The enthronement of Our Lady in Finca Betania

The first apparition was on March 25, 1976. On March 25, 2008 the faithful celebrated the 32nd anniversary of this great event. The image of Mary, Virgin and Mother Reconciler of all People and Nations was enthroned at the grotto.

Hundreds of faithful attended a beautiful night vigil on March 24 to honor the Virgin. Pilgrims from Venezuela and abroad went to Finca Betania located between Cua and San Casimiro, in Miranda State, Venezuela with their prayers and chants.

Before midnight, Father Juan Carlos Silva, Chaplain of the Cathedral of Caracas celebrated Holy Mass and directed an hour of adoration. During the homily he pointed out, “We are at the site where 32 years ago the Lord sent his Ambassador, the Blessed Mother, and called us to reconcile with the Father and with our brothers. [...] Behold, Betania has been a place of grace, a place of one blessing after the other, a holy land, light for Venezuela, light that dissipates the darkness of lies and sin. And Our Lady teaches us that through her we can attain the grace we need, through her, through the Mother of God.”

At 12:00 midnight, when the calendar indicated it was the beginning of March 25, all the community sang Happy Birthday to the Blessed Mother.

           
Mary, the Mother of God

Our Lady told Mrs. Maria Esperanza Medrano de Bianchini, the main visionary of the apparitions in Betania, that Betania would be the “Lourdes of America”. Thus her image as Our Lady of Lourdes was placed at the site of the apparitions for many years.

Mary of Nazareth is always the same Mother of God, who has appeared elsewhere in the world under different titles with diverse garments. When she placed her feet on Finca Betania she did so as Mary, Virgin and Mother Reconciler of all People and Nations. In her first apparition to Mrs. Maria Esperanza she appeared holding the Child Jesus in her right arm and carrying the holy rosary with her left hand. In this apparition she told her, “I come with my Son in arms. Pray the rosary.”
Following this description, the new image of Our Lady was placed at the site of her apparition. The enthronement of the 1.90 m. (6.23 ft) marble statue from Carrara, Italy, took place this March 25, 2008.

From very early in the morning the statue that had been at the grotto, the image of Our Lady of Lourdes, was placed in a beautiful Plaza, above a pillar, so all those who approach the site of pilgrimages may continue to venerate her.
 At noon, Holy Mass begun presided by His Excellence, Monsignor Freddy Fuenmayor, Bishop of Los Teques, concelebrated by Father Juan Carlos Silva and Father Otty Aristizabal, and accompanied by the Betania Choir.
Hours later, with everyone excited and looking forward to see the new image, the great moments came, the arrival of the statue of Our Lady with her garments as Mary, Virgin and Mother Reconciler of all People and Nations. The Hallelujah of Handel was sung before such a wonderful presence.
Mrs. Maria Coromoto Bianchini de Marrero, daughter of Mrs. Maria Esperanza and member of the Betania Foundation, recalled the apparition of March 25, 1984, that made way for the ecclesiastical investigations, which concluded with the approval and the verdict that the apparitions were authentic and of supernatural character.

“That afternoon, a sunny afternoon, as beautiful as this afternoon, a very warm one, we were called by some children who were playing up here at the grotto, who told us that a Beautiful Lady was appearing here. When we reached the foot of that great tree, we saw the image of the Blessed Mother, beautiful, shining like the sun, inside of the forest, over the stream of water. She began to appear at 3:30 in the afternoon until 6:00. She appeared and disappeared seven times. [...] And today, this afternoon, the image of Our Lady also arrived at 3:30 in the afternoon. Today admiring her beautiful image, we are as joyous as that day when we saw her.

While some technical arrangements were done for the enthronement of the statue in the grotto, the faithful prayed the holy rosary, asking for conversion and reconciliation. Precisely, reconciliation is the message of Our Lady. According to Mrs. Maria Gracia Bianchini de Gebran, another daughter of Mrs. Maria Esperanza and member of Betania Foundation, the Blessed Mother told her mother, “Betania is light of the world. [...] The way to reconcile is through the rosary. The only way for families to stay together is by praying the rosary. This is what the Virgin offered us when she appeared with her Son. She offers us the rosary. It is the means for unity.”
Then, the peak moment came; Monsignor Freddy Fuenmayor began to bless the image of the Virgin, “Lord and God, today we elevate our prayer to You turned into praise and thanksgiving. [...] We thank you for this image of the Virgin that reminds us of the love that this Mother has shown her Son, a clear sign of your kindness. We know You reveal Yourself to all good and saintly men who have lived in our world, but in first place You have revealed Yourself to the Virgin, Our Mother. We thank You for this image under the title of Mary, Mother Reconciler of all People and Nations, which reminds us of her love and motherly solicitude toward us, her children. We thank you for this image of Mary that we venerate with devotion and is a stimulus for our Christian life.”

And with the song “O Mary, my Mother, O comfort of all mortals, protect me and guide me to the heavenly fatherland” this beautiful and historic day ended.

The image of Our Lady of Lourdes moved to a beautiful plaza, on a pillar in Finca Betania



The Bishop of Los Teques, His Excellence Monsignor Freddy Fuenmayor,
blessed the image in its new place



The enthronement of the image of Mary, Virgin and
Mother Reconciler of all People and Nations in the grotto of her apparition



The image of Our Lady Reconciler of all People with Monsignor Freddy Fuenmayor,
Father Juan Carlos Silva, Mr. Geo Bianchini and his children


The blessing of the image of Our Lady Reconciler of all People and the pilgrims

From March 19 to March 23

Easter 2008 in Finca Betania

The Passion, Death and Resurrection of Jesus were commemorated in the Shrine of Our Lady Mary, Virgin and Mother Reconciler of all People and Nations. The Way of the Cross, an hour of adoration, and Holy Mass were the most sublime acts the faithful practiced during Easter Week. Each day also was accompanied by the prayer of the holy rosary.

Betania is “a little piece of heaven on earth.” In one opportunity the Mother of God expressed so to Mrs. Maria Esperanza Medrano de Bianchini (+), visionary of the manifestations of the Blessed Mother in the place. This beautiful definition fits perfectly with the sensations that thousands of pilgrims felt during the most important week in the Catholic calendar in Finca Betania. Thus when many of them arrive at Betania, they begin to feel a soft breeze, and inner peace embraces them as if they had left all their worries before the greatest intercessor of God.

From Wednesday, March 19 the planned activities began for Holy Week. The exposition and prayer to the monument of Jesus The Nazarene meant moments of reflection and adoration for the faithful. This is one of the most relevant devotions that exists among the Venezuelan people.

Good Thursday and Good Friday, March 20 and 21 respectively, were days of much prayer. During Good Thursday the representation of the washing of feet, the Last Supper, and the procession of Our Sorrowful Lady took place. While on Good Friday, a day of fasting and abstinence, the Way of the Cross and an hour of adoration were held.  The night ended with the movie “The Passion of Christ”.

In the afternoon of March 22, the young men and women of the Betania Foundation did some presentations about the different Marian titles of Venezuela. This day the pilgrims began the novena of Jesus of the Divine Mercy, and waited with hope for the Paschal Vigil. At midnight, all candles were lit in front of the monument of Jesus welcoming the moment of Resurrection. The Betania Choir then offered a classical concert.

On Sunday, with everyone greeting each other “Happy Easter”, the celebration of the Eucharist took place in the chapel of Betania.  Holy Mass was celebrated by Father Otty Aristizabal. And the music of the Betania Choir also was part of this majestic day.

Representation of the washing of feet on Good Thursday



On Good Friday the Way of the Cross



The candles were lit in front of the monument of the Risen Jesus welcoming the moment of his Resurrection



Holy Mass celebrating the Resurrection of Our Lord with the pilgrims in Finca Betania



The Betania Choir with its music also was part of this majestic day