Virgin of the door intact after attack that left injured and houses affected in Trujillo, Peru

An image of the Virgen de la Puerta and its glass urn was intact after an attack on August 14, which left 10 injured and dozens of houses affected in Trujillo, one of the cities of northern Peru where Pope Leo XIV served.

The attack

On Thursday night it was for many Trujillanos a return to the past of the attacks that perpetrated, in the 1980s and 1990s, the terrorists of the Shining Path, although this time those responsible would belong to a dedicated band, among other crimes, to extortion.

According to the official agency Andina of the Peruvian government, the objective of the attack was a building located at number 831 of Av. Peru; And it would have occurred as the fulfillment of a threat of the band “Los Pepes”, which asked the owner of the property for a million soles-about $ 280,000-so as not to attempt against him and his family.

The Minister of Housing, Durich Whittembury, explained that it would be about 90 homes that were affected by the explosion and that their portfolio will “replace 100% of the conditions of all the families that have been affected, that is, there will be a replacement of the glass, of the doors.”

“In the case of homes that have been significantly affected and that have remained in a collapse condition, we will apply a reinforcement bonus to rebuild these homes. We estimate that they are between four and six homes,” he added.

The intact image of the Virgen de la Puerta

In the midst of chaos and horror lived on Thursday, the intact image of the Mother of God encourages the hope of the locals. This is preserved in the house of Ana María Almadoz, where all the glass were destroyed, except those of the urn of the Virgen de la Puerta.

“We were at home. My daughter was in her room when we listened Andina.

“As everything was dark we did not realize the urn, but then it was my daughter who realized that the urn’s glass were intact, although everyone else were destroyed. We thought it is a miracle of the ‘mamita’ that protects us,” he says.

“This image gave it to my dad 30 years ago. We are all very devout from the Virgen de la Puerta and, although we cannot go to Otuzco, we make Mass and celebration his party at home,” adds the faithful devotee.

The Virgen de la Puerta has its main sanctuary in Otuzco, a city located about 75 kilometers northeast of Trujillo. In 1942 Pope Pius XII gave him the title of “Queen of Universal Peace”. In January 2018, Pope Francis declared it “Mother of Mercy and Hope” during his apostolic visit to Peru.