United States- The Dominican married couple living in Orlando, Florida, Dr. Rubén Darío Núñez, former ambassador to the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations, and the prominent plastic artist, Elizabeth Farinho de Núñez, are on a cruise who travels several countries around the world with two canvases of the Virgin of Altagracia, on a mission after receiving a miracle from the protective mother of the Dominicans and seeks to replicate the faith through her testimony.
The creator of the work explained that the mission plans to last about four months on a cruise where they will visit 33 countries on four continents around the world with the protector of the Dominicans bringing a breath of faith and hope to every corner of the planet.
«Undertake the mission of taking and presenting the Virgin to distant lands to make her known in other latitudes and different cultures. This idea was taking shape and making a lot of sense for me, to such a degree that I assimilated it as a personal project to be carried out immediately», said the artist.
He assured that with his work he also seeks to return to the origins where Dominicans had a painting of the Virgin of Altagracia in their homes and visited the church to ask with faith for a miracle for them or a family member.
He stressed that it is the first time that the painting of the Virgin of Altagracia travels the world, and that on its date on the 21st, the Day of Our Lady of Altagracia in the Dominican Republic, Father Frederick Tillotson will officiate a mass on the boat in your Honor.
He thanked each person who receives it at all times, so that the ship with the patron saint arrives, where he shows his faith and asks the mother of Jesus Christ for miracles.
«I have witnessed many miracles that have made me believe and surrender to the faith and devotion of Our Lady of Altagracia, patroness of our country. I myself received a miracle through her intercession, overcoming a health problem in 2019, which reconsidered many things in my life and which inspired me to capture the painting of our Virgin and undertake the mission of taking and presenting the Virgin to distant lands to make it known in other latitudes and different cultures. This idea was taking shape and making a lot of sense for me, to such a degree that I assimilated it as a personal project to be carried out immediately », she expressed.
She indicated that she and her husband planned to travel around the world in early 2020 “but in that, the covid-19 pandemic struck us and everything had to be postponed with no probable date, but I continued with the firm intention of taking carried out what was proposed, since it was a promise made to the Virgin. Despite the fact that for the year 2021 the activities were gradually being renewed, the company with which we traveled maintained many restrictions and maintained the cancellation of the trip.
At the Good Shepard Catholic Church (El Buen Pastor) in Orlando, Florida, with the priest Terry Niziolek who blessed the images of the virgins: the original and the one painted by the plastic artist Elizabeth Farinho de Núñez.
«In Portugal, we were received by the Dominican ambassador, Miguel Ángel Prestol, in a courtesy visit that we made to present this project. Also, I learned that Our Lady of Altagracia had already been enthroned in the Parish Church of São João de Brito in Lisbon », he said.
In addition to pilgrimages around the world, he does social works in favor of the most vulnerable people, especially children, making donations for the care of the child population.
“I ask the Dominicans for prayer so that this pilgrimage touches the hearts of those who can most, be they government, politicians or businessmen so that they contribute to the cause and continue to reach the virgin to more places with their support,” he said.
