Why is the Day of the Virgen del Carmen a holiday

The Day of the Virgen del Carmen is a very special celebration in the Chilean calendar, which takes place every July 16 . On this date the Patroness of Chile is commemorated and celebrated, for which great parties are held throughout the country. The Day of the Virgen del Carmen is a national religious holiday.

Keep reading and discover how it was born and why this anniversary is celebrated.

Origin of the Day of the Virgen del Carmen

It all begins with the Augustinian monks, who brought the first image of the Virgen del Carmen to Chile in the year 1595. With the arrival of the Carmelite nuns at the end of the seventeenth century, devotion took hold and the image began to fill the things, chapels and every corner of Chile.

In fact, the Virgen del Carmen became so important that during the time of independence against the Spanish crown, the Liberation Army chose her as its patron and swore allegiance to her.

Years later, on October 24, 1923, Pope Pius XI named the Virgen del Carmen as the “Patroness of Chile” . Then, in 2007 it was established that every July 16 , the date on which the Catholic Church celebrates the Day of the Virgen del Carmen , would be a national holiday in honor of her. From then on, and perhaps long before, Chileans venerate this virgin in different ways.