420th anniversary of the birth of the Augustinian Recollection in America

We celebrate 420 years that mark the first steps in the history of the Augustinian Recollects in America.
In the year 1595, Juan Rodriguez, tired of the illusory pomps of life, decided to spend the last years of his life in a solitary place and set out for the present-day Desierto de la Candelaria, Ráquira-Boyacá, Colombia.
Later, in 1597, they joined this experience: Diego de la Fuente, Domingo de Anaya, Alejandro Mateus, Pedro Martínez, Miguel Suárez, Francisco Rodríguez, Alonso Sánchez, Alonso de Paredes, Nicolás de Ortiz and Antonio de la Cruz.
They built a small chapel dedicated to the Virgen de la Candelaria.

Since then, the Augustinian Recollection was established in the new world.

In 1604, on May 18, by petition given before the archbishop D. Bartolomé Lobo Guerrero, Brother Domingo de Cáceres, hermit, related that he was recollected with other companions in the house and hermitage of Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria, with license, and then, moved with desires of greater perfection and recollection, they wanted to reduce themselves to the monastic and regular life.
The hermits asked Father Mateo Delgado, an Augustinian of Spanish origin, to assist them as spiritual director and to found a convent next to the hermitage.
He did so and took the Recollect habit on August 12, 1604. Father Vicente Mallol was Prior Provincial of the Augustinian Province of Our Lady of Grace.
Since then the Augustinian Recollection was established in the new world.

The Augustinian Recollects were born out of the Catholic restoration of the second half of the 16th century, in December 1588, within the Augustinian Province of Castile, with the intention of establishing a more austere and perfect system of life. The Forma de Vivir, written by Friar Luis de León, was approved by the Provincial Definitory in September 1589 and, eight years later, obtained pontifical confirmation.

The Colombian Recollects, who already had convents in Panama and Cartagena, adopted the way of life of the Spanish Recollection.

At the beginning of the 17th century and in imitation of the Castilian Recollection, another reformist movement arose among the Colombian Augustinians.
In 1604, the definitory of the province of Nuestra Señora de Gracia assigned to its promoters the convent of El Desierto de la Candelaria and gave them norms of life substantially identical to those of Fray Luis de León.
In 1616, the Colombian Recollects, who already had the convents of Panama and Cartagena, adopted the Forma de vivir of the Spanish Recollection, in 1629 they were incorporated to it and in 1666 they became the fifth province of the congregation.

On the occasion of this great anniversary, the Province of Our Lady of Candelaria, on behalf of the Order of Augustinian Recollects, gives thanks to God and will hold on Saturday, August 10, 2024, an academic act that will culminate with the solemn celebration of the Eucharist, in the same place of the Convent, in Ráquira-Boyacá, Colombia.
The program for that day includes the solemn Eucharistic celebration, conferences on the history and spirituality of the 420 years, a concert by the Camerata Barroca de Bogotá and a photographic exhibition of the Monastery.