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Basilica Nuestra Senora de La Altagracia

The Basilica Nuestra Senora de la Altagracia can be found on the city of Higuey in the Dominican Republic. This monumental cathedral is one of the most important icons of the Altagracia province. As you may have noticed, this amazing masterpiece has a very profound religious meaning and is considered the most renowned religious monument in the whole Dominican Republic. Our Lady of Altagracia is considered the protector mother of the country. The basilica was built to replace an old sanctuary of Our Lady of Altagracia which existed around the year 1572.The construction of the Basilica started around 1954 under the dictatorship of Rafael Trujillo and was designed by the architects Pierre Dupre and Andre-Jacques Dunoyer de Segonzac.

The Basilica Nuestra Senora de La Altagracia was inaugurated in 1971 by the former president of the Dominican Republic Joaquin Balaguer. In the same year the Pope John Paul II declares it Minor Basilica. Sometime later he blessed it from Rome.

The construction of the monument is quite interesting; it is shaped as a Latin cross and its main door is made of bronze. The very same door has a 24 karat gold plating. The place has 45 bells which are also made of bronze. The total area of this breathtaking church is around 4600 square meters. The huge and perfectly designed arches rise over 80 meters in the air giving the impression of praying hands.

Origins of the painting

The architecture of the Basilica is quite impressive but the painting of the Virgen de La Altagracia is something to admire as well. The encased painting in the altar of the church attracts many pilgrims each year. Most people use the occasion to ask for special favors. The portrait has the following measurements: 33 centimeters wide by 45 centimeters tall and is estimated to originate from the late 15th or the beginning 16th century.

The painting at the Basilica Nuestra Senora de La Altagracia describes the birth of Our Lord Jesus: at the center is the Blessed Virgin Mary sweetly looking at baby Jesus and she is covered by a blue robe filled with stars. She is also wearing a golden crown which was added later while Saint Joseph looks from afar. The frame is said to have been made with gold and many precious stones by an unknown artist at some point in the18th century.

There are many tales of how the painting got there. One of the stories talks about a sick little girl giving a man food and a place to stay in the city of Higuey. In gratitude the man healed her and left her the portrait.

A very popular tale mentions a sick child that was visited by the Virgin Mary, she appeared in an orange tree that was located where the Basilica is today. The portrait appeared under the tree and the child took it to her home. Every morning the painting disappeared from the child’s house and returned to the tree. Because of that the painting remained where Basilica Nuestra Senora de La Altagracia is today.

Another story talks about a merchant whose daughter wanted a painting of Nuestra Senora de La Altagracia. In his trip to Santo Domingo the father did everything he could to find the painting but no one knew anything about it. He returned to Higuey and spent the night in a friend’s house. He shared with his friend the frustration he felt since he couldn’t find the painting for his daughter when an old man walking by overheard him.

The man took out a portrait which was exactly what the merchant was looking for. In gratitude the merchant and his friend gave the old man a place to stay for the night. Once the morning arrived the man was long gone to never be seen again. The merchant gave the portrait to his daughter and she put it on a wall. The portrait disappeared and reappeared outside every day until finally they decided to give it to a church.

On January 21 of every year is the celebration day of Our Lady of Altagracia and many people visit the Basilica Nuestra Senora de La Altagracia in Higuey.