Church in the World

Hope from the Virgin

Latin America

A miraculous statue of the Virgin Mary in a Caracas church has given new hope to thousands of Venezuelans who feel ground down by the country?s ongoing political crisis and the economic consequences of the recent general strike, writes Owain Johnson, our Caracas correspondent.

The statue of the Virgin of Coromoto, the patron of Venezuela, in San Cayetano church in eastern Caracas began to exude aromatic oil in early December after gunmen attacked a rally held by the political opposition, killing three people.

One of those killed was 17-year-old Keyla Guerra, who had been baptised at San Cayetano. Four days after her death the statue began to exude a sweet-smelling oil. ?I believe this is a blessing from God?, San Cayetano?s parish priest, Fr Jos? Coromoto, told The Tablet. ?The Virgin is telling us not to fear and that God will lead Venezuela out of this labyrinth soon.?

Church authorities have not made any official pronouncement about the miracle, but reports are already emerging of the Virgin?s healing powers. Fr Coromoto tells how one of his parishioners, an elderly woman confined to a wheelchair, walked home unassisted after praying before the statue.

All those who have visited the Virgin speak of experiencing a moment of calm and tranquillity, feelings that have been in very short supply in Venezuela in recent months.

?I felt totally at peace?, the publicist Ferson Baricot said. ?This is a sign that we haven?t been abandoned in our present difficult situation. We?ve all been praying to her and this is her way of reassuring us.?

Venezuela?s political crisis has worsened still further in recent months, and in early December the opposition began a general strike to force the leftist President, Hugo Ch?vez, from office. The strike?s organisers accused Ch?vez of authoritarianism and of seeking to introduce Cuban-style socialism, while the President accused the opposition of trying to block his social reforms.

The strike failed to secure Ch?vez?s resignation and was partially lifted in early February. The two-month stoppage has led to a major deterioration in Venezuela?s already fragile economy and many businesses face bankruptcy.

Appropriately enough, the saint to whom Fr Coromoto?s church is dedicated, San Cayetano or St Cajetan, is the patron saint of the unemployed and jobseekers.