See also the first part of the History…
A devotion that supports missions
Our Lady has always accompanied her Redemptorist Missionary sons and daughters on every mission they have undertaken. She is the Patroness of the missions. These missions have taken place even in the most remote places of our region, and in each mission, the image of Our Lady of Perpetual Help has remained, stealing the hearts and the love of all Christians. Annually, apart from the feast that we hold in the Sanctuary, Redemptorist Mission areas such as Catacaos, Sechura, Cura Mori, Chulucanas, Tambogrande, Paita, Sullana, La Legua and San Jacinto organise the novena and feast of the Virgin of Perpetual Help during the rest of July.
It is really impressive to see the great devotion and affection that the people have for the ‘Morena de Oro’, as she has been called for many years. Archconfraternities have been founded everywhere where the message of Jesus and his Mother has reached, and even after a century, they still prevail and persevere in their faith. Year after year, the Redemptorist missionaries, as far as possible, continue to preach novenas in some of these mission areas.
This means that the seed fell on fertile ground and bore fruit. However, it was also necessary to be vigilant and careful to ensure that the fruit was good.
The Perpetual Supplication
Once the fathers settled in San Sebastian, they placed the image of the Patroness of their Missions for public worship and announced that they would hold the Perpetual Supplication to give thanks and praise to the Blessed Mother every Monday.
When the fathers gave the mission in Castile, the number of those attending the Supplication grew much more. As the missions opened up the field, the number of baptised faithful also increased little by little, and the number of those seeking reconciliation with God through the Sacrament of Confession also increased. Thus, little by little, the Redemptorists made themselves known by ‘making known’ Our Lady of Perpetual Help, instilling in the hearts of the people of Piura love and trust in her.
Why is it that in Piura, an image in bulk is venerated, not the icon?
This is the explanation given by the missionaries who have passed on from the Shrine. Piura is a community rich in its representations of faith. Most of the devotions to Jesus Christ, the Virgin and the saints have a more tangible representation. Clear examples are the Señor Cautivo de Ayabaca, the Virgen de las Mercedes, María Auxiliadora, the Señor de Chocán, etc., and it is in this context that it was decided to place a similar image of the Virgen del Perpetuo Socorro for public veneration.
Gonzalo Jesús García Ruiz,
Professor of History, graduate of the University of Piura.
