Nomination of Papal legate to Jubilee of Our Lady of the Angels
(July 09, 2011) The Vatican announced Saturday that Pope Benedict XVI has nominated Cardinal Francisco Robles Ortega , as his special legate to the closing celebration of the 375th anniversary of the finding of the image of Our Lady of the Angels, patroness of Costa Rica. The image of Our Lady of the Angels is only about three inches high, and is carved in a simple fashion on dark stone. She has a round, sweet face, slanted eyes and a delicate mouth. Her coloring is leaden, with scattered golden sparkles. She carries the Christ Child on her left arm. Only the faces of Mary and the Child are visible; the rest is covered by a cloak that is gathered in pleats. The closing jubilee ceremony will take place at Cartago, Costa Rica, on August 2nd 2011. The story goes that while searching for firewood on 2nd August 1635, the feast of the Holy Angels, a poor mestizo woman named Juana Pereira discovered this small image of the Virgin sitting beside the footpath near Cartago, Costa Rica. Juana took it home. The next morning she found that the statue was not there but back at the rock, so she took it to the priest and he locked it in a small box. The next morning the statue was back at the rock. During the construction of the church to house the image, the site was destroyed by earthquakes so many times, it was finally decided to move it to the location where the statue was originally found and they were able to finish construction. Many people think that the earthquakes were signs that the Lady of Los Ángeles wanted the basilica built there. The original statue is kept in a golden shell inside the basilica. An official decree declared the Virgin of the Angels the official patroness of Costa Rica.
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