Our Lady Of Miracles
Country : France
Year : 1630
From earliest times, the Franciscans have always honored the statue of the Virgin known as Our Lady of the Miracle. Often the Franciscan Brothers and Priests knelt before the statue to beg the conversion of the people of Peru.
Shortly after the Spaniards settled in Cusco, the ancient Inca Capital, the Franciscans moved there and took the statue with them. The Spaniards had not been there long when the Indians, under Mancoll, rose in revolt and laid siege to the city. The religious and the Spaniards reduced in number, took refuge in a shed where they were attacked by the Indians with missiles and arrows which set fire to the shed. The men inside would have perished in the fire, but Our Lady visibly extinguished the flames. The Spaniards erected a church in thanksgiving and the statue was returned to Lima.
A second miracle took place on November 27, 1630. A violent earthquake shook the city of Lima. Confusion and terror reigned everywhere. Suddenly some Religious and many faithful saw the image of the Virgin move to the high altar and stop before the Blessed Sacrament, in an attitude of supplication, asking pardon and mercy. The quake ceased and all of Lima was one voice in praising the Virgin of the Miracle who had saved the city from destruction. Church dignitaries and faithful have had a great devotion to the Lady of the Miracles. The two Franciscans, St. Francis Solano and the Venerable Friar Juan Gomez both had a great devotion to Our Lady under this title. A pious association, which took its name from the Virgin Mary of the Miracles was established and was enriched with spiritual graces by many Roman Pontiffs.
In 1952 the Holy Father gave permission for the crowning of the image, for which many persons offered jewels and brilliants. The Spanish Embassy sent a mantel embroidered in Madrid to be placed on the statue for the occasion. This is the latest of the Virgin statues in Peru to be crowned. (1960).
