Our Lady Of The Rosary Of San Nicolás
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Our Lady of the Rosary of San Nicolás is, in
Catholicism The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...
, a title of veneration of the
Virgin Mary Mary was a first-century Jewish woman of Nazareth, the wife of Saint Joseph, Joseph and the mother of Jesus. She is an important figure of Christianity, venerated under titles of Mary, mother of Jesus, various titles such as Perpetual virginity ...
associated with reported private revelations to Gladys Quiroga de Motta, a middle-aged housewife, beginning in 1983, in the city of
San Nicolás de los Arroyos San Nicolás de los Arroyos (usually shortened to ''San Nicolás'') is a city in the provinces of Argentina, province of Buenos Aires Province, Buenos Aires, Argentina, on the western shore of the Paraná River, from Rosario. It has about 133,000 ...
, Argentina. Gladys said that she was tasked with promoting this devotion to the
Mother of God ''Theotokos'' (Greek: ) is a title of Mary, mother of Jesus, used especially in Eastern Christianity. The usual Latin translations are or (approximately "parent (fem.) of God"). Familiar English translations are "Mother of God" or "God-bearer ...
under this title, with an emphasis on key passages in the Bible and a particular mystical stellar symbolism. The apparitions have continued almost every day since 1983 and have been approved by the
Catholic Church The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...
. Messages from 1983 to 1990 have been officially approved and published, and miracles, conversions and healings are said to occur in the Sanctuary of Our Lady of the Rosary of San Nicolás in
Buenos Aires Buenos Aires, controlled by the government of the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Argentina. It is located on the southwest of the Río de la Plata. Buenos Aires is classified as an Alpha− glob ...
, Argentina. Under the title María Del Rosario de San Nicolas, de Motta stated that the Virgin Mary called Catholics to pray one hour per day, to receive the
Eucharist The Eucharist ( ; from , ), also called Holy Communion, the Blessed Sacrament or the Lord's Supper, is a Christianity, Christian Rite (Christianity), rite, considered a sacrament in most churches and an Ordinance (Christianity), ordinance in ...
daily, to repentance and conversion. The pilgrimage site, named in honor of Our Lady of the Rosary of San Nicolás erected in San Nicolás de los Arroyos, is one of the most important in
Argentina Argentina, officially the Argentine Republic, is a country in the southern half of South America. It covers an area of , making it the List of South American countries by area, second-largest country in South America after Brazil, the fourt ...
.


History

The parish church of San Nicolás de los Arroyos was dedicated to Our Lady of the Rosary. In 1884, a statue of Our Lady of the Rosary was donated by a member of the parish who brought it from Rome and had it blessed by
Pope Leo XIII Pope Leo XIII (; born Gioacchino Vincenzo Raffaele Luigi Pecci; 2March 181020July 1903) was head of the Catholic Church from 20 February 1878 until his death in July 1903. He had the fourth-longest reign of any pope, behind those of Peter the Ap ...
. A century later, in 1983, Gladys Quiroga de Motta, an Argentine laywoman, married and mother of two daughters, reportedly received a series of private revelations from the Virgin Mary, as well as
Jesus Christ Jesus (AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ, Jesus of Nazareth, and many Names and titles of Jesus in the New Testament, other names and titles, was a 1st-century Jewish preacher and religious leader. He is the Jesus in Chris ...
. At the time, Motta had only a fourth-grade education and no formal biblical or theological training. The events began after several Rosaries in multiple homes of the town of San Nicolás de los Arroyos began to glow and display unusual radiance, which led her to pray the
Rosary The Rosary (; , in the sense of "crown of roses" or "garland of roses"), formally known as the Psalter of Jesus and Mary (Latin: Psalterium Jesu et Mariae), also known as the Dominican Rosary (as distinct from other forms of rosary such as the ...
. The first reported apparition of the Virgin Mary to Motta occurred on 25 September 1983, while she was praying the Rosary in her room. This date is now commemorated as the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary of San Nicolás. According to Gladys, Mary appeared dressed in blue, holding the baby Jesus and a rosary in her hand, but quickly disappeared without speaking. Other families in the city later reported similar visitations. Later, the Virgin Mary allegedly spoke to Gladys for the first time on 13 October 1983, the anniversary of the last apparition at Fátima. That day, Mary said to come to her and to not be afraid, that she did well. She also gave Gladys a Bible reference. During following apparitions and visions, Mary regularly referred Gladys to particular
Scriptures Religious texts, including scripture, are texts which various religions consider to be of central importance to their religious tradition. They often feature a compilation or discussion of beliefs, ritual practices, moral commandments and ...
. On October 25, a month after the first apparition, as Gladys was praying in the cathedral in the town of Rosario, the Virgin Mary appeared, gave her a white rosary, and said “Receive this Rosary from my hands and keep it forever and ever. You are obedient; I am happy because of it. Rejoice, for God is with you”. On 27 November 1983, the Virgin Mary allegedly asked de Motta to look for a statue that was forgotten away in a church. As the priest and Motta were looking for the statue in the belfry of the diocesan church, the priest found it and showed it to Motta. Gladys recognized that the statue represented Mary as she had seen her from the beginning. According to Motta, Mary then appeared to her and requested that the statue be placed back in the cathedral, despite it being missing a hand and lacking a rosary in her hands. Over the course of a century, the church, as well as the statue, had suffered significant damage. In December 1984, the Virgin reportedly asked for a medal to be cast, with her image on the front side and the title Our Lady of the Rosary of San Nicolás, and on the reverse side, the
Holy Trinity The Trinity (, from 'threefold') is the Christian doctrine concerning the nature of God, which defines one God existing in three, , consubstantial divine persons: God the Father, God the Son (Jesus Christ) and God the Holy Spirit, three ...
with seven stars. Later, in September 1985, Mary explained to Gladys: “My daughter, I will tell you the meaning of the seven stars. They are seven graces that my Son Jesus will grant to those who wear it on their breast. Praise be to the Lord.” The first unexplained cure linked to the apparitions occurred in 1984, when a seven-year-old boy named Gonzalo Miguel, who was terminally ill with a brain tumor, was reportedly healed. From the beginning of the apparitions, Motta shared the messages she received with the church authorities and the local bishops and remained fully cooperative. Later, her spiritual guide, Father Carlos Pérez, expressed his conviction that the apparitions were genuine. After local religious authorities approved the spiritual merits, the bishop granted the construction of a sanctuary dedicated to Lady of the Rosary of San Nicolás, as requested by Mary during the apparitions. Gladys has reportedly received the stigmatas on her wrists, feet, side, and shoulder.


Messages

The messages of Our Lady of the Rosary of San Nicolás bear similarities to those of other
Marian apparitions A Marian apparition is a reported supernatural appearance of Mary, mother of Jesus, Mary, the mother of Jesus. While sometimes described as a type of vision, apparitions are generally regarded as external manifestations, whereas visions are mor ...
, such as at Fátima, Portugal, where the Virgin Mary also identified herself as Our Lady of the Rosary. According to Gladys, Mary stated: “Today, like then in Fatima, are my visits to Earth, although these are more frequent and prolonged since mankind lives moments of great drama”. The messages given to Gladys over time cover a wide range of topics, with a primary focus on themes such as repentance and conversion, emphasizing the necessity of these for the salvation of souls. Key topics include the importance of prayer, particularly the Rosary, the consecration to the
Immaculate Heart of Mary The Immaculate Heart of Mary () is a Catholic devotion which refers to the view of the interior life of Mary, her joys and sorrows, her virtues and hidden perfections, and, above all, her virginal love for God the Father, her maternal love for ...
, and the frequent reception of the
Sacraments A sacrament is a Christian rite which is recognized as being particularly important and significant. There are various views on the existence, number and meaning of such rites. Many Christians consider the sacraments to be a visible symbol of ...
. Additionally, the messages highlight the significance of the
Eucharist The Eucharist ( ; from , ), also called Holy Communion, the Blessed Sacrament or the Lord's Supper, is a Christianity, Christian Rite (Christianity), rite, considered a sacrament in most churches and an Ordinance (Christianity), ordinance in ...
and the real presence of Christ, as well as the role of Mary as the Ark of the New Covenant.


Chronology

* 1884: Donation of a statue of Our Lady of the Rosary to the parish church of San Nicolás. * 25 September 1983: The Virgin Mary reportedly appears to Gladys Quiroga de Motta. * 28 September 1983: A second reported apparition. * 7 October 1983: Gladys asks the Virgin what she wants, and receives a vision of a chapel. * 12 October 1983: Gladys entrusts herself to a priest, Carlos Pérez. * 13 October 1983: The Virgin speaks to her for the first time. *15 November 1983: Gladys receives the message: "I am Patroness of this region". "Assert My rights". *The first message from Jesus is given; in the future Jesus will appear once a month with a message, which prologues the Virgin's message. *19 November 1983: The Virgin makes Gladys know her mission: "You are a bridge of union", "Preach My Word". *24 November 1983: A ray of light indicates to Gladys the location of the future sanctuary. She recognizes the apparition when she sees the statue of Our Lady of the Rosary, relegated in the bell tower due to its deterioration. The Virgin appears and tells her: "I want to be on the banks of the Paraná". * 19 July 1984: Founding of the Marian Movement of San Nicolás * 2 December 1984: Mary asks for a medal to be struck in her image with the title of Our Lady of the Rosary of San Nicolás, and on the reverse side the Holy Trinity with seven stars. * 25 May 1985: A multitude of pilgrims arrive in San Nicolás. * 13 June 1985: 10,000 booklets are printed with the messages of Our Lady of the Rosary of San Nicolás in
Rosario, Santa Fe Rosario () is the largest city in the central provinces of Argentina, Argentine province of Santa Fe Province, Santa Fe. The city, located northwest of Buenos Aires on the west bank of the Paraná River, is the third-most populous city in the ...
, the neighboring province and seat of the
Archbishop In Christian denominations, an archbishop is a bishop of higher rank or office. In most cases, such as the Catholic Church, there are many archbishops who either have jurisdiction over an ecclesiastical province in addition to their own archdi ...
of the
Archdiocese of Rosario The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Rosario () is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the southern part of the province of Santa Fe, Argentina, with its mother church, the Basilica Cathedral of Our Lady of the R ...
. * 25 August 1985: The municipal authorities of San Nicolás deed the land known as (in English 'little meadow', meaning a small raised patch of dry land amongst the wetland creeks known in Spanish as ) to the Catholic Church for the building of the sanctuary. * 25 September 1985: The Virgin Mary explains to Gladys the symbolism of the medal and the seven stars, which are the seven graces that her son Jesus Christ grants to whomever carries the medal on their chest. * 25 October 1985: Inauguration of a hostel for pilgrims and a center for the promotion of Marian devotion under the title * June 1987: 2.3million copies of images of the statue of Our Lady of the Rosary of San Nicolás had been disseminated. * 5 April 1987: Local Bishop Castagna greets
Pope John Paul II Pope John Paul II (born Karol Józef Wojtyła; 18 May 19202 April 2005) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 16 October 1978 until Death and funeral of Pope John Paul II, his death in 2005. In his you ...
during a papal visit to Argentina. * 8 October 1987: A contract was signed with a construction company for the building of a new sanctuary. * 2 April 1990: Worldwide pilgrimage of 60,000 priests from all parts of the globe.


Veneration and pilgrimages

At the time of the reported apparitions of Our Lady of San Nicolás, the Bishop Domingo Castagna, as well as his successor, the Bishop Héctor Cardelli, frequently celebrated Mass and led processions at the site of the apparitions, situated on the banks of the
Paraná River The Paraná River ( ; ; ) is a river in south-central South America, running through Brazil, Paraguay, and Argentina for some ."Parana River". Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 2012. Web. ...
. A large sanctuary was built at the location. Since then, every September 25, the city of San Nicolás hosts hundreds of thousands of pilgrims and faithful who gather to commemorate the apparitions and to venerate and honor the statue of Our Lady of the Rosary of San Nicolás. In 2003, on the twentieth anniversary of the first alleged Marian apparition, the second largest group ever congregated: 400,000 faithful. Pilgrims came from all the provinces of Argentina, with a group of more than 1,000 people from
Buenos Aires Buenos Aires, controlled by the government of the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Argentina. It is located on the southwest of the Río de la Plata. Buenos Aires is classified as an Alpha− glob ...
who traveled on foot. On 25 September 2008, a Eucharistic celebration was held near the Sanctuary of San Nicolás to mark the 25th anniversary of the apparitions of Our Lady of San Nicolás. The event attracted approximately 200,000 participants and was presided over by Héctor Cardelli, the Bishop of San Nicolás de los Arroyos. On 25 September 2013, thirty years after the first apparition of the Virgin Mary, 500,000 people gathered, surpassing the record of 2003.


The Sanctuary

After a thorough discernment and study of the events, Bishop Domingo Castagna authorized the construction of a Marian shrine capable of welcoming close to 10,000 people, located at a site that was specifically indicated by the Virgin to Gladys de Motta. The shrine was built according to plans to accommodate 8,000 to 9,000 people standing on the ground floor and special mezzanines. Additionally, terraces and esplanades were constructed to accommodate larger numbers during outdoor events. The diameter dome, comprising a vertical arrangement of 64 sections of reinforced concrete faced on the exterior with copper plating, is visible from many locations in the city. On 25 May 2014, the interior of the Sanctuary was inaugurated in its entirety.


Publications

In August 1990, the French
theologian Theology is the study of religious belief from a religious perspective, with a focus on the nature of divinity. It is taught as an academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itself with the unique content of ...
René Laurentin Father René Laurentin (; October 19, 1917 – September 10, 2017) was a French theologian. He is widely recognized as "one of the world’s foremost students" of Mariology and is the author of numerous books and scholarly articles on topics includ ...
, an expert in Marian devotions, published the results of his study of the apparitions in over 163 pages produced during his visit to the city. He acknowledged a collaboration with local Bishop Domingo Salvador Castagna, Marie Helene Sutter de Gall, and the priest Carlos Pérez, the priest in whom Gladys Motta confided her spiritual experiences. In 1994, the historian Cayetano Bruno from the nearby city of
Rosario Rosario () is the largest city in the central provinces of Argentina, Argentine province of Santa Fe Province, Santa Fe. The city, located northwest of Buenos Aires on the west bank of the Paraná River, is the third-most populous city in the ...
, seat of the Archdiocese, published his ''"History of the Manifestations of Our Lady of the Rosary of San Nicolás"'' compiled from testimonies and official records kept in the archives of the Sanctuary. A 1990 book titled ''"Messages"'' records a compendium of the messages in the words of the visionary Gladys Motta as received during apparitions since 1987. In 1991 Victor Martinez published his book titled ''"Who is this woman?"''


Approval by the Roman Catholic Church

In a decree made public during a Mass on 22 May 2016, Holy Trinity Sunday, Héctor Cardelli, Bishop of the Diocese of San Nicolás, officially declared that the apparitions that took place in San Nicolás have a "supernatural character" and are "worthy of belief".Cfr
Mons. Cardelli declara la sobrenaturalidad del acontecimiento mariano de San Nicolás
AICA, 23 de mayo de 2016 (consultado el 27 de mayo de 2016).
This recognition also officially makes the first 1800 messages of Our Lady of the Rosary of San Nicolas to Gladys, between 1983 and 1990, of supernatural origin and worthy of belief. The bishop also granted official license, an
imprimatur An imprimatur (sometimes abbreviated as ''impr.'', from Latin, "let it be printed") is a declaration authorizing publication of a book. The term is also applied loosely to any mark of approval or endorsement. The imprimatur rule in the Catho ...
, for these revelations to be published. This official recognition was declared after twelve years of study by Bishop Cardelli according to Vatican guidelines and in consultation with experts and witnesses. Since then, the two following bishops of San Nicolás allowed the publication of the new messages through 2015 and the Marian phenomenon has been approved by the last four local bishops.


See also

*
Marian devotions Marian devotions are external pious practices directed to the person of Mary, mother of Jesus, by members of certain Christian traditions. They are performed in Catholicism, High Church Lutheranism, Anglo-Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy and Orien ...
*
Veneration of Mary in the Catholic Church The veneration of Mary in the Catholic Church encompasses various Marian devotion, devotions which include prayer, pious acts, visual arts, poetry, and music devoted to her. Popes have encouraged it, while also taking steps to reform some manif ...
* Other Titles of Mary in Latin America * Other Shrines to the Virgin Mary in Argentina *
Marian art in the Catholic Church Veneration of Mary in the Catholic Church, Mary has been one of the major subjects of Western art for centuries. There is an enormous quantity of Marian art in the Catholic Church, covering both devotional subjects such as the Virgin and Child an ...
*
Roman Catholic Mariology Catholic Mariology is the systematic study of the person of Mary, the Mother of Jesus, and of her place in the Economy of Salvation in Catholic theology. According to the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception taught by the Catholic Church, Mary ...


References

Primary Sources
Diario "El Norte"
San Nicolás de los Arroyos. 250 años. (''"St Nicholas of the Arroyos. 250 years"'') - a history of the city, published in Spanish by Ediciones Diario El Norte, 1998 (392 pages).
Diario "Clarín"
Argentina Pueblo a Pueblo (''"Argentina, from settlement to settlement"'') published in Spanish by Tomo 6. Buenos Aires, AGEA AGATA UTE, 2006 (160 pages) Secondary Sources


External links


Sanctuary of Our Lady of the Rosary of San Nicolás
– Official website {{DEFAULTSORT:Our Lady of the Rosary of San Nicolas Marian devotions Titles of Mary, mother of Jesus Rosary