Venezuela celebrates national patron

Holy Christ of La Grita

In a nationally televised Mass, attended by more than 200 thousand faithful gathered at the Shrine of La Grita, the Bishop of the Diocese of San Cristobal de Venezuela, Mgr Mario del Valle Moronta Rodri­guez, celebrated the feast of the Santo Cristo de La Grita, the patron of Venezuela, yesterday.

During his homily, Bishop Moronta harshly criticized "the shamelessness" with which many are dedicated to the smuggling of food and gasoline, especially in this border area. Grita is a Venezuelan city very close to the border with Colombia. The Bishop also denounced the crime of abortion and exploitation, present in the Venezuelan society.

Along with Mgr Moronta, the Mass was concelebrated by the Bishop of Margarita, Mgr Jorge Anibal Quintero Chacan, Bishop Emeritus of Marida, Mgr Luis Alfonso Marquez, and more than 30 priests. Mgr Moronta prayed to the Lord "for the victims affected by injustice and for workers who receive low wages. For those who are involved in drug trafficking and drugs, for women who are driven into prostitution, for those who are affected by the violence of kidnapping and murder."

The celebration of the Holy Christ of La Grita is the most common popular holiday in Venezuela. More than 200 thousand faithful present at Mass then became the five kilometre-long procession that stretched throughout the city of La Grita and then back to the square of the Basilica. Copies of the Santo Cristo de La Grita was carried in procession in the main cities of Venezuela.

Source: Fides