A Phenomenon That Transformed a City
San Nicolás, historically known as «the steel city» in the north of Buenos Aires Province, Argentina, underwent a spiritual transformation starting in September 1983. Since then, its identity has been redefined as «the city of Mary,» thanks to the construction of an imposing Sanctuary dedicated to the Virgin of the Rosary. This temple, built on the banks of the Yaguarón stream, a branch of the Paraná River, has become a pilgrimage hub attracting approximately 1,500,000 visitors each year, with numbers that can exceed 700,000 people on significant dates.
The Origins: The Apparitions to Gladys Motta
The story begins on September 25, 1983, when Gladys Herminia Quiroga de Motta, a 46-year-old woman with a deep religious life, claimed to have had the first in a series of apparitions of the Virgin Mary with the Child Jesus. According to her testimony, the visions, initially silent, became more complex over time. On October 7, during the feast of the Rosary, Gladys recounted that, upon asking the Virgin what she expected, the image transformed into a vision of a temple. On October 13, she received the first verbal message, which included a reference to the biblical book of Ezekiel.
The Sign of the Place and the Persistent Message
A crucial moment occurred on the night of November 24, 1983. Gladys, along with a group of people, went to a field near her home, guided by what Mary had indicated to her. There, a ray of light is said to have marked the exact spot where the future sanctuary should be built, an event also witnessed by a six-year-old girl. The central message of the Virgin, reiterated later, was clear: «I want to be on the banks of the Paraná.» This divine desire became the spiritual engine for the project.
The Construction: A Work of the People
The construction of the Sanctuary officially began on October 13, 1987, on land donated by the Municipality of San Nicolás. As explained by Father Luis Prieto, rector of the sanctuary, the work always progressed at the pace of popular donations, without major individual contributions. «The only patron of the Sanctuary is the people,» Monsignor Salvador Castagna, the first bishop to promote the project, used to say. The construction, in stages, has prioritized functionality to accommodate the crowds, with an outdoor space, known as «el Campito,» capable of hosting over 70,000 faithful.
An Ecclesial Path with Discernment
The ecclesial reception of the phenomena has followed a process of discernment. The messages received by Gladys Motta, nearly 1,900 between 1983 and 1990, were compiled into a book, but their public dissemination was suspended by diocesan authority to avoid distortions. In 2016, then-Bishop Héctor Cardelli referred to the events as having a «supernatural character.» Later, his successor, Monsignor Hugo Santiago, decided in 2017, with positive notice from the Vatican, to definitively end the public dissemination of the messages, focusing devotion on the already-built Sanctuary and the venerated image.
A Beacon of National Pilgrimage
Today, the Sanctuary of Mary of the Rosary of San Nicolás is a tangible testament to popular faith. The dates of September 25 (anniversary of the first apparition) and May 25 gather hundreds of thousands of people, along with Holy Week and the September Novena. The architectural work, although with pending finishes, symbolizes a collective response to a spiritual experience that, as millions of faithful believe, was born on the banks of the Paraná four decades ago.
Original source: laverdadonline.com (published on September 26, 2025)
