On the eve of May 13, Villa Serrana la Gruta is preparing for a week of deep Marian devotion. Vanesa Weigandt, servant of the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Fatima, details the preparations for the Patronal Feast and recalls the moving testimony that allowed the temple to be built after a promise made during the Malvinas War.
The Sanctuary, under the management of its parish community, is fully engaged in preparations for the central feast on May 13. Vanesa Weigandt highlighted that this year the community has the special presence of the rector of the Sanctuary of San Cayetano of the diocese of Quilmes, who will accompany the activities throughout the week.
Festivity program
The schedule for Monday, May 13, the central day of the Virgin’s apparition in 1917, includes the following activities: Sanctuary open from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.; prayer moments with meditated Rosaries at 11:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m.; confessions starting at 4:00 p.m., with several priests available for the sacrament of reconciliation; and at 5:30 p.m. the procession will begin from the Christ the Redeemer, going through the grounds to the Sanctuary, where Mass will be celebrated presided over by Bishop Fray Carlos Azpiroz Costa. The celebration will continue on the following days with days for servants (Thursday 14), adoration of the Blessed Sacrament (Friday 15), and closing Masses through Sunday, May 17.
Chronicle of a foundation: the promise that raised the Sanctuary
The history of the Sanctuary in Villa Serrana la Gruta is a living testimony of persistence and gratitude, where the devotion of the Portuguese community and the echoes of recent Argentine history intertwine. The genesis of this sacred space dates back to the figure of Doña Carmen de Oliveira, a woman of unwavering faith who brought an image of the Virgin from Portugal. For more than 35 years, Carmen kept the image in her home while seeking the right place and time to fulfill her desire to donate it to a church. Upon visiting Villa La Gruta, she found in its landscape a moving similarity to Cova de Iria, the original site of the apparitions in Fatima. However, the necessary land belonged to Miguel Di Palma, who initially refused to cede the land.
The turning point came in 1982, during the context of the Malvinas War. Di Palma’s son had been called up for military service and was preparing for the conflict. It was then that his mother made a promise to her husband: «If our son returns from Malvinas alive, in gratitude to the Virgin, you will agree to Doña Carmen’s request.» The young man returned safe and sound to his home, and Miguel Di Palma kept his word, donating almost five hectares to the Archdiocese. From that gesture of gratitude, Carmen, together with the Portuguese community and hundreds of pilgrims, joined efforts to raise funds and build the temple that today stands as a refuge of peace and prayer in the midst of the mountain system.
Original source: www.noticiasradioreflejos.com.ar (published May 8, 2026)
