Feast
of Our Lady of Peace
Nuestra Señora de la Paz
For
people from El Salvador, the feast of "Our Lady of Peace" is
a national
feast and at St. Brigid's we celebrated Our Lady at mass and with a
community meal featuring "pupusas". Pupusas are rounded corn
meal dough
usually stuffed with meat or cheese. They're commonly served with repollo,
a sliced cabbage marinated in vinegar (just like a cole slaw).
Celebration...
Saint
Brigid says...*
Here's the Story
of Our Lady of Peace
The origin of this
image is still a mystery, as it never was known for whom the box was intended,
or how it came to reach the beaches of El Salvador. But it is evident
that the image was sent to heal a divided populace. It is said that
a hard and bloody struggle was going on between the inhabitants of the
region, but when they heard of the marvelous discovery in the abandoned
box, they put down their weapons and immediately ceased fighting. It is
also related that during the 1833 struggles, when everyone expected a
blood bath, the victorious side, instead of taking reprisals, had the
blessed image placed in the atrium of the parish church. At the feet our
Our Lady, a solemn vow was made to keep no grudges and to erase all hatred
from the people's hearts so that peace would bring about brotherhood and
reconciliation. This is why the image was given the beautiful title of
Our Lady of Peace, whose liturgical celebration is held on November 21
in memory of its arrival at San Miguel.
The statute is a dressed wood carving. It has the
coat-of-arms of El Salvador embroidered on the front of the image's white
robe. The image holds a gold palm leaf in memory of the eruption of the
Chaparrastique volcano, which threatened to destroy the city with burning
lava. The frightened dwellers of San Miguel brought out the statute of
Our Lady of Peace to the principal door of the cathedral, and at that
precise moment the force of the lava changed direction, moving away from
the city. In the exact place where the lava changed direction there's
a town called "Milagro de la Paz" (Miracle of Peace).
On the day this happened, September 21, 1787, everyone saw in the sky,
formed by the clouds, a white palm frond that seemed to sprout from the
crater of the volcano. Considering that this was a sign of the Virgin's
protection, her faithful decided to place in her hand a gold palm like
the one they had seen in the sky.
Pope Benedict XV authorized the
crowning of the image, which took place on November 21, 1921.
* Throughout this website look for the "Saint Brigid says" feature to learn little known facts!
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