Cartagena de Indias. — This July 6, 2026, the family of the Order of Augustinian Recollects, Province of La Candelaria, and all the Catholic people of Cartagena lift their gaze to Cerro de la Popa to celebrate an event that forever marked the history of faith in Colombia: the 40th anniversary of the canonical coronation of the image of Our Lady of Candelaria. A solemn act presided over in 1986 by Pope Saint John Paul II, which reaffirmed centuries of love, tradition, and hope in the “Morenita,” the spiritual patroness of Cartagena de Indias.
The commemorative events for this historic anniversary reached a high point this Saturday, July 4, preparing the hearts of the faithful for the main celebration next Monday.
A vision born in the Desert of La Candelaria
The Virgin of Candelaria’s deep spiritual connection with the Order of Augustinian Recollects did not begin on the shores of the Colombian Caribbean, but in the depths of the Andean land. At the beginning of the 17th century, the humble friar Alonso de la Cruz Paredes was in retreat in prayer in the Desert of La Candelaria, located in Ráquira (Boyacá). This venerable place, the cradle of the Augustinian Recollect movement in America, preserves to this day a fervent devotion to the same Marian title, in the painting by Francisco del Pozo from the year 1597, commissioned by the first hermits of the Recollect community that lay on the banks of the Gachaneca River, where the current Monastery of La Candelaria stands.
It was there, in the silence of the Boyacá desert, that friar Alonso received a divine message through a vision: he was to move to the city of Cartagena de Indias and build a sanctuary at the highest point of the port, with the purpose of enthroning the image of the Virgin and banishing the pagan cults that dominated the hilltop. Obeying the call, the friar founded the Convent of the Holy Cross of La Popa in 1610, marking the beginning of an unbreakable devotion that would shape the soul of the Atlantic Coast.
The Augustinian Recollects: Guardians of a heavenly legacy and the milestone of 1986
Since that founding feat, the Augustinian Recollects have assumed the immense responsibility of preserving, caring for, and venerating this most holy image, transforming the rugged promontory into a spiritual beacon for La Heroica.
This ministry of guardianship experienced one of its most golden chapters exactly four decades ago, during the preparations for the apostolic visit of the Vicar of Christ. In that historic 1986, the pastoral and logistical leadership of the event fell to two key figures. On the part of the local Church, Monsignor Carlos José Ruiseco Vieira, then Archbishop of Cartagena de Indias, who guided the archdiocese in welcoming this great event.
At the heart of the sanctuary, the responsibility fell to Father Friar Facundo Suárez Cubides, O.A.R. Having received the convent as prior (superior) that same year, Father Facundo took on the titanic task of leading and coordinating, together with his community, the Confraternity and some devotees, the entire celebratory act of the coronation. His tireless dedication ensured that the spiritual treasure of La Popa came down to the city and was presented with the utmost dignity before the Holy Father.
The day a Saint crowned our Mother
On Sunday, July 6, 1986, on the esplanade of Chambacú, before a fervent crowd, Pope Saint John Paul II celebrated the solemn Eucharist. With his gaze set on the heights of the city, the Polish Pontiff spoke words that today still resound with the same force in our Order:
“We find ourselves at the foot of Cerro de la Popa, from where the Mother of God, the Virgin of Candelaria, whose venerated image we are going to crown solemnly, has protected for more than four centuries the people who make pilgrimage here. This sanctuary, watchman of a people’s faith, rises tonight as a glorious sign…” (Homily on the occasion of the Apostolic Visit and Coronation)
With the placing of the crown, the Universal Church recognized the heroic popular piety of the Colombian Caribbean, reaffirming the sanctuary as a driving force of the new evangelization for the continent.
A beacon that continues to illuminate Cartagena: Today’s solemn celebration
Four decades later, faith in the “Morenita” remains intact and alive. As a prelude to the exact anniversary date this Monday, July 6, 2026, the Sanctuary of La Popa once again dressed itself in celebration.
The current Archbishop of Cartagena, Monsignor Francisco Javier Múnera Correa, together with the archdiocesan clergy, presided over a solemn Eucharist of thanksgiving. At the feet of the venerated image, and in close communion with the Augustinian Recollect religious of the convent and the members of the Confraternity of La Candelaria, a prayer of gratitude was raised for these 40 years of grace.
As we commemorate this anniversary, we, the Augustinian Recollects, renew our sacred commitment. We invite all believers to continue ascending to La Popa, an act that remains a true renewal of faith for the Catholic. May the Virgin of Candelaria continue to illuminate our journey, so that, as echoed 40 years ago alongside Saint John Paul II, we may continue to sing with the witness of our lives: We will proclaim your kingdom, Lord!
