October is an important month for the Catholic faithful because it is the month of the Rosary. This was celebrated for the first time in Guatemala 135 years ago.
All of October is dedicated to the Virgin of the Rosary, whose main festival is the 7th. The purpose is to remember the victory of the Christian troops over the Turks in the Battle of Lepanto in 1571.
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After recognizing the importance of remembering these events, at the initiative of the Dominican friar Julián Raimundo Riveiro y Jacinto, in 1888 the month of the Rosary was celebrated for the first time.
This is a tribute to the triumph of the rosary, represented in the invocation of the Lady of the Rosary. Since then it has been spread worldwide so that all parishioners can thank the Virgin for her protection.
The image of the Virgin of the Rosary is located in the Temple of Santo Domingo, in zone 1 of the capital. The representative carving is attributed to Guatemalan silversmiths and it was Friar Lope de Montoya who had it cast around 1592. At this time, the Dominicans had already expanded the devotion in the conquered lands.
Currently, the image, which is in the center of the main altar of the basilica, has been processioned on few occasions, only on special dates or commemorations.
On the occasion of the month of the Rosary, the new trousseau of the Virgin was presented for the second half of October. This one was made in a bougainvillea color tone with metallic braid in gold and purple tones, embroidered in gold threads.
The tunicela has an important meaning, it alludes to the 90th anniversary of the pontifical coronation of the Virgin of the Rosary. This with the shield of Pope Pius
The mantle has 20 medallions that symbolize the mysteries of the Holy Rosary represented in:
- The five stars allude to the joyful.
- The sorrowful are represented by five crowns of thorns.
- The five lambs on the resurrection banner symbolize the glorious ones.
- The luminous ones are represented with five monstrances.
With these, it is possible to form the complete crown of the rosary and close the contour. In the center of the mantle with three cherubs that represent the last three bird maries of the meditation of this prayer.
