April 19
Virgen del Verdún, Minas, Lavalleja, Uruguay
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The 10' statue of the Virgin of the Verdun, illuminated
nightly, stands on a 62' pedestal on 1100' Verdun Hill overlooking the town
of Minas in southeastern Uruguay. Dedicated April 19, 1910, the shrine
attracts thousands of visitors annually, particularly on this date, which
the Catholic diocese chose for the annual pilgrimage and celebration at the
sanctuary because it was the date in 1825 on which the famous 33 patriots
led by local hero Juan Lavalleja crossed the Río de la Plata to
liberate Uruguay from Brazil. Beloved local poet Padre Olegario María Núñez
was buried here in 1932 because of his line, "Y en un repliegue de tu
serrania mi humilde ceniza se estremecerá" ("And in a retreat of your range
my humble ash will tremble"). The statue is a traditional
Immaculate Conception image: standing, childless, head uncovered, in a white
robe and blue mantle, a crescent moon at her feet. Information
from "Santuario VIRGEN DEL VERDÚN," Conferencia
Episcopal del Uruguay - C.E.U.,
www.iglesiauruguaya.com. Photograph (detail) by
Estella Priz, uploaded April 7, 2009 to
abrecabezasunabellezaaldia.blogspot.com.
Also commemorated this date:
 | Notre-Dame du Vœu, Rouen, Seine-Maritime, Normandy, France
(Our Lady of the Vow). Statue in cathedral intact after seven bombs hit,
1944. |
| Notre-Dame de Laghet, La Trinité, Provence, France.
Statue crowned, 1900. |
| Szűz Mária, Máriabesnyő, Gödöllő, Pest, Hungary
(Virgin Mary). Statue found, 1759. |
| Terebovlya Mother of God, Lviv, Ukraine (April 6
old calendar) |
| Mare de Dèu del Miracle, Cocentaina, Valencia, Spain.
Statue cried blood, 1520. |
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