| El Cobre is a small town 11 miles from Santiago de | | | | The Holy Father Pope Benedict XV proclaimed her as |
| Cuba. Its name dates from 1544 when a | | | | the Cuban Patron Saint after a request presented by |
| townsperson discovered a mountain of a light-green | | | | the Veterans of the Independence War on May 10, |
| mineral he believed was gold. Around 1558 the mining | | | | 1916. From the very beginning, this Virgin was |
| exploitation began (this mine is considered the oldest | | | | honoured with the title of Our Lady of La Caridad del |
| in Cuba) and its miners/workers settled in cabins and | | | | Cobre; the Virgin to whom all followers of faith pray |
| huts on the same grounds where today the Cobre | | | | for protection. The Virgin of La Caridad was crowned |
| Town stands. | | | | by the Pope John Paul II as the Queen and Patron |
| However, the small town never thrived and more | | | | Saint of Cuba on January 24, 1998 in the holy mass |
| than once its people were treated as slaves. Around | | | | celebrated in Santiago de Cuba during his apostolic |
| 1612 or 1613, some countrymen had gone to the Bay | | | | visit to the Island. |
| of Nipe to look for salt and they found an image of | | | | The great Sanctuary is placed on the top of a hill, |
| the Virgin floating over the dark waters. The image | | | | preceded by a staircase and fully decorated with |
| carried a label that read "I am the Virgin de la | | | | stain-glass windows which show allegoric designs. The |
| Caridad" on a plank, which probably was part of the | | | | shrine of the Virgin is made of solid silver and at the |
| figurehead of a sunken vessel. The image was taken | | | | back of the church, there is a room called "the |
| to a small village named Barajaguas and years later, it | | | | Miracle Chapel", where the pilgrims leave their |
| was relocated in the Parochial Church of El Cobre. | | | | offerings: flowers and candles used in the praying |
| The image tended to disappear from both places and | | | | rites. Nowadays, the daily pilgrimage of Cubans and |
| appeared in the same spot each time. | | | | foreigners is very distinctive of this eastern town, |
| The people understood that maybe the Virgin | | | | which is not known today for its mining activities. The |
| wanted to give a message with her disappearances | | | | sale of sunflowers, candles and souvenirs of the |
| and one night, after having prayed, they | | | | Virgin has become the main income source of the |
| contemplated a shining over a mountain. They | | | | inhabitants. It is said that during September 8, the |
| assumed that the Virgin desired to be placed in the | | | | day dedicated to the Virgin, the prayers of the |
| middle of the forest and they built a small chapel | | | | faithful can be heard over the silence that surrounds |
| where they finally moved the Virgin; such chapel is | | | | the valley. |
| today the Sanctuary of El Cobre. | | | | |