• Submitted by: manso
• Society
• 08 / 30 / 2011

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By DANIEL SHOER ROTH. ElNuevoHerald.com. Sunday, 08.28.11. As a prelude to the 50th anniversary celebration of the arrival in Miami of the statue of Our Lady of Charity, Cuba’s patron saint, a group of Catholic faithful took the image for a colorful maritime procession in Biscayne Bay on Sunday.

A dozen boats participated in the three-hour parade, dubbed “The Lady of Charity Blesses Miami,” which carried the statue to sites significant in the history of the city and of Cuban exiles.

The marine procession departed from the Our Lady of Charity shrine in Coconut Grove, and was highly symbolic because the original version of this depiction of the Virgin Mary was found floating in Nipe Bay in eastern Cuba almost 400 years ago, according to Catholic tradition.

“In the mind of a Cuban you cannot separate the Virgin and the ocean,” said Msgr. Agustín Román, founder of the shrine and retired auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Miami. “Through these waters we also remember the Cuban rafters” he said.

On Sept. 8 South Florida’s Cuban Catholic community will celebrate a Mass in remembrance of what happened in 1961, when a replica of the image of Our Lady of Charity was smuggled from the island to Miami just in time to celebrate the Feast of the Virgin at the old Bobby Maduro stadium, a Mass attended by 30,000 Cuban exiles.

Due to the success of the Mass, in 1966 then-Archbishop Coleman Carroll appealed to all Cuban refugees to build a sanctuary dedicated to the patron saint on land next to Mercy Hospital. Today Our Lady of Charity shrine stands there, and is spiritual center of Cuban exiles.

On Sunday, hundreds of the faithful congregated in the sanctuary to participate in a midday Mass and bid farewell to the Virgin as the image was carried, surrounded by roses and flanked by flags of Latin American countries, to a 35-foot boat.

“We invite your attention to the importance of this anniversary,” said the shrine’s rector, Juan Rumín Domínquez, who used a megaphone to deliver his message to the curious boaters who moved closer to photograph the image. “Long live the Lady of Charity!” shouted Rumín.

“ Viva!” responded the spectators in their swimsuits, not knowing exactly what they were applauding.

The first stop was Mercy Hospital, where prayers asked the Virgin to intercede and help those who are ill. Then the boats continued to the marina next to Miami City Hall, where they met Mayor Tomás Regalado. This time, the priests prayed to God to instill harmony and good will in the world of politics and public service.

Before Hurricane Andrew struck in 1992, the Feast of the Virgin was celebrated in the historic Miami Marine Stadium on Virginia Key. Today, the stadium is a graffiti-strewn wreck, but its history prompted the stop.

“This beautiful structure often became a temple of faith and home for all,” said Rumín. “As we receive your image and gather solemnly in prayer and joy of celebration, we are surrounded by the beauty of creation.”

Back at the shrine, the faithful welcomed the image back with cheers, waving white flags and, in some cases, weeping.

“I have felt a very strong emotion,” said Minerva Saez, a Cuban exile, as she witnessed the return of the image. The 66-year-old woman had been there since 11:30 a.m., and did not mind having to wait. “The Virgin has blessed this city.”

To the sounds of a Cuban band, dozens of devotees then stood in line to have their photographs taken with the image and to whisper a prayer.

Source: www.miamiherald.com/2011/08/28/2379519/