A journey of faith across Argentina
In the run-up to the 400th anniversary of the Miracle of Our Lady of Luján, patron saint of Argentina, a national pilgrimage is traveling across the country, linking its main shrines. The initiative, now in its second year, is currently in its third stage, carrying replicas of the image of Our Lady of Luján and her faithful servant, Negro Manuel.
Episcopal support and spiritual objective
The pilgrimage has the support of the Bishop of Merlo-Moreno, Monsignor Juan José Chaparro, CMF, and the Bishop of Gregorio de Laferrere, Monsignor Jorge Torres Carbonell, episcopal delegate of the National Pastoral Care of Shrines and Popular Religiosity. Under the slogan "With Mary of Luján and her faithful slave Manuel, we walk towards 400 years: 'We belong only to the Virgin,'" the mission seeks to promote national unity and peace through prayer and Marian devotion.
The journey and its testimonies
The third stage of the walk took the pilgrims to the province of Córdoba, where they visited the shrine of Our Lady of Consolation in Sumampa. The itinerary calls for their arrival in Villa Cura Brochero on January 25, in order to participate in the patron saint festivities in honor of the holy priest. Sister Juana Ruiz, from the Shrine of the Virgin of La Peña in Salta and a permanent pilgrim, shared the joy of the experience with Radio María: "Our hearts grow wider with every step… as people open their doors to us, they open their hearts to the Virgin, to Negrito Manuel."
Composition of the group and meaning of the mission
The pilgrim group is made up of a core group of three or four people, which is complemented by other participants who join and leave at different stages, maintaining an average of twelve walkers. Fr. Franco Punturo, from the Diocese of Merlo-Moreno and a companion from the beginning, highlighted the signs of faith encountered along the way: "We observed a lot of grace in the passage of the Virgin, both in the towns, neighborhoods, and countryside, as well as on the route itself… everyone wanted to touch the Virgin, the Negrito, and ask for a little grace." He emphasized that the central purpose is to pray for peace and unity, recognizing Mary as "Mother of all, especially of those who suffer most."
The historical origins: the Miracle of Luján
The 400 years that are being prepared to commemorate refer to the origin of the devotion to the Virgin of Luján, which occurred at the beginning of the 17th century. Antonio Farías Sáa, a Portuguese landowner based in Santiago del Estero, wanted to build a chapel in honor of the Virgin Mary. To do so, he asked a friend for an image of the Immaculate Conception and received two. In May 1630, during the transfer of the images from the port of Buenos Aires, the cart transporting them inexplicably stopped near the Luján River. It only resumed its journey when one of the boxes containing the image of the Virgin was removed. This event was interpreted as a divine sign, giving rise to devotion in that place. The other image reached its original destination and is venerated in Sumampa as Our Lady of Consolation.
Original source: www.aciprensa.com (published on January 16, 2026)
