Santa Maria la Real, Uxue, Spain
Uxue, Spain (8th c.)
Legend has it that a pigeon was in and out of a hole in the rock and a young shepherd, moved by curiosity, approached the rock with an intent to frighten the bird.
When taking a look at the dove while it continued its insistent flutter; he approached and found a beautiful Romanesque image that seemed to have come from Basque country.
The town of Uxue was formed, according to legend, around the site of the discovery of the image of Our Lady of Uxue (Uxue, in Castilian means dove.) The settlement took the form of a castle-fortress built in the late eighth or early ninth century as an outpost of his kingdom against Islam stretching across the West Bank.
Text and image used with permission.
Source: "365 Days with Mary" by Michael O'Neill
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