In the year of 1592, Fray Andres De Leon respected Franciscan missionary, placed a statue of the Holy Virgin in the hollow of a oak tree, to protect it of the nomad Indian raids.
Not long after the founding of Monterrey in 1596,a young humble shepherd girl that cared for the goats of the family flock, clearly herd her name called with insistence from the oak tree. What a marvelous surprise when she discovered in the hollow of the wild oak a small figure of the Holy Virgin. With the passing of time and the approval of the Parish Priest the villagers kept the promise to built her a chapel as Our Lady desired.
This image of Our Lady has been venerated till the present day in the actual Basilica of Our Lady of the Oak in the center of the city of Monterrey,N.L.,Mexico.
The image of Our Lady represents the Mother of God, in a loving and welcoming posture, her hands are extended outward in a warm and giving gesture below her chest, her head is crowned with a gold and jeweled crown ,and poses her feet on a silver moon. The statue measures 58 centimeters in height and is made of paste of corn mixed with flower bulbs, and is dressed in fine silks that fall in a triangular shape. The image stands on a wooden stand that is covered in engraved silver sheets.
Many are the records of the favors and protection received from our Patroness and during the plagues of 1833 and 1854, the destroying floods and droughts that have devastated the region. The impressive and spectacular industrial economic development of the City of Monterrey, known as the Sultana del Norte is also attributed and is recognized to the undeniable protection of the Mother of God, Our Lady of the Oak
To the date of 1964 it is acknowledged that four have been the churches that the Regiomontanos have built in honor of its Patroness. The present Basilica was the approved and beautiful design of the architect Lisandro Peña, who, was inspired in the Basilicas of San Pablo Extramuros and Santa Maria the Major of the City of Rome. The final design of our Basilica is a wonderful combination of modern expressions and the traditional moulds that designed the three principal sections: the great portico entrance, the majestic central nave and the slim bell tower. The construction was under the charge of the Engineer Ignacio Guajardo.
The bell tower of the basilica is constructed of reinforced concreted and reminds us of the most poetic bell tower in the Christian world, especially the bell tower of Santa Maria “in Cosmedin” in the eternal city. The entrance is the great portico that greets visitors and as they continue into the majestic interior of the church a series of eight columns made of marble made in the corinthian style and finished with capitals and bases of bronze.
The interior of the church is simply overwhelming and majestic. It is designed in the shape of a Latin cross, which include three naves. The central nave is bigger than the two side naves, and measures 17 meters width. Twenty four columns of imposing beauty and ionic style, covered with marble, with capitals and bases of bronze, which makes the division between the middle and side naves which are five meters in width. The eight outside columns of the corinthian style and the twenty two pilasters of the interior are semi detached of the wall and have capitals and bases also of the corinthian style.
The central nave is is tall and the ceiling is beautifully gilded like the Roman basilicas. The sides of the nave, show us a series of artistic glass windows, which allow the natural light in and increases the fervor of the faithful with the exquisiteness of the art and the crucial moments of the life of Our Lord Jesus Christ.
The central nave from the apse to the atrium, measures 90 meters in length.
All of the construction of this fabulous structure is designated for the faithful and even visitors to elevate their eyes, and more than their eyes their mind and heart to the superior central arch where is the mosaic icon of Jesus Christ and at the back on top of the altar the precious reliquary that holds the most precious treasure of the Sultana del Norte the holy and centennial image of Our Lady of the Oak.
Without the slightest doubt the great promoter of this Monumental project was the Don Alfonso Espino y Silva,Archbishop of Monterrey, who declared the celebration “Año Mariano del Roble” On May 31,1963,Jubilee year, until the following year,May 31,1964,when in the presence of authorities and the most high ecclesiastical authorities of Mexico and the Vatican the Basilica was consecrated and the image of Our Lady was crowned, in and atmosphere of joy and the contagious enthusiasm Of the Regiomontanos.
His holiness Pope Paul Vi ,who gloriously reigned granted the grace of the coronation,proclamation,and ritual of the Mass of Our Lady of the Oak. And finally on December the 12,1976 granted the privilege of elevating the Shrine to the status of Basilica. Finally granting all of the blessings, honors and privileges that could be given to the Patroness of Monterrey.