In Montserrat, Catalonia, there is a mountain that is famous for its strange reliefs, the Montserrat mountain. It is known as the place where the Virgin of Montserrat made her most beautiful appearances, where, after listening to beautiful music, they met her, beautiful and majestic.
Like the Virgin of the Valley, she is also known as the Virgen Morena, she represents a great number of virtues and is also identified as the Virgin of pregnant women. We will talk about her history, her greatness and her miracles. This is the reason why all the parishioners and believers celebrate the day of La Morenata every year.
Origin of the Virgin of Montserrat
The Virgin of Montserrat is widely known to her numerous parishioners as “La Morenata”; according to the story, the origin of her wood carving is due to the blessed hand of Saint Luke the Evangelist, who, under divine inspiration, created her using the same workshop of Saint Joseph. It is believed that even Saint Luke had the great privilege of having Mary, the mother of Jesus, as his direct model.
There is no precise information as to how it was brought to Italy, but it is believed that it was St Peter who kept it until his death in the year 60, where it was later kept by the faithful until the Roman Emperor Constantine ordered the construction of the ancient Basilica of St Peter’s in 330 A.D., where it is believed that the image was kept until it had to be taken by the Moors to their land in the 770s. It was hidden in a cave to be taken back to the Moors. It was hidden in a cave to avoid being plundered by the Muslims of the time.
History of the Virgin of Montserrat
Many years later, in 880 A.D., our Blessed Mother of Montserrat, with majestic maternal love, chose seven shepherd children, who were tending their sheep in the mountains, as witnesses of her divine presence in the hills of Montserrat in Catalonia, manifesting herself for seven consecutive Saturdays, illuminating the dark nights with mysterious lights and filling the atmosphere with sublime mysterious music, leading them to find her in a cave where she had been sheltered.
It is also known that in the 9th century, the Bishop of Manresa was informed of the discovery and ordered that the Virgin be removed and taken to Manresa, but during the transport she began to grow heavier and heavier until it was impossible to handle her. The bishop interpreted this as an express wish that “La Moreneta” should remain in the cave where she was found. For this reason, the sanctuary of the Virgin was built on the mountain where she was found.
In 1814, during the War of Independence, in order to prevent the image from being destroyed, the Virgin was taken to Barcelona, since her convent in Montserrat had been desecrated. For this reason, the image had to be kept in the Cathedral and later in the church of San Miguel, and in 1824, after the reconstruction of the convent, it was returned to the sanctuary. However, it was not until 1844 that the cult was restored.
It is important to note that the Virgin was not always dressed as she is today. In ancient times she wore luxurious cloth cloaks, majestic robes and gold crowns, which were unfortunately stolen during the Spanish Civil War, when Republican militiamen stripped her of these accessories, leaving her as we know her today: beautiful, simple and humble.
The monastery of the Virgin of Montserrat
Each Virgin has her own monastery or basilica, for example the Basilica of the Virgin of Guadalupe we find, looking imposing, against a rock formation of a mountain that looks like saw teeth, in fact in 888, according to historical data, was built a chapel in honour of the Mother of God, this building is located north east of Barcelona, Spain about 20 km from the city. It is located at an altitude of 725 metres above sea level, with a height of 33 metres. It has a single nave that is over 68 metres long and 22 metres wide.
The monastery itself was founded by Benedictine monks in 1025, some two hundred years later. The monastery was founded by Benedictine monks in 1025, some two hundred years later, with the aim of caring for this temple and welcoming the thousands of visitors who come to this religious centre, which is embedded in a natural monument made up of peculiar rock formations that, from a distance, appear to be the fingers of hands joined in prayer, as if they had been carved by nature for this purpose.
Convent of Santa Maria de Montserrat
At 720 metres above sea level, the Monastery of Our Lady of Montserrat stands majestically in the municipality of Monistrol de Montserrat. A cultural and spiritual symbol of Catalonia, it is an ideal place of pilgrimage for believers and artists seeking inspiration. It even has one of the oldest children’s choirs in Europe, known as the Choir; it offers services ranging from catering to accommodation for pilgrims wishing to make a spiritual retreat; it is both a gastronomic heritage and a natural sanctuary.
It was conceived with a vision that allowed it to quickly become a sanctuary, which led to an imminent increase in donations and parishioners, increasing its influence throughout the region. The carving of the Virgin that is venerated today dates from the 12th and 13th centuries, when the Romanesque church was built. At the end of the 12th century, the Abbot Regent began to transform it into an abbey, increasing the number of monks to 12. In 1410, with the approval of Pope Benedict XIII, it became an independent abbey.
The 19th century was one of the most tragic for the monastery, since at the beginning of the century it was burnt down several times by Napoleon’s troops. It was also attacked, set on fire and robbed of many of its treasures; likewise, in the middle of the century, around 1836, many of its members left religious life in the monastery, both individually and as a result of the political measures that affected it as a result of these measures, known as the disentailment of the monastery.
As a result of these measures, known as the disentailment of Mendizabal, where idle lands owned by the Church were sold and auctioned off and many religious orders were deprived of their budgets.
The carved image
The real historical data on the date of its carving differs drastically from the legend that surrounds it, according to which it was carved in the years around the Crucifixion, because it is a medieval carving with romantic tendencies, dating from the 12th century. It is 95 centimetres high, made of beech and white poplar wood and weighs only about 17 kilos. She holds a child in her lap, which logically represents Jesus, who is seated.
The child’s right hand is raised as a sign of blessing, while she holds a pine cone in her left hand. In her right hand she holds the universe, represented by a sphere. Her figure is elongated and her face
Many experts agree that the sculptor was inspired by the figure of the Egyptian goddess Isis, who was his source of inspiration. Both the face and the head of the Child Jesus were later restored, as the details do not correspond to the original Romanesque style.
Why is the Montserrat Virgin black?
Her popular nickname “La Morenata” is due to the fact that her face and hands are black, which contrasts beautifully with the rest of the details, which are in gold and others in black. According to recent studies, this colour is not the original, but the result of a change in the varnish with which it was repainted in the 19th century, when details such as the real hands and the baby Jesus were added. As we have said, its colour is the result of the oxidation of the lead in the paint.
A valuable fact in the history of this virgin is that she was one of the first to be canonised by coronation in 1881, before the Virgin of La Merced (Barcelona). From then until today, Spain has made her the patron saint of all its undertakings, and devotion to her has spread throughout the world thanks to the countless miracles she performed, especially in the 16th century, and from the beginning she had 150 churches and chapels all over Italy. Today more than seven monasteries bear her name, including one in Chile and other parts of America.
Prayer to Our Lady of Montserrat
Just as Our Lady of Mount Carmel has her prayer, so does La Morenata. The prayers to Our Lady of Montserrat are the living expression of the faith of her people, a literary link between the divinity and her parishioners. All love, all light, all understanding, it is enough to pronounce her name to begin to feel her luminosity. There is no more direct link to His mercy than to call upon Him, to love Him and to adore Him. Her true essence is born in her heart as the Mother of Jesus, the only begotten Son of God; therefore, invoking her should fill us with joy because she assures us of a solution to our ills and of being the light on the path that leads our souls to the Lord.
Our Lady of Montserrat is one of the most powerful Marian apparitions, there are hundreds of thousands of miracles granted by her infinite mercy, and the love that each of her believers projects towards her is returned in blessings, it is enough to pray from the heart and truly repent before her majesty, because each soul that humbly offers its faith will have her safe hand, her protection in the face of any anguish, pain or danger. She is our Guide and Protector who mercifully intercedes before our Lord Jesus and fills us with light, harmony and blessing.
Day of the Virgin of Montserrat
Like the Virgin of Guadalupe or the Virgin of the Rosary, Our Lady of Montserrat is celebrated. In 1844 the activity of the monastery was resumed, thanks to the independence of Montserrat, although the structure in general needed to be restored, as too many lootings and fires had left the walls almost in ruins. In 1880, Montserrat celebrated its millennium; one year after the millennium, in 1881, on 11 September, the Pope proclaimed the Virgin of Montserrat the patron saint of Catalonia.
She has the privilege of having her own offices and masses thanks to the fact that on 12 September 1881 she was proclaimed patron saint of the diocese of Catalonia by Pope Leo XIII, who set her feast day as 27 April each year. On the main façade of the church there is a bas-relief with an inscription to this effect.
Miracles of the Virgin of Montserrat
Since its rediscovery in 880, hundreds of miracles have been attributed to this divinity. The only solution was to build an irrigation canal from the river Llobergat to Balsareny, and the route of the canal would inevitably cross parts of the lands of Monsignor Galcerà Sacosta, Bishop of Vic, a situation that threatened his interests, which he opposed until the miracle of the light of Our Lady of Montserrat convinced him that it was just and beneficial for the whole town, which was suffering from a great drought.
The conflict of interests between the people of Manresa and the bishop lasted about six years, until about seven (7) o’clock in the evening on 21 February 1345. While the parishioners were gathered in the church of Carmen, a train of large spheres of light entered through the windows of the church, crossed the entire nave and landed in the chapel of the Holy Trinity, leaving all those present speechless. It is said that the three spheres merged into one to rise to the top of the nave and then abruptly shot out towards Montserrat, causing the bells to ring by themselves.
The girl who saved her father’s soul
When Father Bernardo de Ontevieros and the Abbot Don Millán de Mirando were holding conferences in the monastery of Nuestra Señora Santa María de Montserrat, Spain, around 1658, a woman and her daughter begged the Abbot to say Mass for their father, who had died some time before. Both claimed that their father was in Purgatory and that they could see him suffering. At one of the first masses, the girl claimed to see her father immersed in incredible flames.
To check, he asked the girl to tell him where her father was, she said she saw him beside the altar, on his knees, with the fire covering him, but he was still unbelieving, The priest told her to take a handkerchief to the place where she said he was, and to the astonishment of all those present, the handkerchief burst into flames which only she had seen up to that moment, but which now, to the astonishment of the monks present, were completely real and proved before their eyes what the girl had said, and that day the Virgin of Montserrat was praised as she had never been praised before.
Miracles of Our Lady of Montserrat in Venezuela
Since 1782 the Virgin of Montserrat has been venerated in the town of Santa Cruz de Aragua (Venezuela), but this was not always the original intention, at least not what the diocese requested for this town, but in reality one thing man thinks and another God decides, so it was not the church’s choice but the Virgin’s. According to the story, miraculous things happened during her transfer to this village, because two images of the Perpetual Help had been requested for Venezuela, one for Santa Cruz de Aragua and another for the city of Valencia, which would be the Virgin of Montserrat.
The story goes that the Virgen Morena de Montserrat was received in Santa Cruz, which corresponded to the city of Valencia, and was sent back to La Guaira to be exchanged for the Virgen del Perpetuo Socorro, but to everyone’s surprise, after waiting for the exchange, the image of the Virgen de Montserrat arrived again. This was a message that clearly indicated that it was she who wanted to stay in Santa Cruz, that she had chosen her people and that from that day on she would be venerated on 8 September.
The miracle of liberation
Around 1846, in Spain, in Barcelona, a very wealthy married man with no heirs, who lived in Murcia, had invited his father, who lived in the Bishopric of Barcelona, to move to his house, even bringing his half-brother with him. On the way, a great storm caused the ship to be diverted to the coast of Berbía. Father and son were separated because they were sold there to Muslim merchants after each of the travellers had been captured and taken to different places; the father ended up in Ceuta and the son in another place, but both kept their faith during their captivity.
The days passed in an uncomfortable confinement, full of uncertainty and the pain of separation. They both prayed fervently to Our Lady of Montserrat, asking for her help; it happened to be the day of Our Lady of Montserrat when one of the father’s cellmates, who was also a Christian, reminded him that they were going to celebrate the feast that night and that they could help if they wanted to, and the good man burst into tears and prayed with all his heart until the following night when, in a dream, after he had asked the Virgin Mary, she appeared to him vividly, full of light, and said: “Did you call me? Well, you see me here,” and then she disappeared.
When he awoke, he found himself free of his bonds and, without much effort, he was able to open four prison doors, he was able to jump over a wall leading to the city without being seen, always praising Our Lady of Montserrat, and so, by divine design, he even managed to reach the beach without being seen, although he was being pursued by many people on the orders of his captor. He saw his son coming, for whom he had prayed so much to be freed, they both burst into tears of joy and together, understanding the origin of this miracle, they prayed for their lives to the sweet Mother of God; in a few hours a boat reached them and two unknown men told them that they would be safe. Without hesitation they boarded the boat, knowing that their prayers had been answered.
Apparitions of Our Lady of Montserrat
On 16 April 2016, Ecuador experienced a devastating earthquake, measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale, which affected businesses, schools, among others, in many provinces. The days and moments pass, but it will always be remembered that during this event, specifically in Manbi, where the Little Basilica of Montecristi is located, a documented fact occurred in which the direct intervention of the presence of Our Lady of Montserrat is evident.
It happened that when many of the faithful were praying in the church, the earthquake began and many of them, frightened, decided to run to save themselves and leave, but they were intercepted by a lady dressed in white who said to them: “Immediately after, a pillar fell and blocked the exit and everyone was stunned. Some remained on their knees, praying to the Virgin of Montserrat, whose image remained unchanged despite the strong vibrations of the earthquake. None of the saints were silenced and no damage was done to the church.
In the words of the parish priest of the church: “It is something spectacular and miraculous that happened in Montecristi, the Virgin of Montserrat did not fall, even though several catastrophes happened to the church”. It is said that the apparition of Our Lady of Montserrat is divine protection and that she is there to show her mercy, her light and her protection to all those who believe in her power to intercede before our Lord Jesus. This is one of the many works that the Blessed Mother does for her faithful; that is why she has protected us whenever we invoke her holy name.
Our Lady of Montserrat, Patroness of Pregnant Women
The Virgin Mary, the Virgin of Montserrat, was prepared by God the Father to be the worthy source of His Son, the fruit of the conception of the Holy Spirit. Thanks to her holy conception, she transforms sorrow into joy in the women who give birth in her name. It is to her, our Mother, that we owe the birth of the Redeemer, who brings the blessing of salvation to her children; our Mother of Montserrat looks with kindness on every woman blessed with the gift of motherhood and intercedes before her Son, granting them protection, health and strength for a happy birth.
The tradition in honour of the Virgin of Montserrat, which originated in Catalonia, Spain, is known to many, although it is attributed to other instances of the Virgin. It is customary for the pregnant woman to go to church with her husband, preferably on a Saturday, and together they walk 9 times around the Cathedral of the Virgin, praying that everything will go well during the birth. It is a tradition that is usually done during pregnancy, preferably before the eighth month, and it brings many blessings and spiritual peace to those who do it, as well as protecting the future baby.
To invoke her mercy, the Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory Be are recited nine times, once for each round, with the prayer card of the Virgin in hand; a candle should also be lit at home when the woman goes to the clinic.
The Virgin of Montserrat in Chile
La Viñita, Santiago, Chile: In 1545, the hermitage was built in what was probably an old white stone quarry, which was exploited in the XVIII century for the construction of the Palacio de la Moneda, among other buildings. With the intervention of Doña Inés de Suárez and Pedro Valdivia, founders of the city of Santiago, the first Catholic temple founded in Chile was built on this hill, the temple of Nuestra Señora de Montserrat. The current building was erected in 1834 as a result of reconstruction after several earthquakes.
Despite the many tectonic movements and destructions that “La Viñita” has suffered over the years, the image of 1547 has remained intact to this day. Many rituals and village customs have been preserved around this church, such as spending the day on the slopes of the mountain in the shade of the leafy vineyards that give the church its name. The image of Our Lady of Montserrat has been a national monument since 1990. Another unusual fact is that she has unofficially become the patron saint of criminals, as many of them go there to pray for protection during their criminal activities.
