Angelic Virgin Day in Costa Rica (02/08)

Angelic Virgin Day (Día de la Virgen de los Ángeles), or Our Lady of the Angels, celebrated annually on August 2, — is an important religious holiday in Costa Rica. The Virgin figurine is located in the «Basilica» church in the city of Cartago, in the old capital of Costa Rica. The city is located 23 kilometers from San Jose.

People go to church services in this city on foot, to do this they leave the house the day before, and those who live far away even go for three or four days. Many people ride horses or bicycles. The most adherents walk the last meters in front of the church on their knees. The most amazing sight — is a large column of people walking along the highway at night.

On this day, the road naturally closes to traffic. The highway is illuminated along almost its entire length, food is sold on the roadsides, and there are «Red Cross» tents where people are helped if necessary. Young, elderly and even old people walk, carrying and carrying children in strollers.

Those who come in the evening or at night get a job in the park in front of the church sleeping in tents or just on the street. In the morning, a solemn service begins, people put their lips to the sacred stone on which the figurine stood when a poor Indian girl, Juana, found it in the forest three centuries ago.

Basilica of Our Lady of Angels in Cartago (Photo: Jolanda, licensed from Shutterstock.com)

The angelic maiden is considered the miraculous patroness of Costa Rica; many people firmly believe in its wonderful properties and pray for the recovery of their relatives, for good luck in exams, for getting a job and money and for solving other personal problems. Many believe that the Virgin bestowed her mercy on them.

As a sign of gratitude, they bring and attach gold miniature figures to the wall, symbolizing the miracles performed. Behind the church, a spring with holy water is gushing out of the wall — people drink it and fill bottles. Water is not for sale, it is distributed free of charge.

But all the central streets of the city are in full swing with trade: food, souvenirs, clothes, toys... Crowds of pilgrims come here, and in the evening there are long lines for buses that come up one after another to bring pilgrims home.

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