Jan. 10, 2003 — The patron saint of the Dominican Republic, Our Lady of Altagracia, will be honored at Mass at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church on St. John on Sunday, Jan. 25 at 5 p.m. Bishop George Murry will celebrate the Mass.
The Feast Day is actually January 21, but the church community has opted to celebrate it on the 25th in order to continue the celebration of the installation of the new pastor, Rev. Charles Crespo, earlier that day.
Already a tradition at Catholic churches on St. Thomas and St. Croix, where churches are filled for this celebration, this is the first time the celebration will be held on St. John. This sign recognizes the rapidly growing impact of Dominicans on St. John, where they now make up the majority of the parishioners at the weekly Spanish Masses.
Perhaps the most passionate of all religious devotions among the peoples of the Caribbean, there is hardly a Dominican home in the Virgin Islands in which an image, whether it be a painting, poster or statue, of Our Lady of Altagracia is not given a prominent position. Hundred of miracles have been attributed to her intercession in the Dominican Republic.
Our Lady of Altagracia ("High Graces") is one of many titles for Mary, the Mother of Jesus Christ.
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