luján 1

In a conciliatory gesture, 37 years after the Falklands War, 

military bishops from Great Britain and Argentina exchanged images of the Virgin Mary on Wednesday in St. Peter’s Square, blessed by Pope Francis.

Some Argentine troops carried a 35cm replica of Our Lady of Lujan, patroness of Argentina, with them, for divine protection, as they invaded in April 1982, the Falkland Islands, the British overseas territory in the South Atlantic, over which Argentina claims sovereignty.

When the military conflict ended 74 days later in a victory for Britain, the Marian statue, left in a church during the Argentine retreat, was taken to Great Britain.

A Catholic Church official responsible for the Falklands gave it to the Catholic military chaplain who had arrived with the British forces. The statue was then taken to Britain and found a home in the Catholic Military Cathedral of St. Michael and St. George in Aldershot, in southern England, where it had remained until now.

Bishop Paul Mason of the Bishopric of the Forces [Militair Ordinariaat] returned the statue Oct. 30th to Bishop Santiago Olivera of the Argentine Forces in St. Peter’s Square, after the pope’s General Audience. In return, Bishop Olivera offered a replica statue to serve as its replacement in the Aldershot cathedral.

Pope Francis blessed both of the statues, and was visibly moved by a plaque honoring the war dead in Argentina presented at the audience. The gravestone was from a tomb at the Argentine military cemetery at Darwin, Falklands, and belonged to an, until recently, unidentified Argentine soldier 'only known to God'.

The Pope appeared to wipe out some tears, after kissing and praying, with one hand on the black marble gravestone.

“It was an intriguing story that met me, when first installed as Bishop of the Forces, and I immediately realized what a good opportunity it was, not only to return the statue, but also to demonstrate a united faith across two countries that have experienced political division,” 

Bishop Mason said in a statement, announcing the statue exchange.

[31.10.2019]