In February 1747, a laborer named Alejandro Colindres was walking home from work when night fell near the village of Suyapa. He lay down to rest on the ground and felt something hard beneath him. In the darkness, he threw the object aside, but it struck him. Examining it by moonlight, he discovered a tiny wooden statue of the Virgin Mary, barely six centimeters tall. Alejandro brought the image home, where his family began to pray before it. When miracles followed, word spread throughout Honduras. Nuestra Señora de Suyapa had found her people.
Today, the Basilica of Suyapa rises on the hillside where the miraculous discovery occurred, serving as the national shrine of Honduras. The tiny statue—so small it fits in one's palm—draws over a million pilgrims annually, making Suyapa the most visited pilgrimage site in Central America after Esquipulas. Hondurans consider her their special protector, and her feast on February 3 is a de facto national holiday when the entire country seems to flow toward the sanctuary.
📜 History & Spiritual Significance
The statue discovered by Alejandro Colindres was carved from cedar wood, possibly dating to the colonial period. Its discovery occurred during a time when Honduras was experiencing religious revival under Franciscan missionary activity. The Virgin's dark skin resonated with the mestizo and indigenous populations.
Devotion spread rapidly as reports of miracles multiplied. In 1925, Pope Pius XI declared Our Lady of Suyapa the patroness of Honduras. The original chapel was expanded repeatedly to accommodate growing crowds. The current basilica, completed in 1954, can hold 8,000 worshippers.
The shrine survived the political upheavals that marked Honduras in the late 20th century. During the 1980s civil conflicts, Suyapa served as a place of reconciliation where Hondurans of all political backgrounds could pray together for peace.
☩ Pilgrimage Sites in Suyapa
Basilica of Our Lady of Suyapa
National shrine of Honduras' patroness
The mid-20th century basilica houses the miraculous statue in a special shrine chamber. The tiny image is displayed in an ornate camarín above the main altar, visible to the thousands of pilgrims who visit daily.
Original Site
A marker indicates where Alejandro Colindres discovered the statue in 1747.
Pilgrims' Way
The road from Tegucigalpa to Suyapa fills with pilgrims walking, many carrying flowers and candles.
🕯️ Annual Feast Days & Celebrations
Feast of Our Lady of Suyapa — February 3
Honduras' most important religious celebration draws over one million pilgrims. The nine-day novena preceding the feast brings continuous crowds to the sanctuary.
🛏️ Where to Stay
Hotels in Tegucigalpa (7 km) — The capital offers various accommodation options.
🚗 Getting There
By Air: Toncontín International Airport (TGU) in Tegucigalpa is 10 km from Suyapa.
By Car: From Tegucigalpa, follow signs to Suyapa (approximately 15 minutes).
🧭 Nearby Pilgrimage Destinations
Esquipulas, Guatemala (300 km southwest) — Central America's largest pilgrimage.
🪶 Closing Reflection
"The Rosary is the most beautiful and the most rich in graces of all prayers; it is the prayer that touches most the Heart of the Mother of God." — Pope St. Pius X
