Santuario Virgen de la Pena POSTER
by Robert J Sadler
Title
Santuario Virgen de la Pena POSTER
Artist
Robert J Sadler
Medium
Photograph - Photography/digital Art
Description
I visited this shire in 1971, when this image was taken, before the statue of the Virgin was found and replaced on the 'castle' parapet as it is today. This is an impressionist view.
Santuario Virgen de la Pena
The Sanctuary of the Virgin of the Rock
Mijas, Espana
[https://www.virtualtourist.com/261102-2141394/Mijas-Tips/santuario-de-la-virgen-de-la-pena]
Perched on the hillside at the foot of the village is this shrine to the Virgin of the Rock. It was constructed in 1586 around a cave where, after five centuries, the long-lost statue of the Virgin was rediscovered by two children. The legend says that the children had been led here by a dove and saw the Virgin appear to them to indicate her hiding place. Their father was a builder so he created this shrine to honour the Virgin and mark the spot of the children's vision. The statue now takes pride of place above the altar in this little chapel (see photo 4) and is surrounded by flowers. Despite what I read elsewhere, signs said it was allowed to take photos inside, although not of the many rosaries hanging on one wall, the offerings of supplicants to the saint - please respect that one restriction.
After you have seen the shrine itself, walk through to the sacristy beyond to see displays of ceremonial priestly robes, ornate silver crosses and other objects no doubt used in religious processions in the village. Outside a terrace offers spectacular views of the coast, and of Gibraltar and even Africa too on a clear day (apparently - we were not so lucky).
[http://discovermijas.com/monuments/the-virgen-de-la-pena/]
The shrine of Our Lady the Virgin of the Rock was excavated in the rocks by a Carmelite monk in the second half of the seventeenth century. The legend says that the virgin appeared between the walls of the old castle in 1586 were it remained hidden during the 8 centuries of the muslim domination of the Spain.
After the conquest by the Catholic Kings of the last strongholds of Granada, the capital of the Nazari Kingdom legends and stories about appearances of the virgin multiplied in all areas of Andalusia in southern Spain.
According to the legend Juan and Asuncion, two young shepherds who were taking care of their herd, saw a white dove on the tower of the Castillo which transfigured into the virgin and notified the hiding place to the local authorities of Mijas. This discovery was made just before the Corpus Cristi festivity.
Such occurrences and stories represented a return to Christianity of the areas conquered by the Muslims. Mijas was totally depopulated of Muslims, because they never surrendered and were turned into slaves and expelled from their homes. These visions meant the religious consecration of the victor.
Patron saint of Mijas
The official festivity of the patron saint of Mijas is celebrated on September 8th. Every year 9 days before the date of the appearance the image of the Virgen de la Pena is carried in procession from the grotto to the parochial temple.
On September 8th, after the traditional floral offering in the Church of the Immaculate Conception a procession in which religious brotherhoods, authorities and a large public crowd take part takes the image of the virgin back to its sanctuary.
Today the sanctuary, a peaceful place and a popular venue for weddings, is visited by tourists from all over the world.
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December 21st, 2016
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