The Dazzling Face of Our Lady of Itati

In 1615, two Spanish missionaries (Brother Alonso de Buenaventura and Luis de Bolanos) arrived at Itati, a small village on the banks of the large Parana River, where they founded a mission. They brought a statue of the Blessed Virgin along with them and built a small oratory to house the holy image. But, a few months later, the oratory was ransacked by hostile Indians and the statue of Mary disappeared. According to tradition, a few days later two Guaranis Indian children - who happened to be canoeing down the river - saw the statue of Mary standing on a stone surrounded by a radiant light. They alerted the missionaries and the entire village came in procession to collect the miraculously found statue of the Blessed Virgin. This time a proper sanctuary was built for Our Lady of Itati. Within no time a great wonder occurred repetitiously to Our Lady's statue: her face was transformed. The first transformation took place on Holy Saturday in 1624. Father Gamarra, who officiated this day, testified that while he sang the "Regina Coeli" the face of the Virgin became of a splendor never seen in this world. Then the father called the Indians of the village and they all had the same dazzling vision, which lasted until the Thursday after Easter, at which time the face took on its normal aspect. There were at least 60 other witnesses to the dazzling transformations of Our Lady of Itati's face, which are consigned in the Annals of the Shrine. Our Lady of Itati was solemnly crowned on July 16, 1900, by a favor obtained from Pope Leon XIII. In 1910, Our Lady of Itati was proclaimed Patron Saint of the newly created diocese, the current diocese of Corrientes in the north of Argentina. Today a splendid shrine stands in Itati, in this poor region where pilgrims come, often on foot from great distances, they themselves very poor as well but devoted to the Holy Mother like small children. This center of religious faith, rooted in historical tradition, was the site of the first disembarkation of the Spaniards in provincial territory. The Feast of Our Lady of Itati is celebrated on July 9.