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JAMAICA
Last August, the Embassy of the Dominican Republic in Jamaica permanently installed the image of Our Lady of Altagracia in one of the walls of the Blessed Sacrament Cathedral in Montego Bay, where most Dominicans reside in Jamaica.
Our Lady of Altagracia, also referred to as Our Lady of la Altagracia and the Virgin de la Altagracia, is an invocation of the Virgin Mary. Our Lady of Altagracia is the patroness of the island of Hispaniola, the island containing the nations of Haiti and the Dominican Republic.
According to news source thegaltimes.com, the solemn act was organised on the occasion of commemorating the centenary of the Canonical Coronation of the Virgin of Altagracia and the closure of the Altagracian Jubilee Year.
The news source reported that the Dominican Ambassador to Jamaica, Angie Martínez, said, “We are moved to have the blessing of bringing the Virgin to the thousands of Dominicans who live in the surroundings of Montego Bay, which undoubtedly constitutes an act of particular importance for our faith. We have gathered for love of the Virgin to celebrate a Mass that we could describe as historic, since this afternoon the Dominican people in Jamaica leave the image of Our Lady of Altagracia permanently installed in this important church.”
The article mentioned that this achievement is the result of the efforts made by Ambassador Martínez in collaboration with Metropolitan Archbishop Kenneth Richards of Kingston, as well as subsequent meetings with Bishop Burchell McPherson of Montego Bay.
Ambassador Martinez highlighted, “With this action, the Dominican Embassy in Jamaica joins the initiatives promoted by the Commission for the Centennial of the Virgin, to exalt and bring the image of Our Lady of Altagracia to the different countries in where we are… to make the Altagracian dedication known and to promote devotion to our protective mother.”
He hoped that from now on, the Dominican men and women who live in Jamaica will have a space where they can go to visit their protective mother, to thank her and find protection in those difficult moments of life away from their homeland.
