Mexico: A Statue of Our Lady Emerges From the River

In the midst of this cataclysm which resulted in the death of 532 people and gave way to desolation, a twelve-meter high sculpture representing Our Lady of Guadalupe, patron saint of Mexico, emerged from the bed of the Santa-Catarina river, after having been buried for ten years under the mud and the stones.

The statue went missing on June 30, 2010, after Hurricane Alex hit Monterrey. The Santa Catarina river flood had washed away bridges and roads, along with the statue of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Despite the searches that were carried out then, it was impossible to locate the ten-ton sculpture under the heap of rocks and mud. It was decided to make a replica.

And it was thanks to Hurricane Hanna that the towering statue resurfaced. Discovered by a construction worker searching for scrap metal in the riverbed, it could be removed for restoration. It should be returned to its original riverside location, and the replica will be moved to the grounds of a parish dedicated to Mary Queen of Mexico.

Mgr. Rogelio Cabrera, Archbishop of Monterrey, sees in it “a very special sign for Catholics, which fills us with hope for a better future.”