Minor Basilica of Andacollo also known as the Big Church of Andacollo . Catholic building located in the town of Andacollo . It was designed by the Italian architect Eusebio Chelli in a Byzantine style. It belongs to the Archdiocese of La Serena.
Summary
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- 1 Location
- 2 History
- 3 Veneration
- 4Arquitectura
- 5 National Monument
- 6 See also
- 7 Image Gallery
- 8 Fountains
Location
Located in Plaza Videla s/n, Andacollo, province of Elqui , Coquimbo Region in Chile .
History
When the Spanish arrived in northern Chile, they began the process of evangelization and establishment of settlements. The mineral washes of Andacollo were a reason for its establishment in this area. The Spanish spread the cult of an image of the Virgen del Rosario , which began to be celebrated every year on Christmas Eve . in 1660a Parish Church was built to maintain the image and carry out the celebration within it. It has excellent interior finishes from that time and a large number of pieces of art, such as the Virgen María del Rosario de Andacollo. Over the years that space became small to receive so many people who came to participate in the festivities, dancing, singing and bringing offerings to the Virgin.
It was due to the growth of the faithful that a new, much larger temple was built and the previous one was renamed the Old Temple. The new church , better known today as the Big Church, designed by the Italian architect Eusebio Chelli with a Byzantine style, began to be built in 1873 and the work lasted for twenty years, the temple being inaugurated on December 26 , 1893 .
Finding of the Virgin of the Rosary of Andacollo
The legend goes back to the years of the conquest of Chile, and the historical data that occurs during this period begins with the foundation of the city of La Serena by Juan Bohón. The story tells that in 1549 this second city of Chile was burned by a rebellion of the natives of Copiapó (that same year the city is raised again by the conqueror Pedro de Valdivia ).
From that event the legend of the image of the Virgin of Andacollo is born. It is said that after the destruction of the city, the Spanish flee to the south seeking refuge. They climb the mountain and come across a small indigenous settlement of Molle origin , with Inca influence. His astonishment was great when he saw the ravines full of goldlaundry room, so they decide to hide the small image there and continue on their way south. And this is how an Indian from the area called Collo finds the image of the Virgin. According to legend, the Indian would have heard a heavenly voice that told him: “Come on, Collo, invite your people to meet me and to meet the true God.” The Indian took the image and took it to his house to worship it associating it with Pachamama (Mother Earth), since then the locals began to offer him their dances very similar to those of the indigenous people of Peru and Bolivia .
Current image of the Virgin
The first image of the Virgin, which is mentioned in the previous stories, which was found by the indigenous, is not the one that is currently venerated in Andacollo. It is said that the true image mysteriously disappeared. Due to the fact that the chapel was without an image, it lost its dedication to the Virgen del Rosario and was renamed the parish of San Miguel.
To recover his title, the priest of that time; Bernardino Álvarez del Tobar started a collection among the residents of Andacollo, gathering the sum of 24 pesos, and they commissioned an image of the Virgin from Lima , Peru. This image arrived at the beginning of 1676 , and after obtaining the ecclesiastical news so that the Archangel Saint Michael would abandon his position in honor of the Virgin of the Rosary, the image was blessed on the first Sunday of October 1676 .
The Virgin brought from Lima, is the same image that to this day remains in the Church of Our Lady of Rosario de Andacollo and the only one to which miracles have been attributed and witnessed.
Veneration
By decree of the Holy See, on December 26, 1901, the image of Our Lady of Rosario de Andacollo, venerated for more than four centuries in the town from which it takes its name, was solemnly crowned.
Currently, the celebration called “Fiesta Chica” of the Virgin is held on the first Sunday of October, which constitutes a preparation for the “Fiesta Grande” held on December 24, 25 and 26. Traditional dances also play a leading role in the festival of the Virgin of Andacollo, specifically the Chinese dances , turbans and dancers.
Architecture
The architecture of the Great Church is in the Neo-Byzantine style. Its high towers stand out, 53 meters high. The main structure of the building is made of Oregon pine wood brought from California , the adobes are covered on the outside with galvanized iron sheets and on the inside with reeds from Guayaquil . The foundations of this monumental work are 6 meters of stones and cement .
It has five naves, five doors and 36 columns and has large windows and a dome, which allow light to enter. In addition, it has an esplanade outside that has a capacity for 10,000 people.
National Monument
The Parochial Church and the Great Church of Andacollo were declared a National Monument of Chile in the category of Historical Monument, through Supreme Decree No. 72 of January 12 , 1981 .
