Anecdotes about the Virgin Mary

"The journey on one's knees to Lo Vásquez"

Lo Vásquez, Valparaíso (Chile)

Between Santiago and Valparaíso, along the route connecting the capital with the port, lies the Sanctuary of Lo Vásquez, dedicated to the Immaculate Conception. It is one of Chile's most popular pilgrimage sites, and its fame stems not so much from a story of an apparition as from the extraordinary devotion of the people who flock to its shrine.

Every December 8th, the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, tens of thousands of pilgrims make their way to the sanctuary: many arrive on foot after long hours of travel, by bicycle, or even covering the final stretches on their knees in fulfillment of a vow. The road is closed to traffic to make way for this tide of faith, and the image of the nighttime pilgrims heading to Lo Vásquez has become part of the Chilean religious landscape.

It is best to be conservative with historical details. The strength and antiquity of the December 8th pilgrimage are widely attested in the Chilean press and pastoral writings; however, the specifics of the sanctuary's remote origins vary according to the sources, and anything not found in solid documentation should be considered local tradition rather than proven fact. Where there is no certainty, it is honest to say that it is not documented.

Since it is the Immaculate Conception, the devotion is purely Marian, and the Rosary naturally accompanies the novenas and the feast, as part of popular piety, without there being a singular episode that specifically links Lo Vásquez with the origin of the Rosary.