Today I want to talk about what can be considered the most important religious celebration of the eastern Venezuelan people; it is about the festivities in honor of the Virgen Del Valle. The eastern part of Venezuela and especially the Nueva Esparta state, on September 8 of each year, dress up as a celebration, to celebrate the sublime and venerated celestial mother, Virgen Del Valle, patron saint with her infinite mercy and cloak of protection, to the fishermen, to the Venezuelan navy and in general to all the people of eastern Venezuela.

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Stained glass window with the Image of the Virgen Del Valle

Image of Virgen Del Valle, photograph taken during the period that is lowered of its niche, so that it is near its devoted parishioners

The venerated patron saint of the oriental town is located in the Minor Basilica of Nuestra Señora del Valle, located in the city of Margarita, called The Valley of the Holy Spirit, which is the capital of the municipality Garcia, Nueva Esparta state, and cradle of the hero independence, General Santiago Mariño. Every year on September 8, the Virgin is taken down from her niche and received with the heart by thousands of devout parishioners, who attend under deep faith and devotion to the festivities of the Nativity of Mary Day, this being the most remarkable and famous religious celebration of the Margarita Island. The image of the Virgin remains close to the faithful until December 8, the day on which the Immaculate Conception is commemorated, and is finally placed on its altar inside the basilica.

Main Altar, centered on the upper part, you can see the image of the Virgen Del Valle in its niche

Virgen Del Valle in her niche (Approach)

Presbytery

Historical stories tell that this revered image reached the city of Nueva Cádiz, on the island of Cubagua, from Spain in the mid-sixteenth century. Shortly after, on December 25, 1541, due to the destruction of this city, due to a hurricane, it was transferred to the Island of Margarita, taking specifically to a small church, in the town of El Valle del Espíritu Santo, place that, according to historical records found in very later investigations, it was demonstrated that it had been the first church erected on the island, and that it was built between 1510 and 1518

Frotal view. “Basílica Menor Nuestra Señora del Valle”

Side view. “Basílica Menor Nuestra Señora del Valle”

View of one of the two side entrances to the "Basilica Menor Nuestra Señora del Valle"

The one that, at first, was a very small church, has been remodeled in several opportunities, among them the one made in 1733, which gave it the aspect that until today it conserves, characterized by a Neo-Gothic style, whose plant in the shape of Latin cross, ends in two small towers. It has a main entrance, which is framed on each side by some ledges, leading to a two-level choir. Its towers, are composed of four bodies with entrances and ledges. Its interior space is divided by ogival arches with small attached columns. The central nave is separated from the presbytery by a dome, and along its cream-colored walls, majestically stand out, ogival religious stained glass windows, where some of the island's villages are described, as well as stories that accompany to the adored virgin. Its sky-blue ceiling is beautifully decorated with handmade paintings and decorations. At the end of the central corridor, above the altar, there is the image of the "Virgen Del Valle", from a perfectly admirable angle by the faithful who attend to pray to her. Finally, on September 8, 1955, the Pope "Juan Pablo II", granted the honor of raising it to Minor Basilica, it is from that date when the traditional festivities began in honor of the "Virgen Del Valle".

Stained glass window located in the church, it is staged a procession of the Virgen Del Valle

Stained glass window located in the church, it is staged the parishioners entering the temple

Stained glass window located in the church, it is staged one of the battles independence and in the center is the Virgin serving the wounded

Devotion, for which we now know as Virgen Del Valle, has grown through the passing of the years, as the testimonies of her miraculous cures and other favors granted to the oriental people were known. One of these favors, is described in an old text, whose author is the parish priest Nectario Maria, who relates that in 1608, the inhabitants of the Island of Margarita, overwhelmed by a long drought, raised their prayers to their beloved virgin and decided take their image in procession to the town of La Asunción, as narrated by the father, when leaving the Valley of the Holy Spirit, the sky was completely clear, but when they reached the gates of La Asunción, for that then walled city, began to rain with a lot of intensity and so it stayed until the next day, ending, with the terrible drought that had hit them until that moment.

Side view of the basilica, it can be seen, the awnings of artisans, where they sell items alluding to the Virgin Del Valle or religious themes in general

Approach to the towers of the Basilica Minor Nuestra Señora del Valle

Another very famous story, about the miracles attributed to the beautiful patron saint of the sailors, and the Venezuelan navy, tells that a fisherman of pearls was about to have a leg amputated, due to a strong gangrene, as a result, that he was attacked by a Manta Ray. The man, was a fervent devotee of the Most Holy Virgin of the Valley, to whom he raised his humble prayer, asking, to help him regain his health, in exchange he promised, that if he managed to return to the sea, he would honor her with the first pearl that It will come out of the sea. The fisherman, miraculously recovered his health, and returning to his job, during his first dives to the seabed, he managed to extract an oyster and to his surprise discovered, that inside, was a beautiful pearl shaped leg, due to its peculiar form, they offered an important amount of money to him, in exchange for said pearl, offer that rejected, assuring, that that pearl belonged to the Virgin of the Valley. This offering can be seen today, in the Diocesan Museum of La Virgen Del Valle, located next to the basilica that houses his image, and where it is exposed, the immense amount of offerings received in gratitude to the beautiful Virgin Margariteña.

References

https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bas%C3%ADlica_menor_de_Nuestra_Se%C3%B1ora_del_Valle
http://www.noticias24.com/fotos/noticia/26227/basilica-menor-de-nuestra-senora-del-valle-en-margarita-uno-de-los-templos-mas-visitados-de-venezuela/

This publication is my authorship and was previously shared in my blog of the WEKU platform.

The photographs, are my own and were taken using a camera: Pentax * istDL, a lens: Pentax 18-55 and Natural Lighting.

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