Siparia grew to be the administrative centre for Saint Patrick County, and went on to become the capital of the eponymous region that in 2023 was appointed a borough.

Siparia is the site of the annual festival of La Divina Pastora (Mary, as the mother of the Good Shepherd), named for the church's patron saint.

The same statue, a Black Virgin, is venerated by Hindus during a separate festival, held on Good Friday and Maundy Thursday.

These two religious groups are most commonly associated with her, but persons of many other religions, including Jehovah's Witnesses, Anglians, other Christian denominations, Spiritual Baptist, Rastafarians, Orishas, Buddhist, Baháʼís, Muslims, and the indigenous Warao people have been known to worship the popular saint.

[2] There has even been some Muslims who regard the site as holy and offer prayers towards Mecca, but they do not worship the statue as it is against the teachings of Islam.