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Why was Our Lady of Perpetual Help officially declared the Patroness of Haiti in 1942?

<center><img style='border-radius: 50%;'src='http://vaticanstamps.org/cancels/images-std/postmarks/2025-12.jpg' height='200'></center><br><br> The devotion to Notre-Dame du Perpétuel Secours (Our Lady of Perpetual Help) in Haiti is not merely symbolic—it is rooted in a moment of national crisis and miraculous relief. In 1882, Haiti was gripped by a devastating outbreak of cholera and smallpox, particularly in Port-au-Prince. With no medical solution in sight and the dry season offering no natural reprieve, a French woman brought a copy of the icon of Our Lady of Perpetual Help to the capital. On February 5, a solemn procession carried the image to a chapel on a hill, where a novena was begun. Against all odds, heavy rains fell on February 10, clearing the air and halting the epidemic. The people of Haiti attributed this miraculous intervention to the Virgin Mary under this title.<br><br> This event left an indelible mark on the Haitian psyche. The Virgin was henceforth known as the “Miraculous Virgin,” and devotion to her spread rapidly. In recognition of this deep and widespread veneration, the Haitian bishops formally placed the nation under her patronage. In 1942, President Élie Lescot petitioned the Holy See to declare her the official Patroness of Haiti. Pope Pius XII granted the request, cementing her role not only in the religious life of the nation but also in its cultural and civic identity.<br><br> <b>References</b><br> • <a href='https://www.norwichdiocese.org/Stay-Informed/All-Diocesan-Articles/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/8170/Our-Lady-of-Perpetual-Help-Patroness-of-Haiti'>Our Lady of Perpetual Help – Patroness of Haiti</a><br> • <a href='https://www.cssr.news/2018/06/haiti-75-years-under-the-protection-of-mother-of-perpetual-help/'>Haiti: 75 years under the protection of Mother of Perpetual Help</a><br><br>