DIA DE LA CHINITA

"LA CHINITA"

In November it is of special significance for the people zuliano, since during the same one the celebrations are carried out in honor of the Maid (equivalent zuliano of guajirita) or Virgin of the Chiquinquirá. It for this motive that during these days, the bagpipe sounds with special frenzy and happiness in the whole Zulia. Of the numerous holidays(parties) in honor to the Virgin, probably the most impressive is the so called Dawn Piper, in whom the people of Maracaibo congregates in the dawn of the 18th in the small square of the Basilica, for to sing the Daybreaks and the Happy Birthday to the Maid.

In agreement with the tradition zuliana, the Maid came to Maracaibo on the waves of the lake.

The history counts(tells) that one day of the year 1749, a simple woman had just washed his clothes in the shores of the lake of Maracaibo, when suddenly it(he,she) saw floating a tablita of thin wood, which gathered thinking that him might be useful to cover the water vat that had in the corridor of his house. On the following morning, when it was straining(bleaching) the coffee, the woman listened to a few blows as if someone was calling. It went to see what was happening and it could only startled(frightened) of amazement on having seen that the tablita was shining and that it was appearing in her, the image of Our Lady of Chiquinquirá. For such a motive, the woman began to shout miracle! Miracle!, for what of there the name of The Miracle comes to the current avenue close to the lake, where the little house of the laundress was. After happened, numerous persons came to attend the prodigy, turning for this the house of the humble woman into a place of worship of the Virgin on the part of multiple believers.

To the time of the happened in house of the humble laundress, the authorities of Maracaibo decided to realize a procession in honor of the Maid. It counts(tells) the legend, which the Virgin age taken in shoulders by two men chosen by the own(proper) Governor, when on having doubled a corner, the image put so heavy that it prevented from continuing moving. Finally, after many requests to the sky and petitions to the Virgin, one of the presents exclaimed: " Maybe the Virgin does not want to go to the Church Counterfoil and prefer that of God's San Juan ".

At present the house where the find was effected(carried out) gets up a majestic temple home(fireplace) of our Holy Mistress in which there is celebrated the holy sacrifice of the mass and that miraculous tablita in which the sacred image is reflected, is exposed proudly in this altar, where we can see with great clarity the indescribable and sovereign appearance of the Virgin of Chiquinquirá. The street where the house was took from this moment the name of Street of the Miracle.