April 27
Our Lady of Montserrat

Our Lady is venerated under the invocation of the Virgin of Montserrat or “Rosa d’abril” – because of the Virolai hymn sung to her – at the Santa Maria de Montserrat monastery in the Montserrat mountain in Catalonia, Spain.

It is one of the black Madonnas of Europe, hence its familiar Catalan name, la Moreneta (“The little dark-skinned one”).

Believed by some to have been carved in Jerusalem in the early days of the Church. Legend has it that the Benedictine monks could not move the statue to construct their monastery, choosing to instead build around it.

On September 11, 1844, Pope Leo XIII declared the virgin of Montserrat patroness of Catalonia, Spain.

CSFH PHOTO