Virgin of Guadalupe de Sucre, why is it the richest image in America?
Pablo Cesio – Aleteia Bolivia
Iglesia Viva 09.03.21// The patron saint of Sucre (Bolivia), the Virgin of Guadalupe de La Plata, is characterized by wearing a very special outfit loaded with jewels that has led her to be cataloged as "the richest image in America" , but more for the devotion he has always generated among his children
Who causes so much joy in Sucre? It is the question that is launched from the portal of the Church of Bolivia and that refers to a very special moment. It is that September is synonymous with the Virgin of Guadalupe de La Plata and with the beginning of the novena the transfer from her chapel to the Metropolitan Cathedral of Sucre, recently recognized primacy of Bolivia, has also begun.
A devotion that was born in Spain
We must go back to the Catholic Monarchs of Spain, Fernando II and Isabel I, to begin to find the clues of this devotion. Precisely, thanks to this, it was hand in hand with the colonizing campaigns of America that this devotion was kept in mind, an aspect that motivated the erection of altars in her honor.
This is where the figure of Fray Diego Ocaña appears, whose mission in the Royal Court of Charcas was to replicate the image and erect altars in conquered territory. It was in September 1601, while he was in Potosí celebrating the feast of the Virgin of Guadalupe, when at the request of a bishop he was invited to paint another similar one. Throughout two months the work was carried out inspired by that of Extremadura.
From that moment the devotion was already underway: enthronement, processions, celebrations, an image that continues to captivate their children to this day (to learn more about the history of this devotion see here).
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"The richest in America"
“Primitively the image was painted on a canvas that measured 1.26 meters. High by about 80 centimeters wide. Initially this image is painted on the Canvas and all the jewels were sewn and glued, in this way this image of Guadalupe was preserved in which the devotees of the Virgin were sewing the jewels until the year 1784”.
This is how Iglesia Viva remembers it in that article published in 2020 on the history of this devotion, an instance where the details that explain why it can be classified as "the richest image in America" also appear.
“Of her, only the face of the Virgin and the child Jesus that she holds in her arms is discovered today, it was replaced in 1784 by a gold and silver plate, when the canvas was torn due to the weight of the jewels that people out of gratitude for his prayers donated to the image. When the then Chaplain of the Tabernacle D. Pedro Antonio de Rojas y Argandoña entrusted the work of the embossed silver plate to the silversmith D. José Alcalá”.
To reinforce all this, it is enough to take into account that in one of her hands the Virgin wields a gold scepter with diamonds, emeralds and rubies, while in the other, in which she is holding the baby Jesus, gold rings can be seen in high relief. on the fingers
More than 10,000 jewels
“Finally, apart from the pearl necklaces that the Virgin of Guadalupe wears, we see an infinity of them distributed throughout the embossed silver mantle, bordering the various figures that form the mantle and whose number according to the 1784 inventory amounted to 10,565 pieces of jewels each. one more precious than the other”, is also indicated.
Finally, the reference to three medals of great historical value that are guarded in the same image. One of them, even, linked to the liberator Simón Bolívar, who made the gift in gratitude for the protection of the libertarian troops.
It is because of all this – so far only a few aspects – that “Mamita Gualala” seems dressed up. But without a doubt, all this love translated into jewels and precious stones can only be understood once so much gratitude is discovered on the part of her children over the years.
