Virgin of Chiquinquirá in Colombia
The Virgin of Chiquinquirá is honored in Colombia on July 9, the date of a Catholic feast linked to a revered image associated with the town of Chiquinquirá in Boyacá. Colombian law makes the day a nationwide paid holiday for public and private sector workers; the date of their rest day is determined under the Monday-transfer rules of another national law.[1][2]
A national holiday and its date
Law 2578 declares July 9 the Day of Our Lady of the Rosary of Chiquinquirá and a national public holiday throughout Colombia. It gives workers in both the public and private sectors the right to paid rest and directs that the applicable rules of Law 51 of 1983 determine the calendar day on which that rest is taken.[1]
Under Law 51, specified holidays that do not fall on a Monday are observed with paid rest on the following Monday. The holiday’s religious date remains July 9; the paid day off may therefore be on a different date.[1][2]
The image’s history
The devotion centers on an image of Our Lady of the Rosary. According to the Banco de la República’s art collection, Antonio de Santana commissioned the image in 1560. It was first placed in a chapel at Suta, then moved to an oratory in Chiquinquirá after its materials deteriorated. The collection describes the image’s renewal on December 26, 1586, as a legend associated with the prayers of Santana’s sister-in-law and a servant.[3]
The image is a historical painting, not just a symbol in the holiday’s name: the Banco de la República identifies it as an oil painting on canvas and notes that it is among the oldest surviving paintings from the 16th century in its collection.[3]
Why it matters in Colombia
The devotion is closely tied to Colombian Catholic history. The Colombian Episcopal Conference describes the Virgin of Chiquinquirá as Patroness of Colombia and records that the image was canonically crowned in Bogotá on July 9, 1919. The date had already been set aside by Colombian clergy to honor the Virgin. The Holy See approved the coronation request in 1910; that was not the year of the coronation.[4]
The Episcopal Conference also documents a pilgrimage made by Dominican friars with a copy of the image through several Colombian departments in preparation for the coronation. This history helps explain how a devotion rooted in Chiquinquirá became a national religious symbol.[4]
Religious observance and practical effects
Catholic observance includes liturgical celebrations. The Episcopal Conference has documented Eucharistic celebrations connected with the feast and the sanctuary of Our Lady of Chiquinquirá.[4]
For residents and visitors, the clearest practical effect is the nationwide paid-rest entitlement established by law. Check opening hours with government offices and banks before you go.[1]
Frequently asked questions
When is the Virgin of Chiquinquirá celebrated?
Is it a public holiday across Colombia?
Yes. Law 2578 declares it a national public holiday throughout Colombia and grants paid rest to public and private sector workers.[1]
Where is the devotion centered?
Are shops, banks and transport open?
Check opening hours with government offices and banks before you go.[1]
Sources and references
Sources used for Virgin of Chiquinquirá in Colombia:
- LEY 2578 DE 2026 - Colombia- Agencia Presidencial de Cooperación Internacional de Colombia (APC-Colombia), reproducing the law published in the Diario Oficial
- LEY 51 DE 1983- Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Colombia
- Virgen de Chiquinquirá - Pintura- Banco de la República, Art Collection
- El Papa nombra enviado por 100 años de coronación de la Virgen de Chiquinquirá- Conferencia Episcopal de Colombia