Anecdotes about the Virgin Mary

"The Little Girl of El Quinche and the promise of the cave"

El Quinche, Quito (Ecuador) (1604)

In the parish of El Quinche, northeast of Quito, Our Lady of the Presentation is venerated, affectionately known to Ecuadorians as "La Pequeñita" (the Little One). Her feast day is November 21st, and since 1943 she has been honored as the National Queen and Patron Saint of Ecuador. Few Andean devotions inspire such widespread and heartfelt affection.

Tradition tells that the image was carved in the 16th century by the sculptor Diego de Robles. Since he wasn't paid in money, Robles is said to have given it to the indigenous people of Oyacachi in exchange for some cedar planks. And here comes the most touching part of the story: before receiving the carving, the inhabitants of Oyacachi had seen the Virgin in a cave, where she promised to deliver them from the bears that attacked and devoured their children. Upon seeing the image, the chieftains recognized in it the very face of the Lady who had appeared.

Let's be honest and clear. It is fairly well established that the image is a 16th-century wooden carving attributed to Diego de Robles, and that in 1604, by order of the bishop and due to the difficulty of accessing Oyacachi, it was moved to the town of El Quinche, from which it takes its name. The coronation as National Queen in 1943 is also documented. However, the apparition in the cave and the episode with the bears lack solid primary documentation: they are best presented as a beautiful and very much alive devotional tradition that continues to give the town its identity.

Regarding the Rosary, there is no specific, documented historical link between the Marian devotion in El Quinche and a particular Rosary confraternity or tradition. It is worth noting, with caution, that Andean Marian piety is also expressed through the recitation of the Rosary, but this would be a general observation, not something unique to El Quinche.