Cachita
/kaˈtʃita/noun
A Cuban Spanish affectionate name for the Virgin of Charity, especially Our Lady of Charity of El Cobre, Cuba’s patroness.
Did you know?Cachita refers to the Virgin of Charity after three fishermen reportedly found her image floating in the Bay of Nipe in 1612, an event central to Cuban religious identity.
Etymological Timeline
Late Antiquity
Latin
caritas
“Affection, esteem, or Christian love; the source of Spanish caridad.”
Medieval Latin
Latin
caritas
“Charity or divine love, especially love expressed through Christian compassion.”
Old Spanish
Spanish
caridad
“Charity, Christian love, and the name associated with the Virgin of Charity.”
17th Century
Cuban Spanish
Cachita
“An affectionate or hypocoristic form used for the Virgin of Charity, particularly in Cuba.”
Modern English
English
Cachita
“A name used in English-language writing for the Cuban Virgin of Charity or her devotional image.”