AMERICA/NICARAGUA - The Archbishop of Managua postpones the feast of Santo Domingo, the feast of the capital, due to the pandemic

Thursday, 16 July 2020 coronavirus   pity   popular worship   pilgrimages  

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Managua (Agenzia Fides) - The archdiocese of Managua has suspended, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, any activity that promotes the gathering of people, such as processions, as well as the feast of Managua, which every year takes place in honor of Santo Domingo de Guzmán, starting from August 1st.
It is the largest and most popular feast in Nicaragua: thousands of devotees go to the temple in honor of Santo Domingo de Guzmán, in the south-east area of Managua, to give life to a great pilgrimage that travels about ten kilometers, to accompany the small image of the Saint in a parish that bears his name, in the north of Managua, where he will remain for ten days. The procession is accompanied by music and dances.
Cardinal Archbishop of Managua, Leopoldo Brenes, invited to avoid any gathering of people due to the measures that the health crisis imposes, "postponing the celebrations to another moment", urging however to live the celebrations according to an authentic devotion, "united spiritually and virtually through the media at our disposal". The patronal feasts of the Archdiocese of Managua will be lived "as a domestic Church", "with the devotion and creativity of our love for Christ, for the Blessed Virgin Mary and for our Patron Saints".
Cardinal Brenes, with the authority of his pastoral office, also granted devotees who participate in the pilgrimage every year to fulfill their promises made to the patron saint of Managua, to replace him this year with acts of prayer, penance and charity, "as an offer of love to the Lord and to our intercessory Saints".
Finally, the Cardinal invited believers to be "an example of responsibility, solidarity and collaboration in the face of the challenges of this moment" and asked all the faithful to be "an example of respect, unity and piety".
According to official data from the Ministry of Health (Minsa), coronavirus cases in the country are 2,846, with 91 deaths. But the records of independent organizations question these numbers. The City Observer, for example, records 7,893 infections and 2,225 suspected deaths due to Covid-19. The Catholic Church from the first moment avoided the gatherings of people to avoid possible contagions from coronavirus, celebrating masses without faithful, which are broadcast through social networks. (CE) (Agenzia Fides, 16/7/2020)


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