Atakora

Twenty five miles from Natitingou and 6 miles from Tanguieta, the Atakora Mountains are host to a Marian shrine built in 1955. The feast days of the Virgin Mary are a special occasion to bless the fruit of agricultural work.

Feast days:

• August 15: Assumption of Mary and blessing of the first fruits of the yam.
• December 8: Immaculate Conception and blessing of the new groundnuts and the new millet.
• March 25: Annunciation and blessing of the sowing of corn, millet and yam.
• May 31: Mary Queen of the World and blessing of the sowing of groundnuts and sorghum.

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Attilio GALLI, Madre della Chiesa dei Cinque continenti, Ed. Segno, Udine, 1997