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Where It's At
In December the residents of Catamarca celebrate the
annual festival in honour of the Virgin of the Valley.
Thousands of people participate in the celebrations and some
come from hundreds of miles away to celebrate the special
event. Some devotees even walk for as many as 6 days to get
there.The Virgin is actually a statue in the church Nuestra
Señora del Valle (Our Lady of the Valley), which
dates to the mid 17th century. She is known for her powers
of healing and people come in hopes of being cured by her,
particulary the sick and aged. The Virgin of the Valley festival
is a Catholic one, and takes place in a very religious part
of the country, Catamarca, the capital of the northwestern
Argentinian province of the same name.
Discovered in a cave just outside the city in the 1600's,
the Virgin statue was displayed in the Nuestra Señora
del Valle church. It was moved away from Catamarca once but
legend has it Nuestra Señora moved back to Catamarca
by herself as she was unhappy there.
What Happens at the Virgin of the Valley?
During the week long festival, the statue is removed from
the Church and a procession takes her through the city; many
models of the Virgin are seen during this time but only the
real one is escorted with a military guard. The religious
fervour still felt here is a direct result of the Missionary
activities that went on in the 17th century, and ruins also
can be found around Catamarca that date back to this period.
Accomodation may be difficult to book in advance so it may
be necessary to accept the hospitality of the local people
when attending the festival.
Other Things to See and Do
The region surrounding the town is famous for wineries and
vineyards and these make popular excursions for travellers.
It is a very dry region so drought is common here, although
cattle raising is a major industry.
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