Our
Lady of the Angels
In the
city of Cartago, as in many others
during colonial times, whites were
segregated from Indians and mestizos.
Those who were not absolutely white
were not allowed to enter the city,
where a stone cross marked the
limits.
On August 2, 1635, feast of the Holy
Angels, a poor mestizo woman called
Juana Pereira, in her daily search for
firewood discovered a small image of
the Virgin simply carved on a dark
stone, placed conspicuously by the
footpath.
Juana happily picked up the treasure,
with no idea that she would find it
five more times in the same place,
because the image kept disappearing
from cupboards, chests and even the
parish tabernacle, and on each
occasion would return to the same rock
where it had been found. It was
evident to all that the Virgin wanted
a center of worship there, where she
could comfort the poor and
humble.
The image of Our Lady of the Angels is
very small, only about three inches
high.
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She carries
the Child on her left arm, where the
cloak that covers her from the face
down, is gathered in pleats. She has a
round, sweet face, slanted eyes and a
delicate mouth; her coloring is leaden,
with scattered golden sparkles.
Only the faces of Mary and the Child
Jesus are visible, as a precious cloak
protects and adorns, her. At present the
statuette is displayed in a handsome
monstrance which surrounds it
completely, enlarging its
appearance.
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"La Negrita" (the little black
one) as she is affectionately called by
the people of Costa Rica, was solemnly
crowned in 1926 and in 1935, His
Holiness Pope Pius XI declared the
beautiful shrine of the Queen of Angels
a Basilica.
Pilgrims visit Cartago constantly to
pay their respects to their heavenly
Mother; many enter the shrine on their
knees, as an act of humility and
gratitude, and then they pray at the
rock where the blessed image was
found. The stone is wearing away under
the constant rubbing of so many
pilgrims' hands that caress it
gratefully while they pray for relief
of their sufferings.
There is a spring under the stone and
its waters are collected by the
faithful who visit the shrine seeking
mercy and health.
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