Our Lady of Chiquinquirá: Miraculous Mother of the Zuliano People!

Every November 18, the city of Maracaibo, Tierra del Sol Amada, is paralyzed to celebrate with infinite devotion and love, the patron saint of the Zulians; the Virgin Morena, María del Rosario de Chiquinquirá, also known as La Chinita.

Popular history says that La Chinita arrived in Maracaibo on the waves of the lake. In 1709, a humble washerwoman named María Cárdenas found a small tablet on its banks; she picked it up and took it home, where she used it as a lid for a water jar. There is a belief that this tablet could have fallen from a ship that crossed our waters. On November 18, when the woman was straining coffee, she noticed that there was a Virgin on the tablet, so she placed it hanging on the wall. After a while he heard knocks as if someone was calling. She approached to see what was happening and was amazed at the brightness emanating from the image of Our Lady of Chiquinquirá. After the shock he shouted Miracle! Miracle! The neighbors came to the lady's house and confirmed the existence of the sacred image.

According to Father Carlos Quiva, pastor of the Jesus of Good Hope Church in Maracaibo, at the time of what happened at the house of that humble washerwoman, the authorities decided to hold a procession in honor of La Chinita. Legend has it that the Virgin was carried on the shoulders of the people, but the image became so heavy that it prevented it from moving it. Finally, after many prayers to heaven and supplications, one of those present exclaimed: “Perhaps the Virgin does not want to go to the Mother Church and prefers that of Saint John of God”. Then the procession changed its course to the church of the city's humble people and the image regained its normal weight. This is why, since that day, dear Chinita, has protected the people of Zuliano from her temple, now consecrated as a basilica.

Mazo News Team