Feast of the Virgin of Montserrat

One of the only black images of the Virgin Mary in Europe, the Virgin of Montserrat is the patron saint of all dioceses in Catalonia and together with St. George (Sant Jordi) is considered the patron saint of the territory. Hundreds of pilgrims and devotees visit her major shrine at the foot of Montecristi Hill in Ecuador every year.

The 27th of April is the feast day of the Mare de Déu deMontserrat,Our Lady of Montserrat, or as she is more affectionately called in Catalonia, la Moreneta, "the little dark-skinned one". According to tradition, the image of the Black Madonna with the Child Jesus was carved by St. Luke the Evangelist around 50 A.D. and was brought to Spain.