Oru Lady of Almudena, patron saint of Madrid

The name Almudena has an Arabic etymology (Spaniards and Arabs cohabitated in Spain for several centuries). The first etymology that comes to mind is al-mudayna, a diminutive of medina, meaning city, citadel. There is another etymology from almudith, wheat storage, or almud, measure (of wheat). It should be noted that the ancient name was also "Mary the Great" (Santa Maria la Mayor).

Several traditions tell about the origin of the Shrine of Our Lady of Almudena, an important church in Madrid, Spain. The main one says that the statue of the Madonna and Child was hidden behind a wall in the year 712 just before the Muslim conquest. At the time of the Reconquest, in the year 1085, King Alfonso VI of León had the statue searched for. Some of the stones of the wall collapsed and the statue was discovered with two candles still burning.

Other traditions say that the statue was carved by Nicodemus, a contemporary of Jesus, painted by Saint Luke, and brought to Spain by Saint James. Of course all this is difficult to ascertain as the manuscript recording this tradition dates only from 1640.

Another story offers a simpler explanation: After the Reconquest, Catholic Spain built many churches, many bearing the name of "Church of Mary." To distinguish the central church, located inside the old city within the walls of the old Arab medina, city leaders called it "Church of Mary of the Almenuda." The original statue could have been made at that time. The present statue dates from around the year 1500.

Our Lady of Almudena was made the patron saint of Madrid in 1623, and this honor was solemnly confirmed in 1646. She is celebrated on November 9th.

In 1885, Pope Leo XIII decided by a bull to create a diocese in Madrid. A few decades later, the first cathedral was erected, replaced in the 20th century by the Cathedral of Santa María La Real de La Almudena, consecrated by Pope Saint John Paul II during his fourth trip to Spain on June 15, 1993.

The Marie de Nazareth editorial team