Our field trip to Lujan to see the Basilica

The Basilica of Our Lady of Luján is dedicated to Our Lady of Luján, the patron saint of Argentina, of travelers and of the railway.  It is located west of Buenos Aires, about an hours' drive from the capital.

The current basilica was built in Neogothic Style in 1910, but this story goes back much further than that. 

In 1639 a man from Cordova wishing to encourage his neighbors' faith, ordered two statues from Brazil, one of the Immaculate Conception, the other of th Blessed Virgin and her Son.  When the caravan of wagons carrying the them reached a small ranch on the outskirts of Lu'jan, the driver couldn't get the osxen to move until the statue of he Immaculate Conception was removed.  This was viewed as the Virgin making a choice as to where her shrine should be.  The other statue went on its way to Cordova.  

One man of African heritage went from his youth to his old age guarding her in a small chapel, later in a church and then in a larger building.  The statue was givenAs the miracles grew, the crowds grew and in 1910 the impressive cathedral became her home. 

The figure is 2 feet high made of terra cotta.  To prevent deterioration the image was given a silver covering and is dressed in a robe and cloak of white and sky blue (the colors of the flag of Argentina.)

The Virgen of Luján has been honored by 8 popes.  Pope Leo XIII bestowed a papal coronation with a crown of diamonds, rubies, emeralds, sapphires and pearls. In 1930 Pope Pius XI declared her patroness of Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay as well as raising the cathedral to the rank of a basilica.. In 1982 Pope John Paul II visited Luján, celebrated a mass in the square of the Basilica and bestowed upon her the Golden Rose.

Luján is today a religious center, a place of pilgrimage.

The horario (schedule) of activities at the Basilica

BUENOS AIRES – 3 March 2014 More than a million Catholic faithful participated on the weekend in the traditional pilgrimage to the Basilica of the Virgin of Lujan, the patron saint of Argentina, police said Sunday.

The traditional procession began on Saturday when thousands of people set out from the sanctuary of San Cayetano, located in the capital neighborhood of Liniers accompanied by the image of the Virgin of Lujan and joined by other pilgrims along the way.

After covering on foot the 70 kilometers (about 43 miles) separating the capital from the city of Lujan in Buenos Aires province, the pilgrims on Sunday arrived at the imposing basilica, where Buenos Aires Archbishop Jorge Bergoglio celebrated a Mass.

The pilgrimage, which has been made every year since 1975 and began as a march of young people to Lujan, has become a demonstration of faith that transcends borders, since many of the Catholic faithful from neighboring countries come here especially to make the journey on foot.

Or as this man first walking on his knees and then crawling. The young man with him walked slowly by his side.  

When we first came in a mass was being celebrated.  I came back later to get a picture of the altar.  The real statue is at the top of the altar.  The one that was low enough for the people to see and touch is only a replica.

It is difficult to comprehend the height of the ceiling in the Basilica.

Here you see the vaulted ceiling above the altar.

This was a nativity scene showing not only the stable but the street nearby in Bethlehem.  Sorry about the ghosts, they had a glass in front and I was too short to get my camera above it.

 A ladder tower in the back.  I assume for dusting, changing lights etc.

A staircase to enter the area behind the altar.  Each brick on the wall of the stairs holds the name of a person or family in memorial.

This was in the alcove with the replica of the Virgen de Luján.  It was a tiny replica of the Basilica.

Above the entry were the pipes of the organ and a large rose window.

OUTSIDE....

Looking up at the front of the Basilica

I wondered if these two were

 Guarding the entry to the Basilica.  In truth they were only two of the many dogs I saw in and around the Basilica, both inside (with owners and on leashes or in their arms.) and outside.

Also guarding were gargoyles...

And monsters called "Grifones"

  This Gargoyle didn't seem so scary to some.

And what, you might ask is the difference between a Grifon, or monster and a Gargoyle.

On the left is a head of a Grifon.  The mouth is just a carving.  There is no hole in the back of it.  On the fight is the head of a Gargoyle.  It is a rain spout.  See the hole?


SEE IT NOW?!?

 The word "gargoyle" comes from the concept of throat as in "garganta" And refers to the fact that the Gargoyles actually function as rain spouts to drain the water off the Basilica.  THEY are NOT just a pretty face!

There was a priest outside giving blessings with holy water.

This is only a few of the Santerias.  These were kiosks selling religious momentos.  There were more permanent shops along the sides of the square and down the side streets as well.

 

Loved the guy with his HerdyGerdy.  No monkey, but if you gave his lovebirds a coin, they would pull out a lucky card for you!

There were also snack shops.  This place was selling "Copos de Nieve" (cotton candy) in addition to peanuts and other things.

We stopped for lunch at this place.  The Knapps had many good things to say about the Panqueques so many tried them.

We ran into two young sister missionaries and invited them to join us for lunch...

Hermana Guillen, from Cuernavaca, Mexico

Hermana Johnson from Mesa, Arizona, USA

Jamon, queso, tomates y palto (Ham, cheese, tomatos and avocado paste)

for dessert: Bananas y Castañas (bananas and chestnuts) plus dulce de leche, of course.

Irval and Joann Mortensen, Janet and Doug Knapp, Lynn Flinders and Hermana Guillen and Vicky and Herb Wallace

Hermana Jordan, Tonya Ford, Karen Casos, Dan Smith, Lyle and Nieca Burrup and Vickie Smith

AFTER LUNCH

Took a few more pictures of folks:

A Horse and Cart....

The Knapps and the Wallaces

Went throught the museum that showed some of the restoration that had been done on the Basilica:



The restored crosses from the top of the spires

How to make a Gargoyle...

Or restore a Grifon...

A nice diorama of the altar in the Basilica...

And come on...Today is CARNAVAL... so on the the Carnival... (No they are not really related, but it is a way to go on with the photos.)

A block to one side of the Basilica is the river and a carnival area with rides and more people selling religious momentos.

There were bumper cars

And a merry-go-around...

and on the river...

There were rowboats

and paddleboats and tourist boats.

and I chose....ICE CREAM!

Ahhhhh....what a lovely end to a fun day!