Pope sends Golden Rose to Our Lady in Argentina

(Aug.24,2010) Pope Benedict XVI, in addition to sending a special envoy to the centenary celebrations for the Argentinean Diocese of Catamarca, also gave the 11th Golden Rose of his pontificate to Mary at the Shrine of Our Lady of the Valley there. Cardinal Francisco Javier Errázuriz, archbishop of Santiago, Chile, represented the Pope at the centenary celebrations on Saturday.
The image of the Virgin to receive the rose, is a 42-centimeter marble statue that dates back to original Spanish missionaries of South America. The native population developed a strong devotion to Our Lady and over the years, various miracles have been attributed to her. The Golden Rose is a papal decoration conferred on prominent Catholic personalities. Initially, kings and dignitaries received it, later it was conferred almost exclusively on queens, and more recently, on Our Lady, the Mother of God. The distinction was created by Pope Leo IX in 1049.
In more recent times, after the Second Vatican Council, the papal decoration has become almost exclusively a gift from Popes to Our Lady. This was the 11th Golden Rose that Pope Benedict XVI has given to Our Lady in the more than five years of his pontificate. Among the other ten, one was given to Our Lady of Fatima in 2010.