Our Lady of Meritxell
| Our Lady of Meritxell | |
|---|---|
| Also called | Diada de Meritxell, festivitat de Nostra Senyora de Meritxell |
| Observed by | Andorra |
| Date | 8 September |
| Next time | 8 September 2017 |
| Frequency | annual |
Our Lady of Meritxell (Catalan: Mare de Déu de Meritxell, IPA: [ˈmaɾə ðə ˈðew ðə məɾiˈtʃeʎ], locally: [ˈmaɾe ðe ˈðew ðe meɾiˈtʃeʎ]) is an Andorran Roman Catholic statue depicting an apparition of the Virgin Mary. Our Lady of Meritxell is the patron saint of Andorra. The original statue dated from the late 12th century. However, the chapel in which it was housed burned down on September 8 and 9, 1972, and the statue was destroyed. A replica can be found in the new Meritxell Chapel, designed in 1976 by Ricardo Bofill.
The Catalan philologist Joan Coromines says that "Meritxell" is a diminutive of merig, from the Latin meridiem (midday in English). Merig is a name used by shepherds to denote a pasture with lot of sun.
In the late 12th century, on January 6, a wild rose in bloom was found by villagers from Meritxell going to Mass in Canillo. It was out of season and at its base was found a statue of the Virgin and Child.
The statue was placed in the Canillo church. However, the statue was found under the same wild rose the next day.
The statue was taken to the church of Encamp. However, as before, the statue was found under the same wild rose the next day.
...
Wikipedia