In their final week in government, President Danilo Medina and Vice President Margarita Cedeño were in Bayaguana, Monte Plata for the inaugural of the Sanctuary of the Christ of the Miracles. This is a Roman Catholic church with a capacity for 2,000 parishioners.
The Bayaguana temple is some 76 km from Santo Domingo. The temple is promoted as the third most important religious pilgrimage site in the country, behind the Basílica Nuestra Señora de la Altagracia in Higuey and La Vega’s Santo Cerro Church.
Monte Plata is in the center of the country. It has easy road access from Santo Domingo, or the tourism destinations of Punta Cana and La Romana.
The shrine is the result of years’ long effort initially promoted by Monte Plata Senator Charlie Mariotti and aging Cardinal Nicolas Lopez Rodríguez. Santo Domingo Archbishop Francisco Ozorio continued to push for the construction throughout the government of Medina.
The plan is to motivate visitors to come to Bayaguana and visit the eco-touristical attractions of the province of Monte Plata, including several waterfalls. Monte Plata is also known for its large pineapple plantations.
The sanctuary is a Christocentric shrine. The doctrine has Jesus Christ as its focus. The shrine includes an area dedicated to the life of Jesus into the post-Jesus era.
The Santo Cristo de los Milagros was declared a National Heritage by the then National Heritage Office (OPC) in 1981. In 2000 it received the category of Pilgrimage Center, by decree of Pope Benedict XVI. It tells the story of an image of Christ in wood dating back to 1619. For hundreds of years, Dominicans have been carrying out pilgrimages to the small church to venerate the ancient image.
The modern design by Architect Marcos Cesar Núñez Muñíz occupies an area of 2,927 square meters. The symbology of would-be hands joined in prayer to God mark the three-level design. Similarly, the bell tower recalls the raised and open arms of a child when asking to be carried.
At the center of the temple is a large cross-shaped photovoltaic skylight that allows natural light to enter and for the generation of clean energy. The skylight alone has a total area of 617 m2 (6,641 square feet). Onyx Solar built the skylight.
The three-level temple is air-conditioned. A first level of 2,000 square meters has two side chapels. There is ample parking for cars and buses and cycling routes.
The work was built by the Office of State Engineers and Supervisors of Works (OISOE) of the Presidency. The Ministry of Public Works paved several access roads and cycling paths.
Monsignor Francisco Ozoria, Metropolitan Archbishop of Santo Domingo blessed the National Shrine of Santo Cristo de los Milagros on the inaugural day.
Also in attendance were Vice President Margarita Cedeño; Presidency Administrative Minister José Ramón Peralta; Defense Minister, Lieutenant General Rubén Darío Paulino Sem; and Public Works Minister Ramón Pepín.
Also the general manager of the Banco de Reservas, Simón Lizardo; the director of the OISOE, Francisco Pagán; the provincial governor, Nicio Rosario, and the senator for Monte Plata, Charlie Mariotti.
Construction was announced to start in 2007 for RD$200 million. Construction began in 2010. The Medina administration did not announce the final cost of the construction.
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11 August 2020