Our Lady of Moreneta - A Black Madonna

Our Lady of Moreneta

https://www.roman-catholic-saints.com/our-lady-of-moreneta.html

April 27: Our Lady of Moreneta, Spain

The one & only “Lady of Spain,” is a black Madonna who reigns from lofty heights of Montserrat.
The Virgin smiles down from her place of honor above main altar of Basilica of Montserrat.
La Moreneta means “Little Black One.”
The statue is 4 feet high & made of wood, blackened from smoke of innumerable candles which have burned before her through ages.

Our Lady of Moreneta is seated upon a chair & holds her Divine Child who has a fir apple in His left hand. Our Queen is clothed in a golden mantle, a tunic & a veil of diverse colors; Infant wears a simple tunic, & He & His Mother wear matching wooden crowns.
The miraculous statue reposes upon a gleaming throne of marble, & over all, sunlight diffuses glow.

The origin of statue & manner in which it first came to a lowly grotto in mountainside isn't known, but is told by an uninterrupted folklore describing its descent from heaven.
The legends date from 9th century when it is believed hermits who dwelt in caves kept watch over a tiny chapel known as Santa Maria de Montserrat.

Reliable documents have it that a great monastic center was founded among same cliffs in 11th century & that a small black statue of Madonna drew kings of Aragon, monarchs of Spain, Emperor Charles V, saints, & celebrities, as well as common folks to difficult mountain.
Here arduous pilgrimages terminated, & here wondrous miracles were wrought.

As fame of La Moreneta spread, her original chapel underwent many transformations before basilica was constructed in 16th century.
Now first chapel is called “Holy grotto” & is decorated within with marble, fine tapestries, & 2 altars; one to Saint Scholastica, other to Saint Benedict so that Mass can be said on feast-days & other special occasions.

Montserrat, or “Saw-tooth Mountain,” which Our Lady chose for her shrine is believed to have an intrinsic holiness.
Its highest peak bears name.
Tradition says this is place devil took Christ after His 40 days fast; there is possibility of this being true.

Legend further says it was sight of Holy Grail in Wagner’s opera “Parsifal.”
The mountain of shrine is 4,070 feet high, multicolored & interspersed with lush patches of tropic vegetation.