Contenido

El franciscano Juan de Santa Gertrudis, en su crónica del viaje entre 1756 y 1762 por el sur del Reino de Nueva Granada, publicada en cuatro tomos con el título de “Maravillas de la naturaleza”, menciona el santuario en el libro III,[2]​ siendo posiblemente la referencia más antigua de su existencia.

Posteriormente, Justino Mejia y Mejia, capellán del santuario entre 1944 a 1977, e historiador, nos refiere la historia actualmente aceptada y que cuenta como alrededor de 1754 la imagen de la Virgen del Rosario fue descubierta por Maria Mueses, una indigena, y Rosa, su pequeña hija, cuando se dirigían de Ipiales a su casa en Potosí; al verse sorprendidas por una tormenta, María y su hija, buscaron refugio a la vera del camino entre las oquedades formadas por las piedras planas y anchas o losas naturales (lajas) inmensas que caracterizan esa zona del cañón del río. Para sorpresa de la madre, la niña que hasta ese momento era considerada sordomuda llama su atención con las palabras: "Mamita, la mestiza me llama..." señalando la pintura seguramente iluminada en forma sugestiva por los relámpagos.[3]​.

Después de que las autoridades y los habitantes de la región comprobaran la verdad de los hechos, que fueron calificados como prodigio por las autoridades eclesiásticas, el 15 de septiembre de 1754 el lugar fue convertido en una referencia para toda la comarca incluyendo el norte del Ecuador y se procedió a edificar el santuario cuya historia tiene cinco épocas bien definidas.[1]​.

Stages of the sanctuary

• - The first stage covers the construction of a hut made of wood and straw, lasting 40 years.

• - The second, the construction of a chapel with brick and lime materials, with a dome finish.

• - The third is the widening of the building in a southwestern direction, with the intervention of the Ecuadorian architect Mariano Aulestia, a building that lasted more than a century, causing admiration for its daring construction. The writer, and later president of Colombia, Santiago Pérez Manosalva in his chronicle titled "Notes from a trip through the south of New Granada, in 1853"[5]​ describes:

• - The fourth is the project for a small square and a two-arch bridge.

• - The fifth is related to the construction of the current sanctuary. Its construction began on January 1, 1916 with the blessing of the first stone; The work was carried out by the Ecuadorian engineer J. Gualberto Pérez and the Pastuso Lucindo Espinosa, and was completed in August 1949. It is estimated that its cost was 1,850,000 Colombian pesos of the time (approximately 1,000,000 dollars[6]​) obtained thanks to the contributions of the numerous and faithful devotees, especially from Colombia and Ecuador.

Plan and Facade of a previous project for the Las Lajas Sanctuary, made with plans copied by the architect Gualberto Pérez and Abraham Giacometti, an Italian architect, and Don Lucindo completely modified this project originally with a Romanesque image, so it was finally built in the Gothic style.

Notable milestones

• - In 1951 the Holy See decreed the canonical coronation of Our Lady of Las Lajas and the sanctuary has been a minor basilica since 1954.

• - In 1984 the sanctuary was declared a monument part of the cultural heritage of the country, by Resolution 007 of 12-28-1984 of the Colombian Government.

• - In 2006, by Resolution 1592 of October 2006, the Nuestra Señora de las Lajas Church, located in the municipality of Ipiales, department of Nariño, was declared Asset of Cultural Interest of National Character, and its area of ​​influence was delimited.

• - In 2007 the Las Lajas sanctuary is considered one of the seven wonders of Colombia by obtaining the second highest vote; only surpassed by the Salt Cathedral of Zipaquirá, in a competition organized by the Colombian newspaper "El Tiempo "El Tiempo (Colombia)").

• - In 2015 the British newspaper The Daily Telegraph chose the Las Lajas Sanctuary from a list of 23 churches as the most beautiful church in the world due to its location and architecture.[7]​.

The parish "Parish (religion)") of Las Lajas is part of the diocese of Ipiales.

The sanctuary is under the care or administration, domestically and pastorally, by the Franciscan sisters of Mary Immaculate; and in ecclesiastical and religious matters it is cared for by the chaplain and priests assigned to the parish of Nuestra Señora del Rosario de las Lajas, in the diocese of Ipiales.

Religious services are done following the Roman rite.

The pilgrimage of devotees to the sanctuary is permanent, but it increases at three times of the year: in September when the patron saint festivities are celebrated, especially on September 15 and 16; on Holy Thursday when pilgrims, especially from the city of Pasto, or from Túquerres and nearby towns, and from Ecuador, arrive on foot after a journey of more than 12 hours. There is also a pilgrimage in December and the first days of January each year.

• - National Monuments of Colombia.

• - Annex: Basilicas and cathedrals of Colombia.

• - Wikimedia Commons hosts a multimedia gallery about Las Lajas Sanctuary.

• - Official Site of Our Lady of Las Lajas Official Site of Our Lady of Las Lajas.

• - Sanctuary of Our Lady of las Lajas Archived May 3, 2016 at the Wayback Machine. ipitimes.com.

• - Las Lajas Sanctuary - Ipiales Archived March 23, 2009 at the Wayback Machine. The Miracle of God in the Abyss.

• - Article about Our Lady of Las Lajas.

• - Photos of the Las Lajas Sanctuary by Bernardo Andrade Tapia.

• - Twenty Sacred Places - Las Lajas Sanctuary telegraph.co.uk.

• - The Most Beautiful Church in the World - Las Lajas Sanctuary telegraph.co.uk.

• - Virtual tour.

Contenido

El franciscano Juan de Santa Gertrudis, en su crónica del viaje entre 1756 y 1762 por el sur del Reino de Nueva Granada, publicada en cuatro tomos con el título de “Maravillas de la naturaleza”, menciona el santuario en el libro III,[2]​ siendo posiblemente la referencia más antigua de su existencia.

Posteriormente, Justino Mejia y Mejia, capellán del santuario entre 1944 a 1977, e historiador, nos refiere la historia actualmente aceptada y que cuenta como alrededor de 1754 la imagen de la Virgen del Rosario fue descubierta por Maria Mueses, una indigena, y Rosa, su pequeña hija, cuando se dirigían de Ipiales a su casa en Potosí; al verse sorprendidas por una tormenta, María y su hija, buscaron refugio a la vera del camino entre las oquedades formadas por las piedras planas y anchas o losas naturales (lajas) inmensas que caracterizan esa zona del cañón del río. Para sorpresa de la madre, la niña que hasta ese momento era considerada sordomuda llama su atención con las palabras: "Mamita, la mestiza me llama..." señalando la pintura seguramente iluminada en forma sugestiva por los relámpagos.[3]​.

Después de que las autoridades y los habitantes de la región comprobaran la verdad de los hechos, que fueron calificados como prodigio por las autoridades eclesiásticas, el 15 de septiembre de 1754 el lugar fue convertido en una referencia para toda la comarca incluyendo el norte del Ecuador y se procedió a edificar el santuario cuya historia tiene cinco épocas bien definidas.[1]​.

Stages of the sanctuary

• - The first stage covers the construction of a hut made of wood and straw, lasting 40 years.

• - The second, the construction of a chapel with brick and lime materials, with a dome finish.

• - The third is the widening of the building in a southwestern direction, with the intervention of the Ecuadorian architect Mariano Aulestia, a building that lasted more than a century, causing admiration for its daring construction. The writer, and later president of Colombia, Santiago Pérez Manosalva in his chronicle titled "Notes from a trip through the south of New Granada, in 1853"[5]​ describes:

• - The fourth is the project for a small square and a two-arch bridge.

• - The fifth is related to the construction of the current sanctuary. Its construction began on January 1, 1916 with the blessing of the first stone; The work was carried out by the Ecuadorian engineer J. Gualberto Pérez and the Pastuso Lucindo Espinosa, and was completed in August 1949. It is estimated that its cost was 1,850,000 Colombian pesos of the time (approximately 1,000,000 dollars[6]​) obtained thanks to the contributions of the numerous and faithful devotees, especially from Colombia and Ecuador.

Plan and Facade of a previous project for the Las Lajas Sanctuary, made with plans copied by the architect Gualberto Pérez and Abraham Giacometti, an Italian architect, and Don Lucindo completely modified this project originally with a Romanesque image, so it was finally built in the Gothic style.

Notable milestones

• - In 1951 the Holy See decreed the canonical coronation of Our Lady of Las Lajas and the sanctuary has been a minor basilica since 1954.

• - In 1984 the sanctuary was declared a monument part of the cultural heritage of the country, by Resolution 007 of 12-28-1984 of the Colombian Government.

• - In 2006, by Resolution 1592 of October 2006, the Nuestra Señora de las Lajas Church, located in the municipality of Ipiales, department of Nariño, was declared Asset of Cultural Interest of National Character, and its area of ​​influence was delimited.

• - In 2007 the Las Lajas sanctuary is considered one of the seven wonders of Colombia by obtaining the second highest vote; only surpassed by the Salt Cathedral of Zipaquirá, in a competition organized by the Colombian newspaper "El Tiempo "El Tiempo (Colombia)").

• - In 2015 the British newspaper The Daily Telegraph chose the Las Lajas Sanctuary from a list of 23 churches as the most beautiful church in the world due to its location and architecture.[7]​.

The parish "Parish (religion)") of Las Lajas is part of the diocese of Ipiales.

The sanctuary is under the care or administration, domestically and pastorally, by the Franciscan sisters of Mary Immaculate; and in ecclesiastical and religious matters it is cared for by the chaplain and priests assigned to the parish of Nuestra Señora del Rosario de las Lajas, in the diocese of Ipiales.

Religious services are done following the Roman rite.

The pilgrimage of devotees to the sanctuary is permanent, but it increases at three times of the year: in September when the patron saint festivities are celebrated, especially on September 15 and 16; on Holy Thursday when pilgrims, especially from the city of Pasto, or from Túquerres and nearby towns, and from Ecuador, arrive on foot after a journey of more than 12 hours. There is also a pilgrimage in December and the first days of January each year.

• - National Monuments of Colombia.

• - Annex: Basilicas and cathedrals of Colombia.

• - Wikimedia Commons hosts a multimedia gallery about Las Lajas Sanctuary.

• - Official Site of Our Lady of Las Lajas Official Site of Our Lady of Las Lajas.

• - Sanctuary of Our Lady of las Lajas Archived May 3, 2016 at the Wayback Machine. ipitimes.com.

• - Las Lajas Sanctuary - Ipiales Archived March 23, 2009 at the Wayback Machine. The Miracle of God in the Abyss.

• - Article about Our Lady of Las Lajas.

• - Photos of the Las Lajas Sanctuary by Bernardo Andrade Tapia.

• - Twenty Sacred Places - Las Lajas Sanctuary telegraph.co.uk.

• - The Most Beautiful Church in the World - Las Lajas Sanctuary telegraph.co.uk.

• - Virtual tour.