A hurricane has caused enormous damage in the Caribbean. An internationally important place of pilgrimage is also affected. The Archdiocese of Santiago is deeply shocked.
The coordinator responsible for the Archdiocese of Santiago de Cuba, Oscar Parada Pérez, wrote in an emotional post: “The house that we all visit, the house that is always open, the house of all Cubans, the house of the Mother … Is in ruins.” No details were initially available on the exact extent of the damage.
The church in El Cobre is home to a 17th century statue of St Mary, which, according to legend, was found in a bay on the north coast of Cuba. In honour of the island’s patron saint, the merciful Virgin of Cobre, crowds of pilgrims regularly flock to the country’s most important pilgrimage site. The patron saint is commemorated on 8 September.
