7/25.- Montserrat, la Moreneta

In this photo you can see the image of our lady of Montserrat. Although this is one of the most famous black madonnas in the world, recent studies have demonstrated that originally the image was not black. It seems that the fumes of the candles transformed its white skin into black. For centuries our lady of Monsterrat has been called “La Moreneta” (=dark skin). I wonder if someday they will wash her face and call her "la Blanqueta" (=white skin).

A legend says the image was found in a cave in 889, but the sculpture dates from the 12th century. In 1881, she was crowned and declared the patron Saint of Catalonia. Montserrat (Montse) is a very popular woman's name in Catalonia.

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