Leaving the city of Guanare and traveling about twenty-five kilometers across the fields and pastures of Venezuela's western plains, you arrive at a broad estate beside a stream. In the middle of the grounds rises a great steep-roofed sanctuary fronted by a vast esplanade capable of holding tens of thousands of people. Stepping inside, your eyes are drawn immediately behind the main altar to a towering stained-glass cross glowing with the colors of tropical leaves and blossoms. Pilgrims file toward the Throne of the Virgin, where an object so tiny rests that you must lean close to see it.
This is the National Shrine of Our Lady of Coromoto (Santuario Nacional de Nuestra Señora de Coromoto), belonging to the Roman Catholic Church in the Diocese of Guanare. The shrine honors Our Lady of Coromoto, patroness of Venezuela. That tiny object is the sacred image which tradition holds the Virgin Mary left in the hand of an indigenous chief in 1652. The library selects this site as the sole representative place for Venezuela because it is where nationwide devotion to the Virgin began, and where Venezuelan Catholics from every region gather each September.
IOur Lady of Coromoto and the Chief by the Stream
The foundational account has been handed down across generations by the Church in Venezuela, recorded here by the library from ACI Prensa and the Diocese of Guanare. In 1651, the chief of the Cospes people, later called Coromoto after the local region, and his wife encountered a radiant Lady beside a stream. She told him to go to the white settlers to receive the water of Baptism. He recounted the meeting to Juan Sánchez, a settler living nearby, and several members of the tribe began catechesis.
On September 8, 1652, the Lady appeared a second time right at the entrance of the chief's hut. Tradition recounts that he raised his bow to threaten her and reached out to grab her, whereupon a bright light flashed and she vanished, leaving in his closed hand a tiny sacred image. From that time on, the image has been venerated under the title of Our Lady of Coromoto.
In Catholic teaching, Marian apparitions belong to the category of private revelation: the Church may approve public devotion to them, yet does not bind the faithful to believe them as articles of faith. A sacred image serves to help believers lift their hearts toward Mary, not as an object worshipped in itself. What the Church emphasizes in the story of Coromoto is the call to receive Baptism, an invitation into faith rather than the marvel of the relic alone.
According to ACI Prensa and virgendecoromoto.com, the sacred image measures only 27 x 22 mm and depicts the Virgin Mary seated on a throne holding the Child Jesus. Regarding its material, ACI Prensa states that it is drawn on thin paper (papel fino), whereas virgendecoromoto.com states that it is an unidentified type of fiber currently under study. Our Lady of Coromoto was declared patroness of Venezuela on October 7, 1944, and the image received its canonical coronation on September 11, 1952 on the tercentenary of the second apparition.
Regarding the chief's fate, tradition holds that he refused conversion at first, fled into the forest, was bitten by a venomous snake, and near death asked for Baptism. The Oblatos website records that he was baptized by a Christian from the city of Barinas. This belongs to oral tradition, and open sources provide no further archival documentation for cross-checking.
Many visitors confuse this national shrine with the Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of Coromoto in downtown Guanare. They are two distinct churches. The cathedral inside the city was built between 1710 and 1742, rebuilt after an earthquake in 1782, and elevated to a minor basilica in 1949. The national shrine, by contrast, is a late twentieth-century complex located about 25 km from Guanare on the exact spot where tradition places the second apparition.
IIFrom Three Centuries of Devotion to a Modern Sanctuary
Over three centuries, devotion to Our Lady of Coromoto grew steadily in Guanare and spread across Venezuela. In the twentieth century, after she had been proclaimed patroness of the nation, the faithful sought to build a major shrine right at the apparition site to welcome pilgrims. According to the Diocese of Guanare, construction halted at times due to lack of funds, and the money to complete the sanctuary came largely from donations by ordinary faithful.
- 1651First apparitionAccording to tradition, the Virgin Mary appeared to the Cospes chief and his wife beside a stream, telling him to go receive the water of Baptism (ACI Prensa, Diocese of Guanare).
- 1652Second apparitionOn September 8, the Virgin Mary appeared before the chief's hut and left the tiny sacred image, according to tradition.
- 1944Patroness of VenezuelaOn October 7, 1944, Our Lady of Coromoto was declared patroness of Venezuela (ACI Prensa).
- 1952Canonical coronationOn September 11, 1952, marking the three-hundredth anniversary of the second apparition, the sacred image was canonically crowned (ACI Prensa).
- 1975 or 1982Start of constructionSources give different dates for the start of the shrine project. See the historical note below.
- 1996Consecration and inaugurationConstruction concluded in February 1996. The shrine was consecrated on January 7, 1996, followed by a solemn inaugural Mass on February 10, 1996 (Diocese of Guanare).
- 2006 and 2007Minor basilicaA decree of August 12, 2006 elevated the national shrine to a minor basilica (basilica minor), solemnly proclaimed on October 20, 2007. The website virgendecoromoto.com misprints the proclamation year as October 20, 1997.
Sources differ on the year construction began. The website virgendecoromoto.com states that the project was initiated in 1975 and physical work began in early 1980. The Diocese of Guanare states that construction started in 1982 and took 14 years, matching the 1996 completion date. Turismoreligioso likewise gives 1982 and credits the Sisters Servants of the Blessed Sacrament with initiating the project. A reasonable reading is that 1975 marks the initial proposal, 1980 the site preparation and early groundwork, and 1982 the start of main construction, yet because the sources do not spell out those distinctions, the library records all three years. Regarding the elevation to minor basilica, virgendecoromoto.com states that Pope Benedict XVI elevated the shrine on October 20, 1997, which is a typographical error for the year since Pope Benedict XVI's pontificate began in 2005, while the actual papal decree was issued on August 12, 2006 and solemnly proclaimed on October 20, 2007.
IIIHut-Shaped Altar and Stained-Glass Cross
The shrine was designed by Spanish architect Juan Capdevila Elías and Venezuelan architect Erasmo Calvani, according to virgendecoromoto.com. Built of exposed reinforced concrete covering more than 4,000 m² with a central spire rising about 68 to 76 m, the modern structure departs from Gothic or Baroque church models to draw its forms directly from the apparition account. According to the Diocese of Guanare and virgendecoromoto.com, the main floor of the interior is divided into three altar zones: in the center stands the Main Altar (Altar Mayor) shaped like an indigenous bohío hut of the plains, recalling the doorway of the chief's hut in 1652, with the Throne of the Virgin housing the relic behind it. To the left is the Blessed Sacrament Altar (Altar Reserva del Santísimo Sacramento) surmounted by a replica of Our Lady of Guadalupe. To the right is the St. John the Baptist Altar (Altar San Juan Bautista) used for baptisms, featuring a water basin sculpted with the stream apparition and an upper candle-lighting gallery holding a bronze statue of Our Lady of Coromoto.
Rising behind the main altar is a 110 m² stained-glass cross depicting the Holy Trinity (the hands of God the Father at the top, Christ crucified at the center, and the Holy Spirit as a dove) framed by the flora of the Venezuelan llanos. Beneath the basilica floor lies a museum displaying offerings and historical items related to Our Lady of Coromoto, and outside stands an observation deck (mirador, reached by elevator or stairs) overlooking the Andes foothills, the Portuguesa plains, and the city of Guanare. The interior seats about 2,500 people, while the Plaza de Espigas esplanade in front accommodates more than 50,000.
The central main altar is shaped like an indigenous bohío hut, flanked on the left by the Blessed Sacrament Altar and on the right by the St. John the Baptist Altar (Diocese of Guanare, virgendecoromoto.com).
A monumental stained-glass cross behind the main altar depicting the Holy Trinity amid native llanos flora, forming the shrine's signature interior image.
The reliquary station behind the main altar holding the 27 x 22 mm sacred image, approached by pilgrims along a dedicated walkway, with a shrine museum on the lower level (virgendecoromoto.com, turismoreligioso).
A vast forecourt holding over 50,000 people for open-air Masses, paired with an exterior observation deck (mirador) overlooking the Andes foothills and the Portuguesa plains.
| Feature | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Sacred image | 27 x 22 mm | ACI Prensa, virgendecoromoto.com |
| Stained-glass cross | 110 m² | Diocese of Guanare |
| Interior capacity | 2,500 people (over 4,000 m² floor area) | turismoreligioso, Diocese of Guanare |
| Plaza capacity | Over 50,000 people | turismoreligioso |
| Distance from Guanare | About 25 km | Diocese of Guanare |
IVLandform and Orientation
At Coromoto, the building site was not chosen through geomancy: it was fixed by sacred tradition, because the sanctuary had to stand where the Virgin Mary is said to have appeared. Catholic doctrine does not include feng shui, and traditional liturgical rules on sanctuary orientation give way in a modern pilgrimage shrine to the practical need of welcoming huge crowds. The observations below therefore represent the library's comparative reading through traditional Vietnamese geomancy so readers familiar with that system have a point of reference, and are not taken from shrine or diocesan publications.
A Vietnamese reader looking at this site will notice first the stream. The shrine's locality is called Quebrada de la Virgen, meaning Stream of the Virgin, and both apparitions in tradition are closely bound to running water. In traditional Vietnamese geomancy, a stream threading through the earth is called a water vein (thủy mạch), a spot where water emerges is seen as a locus of living qi, and many Vietnamese temples and communal shrines were built beside springs or streams for that reason.
Second is the level plain. Portuguesa State lies where the foothills of the Andes meet Venezuela's vast llanos plains. On flatland (bình dương), traditional earth-readers do not look for mountain peaks as a backrest, instead taking water courses as the vein and slightly raised ground as the node. A stream running across the plains, viewed through that lens, marks active land.
Third is the bright hall (minh đường). The wide esplanade in front of the shrine opens up an exceptionally broad clear space. Vietnamese geomancy calls the open forecourt before the main doors the bright hall where approaching qi gathers, and an expansive bright hall suits a place that receives vast crowds. At Coromoto, that open plaza grew out of the pastoral need to host tens of thousands of pilgrims, and the library notes the formal parallel solely for comparison.
VThree Annual Feast Days of Our Lady of Coromoto
The shrine follows the Catholic liturgical calendar on the Gregorian calendar. According to ACI Prensa, Our Lady of Coromoto is celebrated on three dates each year: February 2, September 8, and September 11. The largest celebration is September 11, the anniversary of the canonical coronation of the sacred image in 1952, which turismoreligioso identifies as the shrine's principal feast. The table lists dates only, without hours.
| Date | Calendar | Observance | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| September 11 | Catholic liturgical calendar in Venezuela, Gregorian | Feast of Our Lady of Coromoto, Patroness of Venezuela | Principal feast of the shrine, commemorating the 1952 canonical coronation. Pilgrims gather from across the country, filling the esplanade. |
| September 8 | Catholic liturgical calendar, Gregorian | Anniversary of the second apparition | Commemorates the day in 1652 when the Virgin left the sacred image, coinciding with the Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary on the general calendar. |
| February 2 | Catholic liturgical calendar, Gregorian | Early-year feast of Our Lady of Coromoto | One of the three annual feast days of Our Lady of Coromoto according to ACI Prensa, coinciding with the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord. |
| January 7 | Gregorian, shrine anniversary | Dedication anniversary | Anniversary of the shrine's consecration in 1996 (Diocese of Guanare, virgendecoromoto.com). |
| Holy Week and Easter | Catholic liturgical calendar, movable date | High point of the liturgical year | Holy Week liturgies, with dates calculated each year from Easter Sunday. |
In the same tradition of Marian shrines commemorating an apparition to an indigenous person, you can read the article on the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico. Other South American national Marian shrines in the library include the National Shrine of Our Lady of Aparecida, the Basilica of Our Lady of Luján, and the Basilica of Our Lady of Copacabana. The library has not found sources on activities specific to a Vietnamese community at this shrine, so none are recorded.
VILocation And How To Get There
- Address
- Sector Quebrada de la Virgen, Coromoto, cách Guanare khoảng 25 km, Portuguesa
- Getting there
- The shrine is located in the Quebrada de la Virgen sector of Coromoto, Portuguesa State, about 25 km from the city of Guanare, connected directly by road from Guanare.
- Coordinates
- 8.9154, -69.7729
This is an active pilgrimage basilica celebrating regular liturgy, busiest during the month of September. Standard etiquette applies: dress modestly, keep silence inside the sanctuary, and do not walk between the pews while Mass is underway. When approaching the Throne of the Virgin, pilgrims move in a single line, pausing briefly in prayer before making way for those behind. Because the sacred image is minuscule and kept under protective glass, visitors view it from the designated walkway.
Nearby places in the library
VIIContribute To This Page
Contribute photos, information or video for Basilica of the National Shrine of Our Lady of Coromoto
Góp ảnh, thông tin hoặc video cho Đền thánh quốc gia Đức Mẹ Coromoto, GuanareEveryone is welcome to enrich this page: a photo you took, a detail the page misses, a short video. Every contribution is read and answered.
Thầy Ưng Khiêm mời cộng đồng cùng làm giàu trang này. Ảnh chụp tận nơi, một chi tiết lịch sử chưa được nhắc, một đoạn video ngắn: mọi đóng góp đều được đọc và trả lời.
No community contribution yet. You could be the first. Chưa có đóng góp nào từ cộng đồng. Bạn có thể là người đầu tiên.
?Quick Questions
Who is Our Lady of Coromoto
She is the Marian title linked to the tradition that the Virgin Mary appeared to the Cospes chief known as Coromoto in 1651 and on September 8, 1652 near Guanare, leaving behind a tiny sacred image. Our Lady of Coromoto was declared patroness of Venezuela on October 7, 1944.
How large is the sacred image of Our Lady of Coromoto
According to ACI Prensa and virgendecoromoto.com, the image measures just 27 x 22 mm and depicts the Virgin Mary seated on a throne holding the Child Jesus (ACI Prensa describes it as drawn on thin paper, while virgendecoromoto.com notes it is an unidentified fiber under study). It was canonically crowned on September 11, 1952 and is enshrined at the Throne of the Virgin behind the main altar of the national shrine.
When is the feast of Our Lady of Coromoto celebrated
According to ACI Prensa, there are three annual dates: February 2, September 8, and September 11. September 11, commemorating the 1952 canonical coronation, is the principal feast day drawing tens of thousands of pilgrims to the shrine's esplanade.
When was the National Shrine of Our Lady of Coromoto built
Sources give different start dates: virgendecoromoto.com states that the project was initiated in 1975 and work began in early 1980, while the Diocese of Guanare states that construction started in 1982 and lasted 14 years. The shrine was consecrated on January 7, 1996 and elevated to a minor basilica by papal decree on August 12, 2006, proclaimed on October 20, 2007.
Is the National Shrine of Coromoto the same as Guanare Cathedral
No. Guanare Cathedral, which is also dedicated to Our Lady of Coromoto, stands in the center of the city and was built between 1710 and 1742. The National Shrine is a late twentieth-century complex about 25 km from Guanare, erected on the spot where tradition places the second apparition.