Amid chaos and debris, an unexpected event surprised the residents: an urn containing a replica of the Virgin of the Gate remained completely intact, while dozens of families had their doors and windows destroyed.
Newsroom (08/19/2025 9:42 AM, Gaudium Press) – A violent explosive attack occurred in the city of Trujillo, on the night of August 14. The explosion left at least ten injured and damaged more than 90 homes.
But amid the chaos and debris, an unexpected event astonished the residents: an urn containing a replica of the Virgin of the Gate (“Virgen de la Puerta“) remained completely intact, while, according to the Ministry of Housing, dozens of families had their doors and windows destroyed, and several homes are now at risk of collapsing. Interior Minister Carlos Malaver confirmed the attack was related to a criminal gang dispute tied to illegal mining. “The hypothesis is that it’s a confrontation between criminal groups, not a case of direct extortion,” he stated.
Preliminary police investigation indicates the attackers used between 15 and 20 emulsion cartridges, an explosive commonly employed in illegal mining shafts. The government pledged to assist the victims by replacing doors and windows and launching a reconstruction plan for the most affected houses.
Among the victims, the family of Ana María Almadoz experienced what she described as a miracle. In her home destroyed by the explosion, only one object remained intact: the urn with the image of the Virgin of the Gate, handed down by her father over thirty years ago: “All the rooms, bathrooms, and large windows were destroyed. But what surprised us most was that the glass of the Virgin, which is old and very thin, didn’t break. For us, this is a miracle,” Mrs. Almadoz told the Peruvian press, adding, “We are very devoted to the Little Virgin. She always accompanies us, and now we feel she protected us. This fact renews our faith.” She said it was her daughter who first noticed the urn was intact: “Since everything was dark, we didn’t notice right away, but later my daughter said to me: ‘The Virgin suffered no damage.’ For us, it is also a miracle that the shards of glass didn’t hurt my daughter, who was in her room at the time of the explosion.”
The main sanctuary of the Virgin of the Gate is in Otuzco, a town located roughly 75 km northeast of Trujillo.
Compiled by Gustavo Kralj
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