Sanctuary of Our Lady of Las Lajas

The machine is located inside the church, on the right side in the middle of the church.

The Miracle of Our Lady of Las Lajas

In the 18th century, in Colombia, María Meneses de Quiñones—a woman descended from indigenous chiefs of Potosí—often walked the six-and-a-quarter-mile distance between her village and another called Ipiales, located in the Department of Nariño near the Ecuadorian border.

One day in 1754, as she approached the bridge over the Guáitara River at a place called Las Lajas (“The Flat Stones”), a terrible storm broke out. Terrified, the poor indigenous woman took refuge in a cave by the road. Feeling desperate and alone, she began praying to Our Lady of the Rosary, whose devotion had spread in the region thanks to the Dominicans.

Suddenly, she felt someone touch her back and call her name. She turned around but saw nothing. Overcome with fear, she fled back to Potosí. Days later, María returned to Ipiales, carrying her deaf-mute daughter Rosa on her back. When they reached the cave, she sat on a stone to rest. Before she could settle, Rosa climbed down and began scrambling over the rocks, exclaiming: “Mami! Mami! There’s a white lady here with a baby in her arms!”

María was stunned—it was the first time she had ever heard her daughter speak. Worse still, she saw no sign of the figures Rosa described. Shaken, she hurried to Ipiales and told relatives and friends what had happened, but no one believed her.

After finishing her business in Ipiales, María headed back to Potosí. As she passed the cave, Rosa suddenly cried out: “Mami! The white lady is calling me!” Still, María saw nothing. Frightened, she rushed away.

At home, she shared the story, and soon the entire region knew of the mysterious cave—a well-known spot along a busy road.

The Apparition of the Virgin and Child
Days later, Rosa disappeared. Desperate, María searched everywhere until she realized her daughter must have gone to the cave, as she often spoke of the “white lady” calling her. When María arrived, she found Rosa kneeling before a radiant woman, playing affectionately with a child who had climbed down from His mother’s arms. María fell to her knees—she was witnessing the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Fearing ridicule, she kept the miracle secret but began visiting the cave, decorating it with wildflowers and candles.

Time passed, and only María and Rosa knew the truth—until the girl fell gravely ill and died. Heartbroken, María carried Rosa’s body to the cave, begging the Virgin to restore her life.

An Astonishing Miracle
Moved by a mother’s grief, the Virgin interceded with her Divine Son, and Rosa was miraculously revived. Overjoyed, María rushed to Ipiales at night, waking the townspeople with her news. Bells rang, and by dawn, a crowd gathered at the cave. As sunlight broke, they saw an impossible sight: the Virgin’s image, perfectly imprinted on the stone wall.

The Sanctuary of Our Lady of Las Lajas
The stunning Gothic-style sanctuary stands where the miracle occurred, perched above the Guáitara River in the Colombian Andes, 7 km from Ipiales and 11 km from the Ecuador border. A place of extraordinary beauty chosen by the Mother of God, its basilica clings to the cliffside, with the sacred image enshrined above the altar.

Every September 16, thousands of pilgrims honor the Virgin here. One of the shrine’s greatest benefactors was “el ciego Rivera” (“the blind Rivera”), who—despite his blindness—traveled towns and villages begging for materials to build a worthy temple for Our Lady.

The architect Espinoza constructed it with untrained laborers—farmers he taught to mix cement and lay bricks. Through perseverance, they created a masterpiece.

A Heavenly Reward
How beautiful it will be if, on Judgment Day, we hear Christ say:
“I have heard My Mother speak well of you.”