Virgin of the Thirty-Three

Our Lady of the Thirty-Three (Nuestra Señora de los Treinta y Tres), also known as the Liberator of Uruguay, is a title of the Virgin Mary and the Patroness of Uruguay.

History
This image dates from the 18th century and is of Guarani origin. It was venerated by the Thirty-Three Orientals in 1825. In 1857, one of them, General Manuel Oribe, presented a golden crown as a gift to the Virgin.

On 8 September 1930, Pope Pius XI formally declared Our Lady of Lujan as the Patroness of Uruguay. The Papal document was signed by Cardinal Eugenio Pacelli, the future Pope Pius XII. Pius XI, Papam. ARGENTINAE REIPUBLICAE, ITEMQUE URUGUAYANAE ET PARAGUAYANAE CAELESTIS PATRONA DECLARATUR BEATA VIRGO MARIA IMMACULATA, SUB TITULO  DE LUJAN. PIUS PP. XI Ad perpetuam rei memoriam. — Argentinae Reipublicae intra fines in civitate Lujan nuncupata, conspicua exstat imago Beatae Mariae Virginis Immaculatae quam christifideles non modo regionis Argentinae sed finitimarum quoque de Uruguay ac de Paraguay Rerumpubücarum sub titulo Nostrae Dominae de Lujan a tribus saeculis continenti pietate devotioneque maxima venerantur. Iam Decessores Nostri, precibus Episcopi de Plata benigne concedentes, ipsam Nostram Dominam de Xtujan dioecesis de Plata principalem Patronam declararunt, eiusdemque festum cum officio et Missa propriis atque adprobatis die VII mensis Februarii quotannis celebrandum statuerunt. Hodiernus vero Episcopus de Plata nomme quoque aliorum sexdecim Antistitum seu Ordmariorum, qui in memoratis Rebuspublicis dominicum fidelium gregem moderantur, humillimis enixis que supplicationibus Nos rogat, ut eadem Beata Virgo Immaculata de Lujan, principalis tum Argentinae tum Uruguayanae tum Paraguayanae Reipublicae Patrona declaretur et constituatur. Nos autem ad magis magisque in dies fovendam et augendam earundem regionum populi venerationem ac pietatem erga Beatissimam Mariam Virginem Immaculatam de Lujan, huiusmodi votis ultro libenterque annuendum censuimus. Audito igitur dilecto filio Nostro Sanctae Romanae Ecclesiae Cardinali Sacrorum Rituum Congregationi Praefecto, omnibus rei momentis sedulo studio perpensis, Litterisque attentis postulatoriis Archiepiscoporum, Episcoporum ceterorumque Antistitum Rerumpublicarum earundem, motu proprio atque ex certa scientia ac matura deliberatione Nostris deque apostolicae Nostrae potestatis plenitudine, praesentium Litterarum tenore perpetuumque in modum Beatissimam Virginem Mariam Immaculatam sub enunciato titulo de Lujan nuncupatam triplicis Argentinae, Uruguayanae et Paraguayanae Reipublicae praecipuam apud Deum Patronam declaramus et constitiumus; indulta prius pro hac benigna Nostra concessione dispensatione a consueta forma, quae per Decretum Sacrae Rituum Congregationis «De Patronis in posterum eligendis » praescripta est. Decernimus praeterea eadem Nostra auctoritate, Litterarum praesentium vi itemque in perpetuum, ut festum eiusdem Sanctissimae Patronae quotannis die VII mensis Februarii, sub Acta Pii PP. XI 157 ritu duplici primae classis cum octava communi et Officio ac Missa propriis et iam adprobatis pro dioecesi de Plata, recolatur. Haec vero mandamus atque edicimus, decernentes praesentes Litteras firmas, validas atque efficaces semper exstare ac permanere, suosque plenos atque integros effectus sortiri atque obtinere; illisque ad quos pertinent, sive pertinere poterunt, nunc et in posterum perpetuo suffragari; sicque rite iudicandum esse ac definiendum; irritumque ex nunc et inane fieri, si quidquam secus super his, a quovis, auctoritate qualibet, scienter sive ignoranter attentari contigerit. Contrariis non obstantibus quibuslibet. Datum Romae apud Sanctum Petrum, sub anulo Piscatoris, die VIII mensis Septembris anno MDCCCCXXX, Pontificatus Nostri nono. E. CARD. PACELLI, a Secretis Status.

In 1962, the image was solemnly crowned by bishop. Soon afterwards, Pope John XXIII declared her patron saint of Uruguay.

The image was consecrated by Pope John Paul II in his visit to Uruguay in 1988.

Devotion
The Cathedral of Florida is the shrine where this image is venerated. Ever since the country's independence, there have been pilgrimages to it, for instance, in times of pests. The first National Pilgrimage was in 1908. A very important pilgrimage was carried out by bishop Miguel Paternain in 1945, covering almost one half of the whole country.

A yearly pilgrimage is held every second Sunday of November.

Places of veneration
The Virgin of the Thirty-Three has many churches dedicated to her: And there are also several chapels devoted to Her in all the country.
 * Cathedral Sanctuary of Our Lady of the Thirty-Three in Florida
 * Parish Church of Our Lady of the Thirty-Three in Maldonado
 * Parish Church of Our Lady of the Thirty-Three in Treinta y Tres
 * Parish Church of Our Lady of the Thirty-Three in Montevideo
 * Montevideo Metropolitan Cathedral has an important image of the Virgin of the Thirty-Three