Annual New York Mass to honor patroness of Nicaragua 'is everything for us,' says attendee

NEW YORK (OSV News) -- The annual Mass in honor of La Inmaculada Concepción de María -- La Purisima, the patroness of Nicaragua, was celebrated Dec. 1 at St. Patrick's Cathedral.

"Today we gather to celebrate the first Sunday of Advent -- and today we, the Nicaraguan community, also honor a holy woman (Maria La Purisima) who unites us, and we give her thanks," the celebrant, Father Pedro Bismarck Chau, rector of the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Newark, New Jersey, told the faithful.

More than 1,000 people attended the afternoon liturgy to honor the Immaculate Conception of Mary -- The Purest, as her title is known in English. Among them was Alicia Jimenez, born in Nicaragua and a mother of three.

"She is the patroness of Nicaragua; this is very important for us; it is part of our faith, which is everything for us. This (annual Mass) is wonderful," Jimenez, a parishioner of Our Lady of Lourdes in Manhattan, said before Mass in an interview with The Good Newsroom, New York's archdiocesan online news outlet.

"¿Quién causa tanta alegría?" ("Who causes so much joy?") exclaimed Father Chau, who is Nicaragua-born and raised. And the people replied, "La Concepcion de Maria!" It is a traditional exchange of La Gritería ("The Shouting"), a Nicaraguan joyful cry of faith, hope, and love for Maria La Purisima, whose feast day is Dec. 8, coinciding with the feast of the Immaculate Conception.

"My brothers and sisters, Mary is the perfect model of hope," Father Chau said, noting the social turmoil that the Holy Family had to endure. "She too lived as an immigrant in foreign lands, and she maintained her hope alive. … Mary waited with hope for the completion of the promise from God that he would send a Savior," he added.

"We live in a world that seems to be in constant disorder -- the wars, the natural disasters," Father Chau said, citing the day's Gospel reading from Luke. He also noted the deadly, adverse impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and mentioned "the social injustices" worldwide, including the social injustices Nicaraguans have experienced in their beloved native land.

Nicaragua continues to experience social tension and political uncertainty following widespread deadly protests that erupted in April 2018, and demonstrations against government tax and benefit policies. The increasingly authoritarian regime has had a tense relationship with the Catholic Church, whose Nicaraguan bishops and priests expressed solidarity with protesters.

This year the ruling Sandinista regime has curtailed religious celebrations, including a ban on processions during La Purísima. Parishes have limited celebrations to church property. This follows the introduction of a constitutional overhaul granting President Daniel Ortega and his wife, Vice President Rosario Murillo, sweeping powers, which include making the couple "co-presidents" with the authority to "coordinate" the other branches of government.

At St. Patrick's, Father Chau said the children of God still remain hopeful, especially during the Advent season.

"The solution is Jesus Christ," he said. "We cannot lose hope. As Catholic Christians, we cannot lose hope, which today reminds us of this season of Advent. Open your hearts; be like Mary, missionary disciples, living in hope." Alluding to the Christmas lights in the city and beyond, he told the faithful that the lights "remind us that Christ is our hope. He is our hope in the middle of the darkness."

Mass concelebrants included Father Enrique Salvo, rector of St. Patrick's Cathedral, who also is from Nicaragua. Toward the end, a female flutist performed "Ave Maria," followed by a male vocalist who sang the same Marian hymn.

Devotions to the patroness of Nicaragua begin with novena gatherings nine days before the Dec. 8 feast day, and the Mass allows the faithful to show their gratitude for Our Lady's intercession.

The festivities include Catholic families creating altars and offering gifts and the faithful making pilgrimages through the streets.

This title of Mary is associated with a carved wooden image and is venerated by the Nicaraguan faithful. They trace the image's origins to formerly being owned by St. Teresa of Avila and later brought from Spain to Nicaragua in the mid-16th century by her brother Rodrigo Ahumada.

The dogma of the Immaculate Conception was proclaimed by Pope Pius IX in 1854, which officially recognized that the Virgin Mary was preserved from original sin at the moment of her conception.