The feast of Our Lady of Suyapa (Honduras) is held on February 3. This is the official day of The Virgin of Suyapa, a statue of the Virgin Mary carved from cedarwood that is the most popular religious image in Honduras.
The statue of the Virgin of Suyapa is housed at the Basilica de Suyapa, which was constructed to house it. Around the time of the celebration, the statue is taken across several Honduran regions. In Central America, Our Lady of Suyapa, the patron saint of Honduras, is the focus of numerous religious pilgrimages.
HISTORY OF OUR LADY OF SUYAPA
Our Lady of Suyapa is a reference to the Virgin Mary, whose statue resides in the chapel adjacent to the Basilica de Suyapa in Honduras. There are various accounts of the statue’s discovery and installation.
Alejandro Colindres, a labourer, miraculously discovered the statue of Our Lady of Suyapa, according to the most popular account of the statue’s history. Alejandro, who had been tasked with clearing the cornfields on Piligüian mountain, was returning home when he and the eight-year-old boy he was travelling with decided to rest for the night. Alejandro awoke from his sleep with a sharp pain in his side. He grabbed the object in the dark and threw it away, only to find it back in his bed upon his return. When he awoke the next morning, he realised the object was a statue of the Virgin Mary, which he then took back to his mother’s house. Supposedly, the statue has been there for twenty years since its discovery.
Our Lady of Suyapa is lovingly known as “La Morenita,” which translates to “Dear Dark One,” because she is carved from cedarwood and was wearing a dark cloak when she was discovered. Pope Pius XI named her the ‘Patroness of Honduras,’ and a Basilica was built in her honour, adjacent to the chapel, to accommodate the crowds that gather on her feast day.
5 FACTS ABOUT THE STATUE OF OUR LADY OF SUYAPA
- On one of these occasions, the statue was stripped of its precious metals and stones and abandoned in a restaurant’s men’s restroom.
- The carving is smaller than expected, measuring only 2.5 inches, and is believed to have been created by a devout but inexperienced artist.
- Due to the soldiers’ recurring visions of the statue, Our Lady of Suyapa was named Captain-General of the Honduran Armed Forces.
- The swift conclusion of the Football War between El Salvador and Honduras is attributed to the statue.
- The guardians of the statue are known as Orden de Los Caballeros de Suyapa.
OUR LADY OF SUYAPA DATES
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | February 3 | Friday |
| 2024 | February 3 | Saturday |
| 2025 | February 3 | Monday |
| 2026 | February 3 | Tuesday |
| 2027 | February 3 | Wednesday |
