Our Lady of Cabeza facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Our Lady of Cabeza |
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| Location | Cerro del Cabezo, Spain |
| Witness | Juan Alonso de Rivas |
| Type | Marian apparition |
| Shrine | Basilica of Nuestra Señora de la Cabeza, near Andújar, Spain |
Our Lady of Cabeza (also known as Nuestra Señora de la Cabeza) is a special statue of the Virgin Mary holding baby Jesus. People believe she appeared to someone a long time ago. This statue is very important in Andújar, Spain. It is found in a beautiful church called the Basilica of Nuestra Señora de la Cabeza. This church is located in the Sierra of Andújar Natural Park.
The statue is a Black Madonna, which means it shows Mary with dark skin. Because of this, many people lovingly call her La Morenita, which means “Little brunette.” She is one of the special protectors, or patron saints, of Andújar. She is also important for the diocese of Jaén, which is a church area. Her name comes from the Cerro del Cabezo hill, where it is said she appeared.
Our Lady of Cabeza is also known as the patron saint of monterías. These are traditional hunts in Spain.
The Legend of Our Lady of Cabeza
According to an old story, a saint named Euphrasius came to Spain many centuries ago. He brought with him a statue of the Virgin Mary. He showed great respect for this statue. Some say this statue was given to Saint Euphrasius by Saint Peter. It is even believed to be a portrait of the Virgin Mary painted by Saint Luke.
In the 8th century, a group called the Moors took over Andújar. To keep the statue safe, it was hidden away. It was placed on top of a very tall and hard-to-reach hill. This hill is called the Cerro del Cabezo, located in the Sierra Morena mountains.
Many years later, in the 13th century, an old shepherd named Juan Alonso de Rivas was watching his sheep. He was from a town called Colomera. Juan had a problem with his left arm; it was stiff and partly paralyzed.
One night, Juan saw strange lights at the top of the Cerro del Cabezo hill. He also heard a bell ringing over and over. He decided to climb the hill to see what was happening. There, between two huge rocks, he found a small statue of the Virgin Mary. Juan knelt down before the statue. The statue spoke to him and asked him to build a church right there. After this amazing event, Juan found that his left arm was completely healed! He quickly went down to Andújar to tell everyone what had happened.
How People Honor Our Lady of Cabeza
The devotion to Our Lady of Cabeza grew and spread far beyond Andújar. Many churches were built in her honor. For example, a church was started in Motril in 1631. Even though it was partly damaged in the Spanish Civil War, it was later rebuilt. There is also a church dedicated to Our Lady of Cabeza in Ávila, which is very old, from the early 13th century. Far away in South America, a church was built for her in Lima, Peru. Even a famous writer, Miguel de Cervantes, wrote about her shrine in one of his books.
A very important event is the Pilgrimage of the Virgen de la Cabeza. It happens every year in Andújar on the last Sunday of April. During this pilgrimage, many faithful people travel to the sanctuary on the Cabezo hill. There is also a local fair, or feria, in September. This fair used to be mainly about selling cattle. While that part has become smaller, the fair still has many stands and booths.
In 2009, Pope Benedict XVI gave Our Lady of Cabeza a special award called a Golden Rose. This was the first time a statue of Mary in Spain received this honor. The bishop of Jaén had asked for this award. It was because the church was celebrating 100 years since the statue was crowned. The words on the Golden Rose say: "Benedict XVI. Golden Rose. For the image of the Blessed Virgen de la Cabeza, Heavenly Patroness of the Diocese of Jaen. Most gracious concession. 22 November 2009."
See also
In Spanish: Virgen de la Cabeza para niños
