Escuela de Lenguas UNLP/About Argentina/Argentinean Traditions and Legends

THE LEGEND OF THE DIFUNTA CORREA (DECEASED CORREA)

One of the popular legends of Argentina is “THE DECEASED CORREA”. She is a mythical and semipagan leading figure in the Argentine religion. She was born in San Juan, a province in the Argentine North, around 1840. Legends says she was the wife of a man who was recruited for the civil wars in the 19th Century. Also legend says that when she stayed alone in the village her was harassed by the police chief.

When this began, she decided to go and find her husband. She held her baby and went after the troops. There were deserts where there wasn’t any water. She carried only a litttle bread, dried meat and two water containers. She only walked a short way because the way was very very dark, then she got to an ALGARROBO (this is typical tree in that territory), but she died there. Some muleteers passed this way and they saw the dead woman. She was Deolinda Correa, but her baby was still breastfeeding, because the mother breasts still had milk. The muleteers buried the woman, Deolinda, in a place called "Vallecito", and they carrried the baby. All muleteers knew the story, and they began to go to "Vallecito". First the muleteers built a oratory, and after time they had a sanctuary.

Now in Argentina there are many devout, this devouts see "Correa deceased" do miraclles. Devouts believe wich the Baby's survival there was the first miracle

From 1940 "Correa Deceased"sanctuary became in a little town where there are several chapels. In those chapels there are many offering"s people. Firts muleteers then truckers built unusual altars along the routs Argentine Unusual because in they there are many water bottles for thirst quiet of “CORREA DECEASED” During all year many visitors come to the oratory in Vallecito.

This town is in San Juan province, it is at 1114 kilometries of Buenos Aires. It is consider that during one year go one millon persons to Vallecito, province San Juan by the santuary and offering carry by give miracles