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 marian
anniversaries december
December 6
Nuestra Señora de la Inmaculada Concepción, El Viejo, Chinandega,
Nicaragua
Tradition holds that a brother of St. Teresa of Avila
brought the statue of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception from Spain to
Nicaragua in the 1500s. Several days before December 8, the Catholic Feast
of the Immaculate Conception, Nicaraguans begin honoring their patron
saint. In the plaza outside the church in the town of El Viejo ("The
Old"), people gather on December 6 to polish the silver ex voto
objects given over the years in thanks to Our Lady for answered prayers.
On December 7, the gritería takes place. Families make splendid
altars in their homes which can be seen from outside. People admiring them
shout, "¿Quién es la causa de nuestra alegría?" (Who is the
cause of our happiness?). Residents of the house answer, "La
Concepción de María!" then offer sweets and traditional dishes to
the visitors.
Sources:
 | "María de Nicaragua visitó a sus hijos
en el exilio," www.vozcatolica.org/55/visito.htm (photo) |
| www.catholicmedia.net/halo/esp/viejo.htm |
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Also commemorated this date:
| Notre Dame des Neiges, Alpe d'Huez, Isère, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France
(Our Lady of the Snows). Church consecrated, 1969. |
| Nostra Signora della Neve, Acqui Terme, Alessandria, Piedmont, Italy
(Our Lady of the Snows). Sanctuary consecrated, 1766. Feast August 5. |
| Beata Vergine delle Grazie, Verona, Veneto, Italy, in monastery church of
Santa Maria della Scala (built by the della Scala family), consecrated
Dec. 6, 1329 |
| Immaculate Conception, Basseterre, St. Kitts. New church
consecrated, 1928. |
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