Our Lady of Montserrat Statue

Product Description

This statuette is a lovely reproduction of Our Lady of Montserrat, who, as one of the black Madonnas of Europe, goes by her familiar Catalan title, la Moreneta (“the little dark-skinned one”). The orginal Our Lady of Montserrat statue is a Romanesque sculpture from the late 12th century. This statuette will be a most lovely gift for a wedding or a wedding anniversary, an ordination or ordination anniversary, a profession or jubilee of religious vows, and for your favorite Jesuit or Jesuit institution!

Our Lady of Montserrat – An Exquisite Labor of Love, Faith, and Hope

This statuette of Our Lady of Montserrat stands 6.75 inches tall and is made from highly polished dolomite stone and resin. A religious community of cloistered sisters creates and hand-finishes every statuette in their monastery workshop in Western Europe. Each religious sister prayerfully carries out a particular task to help in the completion of each statuette. Where, how, and by whom the Our Lady of Montserrat is made means that this statuette is indeed ”culturally authentic” and an exquisite labor of love, faith and hope!

Saint Ignatius of Loyola and Our Lady of Montserrat

Upon his recovery from battle wounds suffered in Pamplona, Spain and his conversion while convalescing at home, the future Saint Ignatius of Loyola set out on pilgrimage to the Benedictine monastery of Santa Maria de Montserrat on the Montserrat mountain in Catalonia, Spain. There, on March 25, 1522, he laid down his sword and vestments before the statue of Our Lady of Montserrat and put on sackcloth as a beggar. Being a young 26-year old romantic, he envisioned himself now as a knight of the Heavenly King. Saint Ignatius went on to found the Society of Jesus (Jesuits). Our Lady of Montserrat still holds a special place in the hearts of Jesuits worldwide.

Is Our Lady of Montserrat originally a “black” Madonna?

In 2001, renovators noticed that the black hands and face of La Moreneta had over the centuries undergone a change in color. They attributed the change—from a lighter tone to black—either to prolonged exposure to candle smoke or a chemical reaction caused by a varnish used as a paint sealant. The statue was repainted black by successive generations of restorers. A series of tests, including X-rays, revealed the statue’s original lighter color and also showed that the statue was last repainted at the turn of the 18th century.

The Virolai – a hymn to the Virgin of Montserrat

Rose of April, woman of the mountain, star of Montserrat,
light up the Catalan land
guide us to the sky
guide us to the sky

With a golden saw, the little angels sawed,
with a golden saw, those peaks,
to make your palace,
to make your palace.
Quenn of the Sky, that the Séraphins took down
Queen of the Sky Give us a shelter in your blue coat, in your blue coat.

Rose of April, woman of the mountain,
star of Montserrat,
light up the Catalan land
guide us to the sky
guide us to the sky

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Rosa d’abril, Morena de la serra,
de Montserrat estel,
il·lumineu la catalana terra,
guieu-nos cap al Cel.

Amb serra d’or els angelets serraren
eixos turons per fer-vos un palau;
Reina del Cel que els Serafins baixaren,
deu-nos abric dins vostre mantell blau.

Alba naixent d’estrelles coronada,
Ciutat de Déu que somnià David,
a vostres peus la lluna s’és posada,
el sol sos raigs vos dóna per vestit.

Dels catalans sempre sereu Princesa,
dels espanyols Estrella d’Orient,
sigueu pels bons pilar de fortalesa,
pels pecadors el port de salvament.

Doneu consol a qui la pàtria enyora,
sens veure mai els cims de Montserrat;
en terra i mar oïu a qui us implora,
torneu a Déu els cors que l’han deixat.

Mística Font de l’aigua de la vida,
rageu del Cel al cor de mon país;
dons i virtuts deixeu-li per florida;
feu-ne, si us plau, el vostre paradís.

Ditxosos ulls, Maria, els que us vegin!
ditxós el cor que s’obri a vostra llum!
Roser del Cel, que els serafins voltegen,
a ma oració doneu vostre perfum.

Cedre gentil, del Líbano corona,
Arbre d’encens, Palmera de Sion,
el fruit sagrat que vostre amor ens dóna
és Jesucrist, el Redemptor del món.

Amb vostre nom comença nostra història
i és Montserrat el nostre Sinaí:
sient per tots l’escala de la glòria
eixos penyals coberts de romaní.

Rosa d’abril, Morena de la serra,
de Montserrat estel,
il·lumineu la catalana terra,
guieu-nos cap al Cel.

Additional Information

Weight	1 lbs
Dimensions	7 x 4 x 4 in