Escuela de Lenguas UNLP/About Argentina/Tourist Attractions/Corrientes (province)

Loreto Village
This is in Argentina, in the province of Corrientes. There are five thousand inhabitants in it. This name is in honour for the Italian Virgin. The first inhabitants were Guaraníes (local native Americans), Spaniards and priests. Loreto was founded three times. The first was in 1610, in province of Misiones. The second was in 1631, and in 1817 - due to the attacks of Portuguese bandits - the village was moved to the Parana's River coast, in Corrientes. The Guaranies learned to crave. They were inspired by the advice of Jesuits. The carving of the Virgin of Loreto was made by the guaranies. It is more of 300 years old. The original image is thin. The image has the physonomy of a Guarani woman. These inhabitants left different images of saints. There are eighty, in fact, and there are revered. They are in a little building called oratorio.There are many oratorios. They are little and humble churches situaded next of the houses and people pray there. The most modern houses have personal altars inside them. They are full of images of saints and pictures. There is another curiosity in the village. It is a pilgrimage site for the people from Entre Rios. Once a year people go to visit the Virgin. She is the Patron Saint of the Air Force of Argentina.