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Caacupé

Caacupé
City
Flag of Caacupé
Flag
Coat of arms of Caacupé
Coat of arms
Caacupé is located in Paraguay
Caacupé
Caacupé
Location in Paraguay
Coordinates: 25°23′10″S 57°08′27″W / 25.38611°S 57.14083°W / -25.38611; -57.14083
Country  Paraguay
Department Cordillera
Government
 • Mayor Diego Armando Riveros Gonzalez
Area
 • Total 145 km2 (56 sq mi)
Population (2002)
 • Total 42,127
 • Density 290/km2 (750/sq mi)
Time zone AST (UTC-04)
 • Summer (DST) ADT (UTC-03)
Postal code 3000

Caacupé (Guarani: Ka'akupe) is a city and district in Paraguay. It is the capital of the department of Cordillera.

The town was founded in 1770 by Carlos Murphy, a grenadier in the service of King Charles III of Spain, although a first settlement existed here from the 17th century.

The city is the seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Caacupé. Caacupé is best known as the site of the Virgin of Caacupé, which is housed in the cathedral. A major religious festival is held annually on 8 December in honour of the statuette "Our Lady of the Miracles". This statuette, carved in the 16th century by a devout convert, was miraculously saved from a great flood, and numerous miracles are ascribed to it. An enormous basilica stands in the centre of the town, and here 300,000 of the faithful make their way, in a pilgrimage, for the festival.

During the rest of the year Caacupé is a quiet provincial town. It has a park with amusements.

Basilica of Caácupe

Inside view of the basilica.

Pilgrims




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