Selasa, 13 Desember 2016

Holidays In The Dominican Republic In Reverence To The Lady Of Altagracia

The folks from the Dominican Republic have been shown to become devout Catholics, with almost 89% of their population submitting to Roman Catholicism. They honor several patron saints, and part of them is that the Our Lady of Altagracia. Actually, most Dominican Republic holidays are actually in respect to religion. 

Dia de la Altagracia, or Altagracia Day, is really a feast day and annual holiday inside the Dominican Republic that‘s being celebrated every January 21st. It was eventually originally held every August 15th, but was later changed to January 21st to commemorate the country’s victory during the French in 1690. 

Being regarded like the first country inside the New World to become evangelized from the Catholic Church, the Dominicans begin to see the image from the Lady of Altagracia as their spiritual mother, and like the one who watches over their land. They pay homage towards the Lady by celebrating its feast day with lots of vigils, church going, singing, dancing and candle lighting in most of the towns over the country. 

THE PORTRAIT 

The painting depicts the Nativity scene, where it shows the Virgin Mary looking during the baby Jesus sleeping inside the manger. Her radiant eyes embody the warmth and affection that the mother gives a baby child. 

She‘s clothed having a starred blue robe, having a white scapular tied in front that seals the garment. The Dominicans distinguish the colors which are inside the Blessed Virgin’s garment like the same ones with their national flag, thus, associating their national identity using the Blessed Virgin. 

HISTORY 

Trusted sources claim that the portrait in our Lady of Altagracia was painted towards finished from the 15th or the beginning from the 16th century. A college in Spain was said to possess kept the image, but in 1502, the brothers Alfonso and Antonio Trejo brought it into Santo Domingo. These brothers were said to become among the very first European colonizers from the island. 

The brothers then moved towards the city of Higuey, and that they made a decision to hand during the image from the Lady towards the parish church. Not long after, people coming from the island began revering the portrait from the Blessed Virgin Mary under it of Our Lady of Altagracia. The very first shrine was completed in 1572 and was consecrated towards the Basilica of Our Lady of Altagracia in 1971. 

A preferred tale among the many Dominicans exemplifies their faith upon the Lady. Based on the story, there was once a merchant whose daughter has wanted to possess the portrait from the Our Lady of Altagracia.. Wanting to provides it to his daughter, the merchant searched to the portrait through the entire island of Santo Domingo, but to his dismay, he Didn‘t see it. 

He continued his search, this point moving towards the town of Higuey. He was still not successful. Not willing to reach home to his daughter without having the portrait in her hands, he spent the night in her friend’s house. As he recounts his unsuccessful journey, an old man suddenly gave him a painting and said, “This is what you‘re attempting to find. ” The portrait was indeed the image from the Our Lady of Altagracia. In the crack of dawn, the old man disappeared. 

The Dominicans revere the Blessed Lady like the protector of the land. Their victory against the French in 1690 was celebrated in honor of her, thus making that day in January 21st as her official feast day. If you‘re a devout Catholic, spending the holidays inside the Dominican Republic in homage towards the Blessed Lady is really a spiritual experience that ought to never be passed up.

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