Gruta de la Virgen de la Medalla Milagrosa

Gruta Medalla Milagrosa Y San Cayetano


Useful Information

Location: Tanti, Provincia de Córdoba.
(-31.360603, -64.595415)
Open: All year daily 8-19.
[2020]
Fee: free.
[2020]
Classification: SubterraneaGrotto
Light: n/a
Dimension:
Guided tours:
Photography: allowed
Accessibility: yes
Bibliography:
Address: Gruta de la Virgen de la Medalla Milagrosa.
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then.
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History

1937 created by Don Ernesto de la Vega.

Description

The Gruta de la Virgen de la Medalla Milagrosa is a sort of Lourdes Grotto built into numerous natural and artificial caves in the wall of a huge block of rock. The natural cavities were caused by tafoni weathering, which is typical for granite and creates lots of small and shallow caves. In the year 1937 Micaela Bordoy de Roldán, owner of the place, asked Don Ernesto de la Vega to improve the place. The result is a kind of chapel, somewhere between peasant painting and turgid kitsch.

One cave contains the image of the Virgen de la Medalla Milagrosa (Virgin of the Miraculous Medal). This is actually a story from a chapel in Paris, France. The Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to Saint Catherine Labouré in 1830 and requested the creation of the medal which came to be known as the Miraculous Medal. At this time Catherine Labouré was a seminary sister (novice) of the Daughters of Charity of Saint Vincent de Paul. The chapel was in the mother house of the order. The Miraculous Medal Medal of Our Lady of Grace, is a devotional medal designed by Catherine Labouré. It was made by goldsmith Adrien Vachette in 1830.

Another cave contains a picture of Saint Cayetano. Gaetano dei Conti di Thiene (06-OCT-1480 to 07-AUG-1547), known as Saint Cajetan, was an Italian Catholic priest and religious reformer.

According to legend de la Vega fell into the well that he built for the provision of water. This fact was assumed as the Virgin's first miracle, saving his life in a miraculous way.

We recommend the place for its weirdness and the really nice tafoni.