📚 Our Lady of La Leche

Our Lady of La Leche
Our Lady of La Leche, meaning Our Lady of the Milk and Happy Delivery, is one of the oldest Marian devotions in the Americas. The image depicts the Blessed Virgin Mary nursing the Infant Jesus, symbolizing her tender care, motherhood, and intercession for mothers and children. Devotion to Our Lady of La Leche originated in Spain and was brought to the New World by Spanish settlers in the 16th century. The first shrine dedicated to her in the United States—located in St. Augustine, Florida—is the oldest Marian shrine in North America. She is venerated as a protector of mothers, infants, and families, and as a source of comfort and hope for those seeking the blessings of safe childbirth and nurturing love.

Origin: 16th Century (Spain) | Feast Day: October 11 | Canonized: Title approved by Pope Francis in 2019 (as patroness of mothers and families)
Patronage: Mothers, pregnant women, nursing mothers, and families.