The National Sanctuary of Our Lady of Charity of El Cobre opens its doors this Monday to welcome thousands of pilgrims who, despite the enormous transportation difficulties plaguing Cuba, will come to honor the "Cachita" on the eve of her liturgical feast, the most important religious celebration on the island.
The Archdiocese of Santiago de Cuba announced that the sanctuary will remain open continuously from 6:00 p.m. this Monday until midnight on Tuesday, September 8, the day Cuba celebrates its Patroness. "National identity and religious faith go hand in hand in the people," stated the church institution while announcing the preparations.
The program for September 8 begins with a midnight mass led by the archbishop, followed by another at 9:30 a.m. The day will culminate with a parish mass at 8:00 p.m., and an hour later, a concert of Marian music performed by the choirs Orfeón Santiago and Vox Lucis.
To ensure the care of the faithful, the sanctuary mobilized about one hundred volunteers from the parish of El Cobre, mostly belonging to the Brotherhood of Emmaus and its branches —Emmaus Couples, Effetá, and Bartimeo— who will work in shifts throughout the day.
The Archdiocese openly acknowledged the obstacles faced by those wishing to pilgrimage: "We understand the transportation difficulties and how challenging it is to arrive; for this reason, we are committed to providing the best welcome. Stay strong!" it stated in its announcement.
The sanctuary arrives at this celebration in full recovery after the severe damage caused by Hurricane Melissa in October 2025, which affected over 80% of its stained glass windows and knocked down a marble angel. The restoration progressed in stages throughout 2026: the upper stained glass windows were reinstated in April, the illumination of the staircase was restored in March, and the restoration entered its final stage in August, with the installation of the remaining stained glass windows, painting work, and the recovery of sculptures.
As a highlight of that recovery, a new lighting was unveiled on the main cross of the basilica at the beginning of September, just in time to welcome this year's pilgrims.
The devotion to the Virgin of Charity has roots that date back to the early 17th century. According to tradition, between 1612 and 1613, three young men known as the "three Juans" discovered her image floating in the bay of Nipe on a board bearing the inscription "I am the Virgin of Charity." Since then, the figure was moved to the mining town of El Cobre, near Santiago de Cuba, where the cult was born that today gathers the entire nation.
In 1916, Pope Benedict XV declared her the official Patroness of Cuba at the request of veterans of the Independence War; in 1998, John Paul II crowned her Queen of Cuba. Her figure transcends Catholicism: in Afro-Cuban spirituality, "La Cachita" is syncretized with Oshún, the Yoruba goddess of love and freshwater, making her a unifying symbol for the entire nation beyond creeds and races.
The message from the Archdiocese for this 2026 celebration captures the spirit with which millions of Cubans, both on the island and abroad, approach their Patroness: "We know that it is Faith that saves Cuba and, therefore, our greatest efforts in Evangelization. In Christ there is Life, and His Holy Mother leads us to Him."
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