Our Lady of La Altagracia Day in Dominican Republic

On January, 21, all the residents of the Dominican Republic honor their saint patron and spiritual protector – Our Lady of La Altagracia. The cult of the Virgin appeared in the Dominican Republic in colonial times, from the beginning of the 16th century.

According to the testimony, recorded by the Catholic Church, the Blessed Virgin has helped to the people of the Dominican land in battles and performed various miracles, and even appeared in front of Dominicans on Jan. 21 more than three centuries ago in the city of Salvaleón de Higuey, in the place where later the cathedral, dedicated to the Virgin, was built. Today it is one of the largest Catholic pilgrimage sites in the Caribbean, an important tourist center.

The official declaration of the Dominican Republic in the late 19th century consolidated the day of 21th of January as a non-working day, national and religious holiday throughout the country.

Our Lady of La Altagracia was twice crowned: on August 15, 1922 by Pope Pius XI and on 12 October 1992, by Pope John Paul II, during his second visit to the country.

The Dominicans piously honor their saint patron. The name of almost a third of today's Dominican women is Altagracia, but before it was given to anyone who was born in January.