Montserrat, Spain: Shrine of the Black Madonna
About Montserrat:
In Catalonia, Spain, not far from Barcelona, you will find this historic monastery perched on a cliff. Tucked behind a huge rock and almost in-accessible in the past, it also offers views of the countryside and the Mediterranean off in the distance.
But the main focus for us is the famous statue of Our Lady of Montserrat, known as the Black Madonna, or moreneta in Catalan. Its’ color is the result of the coloring of the varnish on the face and hands due to the passage of time.
According to pious tradition, the statue of Our Lady holding the Infant Jesus was carved by the hand of Saint Luke the Evangelist and brought to Spain in the early centuries of the Church. When the Saracen invasions threatened the faith in the 8th century, devout Christians hid the sacred image in a cave on the mountain to protect it from desecration.
There it remained for nearly two centuries, until around the year 880–890, when shepherds beheld a mysterious light and heard heavenly music emanating from the cave.
Upon investigation, they discovered the statue that portrays the Blessed Virgin Mary as a queen, with the infant Jesus sitting on her lap. She holds a spherical orb in her right hand, which symbolizes the cosmos, creation, the perfect volume. With her left hand, Mary gestures to place her on the Infant’s shoulder, indicating that that omnipotent king is her son. The Infant blesses with the right hand, and with the left holds a pineapple, a sign of fertility and perennial life. Word of the discovery of the statue quickly spread. Attempts to move it to other locations failed miraculously — the image became so heavy that it could not be lifted beyond the spot Our Lady herself had chosen. Thus, a small chapel was built, which in time grew into the great Benedictine monastery and basilica of Santa Maria de Montserrat, where she is venerated to this day.”
Nowadays it is behind a protective sheet of glass, with the exception of one of her hands. It is tradition for you to kiss or touch the Virgin’s hand whilst opening out your other hand to Jesus. The Black Madonna (Virgin of Montserrat) is Catalunya’s patron saint, so this is where locals come for baptisms, first communions, and Christmas with their families.
Saint Ignatius of Loyola visited here after he recovered from his illness and laid down his military equipment in front of the statue. He went on to a period of asceticism before…..and eventually founding…….the order that became known as the Jesuits. You can visit the cave where he lived right near Montserrat.
Traveling to Montserrat:
Montserrat is about 30 miles from Barcelona. The easiest way to get to Montserrat is to catch a train from the rail station at Plaça Espanya in Barcelona—you will want line R-5. The train will take you to the base of the mountain. To reach the Monastery you can then take the cable car from the base of the mountain.
On a clear day you can see all of Catalunya from the top and sometimes even Mallorca.
There is an admission fee, which helps to support the efforts to restore the monastery.
Address: 08199 Montserrat, Barcelona, Spain
GPS coordinates: 41° 35′ 35.9736” N, 1° 50′ 15.6336” E
Tel: +34 938 77 7777
e-mail: ccpastoral@santuari-montserrat.com
Click here for the official website of the Monastery at Montserrat.
Photo credits:
1. Wikimedia
2. Abbey of Montserrat