Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of Altagracia (Higüey)

Basilica of Our Lady of the Highness.

The Basilica of Higüey, whose official name is Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of Altagracia, is a Catholic sanctuary in Salvaleón de Higüey, Dominican Republic. It is the cathedral of the diocese of Nuestra Señora de la Altagracia in Higüey and one of the busiest sanctuaries in the Caribbean.

At first it was thought that the dedication came from the Spanish town of Garrovillas de Alconétar (Cáceres), although it was later verified that it came from Siruela, Badajoz, Extremadura, with the visit of the bishop of Higüey to that town. Both populations have the Virgin of Altagracia as their patron saint and hermitages dedicated to her. Another piece of information that points to the region of Extremadura is that Nicolás de Ovando was born in Brozas (10 kilometers from Garrovillas) and also served as Commander of Lares (11 kilometers from Siruela) before arriving in Hispaniola as Governor of the Indies. in 1502.

History

The work of the Higüey or Nuestra Señora de la Altagracia basilica was built by the French architects André-Jacques Dunoyer de Segonzac, Pierre Dupré and Pierre Domino, who were chosen through an international competition announced in 1947, but it was carried out in 1949, in which the proposal of the already mentioned architects was chosen.

The Basilica was built to replace an old sanctuary, where La Altagracia appeared, which dates from 1572. Construction of the Basilica began in 1954, by order of the first bishop of Higüey, Monsignor Juan Félix Pepén, which lasted 17 years for its construction.

Our Lady of the Highness.

On January 21, 1971, President Joaquín Balaguer inaugurated the basilica. On October 12 of the same year, it was declared a Dominican Monument, and on October 17 of the same year, Paul VI declared it a minor basilica. Two years later, on August 15, 1973, it became the cathedral of the diocese of Nuestra Señora de la Altagracia in Higüey, by apostolic mandate.

The basilica was built in the center of the city, with a structure in the shape of a Latin cross, the main door is made of bronze with a 24-carat gold bath, it also has a bell tower with 45 bronze bells. The most notable detail of its architecture are the elongated arches, which represent the figure of Our Lady of Altagracia with her hands in an attitude of prayer. At the top of the highest arch there was originally a cross, which was presumably torn off by Hurricane David. Since then it remained without that symbol, until in 2014 when it was replaced by another cross.

From Rome, the basilica was blessed by Pope John Paul II himself and on October 12, 1992, on his second visit to the country, John Paul II crowned the image of La Altagracia with a gilded silver diadem.

It is one of the most visited sanctuaries in Latin America. In the Basilica is the image of La Altagracia, who was the first evangelizer of America and the New World.