Apparitions of Our Lady of Coromoto in Venezuela (II)

According to tradition, the Blessed Virgin appeared to the Indian chief a second time during the night of September 8, 1652, in the presence of his wife, his wife's sister-in-law and her nephew. The chief was by no means a convert. He grabbed his bow and arrow and aimed at her. Mary remained insensitive to the threat. She approached him and he lowered his arrow. Then she disappeared, leaving a small parchment in his hand: her image. The chief wanted to burn it, but a child providentially took the image from him. Juan Sanchez was alerted and went to the place of the apparition with two of his companions, Bartolommeo Sanchez and Juan Sibrian to collect the invaluable relic. He announced a "miracle" to the civil and ecclesiastical authorities, but they remained incredulous. The apparition of Coromoto ? the new name given to the place of the apparition ? has created cultural and religious unity in Venezuela around a place of devotion that became the center and the religious symbol of the nation, just like the apparitions of Guadalupe in Mexico have done. On February 1, 1654, in thanksgiving for these apparitions, the image was carried to the Church of Guanare (today a Basilica). The image was venerated there in a noble metal reliquary.