Our Lady of Suyapa, Patroness of Honduras

"A house without a mother is in a way empty. This is the reason why on her feast day, when the Basilica dedicated to the Mother of all Hondurans is filled with thousands of pilgrims, people’s hearts too are filled with hope."

This is what Father Juan Ángel López Padilla, spokesperson of the Episcopal Conference of Honduras, said to Fides Agency to explain the importance of the feast of Our Lady of Suyapa, Patroness of the nation. Her little statue of cedar wood, a little over 2.3 inches in height, is venerated in the Basilica of Suyapa in Tegucigalpa, the capital of Honduras.

On February 3rd of each year, the Honduran people gather to pay tribute to the "Morenita" as the faithful call it, and this year marks the 271st anniversary of its discovery. On this feast, says Father Juan Ángel López Padilla, "we see the Honduras of our dreams: a land where all are brothers.” According to the representatives of the basilica, more than 1.2 million pilgrims attended the commemoration Mass of Our Lady of Suyapa. They were brought there out of love, faith and trust in her intercession.

Honduras has a population of more than 8.7 million, 80% of which are Catholic. As we know, Honduras is currently going through a serious political crisis and is entrusting itself to the protection of the Blessed Virgin.

Info.catho