Maria Auxiliadora de Lima, venerated in the minor Basilica and Salesian shrine of Maria Auxiliadora in the district of Breña, Lima

Marian devotion of Lima (Lima)

La devoción a Auxiliary Mary in Lima (Breña) is inserted into the great Salesian Marian current born around San Juan Bosco in the 19th century, and then extended by Salesian houses all over the world. The liturgical advocation of Mary Helper is universally celebrated the May 24 Since Pope Pius VII linked this date to his release and return to Rome in 1814.

Main data

Origin and history

La devoción a Auxiliary Mary in Lima (Breña) is inserted into the great Salesian Marian current born around San Juan Bosco in the 19th century, and then extended by Salesian houses all over the world. The liturgical advocation of Mary Helper is universally celebrated the May 24 Since Pope Pius VII linked this date to his release and return to Rome in 1814.

According to the Salesian sources, the Basilica Sanctuary of Mary Helper in Lima (Breña) is the oldest and most important Salesian parish in Peru and the country's first Salesian Marian sanctuary. It was built as a great temple of the Salesian presence in Lima and is characterized by its neo-Gothic style, noted in the local tradition as only entirely neoGothic temple of Peru. However, easily accessible documentation does not clearly indicate the exact start and completion dates of construction, nor the date of canonical erection as a minor basilica. Therefore, these specific data no constan in the sources consulted.

As for the mention of the place, the available sources describe this sanctuary as located in the district of Breña, city of Lima, department of Lima, Peruand not in Colombia. The attribution to "Lima, Colombia" no consta in ecclesial and Salesian sources and seems to be a geographical error.

The image and the sanctuary

The specific sources on the concrete image of Mary's Revered Auxiliary in the Basilica of Breña are very few online. No secure data on author, material, height or date of realization of the main image of the main altar, so these details no constan.

From the iconographic point of view, only what corresponds to the classic Salesian model of Mary Helper can be affirmed: image of the Virgin Mary standing, with the Child Jesus in arms, both crowned and with scepter, representing the "help of Christians," very widespread by St. John Bosco and the Salesian family. That this iconography is applied to the image of Breña is a data of reasonable probability for the Salesian context, but the sources consulted do not explicitly describe it, so it should be considered a inferences and not a documented data.

The temple is known as "Holy Basilica of Mary Helper" and is presented in Salesian sources such as most important and ancient parish of the Salesians in Peru y su first Salesian Marian Shrine. It is located in the district of Breña (Five). It is described as a temple of style neogótico, highlighting its architecture in the Peruvian context. The sources consulted specifically mention it as basilica sanctuarywhich indicates that it has received the title of minor basilica, although the documents available online do not contain the Pontifical Decree or the exact date of this concession, therefore these details no constan.

Sponsorship and coronation

La advocación de Maria Auxiliadora is, on a global scale, patron of the Salesian familyand in the Peruvian context it is recognized as patron of the Salesian Family in Peruas it can be seen from the historical link between the Salesian work and this advocation. On possible patronage official (decree) of the city of Lima, the archdiocese or the Peruvian nation, no constan accessible documents that prove it; the sources consulted are limited to highlighting its importance for the Salesian family and its strong roots in the country.

As for a canonical coronation of the image of Mary Helper of the Basilica of Breña, the revised sources (Salesian pages, historical online reviews, Marian synthesis) no registran no clear data of canonical coronation with a pontifical decree or the name of a papal delegate. Since there is no safe reference to this act in the documents consulted, the following should be recorded: "does not contain a documented canonical coronation".

Party and devotion

The fiesta principal de Maria Auxiliadora is celebrated liturgical the May 24, the date on which the whole Church and in a particular way the Salesian Family honors the Virgin under this title. Around this date, the Salesian shrines of the world, including that of Lima (Breña), organize novies, processions, solemn Eucharist and days of confessions; this is part of the usual way to celebrate this advocation in the Salesian context, widely documented at the international level, although the specific details of each year in Breña are not reflected in the texts consulted.

The reviews on the Shrine Basilica of Breña underline that it is a question of one of the most crowded Marian centers in Limawith a strong presence of faithful in their celebrations and pilgrimages. No precise flow figures are provided, so no constan verifiable numerical data. However, the importance of this sanctuary for the Libyan people and for the Salesian works of the country is reflected in its identification as "the most important and ancient Salesian parish in Peru" and as the first Salesian Marian sanctuary in Peruvian territory.

Link to the Rosary

The specific sources on the Basilica of Mary Auxiliary in Breña do not indicate a personal and particular link of this local advocation with the prayer of the Rosary (for example, co-fradies of the Rosary of the sanctuary, special indulgences or practices strictly linked to the Rosary). This data, therefore, no constan Documentally.

However, in the Salesian and Marian tradition in general, the Rosary It occupies a central place as a prayer of filial trust to Mary, which leads to the contemplation of the mysteries of Christ. The devotion to Mary Auxiliator - especially in the Salesian environments - is often accompanied by Marian practices such as the daily prayer of the Rosary, the novenas, processions and jaculatory ("Mary Auxiliator, pray for us"), so that the Rosary can be considered a ordinary road by which the faithful join the spirituality of this sanctuary and the Salesian Family, even though there is no exclusive rosarian tradition of the temple of Breña explicitly documented.