Second Sunday in January

Virgen del Rosario, El Rosario, Carazo, Nicaragua

The town of El Rosario in western Nicaragua celebrates two fiestas in honor of its patron saint. On the traditional Catholic feast day of Our Lady of the Rosary, October 7, the archbishop says mass. But because October there is a month of torrential rain, the outdoor festivities migrated to January, starting on the first weekend and culminating the second. Saturday's procession includes a meeting of Our Lady's statue with a separate statue of the Child, representing the Holy Name of Jesus, followed by dancing and fireworks. On Sunday, after solemn mass in St. Michael's Church, with prayers for the community and country, the Virgin's statue processes to City Hall, where over a thousand participants share a traditional Nicaraguan meal.

Sources include:

	"Celebran en El Rosario, Carazo, fiestas patronales," La Voz del Sandinismo, Jan. 14, 2013, www.lavozdelsandinismo.com/nicaragua/2013-01-14/celebran-en-el-rosario-carazo-fiestas-patronales/
	"Continúan fiestas en honor a la virgen del Rosario," La Nueva Radio YA, Jan. 10, 2016, https://nuevaya.com.ni/continuan-fiestas-en-honor-a-la-virgen-del-rosario/
	"Dejan sin corona a Virgen del Rosario," El Nuevo Diario, Nov. 9, 2007, impreso.elnuevodiario.com.ni (photo by Alberto Cano)

Also commemorated this date:

	Nossa Senhora de Belem, Bambolim, Goa, India (Our Lady of Bethlehem) (Sunday after January 6). Church's patronal feast day.
	Our Lady of Remedios, Betalbim, Goa, India (Sunday after January 6). Church's feast day.
	Madonna del Pianto, Foligno, Perugia, Umbria, Italy (Weeping Madonna). Festa on the Sunday before January 17.

Where We Walked ~~~ Mary Ann Daly