Then, in 890, shepherd boys from Monistrol, a village at the foot of Montserrat, were sent unbeknown to them to be the source of the discovery of the treasure:While tending their flocks that night the shepherds were surprised by lights and the sound of singing coming from the mountain. Incline unto my aid, O Lord, O Lord, make haste to help me. History of Montserrat Shrine. The statue is affectionately called “La Moreneta” or the Little Madonna and is 37 inches high. These most unusual lofty cone-shaped jags are almost perpendicular. "La Moreneta" is one of Catalonia's two patron saints, together with Marian advocation venerated in the monastery of MontserratSimonis, Damien. The Black Madonna was believed to have been carved in Jerusalem at the beginning of the religion.
Attempts to take the statue in Procession to the Cathedral failed, since, as they proceeded, the Statue became heavier and heavier. A strong tradition of pilgrimages developed around Our Lady of Montserrat and the Shrine built to receive the statue. The statue was repainted black by successive generations of restorers. Abadia de Montserrat: Black Virgin of Montserrat - See 7,980 traveler reviews, 13,486 candid photos, and great deals for Montserrat, Spain, at Tripadvisor. You searched for: virgin of montserrat! In 718AD, to escape destruction by the Moorish invaders, the statue was taken to Barcelona where it fell from sight until 880AD.On that fateful date, Shepherds “watching their flocks at night” saw lights and heard singing on a mountainside in Catalonia on successive Saturday nights and on investigation found the statue enthroned on a ledge in a cavern.
We will talk about all you can do in Montserrat in our next post. All Rights Reserved. Scientific studies have proven that the black color of their skin was the result of the darkening of the paint caused by smoke and incense, but the Madonna remains black as this special treat has become characteristic and even gives name to the Virgin: la Moreneta (the little brunette). The surrounding shepherds noticed a miraculous phenomenon. St. Ignatius of Loyola made an annual pilgrimage to Montserrat as have a million or more pilgrims every year in modern times.The mountain named Montserrat rises 20 miles northwest of Barcelona, in the region of Catalonia, which takes it names from the Spanish, Catalan, for "sawn mountain" probably because its rock outgrowths seem to be the teeth of a saw from a distance. The Black Madonna was believed to have been carved in Jerusalem at the beginning of the religion. The spiritual significance of mountains is well documented in the Holy Bible. Above the Virgin's head, there are Angels that were created by the sculptor Marti Llaurado.On leaving the altar of the Black Madonna, at the bottom of the stairs, you will be given the opportunity to say a prayer in the chapel of the Image of the Mother of God. No working out train routes, timetables and trying to buy tickets in Spanish. Contrary to popular belief, she is not black due to a portrayal of a Black African Madonna. Two statues were sent to Trinidad, the first being the original statue placed in Tortuga by the Archdiocese of Port- of-Spain.
On entering the There is no charge for visiting the Black Madonna. This chapel was completed in 1885 under the direction of Francesc de Paula del Villar i Lozano who was helped by a young Antoni GaudÃ.One of the most common questions about the Black Madonna is why she is black. Chances are you will have to wait to see the Madonna. The reliquary statue of In 2001 renovators working for the government observed that the black hands and face of La Moreneta had over the centuries undergone a change in colour. A complete account of the origin of the miraculous image, the cause of its removal and the place of its hidden security were recorded and in the archives of Barcelona.Even though the location of the statue was eventually forgotten, the people of Barcelona never forgot the holy image for almost 200 years. The highest cone rises to a height of nearly 4,000 feet, while the circumference around the entire base of the mountain is measured at about 12 miles.