Madrid is celebrating to honor its patron saint, the Virgin of Almudena. For this, every November 9th they celebrate different activities such as concerts, mass, procession, floral offering and tasting of the typical sweet in his honor, the Almudena crown.
This event is deeply rooted in the people of Madrid today, but not many may be aware of what unites the history of Madrid and the story by which Our Lady of Almudena She has been the patron saint of the city for many years.
Although, depending on the source, the story is told with different nuances, the main story, which mixes reality and legend, takes us back many centuries. Specifically, it places us in the 8th century when the Christian citizens of Madrid at that time, called Mayrit, feared an Arab invasion to recover the territories they once inhabited. For this reason they decidedTo protect it, hide the image of Almudena in the perimeter wall that surrounded the city, and of which today some ruined remains are preserved just in front of the Almudena cathedral.
Years later, in 1083, Christian troops reconquered the city, after a time in which the Muslims returned. In the new conquest, King Alfonso VI, who was familiar with the story of the hidden Virgin of Almudena, He ordered that it be searched without resta task that did not seem to bear fruit no matter how hard they tried to find the image.
Image of Our Lady of La Almudena
But, immersed in the search for the virgin, something unexpected happened, a part of the wall collapsed and then the image of the saint was visible among the rubble, this happening on the date of November 9, 1085while there were still areas of Madrid to be conquered by the Christians, who achieved it thanks to the Virgin of Almudena, which at that time was known as Santa María de la Vega.
The name change occurred when it was found inside the wall, adopting the name ‘almudayna’, an Arabic term that means ‘the citadel’ or ‘wall’. When the virgin was discovered, it was said that she remained with two lit candles at her sides, which is why this dark tone is attributed to the image.
Official declaration of Almudena Day
Since the discovery of the image of the saint on the wall, Almudena is considered the patron saint of the city of Madrid, but several years had to pass for it to be considered official and have a specific date. In this process, the figure of the Pope Piuswhich in 1908 through a decree, designated the Virgin of Santa María de la Almudena as patron saint of Madridchoosing November 9 as the big day.
In 1977, the Archdiocese of Madrid, on behalf of Pope Paul VI, also chose her as its patron. later building the Almudena cathedralwhere the virgin was enthroned on June 15, 1993. Furthermore, returning to the past, it is said that the Count Duke of Olivares She wrote to the city council to be able to build a temple in honor of Almudena and, in 1646, she was also named Patroness of the Town, after ending a wave of floods that devastated the city.
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