Great Britain will return to Argentina an image of the Virgin of Luján who was in Malvinas

Britain will restore an image of the Virgin of Luján that was transported to the Falklands during the 1982 war and whose tracks were later lost. In return, the bishopric will issue an answer to the British military chaplains and the exchange will take place in October at the Vatican, where Pope Francis will bless both images.

This was reported by the military bishop, Santiago Olivera, in La Nación. The religious will share with his English couple, Paul James Mason, the meeting with Francisco on October 30, during a public hearing on San Pedro Square.

Where was

Currently, the image is in the east window of St. Michael's Cathedral and St. George's Aldershot, in Hampshire County, which is the seat of the British military bishopric.

A plaque explains that "the Argentineans invaded the Falkland Islands in 1982 and took with them this statue of Our Lady of Luján.After their surrender, they left the image to the apostolic prefect of the islands, Mgr Dan Spraggon. He introduced him to Father Alfred Hayes, who has been with British forces throughout the campaign. "

Once the war was over, Father Hayes asked Bishop Spraggon for permission to wear the image and to induct him into the Aldershot Military Cathedral, in memory of soldiers on both sides. dead in the conflict.

Francisco's wish

"In mid-2018, a lay leader from the Catholic group La Fe del Centurión, who offers spiritual retreats to veterans and their family members in the diocese of Quilmes, read a report to an English military doctor, who said: in the British military cathedral, there was an image of the Virgin of Luján and it was the first step, once the origin was confirmed, the procedures for his return began, "explained Mgr Olivera to La Nación .

The military bishop informed Francisco of the novelty during the ad limina visit he conducted in May in Rome with other Argentine bishops. According to Olivera, the Pope immediately showed his interest. "He asked us to wait until he had a place on the agenda because he wanted to bless her personally and so we set the date of October 30," he said. Olivera with enthusiasm.

The exchange will take place on October 30, on the occasion of the celebration of the fifth training course for Catholic military chaplains organized by the Holy See. "We will make an exchange as a sign of our bond, our shared faith and our peaceful good will," Bishop Mason told his Argentine counterpart.

In the same vein, Bishop Joseph Murphy, Chief of Protocol at the Vatican Secretariat of State, added his satisfaction: "I am confident that this will be a moving opportunity, as well as a important sign of reconciliation in the context of the meeting of military bishops from around the world, "reported La Nación.

The picture and the Argentine soldiers

The image of the Virgin of Luján, Patroness of Argentina, was transported to the Falkland Islands on April 9, 1982, a week after the Argentine troops landed. At first, he stayed at the Malvinas military air base. Then she was transferred to Saint Mary Parish, in the archipelago, according to the same media.

On May 8, the day of the Virgin of Luján, the Argentine soldiers shared a celebration with the image. This was the last time that records were available, according to La Nación.