La Virgen de la Caridad del Cobre.I posted a picture of this medallion on 8/23/09. A couple of days ago it was revived. A new reader of the blog was going through some old posts and came upon a photo of this find. He knew a lot about it, including its history and rich significance.
An object is just an object until you know something about it. A lost object is essentially dead to the world. When you dig it up, it comes back to life in a sense. You hold it, study it, and maybe come to appreciate it.
While it was lost it was no good to anyone. But when an object of interest or value is dug up, it is valued, and it contributes something to someone again.
Enrique P. sent an email giving me a lot of information about this medallion and what it represents.
First of all, the medallion shows the Virgin Mary, but she is known to many as La Virgen de la Caridad del Cobre. Or in other words, the Vigin of Charity.
El Cobre is the city where a statue of the Lady resides in a basilica in Cuba. She is venerated by many there, Catholic and non-Catholic alike. She is the Patron of Cuba.
The city is named El Cobre because it was a copper mining town. Cobre translates as copper.
Catholics may know the Lady as the Virgin Mary but she is venerated by other people, including those of Afro-syncretic religions, who know her primarily as La Virgen de la Caridad del Cobre.
Enrique gave me the following history. I can't give all of it to you here - just a few highlights.
He said that conquistador Alonso de Ojeda, as a token of appreciation for protecting him, took a statue of the Virgin from a galleon, and presented it to the Indians. When Ojeda left Cuba to return to Spain the Indians promised to take care of the Virgin. In the XVI Century a priest from Spain named Padre de las Casas Virgin being protected by the Indians and in good condition.
On the medallion just below Mary, you will see a boat with three people in it. I'm told that the three people in the boat are two Indians and one slave (sometimes called the three Johns) who in 1613 were going to gather salt to preserve meat that was to be transported to Spain when they discovered a wood table bearing the representation of the Virgin holding the infant Jesus. A church, La Ermita de la Caridad, was constructed to house that image.
The basilica in El Cobre is a very important place in Cuba. There is also a shrine where the Lady is venerated in South Florida.
I know I jumped over this quickly. I can't tell you all that Enrique told me here, or all that I read on the internet. Maybe it will inspire you to do some further research.
There are many miracles associated with the image of the Lady.
Thanks to Enrique for taking the time to tell me about all of this!
Here is one link if you want to read more about it.
http://www.sacred-destinations.com/cuba/el-cobre.htm
A billion dollars in unwanted American dollar coins sits in specially-made vaults the size of soccer fields in Texas and Baltimore and other undisclosed locations. What?
Here is the link to that story.
http://www.walletpop.com/2011/06/30/why-is-the-u-s-making-money-nobody-wants/
I find this story very puzzling. Why don't people want to use dollar coins? Why did they produce so many if people don't want them. I think there is more to this story.
From Kovels Komments.
The tintype photograph of outlaw and killer Billy the Kid sold for $2.3 million to a millionaire who plans to enjoy owning it and lending it to a few museums for display. The picture is the only one known to be an authentic photo of Billy the Kid. It was probably taken in New Mexico. Billy the Kid is said to have murdered at least 21 people and was sentenced to hang for the 1878 murder of a sheriff. He escaped and was killed by Sheriff Pat Garrett on July 14, 1881. Tintypes made a mirror image, so the auctioned photo shows what seems to be a left-handed man (he wasn't). The picture was reportedly given to Dan Dedrick by Billy and has been in Dedrick's family ever since. The new owner, William Koch, is a member of a well-known family of billionaires who made money from oil and gas.
Better check to see if you have any photos of Billy around the house.
Treasure Coast Beach Forecast and Conditions
The wind is now from the west/southwest. The seas remain calm, and the beaches sanded in.
On Sunday and Monday the seas will be a touch rougher, but not much.
Watch out for the rain and lightening.
Arlene is now over Mexico and going away from us.
Not much to report. No real changes predicted.
Happy hunting,
TreasureGuide@comcast.net
