President Luis Abinader, First Lady Raquel Arbaje and Vice President Raquel Peña were present for the traditional Altagracia Day mass that fell on Sunday, 21 January 2024 at the Basilica Catedral Nuestra Señora de la Altagracia in Higuey, La Altagracia province. The Basilica is the second most important Roman Catholic church in the country.
Also attending the mass was Minister of the Presidency Joel Santos and his wife Carmen Ligia Barcelo, who is running for deputy for the ruling PRM for the El Seibo province in the East.
Others were Industry & Commerce Minister Victor (Ito) Bisonó and Minister of Housing Carlos Bonilla, the governor of the La Altagracia province Martina Pepén and the mayor of Higuey, Rafael Barón Duluc (Cholitin), senator Virgilio Cedano, the director of the Police Ramon Antonio Guzman Peralta, the director of Digesett Francisco Ozoria de la Cruz and the director of Politur, Minoru Matsunaga.
Diario Libre reported that this year access by religious devotees to the basilica was limited by the security of the President.
Nuncio Apostolic Piergiorgio Bertoldi and the Bishop of La Altagracia, Monsignor Jesus Castro Marte gave the mass.
Our Lady of High Grace is regarded as the protective and spiritual mother of the Dominican people. For the 21 January celebration, thousands of devotees arrived from all over the country.
The Presidency reported that the President, his wife and the Vice President visited the Museo de la Altagracia and had lunch at the Bishop’s house in Higuey.
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Presidency
Diario Libre
Diario Libre
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Noticias SIN
22 January 2024