 | Our Lady of Refuge (Celebrated July 4th)
This much venerated representation of the Virgin Mary has it's roots on the "Lady of the Oak" found in 1690 in Montepulciano, Italy inside a hollow trunk. Antonio Balduncucci used this image to convert people in to Christianity. This Virgin seemed to be specially good at converting Jainists in southeast Italy. The fame that she gained made Pope Clement XI name her Our Lady of Refuge in 1719 recognizing her as a miracle worker. The name was inspired in the need of people to find refuge from the great many pests that struck Europe during those days.
The first image of the Virgin came to America in 1709, brought by Juan Jose Giuca to Puebla and then on to Zacatecas, Durango and everywhere else that there needed to be conversions. Franciscans and Jesuits took the image of the Virgen del Refugio as the patron of their missions. She is still considered to be the patron saint of California because of the number of missions dedicated to her.
The iconography of the Virgen del Refugio shows the Virgin Mary sitting on top of clouds showing only the upper half of her body. She must be wearing a red tunic and a blue cape, and is sometimes adorned with flowers, gold strands and tassels, and she usually has several of her symbols on the cape. She is regularly crowned and is shown in a joyful mood. The Virgin must be holding Baby Jesus in her arms as he sits or stands on her lap. He is usually very lightly covered and shown full-figure. They both will have glowing auras representing their divinity. |