Devotion to the image of Our Lady of La Antigua is due to the fire that devastated the parish church on April 23, 1521, set by the troops of Charles I during the War of the Communities of Castile. Only the effigy of the Virgin Mary survived, which was taken to the hermitage of San Cristóbal for protection, leading to the building's dedication being changed to Our Lady of La Antigua. This was not the only incident the image suffered; during the Peninsular War, Napoleon's army set fire to the hermitage, leaving only the head of the statue, which is preserved today at the feet of the current image, dating from 1955.
Her feast day takes place on the first Sunday of September, preceded by the novena, a period during which the faithful walk up the hill. The previous Saturday, the proclamation and floral offering take place, and on the main day, a mass is held in honor of the Virgin and a multitudinous procession on the shoulders of the Virgin in the Morachos (male and female) up the hill that bears her name.
Translated by Google •
In the know? Log-in to add a tip for other adventurers!