A visiting priest from Ecuador served as principal celebrant and homilist of this year’s New York archdiocesan Our Lady of Nube Mass at St. Patrick’s Cathedral. The Mass stems from a traditional Marian devotion in the South American country.

“With joy we have gathered this afternoon to give thanks to God for this coming New Year, and to be able to celebrate His Holy Mother, Our Lady of Nube, who gladdens our hearts,” Father Alvaro Criollo Vergara, of the Guardián del Convento Franciscano de Azogues, Ecuador, said in opening remarks during the Sunday, December 14, Mass. He noted that despite at times losing hope, the faithful are reminded by Mary of the promises of Christ.

The liturgy was conducted in Spanish. About 1,800 people attended despite the harsh wintry weather in the New York area.

Trusting in the Lord and Mother Mary

Later during the homily, Father Vergara elaborated on his words of joy in celebrating the special Mass, saying, “It is a great reward for me to be inspired by Our Lady of Nube on this occasion, and to do so together with you.” He spoke of the importance of trusting in the Lord and Mother Mary, adding, “We have faith and hope that we are not alone in the journey.”

Father Vergara told the congregation that he brings warm greetings of “paz y bien” (peace and good) from the Church in Ecuador. “Our Lady of Nube inspires us to gather together and receive the blessing of her Son,” he said. The priest noted that the cathedral Mass was being celebrated during Advent, and that the Nube feast day, January 1, will fall during the Church’s Jubilee Year of Hope. (The Jubilee Year began Christmas Eve 2024 and ends January 6, 2026, the Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord).

“Advent is a time of hope, an inner preparation for the birth of Jesus,” Father Vergara said. “And the Virgin Mary walks with us during this time, as our light, as our guide, anticipating the arrival of the Lord. (She is) the living signal of hope that God offers to all humanity.” He addressed the importance of hope, trust, and renewal during the Advent season. He noted that maintaining a prayerful daily life filled with faith and love helps people cope with doubts and fears associated with personal and societal challenges, including concerns related to possible deportation.

“We are all called to trust in God,” the priest asserted, also noting the importance of forgiveness, maintaining a pure heart, and seeking holiness.

The concelebrant of the Mass was Father D’Angelo Jiménez, pastor of St. Ann-St. Lucy parish in East Harlem. Rafael Taveras, Patricio Valencia, and Juan J. Zhaguay served as the Mass deacons. The Our Lady of Nube Mass committee organizes the annual liturgy with the archdiocesan Cultural Diversity Apostolate.

Story of Our Lady of Nube

When Bishop Sancho de Andrade y Figueroa of Quito, Ecuador, became gravely ill, the local faithful made a prayer procession in late December 1696 with the image of Mary from the Church of Guapulo. On their way, the Blessed Mother appeared in the sky on a cloud (“nube” in Spanish), which was seen by about 500 people.

The bishop miraculously recovered his health; the Franciscan friars later founded a sanctuary in Azogues, known as the Santuario de la Virgen de la Nube. Now, the Fiesta de la Virgen de la Nube takes place in Azogues every year on January 1. The veneration was also adopted by nuns from Lima, who brought the Marian devotion to Peru.