Our Lady of Carquere, Portugal

Our Lady of Carquere

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

August 30: Our Lady of Carquere, Portugal

According to tradition, Our Lady of Carquere, on river Douro in Portugal, is associated with miraculous healing of Prince Afonso Henriques, who was to become first King of Portugal.

Prince Afonso Henriques had been born a cripple, paralyzed from knees down.
The knight Egas de Monis was chosen to be governor of Prince Afonso, as at that time children of nobility were given personal tutors to educate & accompany child throughout their lives.

Monis, himself from one of most prominent families of region, was also a man of faith, & had a great deal of pity for young prince.
He prayed fervently for his charge, seeking intercession of Blessed Virgin that boy’s legs might be straightened through her intercession.
His prayers were answered, & his holy intention perfectly fulfilled.

One night in about year 1113, when prince was 4 years old, Egas de Monis put him to bed & fell asleep himself.
Our Lady appeared & wakened governor, asking: “Are you asleep?”
The governor replied: “Lady, who are you?”

“I am the Virgin Mary,” she replied, & commanded governor to go to a particular place in hills above Douro River that she indicated to him.
“There dig, & you'll find a church that, in another time, was started in my name, & you'll also find an image of me.

Thou shalt place child overnight on altar, & he'll be cured & made well, because my son wants him to destroy many enemies of the faith.”

The Governor, comforted & joyful after apparition, was a man who truly loved his lord.
Trusting in God, whom he knew could give boy strength & vigor, knight sought out ruined chapel & found it & small stone image just as Blessed Virgin had said.

Later, when everything was ready, accompanied by Queen & her entourage, he carried young prince to  ancient chapel, intending to place him on altar to spend night with him in vigil.

Instead, after entering chapel, entire entourage fell into a mysterious sleep, excepting prince, who remained wide awake.
The boy sat for a time & watched candles on altar burning, & at one point observed that one of them was leaning dangerously.

Finally, it fell over & started a fire. Prince Afonso was unable to awaken his mother or his governor, & so climbed up to altar & put out fire himself.
It was then that he realized he'd been cured, & began jumping for sheer joy when he awakened whole entourage, who gave thanks to Our Lady for miracle she had granted.

Now, knight Egas Monis gave praises to God & His Blessed Mother, for he'd be able to train prince to ride & in use of arms so that he might become a great warrior, as God desired.
He had a new church built there which became famous as location of “Miracle of Carquere.”

The miraculous statue of Our Lady of Carquere is carved in ivory & is only 29 millimeters tall, & is assumed to date from time of Visigoths.
The sculpture depicts Blessed Mother with Divine Child sitting on her knee.

The Child holds a book in his left hand, & gives his blessing with his right.
Perhaps precious statue was worn by a Catholic warrior, & lost in a battle against Moors, or was hidden during time of Muslim invasion of Iberian Peninsula to protect it from desecration.

The Church of Our Lady of Carquere, or Santa Maria de Carquere, can still be visited in Spain.


*from the writings of the Abbot Orsini & other sources