A picture of little Lujan
Posted on 05/09/2008 5:41:12 AM PDT by NYer
.- The Catholic magazine “Cristo Hoy” in Argentina has published an article on a mother who entrusted her daughter to the intercession of Our Lady of Lujan once she was diagnosed with an incurable disease before she was born. The little girl, Lujan, is now three years-old and living a normal life.
Marcela is an eye doctor and mother of three. During the eighth month of her last pregnancy, doctors found her baby to be suffering from anencephaly, a condition in which the brain does not develop normally. Marcela was told her child would die within days of being born.
“When I was being taken into the delivery room, I prayed to the Virgin of Lujan and decided to name my daughter after her and place her into her hands. The Virgin of Lujan appeared in my mind and my heart during those difficult moments and I fervently prayed for my child to her. Thanks to her, I have my daughter with me today and she is just like any other girl her age, smiling and loving those whom she meets. According to the doctors she has a deficient nervous system, but she is nonetheless a normal girl,” Marcela said.
Little Lujan’s case continues to be inexplicable to the doctors who treated her. “They cannot explain the extraordinary improvement of our daughter. Today she is a normal girl except for hemiparesis on her left side,” her mother said.
She said her daughter’s illness has made her family appreciate life more. “I thank God every day of my life for the miracle He did with my daughter,” she said.
“When faced with the blunt reality of a developing baby with problems, everything around comes crashing down, hope fades, negative thoughts take hold, because of how fragile these little people seem to be. But you need to pray for a lot of strength, have hope and through prayer try to overcome this difficult moment,” Marcela stated.
“My message to everybody is that miracles do exist and that God is always with us,” she added. “I can testify to this because I experienced it. I hope that by telling my story I can help others with their faith,” she said.
Story of the Virgin of Lujan
Following the initial wave of religious enthusiasm that beset the conquistadors and early settlers in the southern part of the Western Hemisphere, many communities suffered relapses, particularly those which were isolated and thus felt more disheartened by the burden of their strenuous daily struggle. The city of Cordova, in the interior of Argentina, was particularly aware that the religious spirit of the city was slowly dying out. In 1630, a Portuguese settler decided that he would do something to change this distressing situation and he asked a friend to go to Brazil and to bring back with him a statue of the Blessed Virgin. The friend duly purchased two very simple statues, and his trip from Brazil to Buenos Aires was uneventful. But in the capital, before starting on his return trip inland, he made very elaborate preparations, because in those days, no traveler was safe from attacks by the Indians. He organized a whole caravan of covered wagons to protect himself. Argentina is still a land of vast dimensions, endless plains, romantic mountains, and blessedly fertile soil. Three hundred years ago, when great distances always meant endless long trips, every stopover on a journey was an event to remember.
The caravan was bound to reach Cordova as soon as possible. Providence, however, decided otherwise. The Portuguese settler who wanted to renew the religious life of his city appears to us from the perspective of three centuries, as a mere instrument of God, destined to perform something of a different nature through his pious determination. One statue reached its destination in due time, and did not become famous, while the other was never to reach Cordova; it was left behind at the first stopover, a ranch. There it was to give origin to one of the greatest sanctuaries in Latin America, Lujan.
Of two small statues purchased by the settler one represented the Mother of God with her Child, and the other, the Blessed Virgin of the Immaculate Conception. Both were simple, about twenty inches high, made of terra cotta. After leaving Buenos Aires the caravan traveled for one day when, near a ranch, the horses of one of the wagons stopped and despite every effort on the part of the driver, could not be budged from the spot. But the animals started off again as soon as the figure of the Immaculate Conception had been removed from the cart and carried into the ranch. The ranch owner entrusted it to the care of a Negro slave from Angola.
This humble man, by some inner compulsion, dedicated himself completely to the care of this statue. And apparently it was at his insistence that soon afterwards a little chapel was built for it. From this moment, miraculous events set in.
The statue disappeared from the chapel, though its doors were properly locked and guarded during the night. The statue was found at the very spot where the horses of the original caravan had stopped and refused to move any further! This transference was repeated several times. Ecclesiastical authorities finally decided that a new church should be built to enshrine the figure of the Immaculate Conception.
Lujan today is a great religious center, with many churches. Soon after the first church had been completed, it proved insufficient to provide for the pilgrims who came from all over the vast country. Many recorded miracles occurred, and various Kings of Spain (Argentina was then a colony of Spain) bestowed upon the shrine gifts and jewels as ornate as those donated to the oldest and most famous ones in Europe. Argentina has many other holy places dedicated to the Virgin, but Lujan is the most outstanding. Several religious orders, the Carmelites, the Dominicans, the Jesuits, the Franciscans and others have established churches and monasteries around the shrine, which now is in the custody of the Lazarists.
In 1904, the image was placed in the new cathedral, while it was still under construction. The cathedral was completed and consecrated in 1910. It is one of the most important in the world and can best be compared with the gigantic Spanish cathedrals. The tiny figure of the Madonna, with her wide open blue eyes, surrounded by a golden aureole, clothed in heavy, shining robes and crowned with a gem which has over 350 diamonds, sapphires, rubies and about 130 pearls, looks into the distance. Everything about her is of a corresponding grandeur. Both the material wealth of a country and the vigorous faith of its people here give expression to the spirit of the New World.
By the end of the eighteenth century Lujan became the most important national pilgrimage site in Argentina. During the fight for independence, she became the symbol of victory and the captured flags were placed in the sanctuary. General San Martin, who passed through the Andes with his army following his successful campaign, laid his sword down forever in the cathedral in honor of Our Lady of Lujan. In 1930, on the occasion of the three hundredth anniversary of the foundation of the sanctuary, the church housing the image was elevated to the rank of a Basilica. At the same time, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay recognized Our Lady of Lujan as their protectress.
Recently the Argentine Army chose the Virgin of Lujan as its patroness. And according to an old custom a regiment of the army was dedicated to her services. This regiment becomes her "property" and the members of the regiment call her "La generala del Lujan."
Not to rain on anyone’s parade, but “Trust but Verify” applies here. Nevertheless, God bless and thank you.
Cute story.
Bookmarking for later reading and sharing w/family.
Correct me if I’m wrong but I though that disorder simply meant that a child is born without a cerebrum. Most of the time it leaves an undeveloped head on the otherwise brain-dead infant but sometimes a baby will come out looking completely normal but otherwise would have no brain.
In the latter case, anencephaly if difficult to diagnose so I’m leaning toward a mistake.
Some more background info would be helpful, but according to the article, the doctors can't account for the child's survival.
Wasn’t aware of the Virgin of Lujan. Great story!
Little Lujan’s case continues to be inexplicable to the doctors who treated her.
It's easier for them to say that than to say they were wrong.
Thanks for posting this inspiring story. What a beautiful child, praise God for her health.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m suprised too. There is no cure for this because there is no brain to cure. Without a brain, a person isn’t simply born dead, I’d question if they were even a person at all.
the little girl, Lujan, is very pretty.
All Glory be to God!
Regardless, I thank God for this healthy little girl.
So you are saying politicians and lawyers aren’t persons? (sarc).
Hey man, I’m just stating the facts :)
Two other facts I know is that hunting is still legal and those two animal species aren’t endangered.
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