02 APRIL - OUR MOTHER OF HIGHEST GRACE

 Pilgrimages were already being made to the shrine of Our Mother of the Highest Grace in the town of Higuey in the Dominican Republic. Ponce de Leon and his crew were 

    saved from shipwreck through their prayers to this Virgin. Our Mother appeared to Nina while she prayed before the statue in their home Chapel and told her to request from 

    her father a gift, a painting of Our Mother of Highest Grace. Ponce de Leon searched and one day while returning from a three-day trip, he asked for lodging at a small hut; 

    his host granted this at the same time to an old man with a long white beard; the latter crouched against the walls, carefully guarding an apparent treasure in his saddle-bags. 

    Ponce de Leon, forgetting the old man, told his host of his daughter’s wish. The old man hearing this, exclaimed, “The Virgin of Highest Grace does exist! I have brought the 

    painting with me. Take it to Nina.” The two men fell on their knees to give homage to the holy image. When they again looked up, the old bearded stranger had vanished. 

    When Ponce de Leon arrived home, his daughter awaited him under an orange tree in the plaza, stretching out her hands. When it had been unwrapped, La Nina fell on her knees, 

    covering Our Mother’s face with kisses. Then she cried, “This is exactly how our Mother of Highest Graces appeared to me!” The painting of Our Mother of Highest Grace was placed 

    in the Chapel where the townspeople came to venerate it. Not long afterward Nina died and was buried beneath the orange tree, which she loved, for it was there she had received 

    the image. Later the painting of Our Mother of Highest Grace disappeared from the Chapel and was found in the branches of the orange tree. After this had happened three times, 

    the people were convinced that Our Mother wished a shrine erected on the spot. Countless miracles began to occur there.




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