The Feast of Candelaria is annually observed between February 2 and February 5. Candelaria is known as the “Feast of the Presentation of Jesus Christ” in the Catholic Church because it celebrates the day His mother, Mary, presented Him to the temple for the first time. Bolivia honours this day because of its cultural and religious significance.
HISTORY OF CANDELARIA FEAST
The history of the Feast of Candelaria dates back to the 16th century. In 1576, some Inca fisherman were caught in a violent storm on Lake Titicaca, according to a local tale. The Virgin Mary appeared as they pleaded for help and brought them to safety. In gratitude, they constructed a shrine featuring a statue of the Virgin, which was sculpted in the same year by the Inca craftsman Tito Yupanqui.
Another narrative of the origins of the statue focuses on the sculptor. The Virgin of Copacabana, who had previously appeared to the sailors, is supposed to have appeared in a dream to Tito Yupanqui, who was not a sculptor. However, the vision had such an impact on him that he decided to study sculpture at Potos. He carved the Virgin by hand from the wood of a maguey cactus, hauled it 400 miles on foot from Potos to Copacabana, and installed it in an adobe chapel.
During festivals, the courtyard is filled with vibrant flowers, and Bolivian and Peruvian pilgrims and dancers travel to Copacabana for the celebration. There are Aymar dances, music, drinking, and a feast. On the third day of the festival, one hundred bulls are collected in a stone corral along the Yampupata road, and the more daring revellers enter the arena to avoid being attacked.
The statue of the Virgin of Candelaria, which is believed to perform miracles, is the most popular pilgrimage site in Bolivia.
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5 STUNNING FACTS ABOUT THE VIRGIN OF CANDELARIA
The silver ship at the base of the statue’s altar depicts the moon, whilst the gold statue atop the Virgin’s head signifies the sun’s might.
The Virgin Mary of Candelaria symbolises fertility and purity.
In April 2013, the Copacabana sanctuary was looted and the figure of the Virgin of Candelaria was stripped of her gold and silver accessories.
She is shown as a Black Madonna, which refers to statues or paintings of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the infant Jesus in Western Christendom in which both figures are depicted as black.
The Basilica of Candelaria on Tenerife is the primary shrine for the statue, where its genesis as a Marian invocation can be traced.
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FEAST OF CANDELARIA DATES
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | February 2 | Thursday |
| 2024 | February 2 | Friday |
| 2025 | February 2 | Sunday |
| 2026 | February 2 | Monday |
| 2027 | February 2 | Tuesday |
