the