Our Lady of Peace

Feast: November 21. Tradition has it that some time in 1682 some merchants found an abandoned box on the shore of Salvador's "Mar del Sur." They were unable to open the box. As it was tightly closed and sealed, they surmised that it contained something of value, and decided to take it to the City of San Miguel where they would find out how to open it. They tied the box on a donkey's back and undertook the long and dangerous journey to the city where they arrived on November 21, meaning to inform the local authorities of their find. But when they went by the parish church, now a cathedral, the donkey lied down on the ground . They were then able to open the box and were surprised to find that it contained a lovely image of Our Lady holding the Child. The origin of this image is still a mystery as it never was known for whom the box was intended, or how it came to reach the beaches of Salvador. It is said that a hard and bloody struggle was going on between the inhabitants of the region, but when they heard of the marvelous discovery in the abandoned box, they put down their weapons and immediately ceased fighting. It is also related that during the 1833 fratricidal struggles, when everyone expected a blood bath, the victorious side - instead of taking reprisals - had the blessed image placed in the atrium of the parish church. At the feet our Our Lady, a solemn vow was made to keep no grudges and to erase all hatred from the hearts so that peace would bring about brotherhood and reconciliation. This is why the image was given the beautiful title of Our Lady of Peace, whose liturgical celebration is held on November 21 in memory of its arrival at San Miguel. The statute is a dressed wood carving; with the national shield of El Salvador embroidered on the front of the image's white robe. The image holds a gold palm leaf in memory of the eruption of the "Chaparrastique" volcano, which threatened to destroy the city with burning lava. The frightened dwellers of San Miguel brought out the statute of Our Lady of Peace to the principal door of the cathedral, and at that precise moment the force of the lava changed direction, moving away from the city. In the exact place where the lava changed direction there's a town called "Milagro de la Paz" (Miracle of Peace). On the day this happened, September 21, 1787, everyone saw in the sky, formed by the clouds, a white palm leaf that seemed to sprout from the crater of the volcano. Considering that this was a sign of the Virgin's protection, her faithful decided to place in her hand a gold palm like the one they had seen in the sky. Benedict XV authorized the crowning of the image which took place on November 21, 1921. The goldsmith who made the Virgin's crown used 650 grams of gold and many precious stones, among which was a huge emerald surrounded by diamonds. The new shrine dedicated to Our Lady of Peace was completed in 1953.

With grateful thanks to the Mary Page.