Still reeling from the 7.8-magnitude earthquake that devastated many parts of their country and killed at least 600 people, Ecuadorans are finding hope and consolation from a statue of the Virgin Mary, the Catholic News Agency and EWTN News report.

Many people in Ecuador believe that a miracle occurred when their country was rocked by the worst earthquake in its history on April 16.

The statue of Our Lady of Light was inside a glass case at the grotto of Leonie Aviat school in the Tarqui administrative district in Manta Canton, Ecuador, one of the areas devastated by the earthquake.

Everything collapsed around the object following the quake, but the glass case did not shatter and the Virgin Mary statue remained intact, witnesses said.

The earthquake reduced the school to rubble, according to Sister Patricia Esperanza, a member of the Oblates of Saint Francis de Sales which runs the Leonie Aviat school.

However, to the amazement of everyone who saw it, the statue of the Virgin Mary – who is the patroness of the Oblates – was completely undamaged.

Sister María del Carmen Gómez said they discovered the untouched statue when they started clearing the debris Wednesday last week.

"Not only did the Virgin remain intact in its grotto, but also my Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament," she said.

"The Blessed Sacrament was in a small chapel at the entrance to the school and was buried. We found it intact together with some liturgical objects used for the Eucharistic celebration and another smaller statue of Our Lady of Light," she said.

The Oblates have been working in this school since 1960 and had more than 900 students enrolled for this school year.