Our Lady of Europe
Encyclopedia
Our Lady of Europe is a consecrated title
given to the Blessed Virgin Mary
in Gibraltar
, where devotion began, and to a lesser extent in Algeciras
, Spain. The entire European continent was consecrated under the protection of Our Lady of Europe in the early 14th century from the Shrine
in Gibraltar where devotion still continues to this day, over 700 years on.
Together with St. Bernard
, Our Lady is a Catholic
patron saint
of Gibraltar.
, a small mosque
was erected in Europa Point
. It is known that during the first Spanish period (1309–1333) the mosque was converted into a Christian shrine, although the exact date of when the devotion of the shrine began is not unanimously determined. However, the town was re-captured by the Moors
and was to remain in their hands for just over another century, regardless of the Castilian
efforts to retake it.
On 20 August 1462 (feast day of Gibraltar's other patron saint, St. Bernard), when Gibraltar was definitively recaptured by the Castilians from the Moors, the mosque at Europa Point was re-established as a Christian shrine in honour of Our Lady as Patroness of Europe, with devout intention of consecrating to God, through Mary, the whole continent, from a place of prayer and worship at its southernmost point. Some time before, Ceuta
, on the southern shore of the Strait of Gibraltar
, had been captured in 1415 by the Portuguese, under King John I
. In 1421 the King's son, Henry the Navigator, sent a Holy Virgin's statue to Ceuta in order to consecrate Africa to the Blessed Virgin Mary under the invocation of Our Lady of Africa
. That way, the two Pillars of Hercules
were the site of Marian shrines
, consecrating both continents to Our Lady.
A chapel was later built over the remains of the mosque and the whole area became known as the Shrine of Our Lady of Europe . A statue of the Virgin and Child was installed in there in the 15th century. The statue was quite small, only two feet in height, carved in wood and polychrome
d in royal red, blue and gold. The Virgin was seated in a simple chair, with the Child Jesus on her lap. Both were crowned and the Virgin held in her right hand a sceptre with three flowers denoting Love, Truth and Justice. The shrine prospered in fame and popularity, for well over two centuries. Ships passing through the Strait of Gibraltar saluted Our Lady as they passed Europa Point and mariners often came ashore with offerings for Our Lady. Notable gifts include a silver lamp, given in 1568 by Giovanni Andrea Doria
(great-nephew of the great Genoese admiral Andrea Doria
), and two massive silver lamps presented by John of Austria, upon his victory at the Battle of Lepanto
.
A confraternity
, the Confraternity of Our Lady of Europe , was later established. A larger statue of Our Lady of Europe was specifically carved and enthroned in the town's central church, the Church of St. Mary the Crowned and St. Bernard
' onMouseout='HidePop("33318")' href="/topics/Roman_Catholic_Diocese_of_Gibraltar">Roman Catholic Diocese of Gibraltar
). The confraternity was disestablished some time after 1704.
Many miracles were attributed to Our Lady of Europe. In 1540 Gibraltar suffered a raid by Barbary pirates
. The Shrine was pillaged and the statue of Our Lady broken into pieces. The invaders took many captives from the town and it was only thanks to the intervention of a Spanish fleet, under the command of Admiral Bernadino Mendoza, that prevented the pirates from taking them back to their bases on the other side of the Strait along the Barbary Coast
. With the statue of Our Lady heavily damaged, the faithful made plans to get it repaired in Seville
. However, all attempts to set sail and transport the statue there were hindered by stormy weather. It was interpreted as a sign that God wished the statue to remain in Gibraltar. Craftmen from Seville were eventually called to Gibraltar in order to have the statue repaired locally.
Alonso Hernández del Portillo
, a councilor from Gibraltar during late 16th and early 17th century and first chronicler of the city, narrates in his Historia de la Muy Noble y Más Leal Ciudad de Gibraltar (1610–22) (History of the Very Noble and Most Loyal City of Gibraltar) the story of many other declared miracles attributed to Our Lady of Europe, one of them having being witnessed by himself. Another historian, Fray Jerónimo de la Concepción, in his work Cadiz Ilustrada (1690), also records many such miracles which occurred in Gibraltar.
One notable miracle was that of fisherman Luis Lecayo in 1633. He was caught in a heavy storm at night, thrown into the turbulent sea, and considered himself lost only praying to Our Lady of Europe for help. He survived and later gave his account of the claimed miracle to the Bishop of Cádiz Domingo Cano de Haro, who promoted devotion to Our Lady within the Diocese of Cádiz
.
At the time of the Capture of Gibraltar
by the Anglo-Dutch fleet, the shrine, as all other Catholic places of worship in Gibraltar (except for the Church of St. Mary the Crowned and St. Bernard
), was desecrated and was taken over for military use. The shrine was looted and the statue of the Virgin and Child was broken and its remains thrown out to sea. As the statue was carved from wood, the pieces were recovered by a fisherman who found them floating in the Bay of Gibraltar and later delivered them to Juan Romero de Figueroa
, the priest in charge at the Church of St. Mary the Crowned and St. Bernard. Romero de Figueroa remained in the town after the capture and eventually took the pieces of the statue to Algeciras for safekeeping in the former Chapel of St. Bernard, which was dedicated then to Our Lady of Europe and named Chapel of Our Lady of Europe
.
The Great Siege of Gibraltar
caused great damage to the town. The old shrine was no exception, and this eventually led to its demolition, with a new building erected in subsequent years on the same site to replace it, although for no religious purpose. The Church of St. Mary the Crowned and St. Bernard was bombarded and the statue of Our Lady being kept in there was relocated to Windmill Hill to save it from suffering any damages. After the end of the siege, the statue returned to the Church.
In the early 1860s, the Vicar Apostolic
of Gibraltar, John Baptist Scandella
, petitioned for the return of the original statue from Algeciras. The Bishop of Cadiz and the Primate of Spain were involved in the discussions, and eventually a solution acceptable to all parties was agreed upon. The original statue was to return to Gibraltar as requested so long as an exact replica would be carved and placed in the Chapel of Our Lady of Europe in Algeciras. According to the terms of the compromise, a new statue was carved in Seville
. At the same time the original statue repaired by the same craftsman. The original statue was eventually returned to Gibraltar in 1864.
As the Shrine of Our Lady of Europe remained in military hands, the statue was provisionally placed in the Loreto Convent, at the time located in front of the Governor's official residence
in Main Street
. Scandella aimed to house the statue as near to Europa Point as possible. After a popular fundraising campaign, a site was acquired along Engineer Road. The statue was paraded from the Loreto Convent to its new location in a procession lined on both sides by soldiers. The statue was carried shoulder-high on a bier
, accompanied by a military band. The ceremony was devised as a reparation act for the 1704 desecration. The new chapel was of simple design and later included a marble altar donated by Pope Pius IX
. Scandella attended the First Vatican Council
(1869–1870) as Council Father. During his stay in Rome, Scandella succeeded in bringing the Shrine of Our Lady of Europe to the attention of the Pope, thus the donation of the altar. Its front piece depicted the Coat of arms of Pope Pius IX and that of Bishop Scandella, together with a monogram
of Our Lady of Europe. The statue of Our Lady was enthroned on this altar. During World War II, the statue was returned to the Cathedral for safekeeping. During this time, the Child, which had to be dressed in brocade
silk according to the liturgical season, was replaced by a newly carved dressed Bambino
sculptured by Francisco Moreira
. After the war, the statue was once again relocated, this time to St. Joseph's Parish Church, the closest church to Europa Point.
In the meantime, during the bishopric of Richard John Fitzgerald, extensive developments in the Cathedral of St. Mary the Crowned were accomplished. Bishop Fitzgerald decided to replace the statue of Our Lady of Europe in order to make the two side-altars symmetrical. As the right altar had an upright statue of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, a similar statue was desired for the left one (where the old statue of Our Lady of Europe was placed). The new statue was manufactured in France, and put in the altar where the old statue stood, but the faithful never held it in the same esteem as the old one, which was stored away. In 1965, Charles Caruana
(later Bishop of Gibraltar, then the priest responsible of the Cathedral's sacristy
) rediscovered the lost statue in a store. It was however, damaged due to humidity and an arm and hand had become detached. After restoration, the statue was placed in the Cathedral sacristy. It was Bishop Bernard Devlin who in 1986 reinstalled the statue in its original location, where it remains to this day.
The building erected at the place of the old Shrine of Our Lady of Europe remained property of the British Ministry of Defence
until 1961. It had been an army storehouse for oil and packing case. Since 1928 it had been used as a library
for the garrison, but with the outbreak of World War II, it was returned to a storage facility. By 1959, the military authorities, which had begun to withdraw many military installations in Gibraltar, noticed that it was no longer required and decided to demolish it. However, this never happened and due to the efforts of Bishop John Healy it was ceded to the Catholic diocese on 17 October 1961, in a private ceremony. Restoration works began in 1962. For the first time in 258 years, a mass was celebrated at the Shrine on 28 September 1962. The statue was finally transferred to the Shrine in public procession from St. Joseph's Parish Church on 7 October 1967. The statue of Our Lady remains in the Shrine to this day.
Bishop Edward Rapallo was responsible for making Our Lady of Europe the principal Patroness of Gibraltar and for changing the feast day to Europe Day
(5 May). With regard to the former, he officially asked the Sacred Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples
to intercede for its petition with the Pope John Paul II. On 31 May 1979 the Pope approved "Our Blessed Lady as the Principal Patroness of the Diocese of Gibraltar, under the title of Our Lady of Europe". Regarding the feast day, by linking it with Europe Day, he aimed to highlight the relevance of Our Lady of Europe in modern times. The feast day had been celebrated on 15 August (the feast day of the Assumption of Mary
) from Spanish times until Scandella's episcopate in the mid 19th century, when it was changed to 30 May. Authorisation for the celebration on 5 May was granted by the Holy See also in 1979.
In 2002, on the occasion of his ad limina
visit to Rome, Bishop Caruana took with him the statue of Our Lady of Europe, for the Pope John Paul II to bless and crown her. He also presented the Pope with a replica of the statue as a gift. Today, it can be found at the Casa Romana del Clero.
Since its establishment in 2003, the Shrine of Our Lady of Europe belongs to the European Marian Network
, which links twenty Marian sanctuaries in Europe (as many as the number of decades in the Rosary
).
and not during the second Christian occupation which began in 1462. Therefore, Bishop Caruana
requested the Holy See to authorised a Jubilee Year
to be celebrated on the 7th centenary of the foundation of devotion to Our Lady of Europe. The authorisation was duly granted by the Pope Benedict XVI
and the Bishop Caruana opened a "Jubilee Year" on 12 May 2008, with a Solemn Mass. The Pope granted an "Indulgence
" to faithful to Our Lady who fulfilled certain requisites.
The Jubilee celebrations included processions, masses and various other acts of devotion. On 5 May, the feast day of Our Lady of Europe, a solemn High Mass took place in a marquee outside the Shrine, with the attendance of a delegation of some 70 leading senior ecclesiastical figures from across Europe. Civil representatives included Chief Minister
Peter Caruana
, Governor
Sir Adrian Johns
, Leader of the Opposition Joe Bossano
and other Members of the Gibraltar Parliament, Mayor
Solomon Levy
as well as the Spanish Mayor of La Línea
Alejandro Sánchez García. The statue of Our Lady of Europe was brought in procession from the Shrine at Europa Point. During the mass, the Shrine and the Roman Catholic Diocese in Gibraltar received the Golden Rose
, a rare gift bestowed by the Pope. The Continent was re-consecrated to Our Lady of Europe.
Celebrations also involved cross-border elements. A procession took place on April 27 from Gibraltar to the bordering Spanish municipality
of La Línea de la Concepción
. It was led by Bishop Caruana, and Mayor Solomon Levy and it carried the gift of a replica statue of Our Lady of Europe. The procession was met on the Spanish side of the border by an ecclesiastical delegation led by the Bishop of Cádiz and Ceuta comprising all the congregations of La Línea, including its Mayor, one from Marbella
and another from Castellar de la Frontera
. The procession concluded in the Church of the Immaculate Conception , La Linea's main church, and an open air mass was celebrated. Some days earlier, a pilgrimage of Spanish worshipers proceeded from La Línea to the Shrine of Our Lady of Europe in Gibraltar. On April 15, Bishop Caruana had held a conference in San Roque with the title "Our Lady of Europe: 700 years of history of the devotion of this land to the Mother of God". According to Bishop Caruana, the celebrations opened up an opportunity "to strengthen links with the dioceses of Málaga and Cádiz, and with the municipalities of the Campo
. The Eucharist
(.) was very emotional [for him]".
In addition to these celebrations, Bishop Caruana authored the book History of Our Lady of Europe, published by the Vatican Press as part of the commemoration. A joint issue of postage stamp
s Gibraltar and the Vatican City
also formed part of the Jubilee celebrations (only in 1966, a Gibraltar stamp had been devoted to Our Lady of Europe). A commemorative 50p coin, and a silver medal were also issued.
In March 2010, an International Marian Congress will be held in Gibraltar, with the themes Mary, a sign of Christian identity; religion, anthropology, history and art. Its object, according to Bishop Charles Caruana, is:
Spanish language
hymn
about Our Lady of Europe. It was composed in the late 1950s with music by Louis Diaz and lyrics by Elio Cruz (the author of the famous plays La Lola se va pá Londre and Connie con cama camera en el comedor). It was first performed by the group Los Trovadores in 1958 at the Theatre Royal. The hymn has become part of the popular culture of Gibraltar
and has been compared to the patriotic song Llévame Donde Nací
in the way Gibraltarians identify with it. The hymn was written during the years following the evacuation of the civilian population of Gibraltar during World War II
and its repatriation (which ended in 1951). During this difficult time, the devotion to Our Lady of Europe by the Gibraltarian evacuees strengthened.
The Plegaria was traditionally performed live as the last song (before God Save The Queen
) on Radio Gibraltar's open day. When the event transferred to GBC Television, the tradition continued for several years. After its first performances, it was recorded by other groups, such as The Peninsulares, who kept the song alive as part of their repertoire. Followed by the Valerga Brothers or Louis Caballero. Throughout the years it has been sang in local churches, excursions and popular events.
Although not on purpose, it was re-recorded in 2009 during the Jubilee Year celebrating the septcentenary of the devotion to Our Lady of Europe.
. While most did it around the hermitage of Saint Roch (what nowadays is San Roque, others established themselves in Los Barrios or in the remains of Algeciras
, around the Chapel of St. Bernard, patron saint of Gibraltar and its Campo, which was located in the cortijo (farm) of one of the wealthiest families of Gibraltar, the Gálvez, in 1690. As described above, the statue of Our Lady of Europe venerated in Gibraltar had been taken to Algeciras for safekeeping after being desecrated. It was placed in said Chapel, which was then dedicated then to Our Lady of Europe and named Chapel of Our Lady of Europe .
The chapel became parish church in 1721, and remained so until 1736, when its function was taken over by the neighbouring Church of Our Lady of the Palm . Devotion to Our Lady of Europe continued, especially because of the role of the Chapel in the re-establishment of the town and the presence of the original statue of Our Lady in the church. In 1769 it was rebuilt, as the original building was severely affected by the 1755 Lisbon earthquake
and had to be demolished. The statue did not suffer any damages. In 1864, after the petition of the Vicar Apostolic of Gibraltar, John Baptist Scandella
, the original statue returned to Gibraltar, and an exact replica was carved and placed in the Chapel of Our Lady of Europe. This remains dedicated to Our Lady of Europe up to this day.
began in the seventeenth century during the Spanish period of Gibraltar by inhabitants of the town which settled down near the parish church of St. Martin
. Initially, there was a small chapel dedicated to Our Lady of Europe, where a painting of Our Lady of Europe had been placed, enclosed in an Altarpiece
. It was located in a square called Plaza de Europa (Europe Square). In 1695, a confraternity devoted to Our Lady of Europe was also created there where it participated in public devotions. About 1715 a statue was carved, possibly by Benito Hita del Castillo, and a new chapel-niche with the altarpiece was built. From an iconographic point of view, the statue resembled a piece of medieval art
, as Our Lady is seated and wearing a crown. She has the Child Jesus on her left hand and holds in her right hand a flower. There could have been a former statue, from the seventeenth century.
During the eighteenth century, the confraternity developed an intense activity, celebrating Our Lady's feast day each 8 September as well as public daily praying of the rosary. In 1854, Our Lady's statue and painting were moved to its current location, the parish church of St. Martin. However, the confraternity held its last meeting in 1986 as devotion to Our Lady of Europe in Seville died out.
, born in 1664, was the main person accountable for spreading the devotion to Our Lady of Europe to the Spanish capitals of Madrid and Barcelona. De Astorga was ordained Bishop of Barcelona in 1717 and Archbishop of Toledo and Primate of Spain in 1720.
While leading the Diocese of Barcelona, De Astorga noticed a statue on an archway in Manresa
that reminded him to that of Our Lady of Europe in Gibraltar. The statue had no name, so the Bishop titled her as Our Lady of Europe and therefore the archway become El Portal de Europa (Europa Archway). Unfortunately, the archway was demolished and the statue taken to another church, being known from that point on as Our Lady of the Snow.
De Astorga was later elevated to the See of Toledo, to which Spain's capital, Madrid, belonged to at the time. There, the Archbishop ordered the carving of a new statue of Our Lady of Europe and paraded it through the streets of Madrid. The last records of the statue locate it in the Convent of St. Teresa of Jesus (Discalced Carmelites
). Another seated statue of Our Lady of Europe stands in the Royal Convent of La Encarnación
, also in Madrid. Although it is currently dedicated to Our Lady of the Kings, Europe was its original advocation.
also has a college which belongs to the Diocese of Cádiz y Ceuta and is attached to the University of Cádiz
, named Escuela Universitaria de Magisterio 'Virgen de Europa' (University College 'Our Lady of Europe').
movements would need a Catholic dimension and thought of placing Europe under protection of Our Lady. However, they were unaware that such a devotion was already in existence, albeit at a local level. The movement, supported by the Archbishop of Milan, decided to place a statue in the Italian
Dolomites
, in the hydrological
centre of Europe, since it was the watershed separating the basins of the Rhine, the Danube
and the Po.
A 13 metres (42.7 ft) high statue in honour of Our Lady of Europe was erected at 2000 metres (6,561.7 ft) above sea level
in the frazione
of Motta in the region of Valchiavenna
, Italy. It is a gilt bronze statue, which was sculptured by Egidio Casagrande taking inspiration from the Shroud of Turin
. The statue rests on a circular structure atop a shrine with an altar below. The structure weighs 4 tonnes (8,818.5 lb). The monument was blessed by the Archbishop of Milan Giovanni Montini (later Pope Paul VI
) on 14 September 1958.
The Shrine of Our Lady of Europe
is currently the headquarters of the European Ecumenical Centre for Peace.
had consecrated a church to Our Lady of Europe.
Titles of Mary
Mary is known by many titles , epithets , invocations and other names ....
given to the Blessed Virgin Mary
Blessed Virgin Mary (Roman Catholic)
Roman Catholic veneration of the Blessed Virgin Mary is based on Holy Scripture: In the fullness of time, God sent his son, born of a virgin. The mystery of the incarnation of the Son of God through Mary thus signifies her honour as Mother of God...
in Gibraltar
Gibraltar
Gibraltar is a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean. A peninsula with an area of , it has a northern border with Andalusia, Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region...
, where devotion began, and to a lesser extent in Algeciras
Algeciras
Algeciras is a port city in the south of Spain, and is the largest city on the Bay of Gibraltar . Port of Algeciras is one of the largest ports in Europe and in the world in three categories: container,...
, Spain. The entire European continent was consecrated under the protection of Our Lady of Europe in the early 14th century from the Shrine
Shrine of Our Lady of Europe
The Shrine of Our Lady of Europe is a Roman Catholic shrine at Europa Point in Gibraltar. It is the church where Our Lady of Europe, the Catholic patroness of Gibraltar is honoured....
in Gibraltar where devotion still continues to this day, over 700 years on.
Together with St. Bernard
Bernard of Clairvaux
Bernard of Clairvaux, O.Cist was a French abbot and the primary builder of the reforming Cistercian order.After the death of his mother, Bernard sought admission into the Cistercian order. Three years later, he was sent to found a new abbey at an isolated clearing in a glen known as the Val...
, Our Lady is a Catholic
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
patron saint
Patron saints of places
This article features a list of patron saints of places by nation, region and town/city. If a place is not here it may be in Patronage of the Blessed Virgin Mary.- Supranational :*Benedict of Nursia – main patron saint of Europe*Bridget of Sweden – Europe...
of Gibraltar.
Origins during the Spanish period
At the beginning of the 14th century, during the Moorish occupationAl-Andalus
Al-Andalus was the Arabic name given to a nation and territorial region also commonly referred to as Moorish Iberia. The name describes parts of the Iberian Peninsula and Septimania governed by Muslims , at various times in the period between 711 and 1492, although the territorial boundaries...
, a small mosque
Mosque
A mosque is a place of worship for followers of Islam. The word is likely to have entered the English language through French , from Portuguese , from Spanish , and from Berber , ultimately originating in — . The Arabic word masjid literally means a place of prostration...
was erected in Europa Point
Europa Point
Europa Point, also called Great Europa Point, is the southernmost point of Gibraltar. At the end of Rock of Gibraltar, the area is flat and occupied by such features as a playing field and a few buildings...
. It is known that during the first Spanish period (1309–1333) the mosque was converted into a Christian shrine, although the exact date of when the devotion of the shrine began is not unanimously determined. However, the town was re-captured by the Moors
Moors
The description Moors has referred to several historic and modern populations of the Maghreb region who are predominately of Berber and Arab descent. They came to conquer and rule the Iberian Peninsula for nearly 800 years. At that time they were Muslim, although earlier the people had followed...
and was to remain in their hands for just over another century, regardless of the Castilian
Crown of Castile
The Crown of Castile was a medieval and modern state in the Iberian Peninsula that formed in 1230 as a result of the third and definitive union of the crowns and parliaments of the kingdoms of Castile and León upon the accession of the then King Ferdinand III of Castile to the vacant Leonese throne...
efforts to retake it.
On 20 August 1462 (feast day of Gibraltar's other patron saint, St. Bernard), when Gibraltar was definitively recaptured by the Castilians from the Moors, the mosque at Europa Point was re-established as a Christian shrine in honour of Our Lady as Patroness of Europe, with devout intention of consecrating to God, through Mary, the whole continent, from a place of prayer and worship at its southernmost point. Some time before, Ceuta
Ceuta
Ceuta is an autonomous city of Spain and an exclave located on the north coast of North Africa surrounded by Morocco. Separated from the Iberian peninsula by the Strait of Gibraltar, Ceuta lies on the border of the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. Ceuta along with the other Spanish...
, on the southern shore of the Strait of Gibraltar
Strait of Gibraltar
The Strait of Gibraltar is a narrow strait that connects the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea and separates Spain in Europe from Morocco in Africa. The name comes from Gibraltar, which in turn originates from the Arabic Jebel Tariq , albeit the Arab name for the Strait is Bab el-Zakat or...
, had been captured in 1415 by the Portuguese, under King John I
John I of Portugal
John I KG , called the Good or of Happy Memory, more rarely and outside Portugal the Bastard, was the tenth King of Portugal and the Algarve and the first to use the title Lord of Ceuta...
. In 1421 the King's son, Henry the Navigator, sent a Holy Virgin's statue to Ceuta in order to consecrate Africa to the Blessed Virgin Mary under the invocation of Our Lady of Africa
Our Lady of Africa
Our Lady of Africa may refer to:*Notre Dame d'Afrique, a basilica in Algeria*See Titles of Mary for Our Lady of Africa, a devotional title of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Ceuta, Spain...
. That way, the two Pillars of Hercules
Pillars of Hercules
The Pillars of Hercules was the phrase that was applied in Antiquity to the promontories that flank the entrance to the Strait of Gibraltar. The northern Pillar is the Rock of Gibraltar in the British overseas territory of Gibraltar...
were the site of Marian shrines
Shrines to the Virgin Mary
In the culture and practice of some Christian Churches - mainly, but not solely, the Roman Catholic Church - a Shrine to the Virgin Mary is a shrine marking an apparition or other miracle ascribed to the Blessed Virgin Mary, or a site on which is centered a historically strong Marian devotion...
, consecrating both continents to Our Lady.
A chapel was later built over the remains of the mosque and the whole area became known as the Shrine of Our Lady of Europe . A statue of the Virgin and Child was installed in there in the 15th century. The statue was quite small, only two feet in height, carved in wood and polychrome
Polychrome
Polychrome is one of the terms used to describe the use of multiple colors in one entity. It has also been defined as "The practice of decorating architectural elements, sculpture, etc., in a variety of colors." Polychromatic light is composed of a number of different wavelengths...
d in royal red, blue and gold. The Virgin was seated in a simple chair, with the Child Jesus on her lap. Both were crowned and the Virgin held in her right hand a sceptre with three flowers denoting Love, Truth and Justice. The shrine prospered in fame and popularity, for well over two centuries. Ships passing through the Strait of Gibraltar saluted Our Lady as they passed Europa Point and mariners often came ashore with offerings for Our Lady. Notable gifts include a silver lamp, given in 1568 by Giovanni Andrea Doria
Giovanni Andrea Doria
Giovanni Andrea Doria, also Giannandrea Doria , was an Italian admiral from Genoa. He was the son of Giannettino Doria and the great-nephew of the famed Genoese admiral Andrea Doria, by whom he was later adopted...
(great-nephew of the great Genoese admiral Andrea Doria
Andrea Doria
Andrea Doria was an Italian condottiere and admiral from Genoa.-Early life:Doria was born at Oneglia from the ancient Genoese family, the Doria di Oneglia branch of the old Doria, de Oria or de Auria family. His parents were related: Ceva Doria, co-lord of Oneglia, and Caracosa Doria, of the...
), and two massive silver lamps presented by John of Austria, upon his victory at the Battle of Lepanto
Battle of Lepanto (1571)
The Battle of Lepanto took place on 7 October 1571 when a fleet of the Holy League, a coalition of Catholic maritime states, decisively defeated the main fleet of the Ottoman Empire in five hours of fighting on the northern edge of the Gulf of Patras, off western Greece...
.
A confraternity
Confraternity
A confraternity is normally a Roman Catholic or Orthodox organization of lay people created for the purpose of promoting special works of Christian charity or piety, and approved by the Church hierarchy...
, the Confraternity of Our Lady of Europe , was later established. A larger statue of Our Lady of Europe was specifically carved and enthroned in the town's central church, the Church of St. Mary the Crowned and St. Bernard
Cathedral of St. Mary the Crowned
The Cathedral of Saint Mary the Crowned is a Roman Catholic cathedral in Gibraltar. It is the primary centre of Catholic worship in the Diocese of Gibraltar.-15th Century:The original building of the current cathedral was built during the Spanish period...
' onMouseout='HidePop("33318")' href="/topics/Roman_Catholic_Diocese_of_Gibraltar">Roman Catholic Diocese of Gibraltar
Roman Catholic Diocese of Gibraltar
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Gibraltar is a diocese of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church in the British overseas territory of Gibraltar. The Latin name for the diocese is Gibraltariensis. About twenty priests and nine sisters serve in the diocese...
). The confraternity was disestablished some time after 1704.
Many miracles were attributed to Our Lady of Europe. In 1540 Gibraltar suffered a raid by Barbary pirates
Barbary corsairs
The Barbary Corsairs, sometimes called Ottoman Corsairs or Barbary Pirates, were pirates and privateers who operated from North Africa, based primarily in the ports of Tunis, Tripoli and Algiers. This area was known in Europe as the Barbary Coast, a term derived from the name of its Berber...
. The Shrine was pillaged and the statue of Our Lady broken into pieces. The invaders took many captives from the town and it was only thanks to the intervention of a Spanish fleet, under the command of Admiral Bernadino Mendoza, that prevented the pirates from taking them back to their bases on the other side of the Strait along the Barbary Coast
Barbary Coast
The Barbary Coast, or Barbary, was the term used by Europeans from the 16th until the 19th century to refer to much of the collective land of the Berber people. Today, the terms Maghreb and "Tamazgha" correspond roughly to "Barbary"...
. With the statue of Our Lady heavily damaged, the faithful made plans to get it repaired in Seville
Seville
Seville is the artistic, historic, cultural, and financial capital of southern Spain. It is the capital of the autonomous community of Andalusia and of the province of Seville. It is situated on the plain of the River Guadalquivir, with an average elevation of above sea level...
. However, all attempts to set sail and transport the statue there were hindered by stormy weather. It was interpreted as a sign that God wished the statue to remain in Gibraltar. Craftmen from Seville were eventually called to Gibraltar in order to have the statue repaired locally.
Alonso Hernández del Portillo
Alonso Hernández del Portillo
Alonso Hernández del Portillo was a Spanish local politician and historian, remembered for being the first chronicler of the city of Gibraltar.- Biography :Hernández del Portillo was born in Gibraltar during the Spanish period...
, a councilor from Gibraltar during late 16th and early 17th century and first chronicler of the city, narrates in his Historia de la Muy Noble y Más Leal Ciudad de Gibraltar (1610–22) (History of the Very Noble and Most Loyal City of Gibraltar) the story of many other declared miracles attributed to Our Lady of Europe, one of them having being witnessed by himself. Another historian, Fray Jerónimo de la Concepción, in his work Cadiz Ilustrada (1690), also records many such miracles which occurred in Gibraltar.
One notable miracle was that of fisherman Luis Lecayo in 1633. He was caught in a heavy storm at night, thrown into the turbulent sea, and considered himself lost only praying to Our Lady of Europe for help. He survived and later gave his account of the claimed miracle to the Bishop of Cádiz Domingo Cano de Haro, who promoted devotion to Our Lady within the Diocese of Cádiz
Roman Catholic Diocese of Cadiz y Ceuta
The Roman Catholic diocese of Cádiz y Ceuta is a diocese of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church in Spain. The diocese is a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Seville....
.
The Capture of Gibraltar
At the time of the Capture of Gibraltar
Capture of Gibraltar
The Capture of Gibraltar by the Anglo-Dutch forces of the Grand Alliance occurred between 1–3 August 1704 during the War of the Spanish Succession. Since the beginning of the war the Allies had been looking for a harbour in the Iberian Peninsula to control the Strait of Gibraltar and facilitate...
by the Anglo-Dutch fleet, the shrine, as all other Catholic places of worship in Gibraltar (except for the Church of St. Mary the Crowned and St. Bernard
Cathedral of St. Mary the Crowned
The Cathedral of Saint Mary the Crowned is a Roman Catholic cathedral in Gibraltar. It is the primary centre of Catholic worship in the Diocese of Gibraltar.-15th Century:The original building of the current cathedral was built during the Spanish period...
), was desecrated and was taken over for military use. The shrine was looted and the statue of the Virgin and Child was broken and its remains thrown out to sea. As the statue was carved from wood, the pieces were recovered by a fisherman who found them floating in the Bay of Gibraltar and later delivered them to Juan Romero de Figueroa
Juan Romero de Figueroa
Juan Romero de Figueroa was a Spanish Roman Catholic priest, in charge of the Parish Church of St. Mary the Crowned during the last years of Gibraltar's Spanish period and first ones of the British period, until his death...
, the priest in charge at the Church of St. Mary the Crowned and St. Bernard. Romero de Figueroa remained in the town after the capture and eventually took the pieces of the statue to Algeciras for safekeeping in the former Chapel of St. Bernard, which was dedicated then to Our Lady of Europe and named Chapel of Our Lady of Europe
Chapel of Our Lady of Europe
The Chapel of Our Lady of Europe of Algeciras , popularly known as the Small Chapel of Europe is placed in the High Square . It was built as today we know it, in 1769, since the original building was severely affected by the 1755 Lisbon earthquake and had to be demolished. The first chapel had...
.
Consolidation during the British period
Great Siege of Gibraltar
The Great Siege of Gibraltar was an unsuccessful attempt by Spain and France to capture Gibraltar from the British during the American War of Independence. This was the largest action fought during the war in terms of numbers, particularly the Grand Assault of 18 September 1782...
caused great damage to the town. The old shrine was no exception, and this eventually led to its demolition, with a new building erected in subsequent years on the same site to replace it, although for no religious purpose. The Church of St. Mary the Crowned and St. Bernard was bombarded and the statue of Our Lady being kept in there was relocated to Windmill Hill to save it from suffering any damages. After the end of the siege, the statue returned to the Church.
In the early 1860s, the Vicar Apostolic
Apostolic vicariate
An apostolic vicariate is a form of territorial jurisdiction of the Roman Catholic Church established in missionary regions and countries that do not have a diocese. It is essentially provisional, though it may last for a century or more...
of Gibraltar, John Baptist Scandella
John Baptist Scandella
John Baptist Scandella STD was a Gibraltarian Roman Catholic priest of Genoese descent. He was Vicar Apostolic of Diocese of Gibraltar between 1857 and 1880. He spoke fluent English and his native Spanish...
, petitioned for the return of the original statue from Algeciras. The Bishop of Cadiz and the Primate of Spain were involved in the discussions, and eventually a solution acceptable to all parties was agreed upon. The original statue was to return to Gibraltar as requested so long as an exact replica would be carved and placed in the Chapel of Our Lady of Europe in Algeciras. According to the terms of the compromise, a new statue was carved in Seville
Seville
Seville is the artistic, historic, cultural, and financial capital of southern Spain. It is the capital of the autonomous community of Andalusia and of the province of Seville. It is situated on the plain of the River Guadalquivir, with an average elevation of above sea level...
. At the same time the original statue repaired by the same craftsman. The original statue was eventually returned to Gibraltar in 1864.
As the Shrine of Our Lady of Europe remained in military hands, the statue was provisionally placed in the Loreto Convent, at the time located in front of the Governor's official residence
The Convent (Gibraltar)
The Convent has been the official residence of the Governor of Gibraltar since 1728. It was originally a convent of Franciscan friars, hence its name, and was completed in 1531....
in Main Street
Main Street, Gibraltar
Main Street is the main arterial street in the British overseas territory of Gibraltar.Main Street is recognised today as Gibraltar’s main commercial and shopping district...
. Scandella aimed to house the statue as near to Europa Point as possible. After a popular fundraising campaign, a site was acquired along Engineer Road. The statue was paraded from the Loreto Convent to its new location in a procession lined on both sides by soldiers. The statue was carried shoulder-high on a bier
Bier
A bier is a stand on which a corpse, coffin or casket containing a corpse, is placed to lie in state or to be carried to the grave.In Christian burial, the bier is often placed in the centre of the nave with candles surrounding it, and remains in place during the funeral.The bier is a flat frame,...
, accompanied by a military band. The ceremony was devised as a reparation act for the 1704 desecration. The new chapel was of simple design and later included a marble altar donated by Pope Pius IX
Pope Pius IX
Blessed Pope Pius IX , born Giovanni Maria Mastai-Ferretti, was the longest-reigning elected Pope in the history of the Catholic Church, serving from 16 June 1846 until his death, a period of nearly 32 years. During his pontificate, he convened the First Vatican Council in 1869, which decreed papal...
. Scandella attended the First Vatican Council
First Vatican Council
The First Vatican Council was convoked by Pope Pius IX on 29 June 1868, after a period of planning and preparation that began on 6 December 1864. This twentieth ecumenical council of the Roman Catholic Church, held three centuries after the Council of Trent, opened on 8 December 1869 and adjourned...
(1869–1870) as Council Father. During his stay in Rome, Scandella succeeded in bringing the Shrine of Our Lady of Europe to the attention of the Pope, thus the donation of the altar. Its front piece depicted the Coat of arms of Pope Pius IX and that of Bishop Scandella, together with a monogram
Monogram
A monogram is a motif made by overlapping or combining two or more letters or other graphemes to form one symbol. Monograms are often made by combining the initials of an individual or a company, used as recognizable symbols or logos. A series of uncombined initials is properly referred to as a...
of Our Lady of Europe. The statue of Our Lady was enthroned on this altar. During World War II, the statue was returned to the Cathedral for safekeeping. During this time, the Child, which had to be dressed in brocade
Brocade
Brocade is a class of richly decorative shuttle-woven fabrics, often made in colored silks and with or without gold and silver threads. The name, related to the same root as the word "broccoli," comes from Italian broccato meaning "embossed cloth," originally past participle of the verb broccare...
silk according to the liturgical season, was replaced by a newly carved dressed Bambino
Il Bambino
Il Bambino , the name given in art to the image of the infant Jesus in swaddling clothes common in Roman Catholic churches...
sculptured by Francisco Moreira
Francisco Moreira
Francisco Moreira was a Portuguese footballer. He played as a midfielder.- Football career :Moreira gained 7 caps and scored 1 goal for Portugal, and made his debut 6 May 1945 in A Coruña against Spain, in a 2-4 defeat....
. After the war, the statue was once again relocated, this time to St. Joseph's Parish Church, the closest church to Europa Point.
In the meantime, during the bishopric of Richard John Fitzgerald, extensive developments in the Cathedral of St. Mary the Crowned were accomplished. Bishop Fitzgerald decided to replace the statue of Our Lady of Europe in order to make the two side-altars symmetrical. As the right altar had an upright statue of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, a similar statue was desired for the left one (where the old statue of Our Lady of Europe was placed). The new statue was manufactured in France, and put in the altar where the old statue stood, but the faithful never held it in the same esteem as the old one, which was stored away. In 1965, Charles Caruana
Charles Caruana
Charles Caruana CBE was a Gibraltarian Roman Catholic bishop of Maltese descent. He was appointed sixth Roman Catholic Bishop of Gibraltar on 14 February 1998 and ordained on 24 May 1998. His retirement request was accepted on 18 March 2010...
(later Bishop of Gibraltar, then the priest responsible of the Cathedral's sacristy
Sacristy
A sacristy is a room for keeping vestments and other church furnishings, sacred vessels, and parish records.The sacristy is usually located inside the church, but in some cases it is an annex or separate building...
) rediscovered the lost statue in a store. It was however, damaged due to humidity and an arm and hand had become detached. After restoration, the statue was placed in the Cathedral sacristy. It was Bishop Bernard Devlin who in 1986 reinstalled the statue in its original location, where it remains to this day.
The building erected at the place of the old Shrine of Our Lady of Europe remained property of the British Ministry of Defence
Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)
The Ministry of Defence is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and is the headquarters of the British Armed Forces....
until 1961. It had been an army storehouse for oil and packing case. Since 1928 it had been used as a library
Library
In a traditional sense, a library is a large collection of books, and can refer to the place in which the collection is housed. Today, the term can refer to any collection, including digital sources, resources, and services...
for the garrison, but with the outbreak of World War II, it was returned to a storage facility. By 1959, the military authorities, which had begun to withdraw many military installations in Gibraltar, noticed that it was no longer required and decided to demolish it. However, this never happened and due to the efforts of Bishop John Healy it was ceded to the Catholic diocese on 17 October 1961, in a private ceremony. Restoration works began in 1962. For the first time in 258 years, a mass was celebrated at the Shrine on 28 September 1962. The statue was finally transferred to the Shrine in public procession from St. Joseph's Parish Church on 7 October 1967. The statue of Our Lady remains in the Shrine to this day.
Bishop Edward Rapallo was responsible for making Our Lady of Europe the principal Patroness of Gibraltar and for changing the feast day to Europe Day
Europe Day
In Europe, Europe Day is an annual celebration of peace and unity in Europe. There are two separate designations of Europe Day: 5 May for the Council of Europe, and 9 May for the European Union...
(5 May). With regard to the former, he officially asked the Sacred Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples
Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples
The Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples in Rome is the congregation of the Roman Curia responsible for missionary work and related activities...
to intercede for its petition with the Pope John Paul II. On 31 May 1979 the Pope approved "Our Blessed Lady as the Principal Patroness of the Diocese of Gibraltar, under the title of Our Lady of Europe". Regarding the feast day, by linking it with Europe Day, he aimed to highlight the relevance of Our Lady of Europe in modern times. The feast day had been celebrated on 15 August (the feast day of the Assumption of Mary
Assumption of Mary
According to the belief of Christians of the Roman Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodoxy, Oriental Orthodoxy, and parts of the Anglican Communion and Continuing Anglicanism, the Assumption of Mary was the bodily taking up of the Virgin Mary into Heaven at the end of her life...
) from Spanish times until Scandella's episcopate in the mid 19th century, when it was changed to 30 May. Authorisation for the celebration on 5 May was granted by the Holy See also in 1979.
In 2002, on the occasion of his ad limina
Quinquennial Visit Ad Limina
In the Roman Catholic Church, a quinquennial visit ad limina or more properly, quinquennial visit ad limina apostolorum or simply an ad limina visit means the obligation of residential diocesan bishops and certain prelates with territorial jurisdiction , of visiting the thresholds of the [tombs of...
visit to Rome, Bishop Caruana took with him the statue of Our Lady of Europe, for the Pope John Paul II to bless and crown her. He also presented the Pope with a replica of the statue as a gift. Today, it can be found at the Casa Romana del Clero.
Since its establishment in 2003, the Shrine of Our Lady of Europe belongs to the European Marian Network
European Marian Network
The European Marian Network connects twenty Catholic Marian sanctuaries in Europe . It was established in 2003, promoted by the Holy See.Only one sanctuary per country was chosen...
, which links twenty Marian sanctuaries in Europe (as many as the number of decades in the Rosary
Rosary
The rosary or "garland of roses" is a traditional Catholic devotion. The term denotes the prayer beads used to count the series of prayers that make up the rosary...
).
Septcentenary of the devotion to Our Lady of Europe
Although historians acknowledge the consecration of the pre-existing mosque as a Christian shrine in the first Christian occupation (1309–1333), it is not clear that its consecration to Our Lady of Europe took place during this same period. Despite this, the Diocese of Gibraltar asserts that the original consecration did take place during this short Christian occupation of the territory, in 1309, under the rule of King Ferdinand IVFerdinand IV of Castile
Ferdinand IV, El Emplazado or "the Summoned," was a king of Castile and León and Galicia...
and not during the second Christian occupation which began in 1462. Therefore, Bishop Caruana
Charles Caruana
Charles Caruana CBE was a Gibraltarian Roman Catholic bishop of Maltese descent. He was appointed sixth Roman Catholic Bishop of Gibraltar on 14 February 1998 and ordained on 24 May 1998. His retirement request was accepted on 18 March 2010...
requested the Holy See to authorised a Jubilee Year
Jubilee (Christian)
The concept of the Jubilee is a special year of remission of sins and universal pardon. In the Biblical Book of Leviticus, a Jubilee year is mentioned to occur every fifty years, in which slaves and prisoners would be freed, debts would be forgiven and the mercies of God would be particularly...
to be celebrated on the 7th centenary of the foundation of devotion to Our Lady of Europe. The authorisation was duly granted by the Pope Benedict XVI
Pope Benedict XVI
Benedict XVI is the 265th and current Pope, by virtue of his office of Bishop of Rome, the Sovereign of the Vatican City State and the leader of the Catholic Church as well as the other 22 sui iuris Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with the Holy See...
and the Bishop Caruana opened a "Jubilee Year" on 12 May 2008, with a Solemn Mass. The Pope granted an "Indulgence
Indulgence
In Catholic theology, an indulgence is the full or partial remission of temporal punishment due for sins which have already been forgiven. The indulgence is granted by the Catholic Church after the sinner has confessed and received absolution...
" to faithful to Our Lady who fulfilled certain requisites.
The Jubilee celebrations included processions, masses and various other acts of devotion. On 5 May, the feast day of Our Lady of Europe, a solemn High Mass took place in a marquee outside the Shrine, with the attendance of a delegation of some 70 leading senior ecclesiastical figures from across Europe. Civil representatives included Chief Minister
Chief Minister of Gibraltar
The Chief Minister of Gibraltar is the leader of the largest party elected to the Gibraltar Parliament, and is formally appointed by the Governor of Gibraltar, representative of the British Crown.-List of Chief Ministers:...
Peter Caruana
Peter Caruana
Peter Richard Caruana, QC is a Gibraltarian politician, and has been Chief Minister of Gibraltar since 1996, when his party, the Gibraltar Social Democrats , first came to power. His party was re-elected to office in 2000, 2003 and 2007...
, Governor
Governor of Gibraltar
The Governor and Commander-in-Chief of Gibraltar is the representative of the British monarch in the British overseas territory of Gibraltar. The Governor is appointed by the British Monarch on the advice of the British Government...
Sir Adrian Johns
Adrian Johns
Vice Admiral Sir Adrian James Johns KCB, CBE, KStJ, ADC is the current Governor of Gibraltar and a former senior officer in the Royal Navy. His most senior naval posting was as Second Sea Lord from 2005 to 2008.-Career:...
, Leader of the Opposition Joe Bossano
Joe Bossano
Joseph "Joe" John Bossano is a Gibraltarian politician, and the former leader of the Gibraltar Socialist Labour Party. He was Chief Minister of Gibraltar from 25 March 1988 to 17 May 1996. He served as the Leader of the Opposition in the Gibraltar Parliament from its founding in 1978 until April...
and other Members of the Gibraltar Parliament, Mayor
Mayor of Gibraltar
His or Her Worship, the Mayor of Gibraltar, is currently the ceremonial official of the British overseas territory of Gibraltar. The Mayor is appointed by the elected Members of Parliament and takes residency in the City Hall...
Solomon Levy
Solomon Levy
Solomon "Momy" Levy, is a Jewish Gibraltarian estate agent and former Mayor of Gibraltar. He held office from 1 August 2008 to 31 July 2009.-References:...
as well as the Spanish Mayor of La Línea
La Línea de la Concepción
La Línea de la Concepción is a town in Spain, in the province of Cádiz in Andalucia. It lies on the eastern isthmus of the Bay of Gibraltar on the border with the British overseas territory of Gibraltar, with which it has close economic and social links...
Alejandro Sánchez García. The statue of Our Lady of Europe was brought in procession from the Shrine at Europa Point. During the mass, the Shrine and the Roman Catholic Diocese in Gibraltar received the Golden Rose
Golden Rose
The Golden Rose is a gold ornament, which popes of the Catholic Church have traditionally blessed annually. It is occasionally conferred as a token of reverence or affection...
, a rare gift bestowed by the Pope. The Continent was re-consecrated to Our Lady of Europe.
Celebrations also involved cross-border elements. A procession took place on April 27 from Gibraltar to the bordering Spanish municipality
Municipio
Municipio and Município are terms used for country subdivisions. They are often translated as municipality.-Overview:...
of La Línea de la Concepción
La Línea de la Concepción
La Línea de la Concepción is a town in Spain, in the province of Cádiz in Andalucia. It lies on the eastern isthmus of the Bay of Gibraltar on the border with the British overseas territory of Gibraltar, with which it has close economic and social links...
. It was led by Bishop Caruana, and Mayor Solomon Levy and it carried the gift of a replica statue of Our Lady of Europe. The procession was met on the Spanish side of the border by an ecclesiastical delegation led by the Bishop of Cádiz and Ceuta comprising all the congregations of La Línea, including its Mayor, one from Marbella
Marbella
Marbella is a town in Andalusia, Spain. It is situated on the Mediterranean Sea, in the province of Málaga, beneath the La Concha mountain. In 2000 the city had 98,823 inhabitants, in 2004, 116,234, in 2010 approximately 135,000....
and another from Castellar de la Frontera
Castellar de la Frontera
Castellar de la Frontera is a town and municipality located in the province of Cádiz, southern Spain.- External links :* - Sistema de Información Multiterritorial de Andalucía...
. The procession concluded in the Church of the Immaculate Conception , La Linea's main church, and an open air mass was celebrated. Some days earlier, a pilgrimage of Spanish worshipers proceeded from La Línea to the Shrine of Our Lady of Europe in Gibraltar. On April 15, Bishop Caruana had held a conference in San Roque with the title "Our Lady of Europe: 700 years of history of the devotion of this land to the Mother of God". According to Bishop Caruana, the celebrations opened up an opportunity "to strengthen links with the dioceses of Málaga and Cádiz, and with the municipalities of the Campo
Campo de Gibraltar
The comarca of the Campo de Gibraltar is a comarca in the province of Cádiz, Spain, in the southwestern part of the autonomous community of Andalusia, the southernmost part of continental Western Europe...
. The Eucharist
Eucharist
The Eucharist , also called Holy Communion, the Sacrament of the Altar, the Blessed Sacrament, the Lord's Supper, and other names, is a Christian sacrament or ordinance...
(.) was very emotional [for him]".
In addition to these celebrations, Bishop Caruana authored the book History of Our Lady of Europe, published by the Vatican Press as part of the commemoration. A joint issue of postage stamp
Postage stamp
A postage stamp is a small piece of paper that is purchased and displayed on an item of mail as evidence of payment of postage. Typically, stamps are made from special paper, with a national designation and denomination on the face, and a gum adhesive on the reverse side...
s Gibraltar and the Vatican City
Vatican City
Vatican City , or Vatican City State, in Italian officially Stato della Città del Vaticano , which translates literally as State of the City of the Vatican, is a landlocked sovereign city-state whose territory consists of a walled enclave within the city of Rome, Italy. It has an area of...
also formed part of the Jubilee celebrations (only in 1966, a Gibraltar stamp had been devoted to Our Lady of Europe). A commemorative 50p coin, and a silver medal were also issued.
In March 2010, an International Marian Congress will be held in Gibraltar, with the themes Mary, a sign of Christian identity; religion, anthropology, history and art. Its object, according to Bishop Charles Caruana, is:
Hymn
La Plegaria a la Virgen de Europa (The Hymn to Our Lady of Europe) is a traditionalTraditional music
Traditional music is the term increasingly used for folk music that is not contemporary folk music. More on this is at the terminology section of the World music article...
Spanish language
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
hymn
Hymn
A hymn is a type of song, usually religious, specifically written for the purpose of praise, adoration or prayer, and typically addressed to a deity or deities, or to a prominent figure or personification...
about Our Lady of Europe. It was composed in the late 1950s with music by Louis Diaz and lyrics by Elio Cruz (the author of the famous plays La Lola se va pá Londre and Connie con cama camera en el comedor). It was first performed by the group Los Trovadores in 1958 at the Theatre Royal. The hymn has become part of the popular culture of Gibraltar
Culture of Gibraltar
The culture of Gibraltar reflects Gibraltarians' diverse origins. While there are Spanish and British influences, a result of the territory's status as a British overseas territory and its proximity to Spain, the ethnic origins of most Gibraltarians are a mix of Andalusian Spaniards, Genoese,...
and has been compared to the patriotic song Llévame Donde Nací
Llévame Donde Nací
Llévame Donde Nací is the title of a traditional Spanish language patriotic song about Gibraltar attributed to Gibraltarian, guitarist and composer Pepe Roman.-History:...
in the way Gibraltarians identify with it. The hymn was written during the years following the evacuation of the civilian population of Gibraltar during World War II
Military history of Gibraltar during World War II
The military history of Gibraltar during World War II exemplifies Gibraltar's position as a British fortress since the early 18th century and as a vital factor in British military strategy, both as a foothold on the continent of Europe, and as a bastion of British sea power...
and its repatriation (which ended in 1951). During this difficult time, the devotion to Our Lady of Europe by the Gibraltarian evacuees strengthened.
The Plegaria was traditionally performed live as the last song (before God Save The Queen
God Save the Queen
"God Save the Queen" is an anthem used in a number of Commonwealth realms and British Crown Dependencies. The words of the song, like its title, are adapted to the gender of the current monarch, with "King" replacing "Queen", "he" replacing "she", and so forth, when a king reigns...
) on Radio Gibraltar's open day. When the event transferred to GBC Television, the tradition continued for several years. After its first performances, it was recorded by other groups, such as The Peninsulares, who kept the song alive as part of their repertoire. Followed by the Valerga Brothers or Louis Caballero. Throughout the years it has been sang in local churches, excursions and popular events.
Although not on purpose, it was re-recorded in 2009 during the Jubilee Year celebrating the septcentenary of the devotion to Our Lady of Europe.
In Algeciras
After the Capture of Gibraltar by the Anglo-Dutch fleet, almost all the inhabitants of the town left it and settled down in different locations within the CampoCampo de Gibraltar
The comarca of the Campo de Gibraltar is a comarca in the province of Cádiz, Spain, in the southwestern part of the autonomous community of Andalusia, the southernmost part of continental Western Europe...
. While most did it around the hermitage of Saint Roch (what nowadays is San Roque, others established themselves in Los Barrios or in the remains of Algeciras
Algeciras
Algeciras is a port city in the south of Spain, and is the largest city on the Bay of Gibraltar . Port of Algeciras is one of the largest ports in Europe and in the world in three categories: container,...
, around the Chapel of St. Bernard, patron saint of Gibraltar and its Campo, which was located in the cortijo (farm) of one of the wealthiest families of Gibraltar, the Gálvez, in 1690. As described above, the statue of Our Lady of Europe venerated in Gibraltar had been taken to Algeciras for safekeeping after being desecrated. It was placed in said Chapel, which was then dedicated then to Our Lady of Europe and named Chapel of Our Lady of Europe .
The chapel became parish church in 1721, and remained so until 1736, when its function was taken over by the neighbouring Church of Our Lady of the Palm . Devotion to Our Lady of Europe continued, especially because of the role of the Chapel in the re-establishment of the town and the presence of the original statue of Our Lady in the church. In 1769 it was rebuilt, as the original building was severely affected by the 1755 Lisbon earthquake
1755 Lisbon earthquake
The 1755 Lisbon earthquake, also known as the Great Lisbon Earthquake, was a megathrust earthquake that took place on Saturday 1 November 1755, at around 9:40 in the morning. The earthquake was followed by fires and a tsunami, which almost totally destroyed Lisbon in the Kingdom of Portugal, and...
and had to be demolished. The statue did not suffer any damages. In 1864, after the petition of the Vicar Apostolic of Gibraltar, John Baptist Scandella
John Baptist Scandella
John Baptist Scandella STD was a Gibraltarian Roman Catholic priest of Genoese descent. He was Vicar Apostolic of Diocese of Gibraltar between 1857 and 1880. He spoke fluent English and his native Spanish...
, the original statue returned to Gibraltar, and an exact replica was carved and placed in the Chapel of Our Lady of Europe. This remains dedicated to Our Lady of Europe up to this day.
In Medina Sidonia
The devotion to Our Lady of Europe dates from the time Gibraltar was a seigneury belonging to the House of Medina Sidonia. Since then, the troops of the House have always carried a statue of Our Lady in their missions. At present, a statue of Our Lady of Europe is venerated in the cloistered Convent of the Augustinians Recollects in Medina Sidonia under the name of "La Galeota". It's a replica of the original statue of Our Lady in Gibraltar.In Seville
Devotion in SevilleSeville
Seville is the artistic, historic, cultural, and financial capital of southern Spain. It is the capital of the autonomous community of Andalusia and of the province of Seville. It is situated on the plain of the River Guadalquivir, with an average elevation of above sea level...
began in the seventeenth century during the Spanish period of Gibraltar by inhabitants of the town which settled down near the parish church of St. Martin
Martin of Tours
Martin of Tours was a Bishop of Tours whose shrine became a famous stopping-point for pilgrims on the road to Santiago de Compostela. Around his name much legendary material accrued, and he has become one of the most familiar and recognizable Christian saints...
. Initially, there was a small chapel dedicated to Our Lady of Europe, where a painting of Our Lady of Europe had been placed, enclosed in an Altarpiece
Altarpiece
An altarpiece is a picture or relief representing a religious subject and suspended in a frame behind the altar of a church. The altarpiece is often made up of two or more separate panels created using a technique known as panel painting. It is then called a diptych, triptych or polyptych for two,...
. It was located in a square called Plaza de Europa (Europe Square). In 1695, a confraternity devoted to Our Lady of Europe was also created there where it participated in public devotions. About 1715 a statue was carved, possibly by Benito Hita del Castillo, and a new chapel-niche with the altarpiece was built. From an iconographic point of view, the statue resembled a piece of medieval art
Medieval art
The medieval art of the Western world covers a vast scope of time and place, over 1000 years of art history in Europe, and at times the Middle East and North Africa...
, as Our Lady is seated and wearing a crown. She has the Child Jesus on her left hand and holds in her right hand a flower. There could have been a former statue, from the seventeenth century.
During the eighteenth century, the confraternity developed an intense activity, celebrating Our Lady's feast day each 8 September as well as public daily praying of the rosary. In 1854, Our Lady's statue and painting were moved to its current location, the parish church of St. Martin. However, the confraternity held its last meeting in 1986 as devotion to Our Lady of Europe in Seville died out.
In Madrid and Barcelona
The Gibraltar priest Diego de Astorga y CéspedesDiego de Astorga y Céspedes
Diego de Astorga y Céspedes was an Spanish Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He also served as Bishop of Barcelona, Archbishop of Toledo and Grand Inquisitor.- Biography :...
, born in 1664, was the main person accountable for spreading the devotion to Our Lady of Europe to the Spanish capitals of Madrid and Barcelona. De Astorga was ordained Bishop of Barcelona in 1717 and Archbishop of Toledo and Primate of Spain in 1720.
While leading the Diocese of Barcelona, De Astorga noticed a statue on an archway in Manresa
Manresa
Manresa is the capital of the Comarca of Bages, located in the geographic centre of Catalonia, Spain, and crossed by the river Cardener. It is an industrial area with textile, metallurgical, and glass industries. The houses of Manresa are arranged around the basilica of Santa María de la Seo....
that reminded him to that of Our Lady of Europe in Gibraltar. The statue had no name, so the Bishop titled her as Our Lady of Europe and therefore the archway become El Portal de Europa (Europa Archway). Unfortunately, the archway was demolished and the statue taken to another church, being known from that point on as Our Lady of the Snow.
De Astorga was later elevated to the See of Toledo, to which Spain's capital, Madrid, belonged to at the time. There, the Archbishop ordered the carving of a new statue of Our Lady of Europe and paraded it through the streets of Madrid. The last records of the statue locate it in the Convent of St. Teresa of Jesus (Discalced Carmelites
Discalced Carmelites
The Discalced Carmelites, or Barefoot Carmelites, is a Catholic mendicant order with roots in the eremitic tradition of the Desert Fathers and Mothers...
). Another seated statue of Our Lady of Europe stands in the Royal Convent of La Encarnación
Royal Convent of La Encarnación
The Royal Monastery of the Incarnation or Real Monasterio de la Encarnación is a convent of the order of Recolet Augustines located in Madrid, Spain. The institution mainly interned women from noble families, and was founded by the Queen Margaret of Austria, wife of Philip III, and thus was well...
, also in Madrid. Although it is currently dedicated to Our Lady of the Kings, Europe was its original advocation.
Elsewhere in Spain
There are several Catholic parishes in Spain named Nuestra Señora de Europa. There is one in Madrid and another in Chiclana, Cádiz. La Línea de la ConcepciónLa Línea de la Concepción
La Línea de la Concepción is a town in Spain, in the province of Cádiz in Andalucia. It lies on the eastern isthmus of the Bay of Gibraltar on the border with the British overseas territory of Gibraltar, with which it has close economic and social links...
also has a college which belongs to the Diocese of Cádiz y Ceuta and is attached to the University of Cádiz
University of Cádiz
The University of Cádiz , commonly referred to as UCA, is a public university located in the province of Cádiz, Andalusia, Spain, noted for its medicine and marine sciences curricula. It was founded in 1979, and has the Latin motto Non Plus Ultra...
, named Escuela Universitaria de Magisterio 'Virgen de Europa' (University College 'Our Lady of Europe').
In Italy
During the late 1950s, Catholic sectors felt that the EuropeistEuropeanism
Although this term is occasionally used to describe support for European integration , it is more commonly used in relation to the idea that Europeans have common norms and values that transcend national or state identity, that have been promoted most actively...
movements would need a Catholic dimension and thought of placing Europe under protection of Our Lady. However, they were unaware that such a devotion was already in existence, albeit at a local level. The movement, supported by the Archbishop of Milan, decided to place a statue in the Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
Dolomites
Dolomites
The Dolomites are a mountain range located in north-eastern Italy. It is a part of Southern Limestone Alps and extends from the River Adige in the west to the Piave Valley in the east. The northern and southern borders are defined by the Puster Valley and the Sugana Valley...
, in the hydrological
Hydrology
Hydrology is the study of the movement, distribution, and quality of water on Earth and other planets, including the hydrologic cycle, water resources and environmental watershed sustainability...
centre of Europe, since it was the watershed separating the basins of the Rhine, the Danube
Danube
The Danube is a river in the Central Europe and the Europe's second longest river after the Volga. It is classified as an international waterway....
and the Po.
A 13 metres (42.7 ft) high statue in honour of Our Lady of Europe was erected at 2000 metres (6,561.7 ft) above sea level
Meters above sea level
Meters above sea Level is a standard metric measurement of the elevation of a location in reference to historic mean sea level; the determination of what actually constitutes mean sea level over time however, may be determined by other parameters, such as the effects of climate history and climate...
in the frazione
Frazione
A frazione , in Italy, is the name given in administrative law to a type of territorial subdivision of a comune; for other administrative divisions, see municipio, circoscrizione, quartiere...
of Motta in the region of Valchiavenna
Valchiavenna
The Valchiavenna is an alpine region located to the north of Lake Como in the northern Italian province of Sondrio . It is traversed by the rivers Mera and Liro, and can be divided into three parts which branch from the confluence of these rivers near Chiavenna, the principal town of the region.The...
, Italy. It is a gilt bronze statue, which was sculptured by Egidio Casagrande taking inspiration from the Shroud of Turin
Shroud of Turin
The Shroud of Turin or Turin Shroud is a linen cloth bearing the image of a man who appears to have suffered physical trauma in a manner consistent with crucifixion. It is kept in the royal chapel of the Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist in Turin, northern Italy. The image on the shroud is...
. The statue rests on a circular structure atop a shrine with an altar below. The structure weighs 4 tonnes (8,818.5 lb). The monument was blessed by the Archbishop of Milan Giovanni Montini (later Pope Paul VI
Pope Paul VI
Paul VI , born Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church from 21 June 1963 until his death on 6 August 1978. Succeeding Pope John XXIII, who had convened the Second Vatican Council, he decided to continue it...
) on 14 September 1958.
The Shrine of Our Lady of Europe
Shrine of Our Lady of Europe (Italy)
The Shrine of Our Lady of Europe is a Roman Catholic shrine at Campodolcino, Italy. It is devoted to Our Lady of Europe and is currently the headquarters of the European Ecumenical Centre for Peace.-History:...
is currently the headquarters of the European Ecumenical Centre for Peace.
Elsewhere in Europe
The Catholic chapel of the International Zaventem Airport in Brussels is dedicated to Our Lady of Europe. Also, in early 2010, it was announced that the Catholic Bishop of IcelandDiocese of Reykjavík
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Reykjavík is a diocese of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church which covers the whole of the country of Iceland, which had 10,207 Catholics on January 1, 2011...
had consecrated a church to Our Lady of Europe.
External links
- Vatican press publishes 'Our Lady of Europe' Book, 5 May 2009.