DEVOTION TO THE VIRGIN OF THE PLAINS,
PATRON OF THE CITY OF ALBACETE
crown I love that
sends Albacete:
faith crowns you
These and many other verses of the hymn of
Coronation of the Virgin of the Plains, collect and reflect
devotion and love we feel for the Albacete
our patron saint, in whose honor we celebrate since ancient times, this show
September
However, it is difficult to know historically
for lack of documentary evidence, many of them based
in tradition, the exact origin of the devotion to the
Virgen de los Llanos.
Córcoles Villalba and in his famous Pensil Hail Mary
written in 1730, reflects the legend
somewhat fanciful, that the original image of Our Lady of
Llanos was performed by St. Luke and brought to Spain by
the apostle James the Great, who laid it on the spot
de los Llanos Back in Rome, reported this fact to
san Pedro, who sent to Spain to preach to the Seven Apostolic Men
, which placed a
sculpture of St. Peter in that place In this way, the cult
both images would be the origin of the shrine of
the Virgen de los Llanos and San Pedro de Matilla.
Francisco Sánchez Torres in 1898 hypothesized that
the year 744 the image of the Virgin was buried
"to free it from possible desecration
being occupied by Palmira Arab "territories
Albacete. The historian says that the holy image would
found between the years 1266 and 1375.
more reliable data about the origin of this devotion
be found in Volume I of the foundation
convent of Franciscans, which took place in 1672. In it, Brother
Mateo Vázquez takes the legend of the appearance
based on oral tradition. He pointed out that "it is tradition
immemorial a farmer plowing the field where
the church, or temple of the Virgen de los Llanos, was
found the holy image in this way:
they stood the gross and pulling the farmer to remove the plow,
he got the tip, ie at the tip of the plow: the which
Image of the Virgin was little, 'and doing after
the image that this is venerated, or deposited entered
in his heart the little old then made the
Ermita, The farmer, whose name has lost,
considered a doll and placed it on the blanket to carry
as a toy to a child he had, but upon reaching his house
not find it and assumed he had lost, returned to
next day and the first round of the plow out the
Image, which made him believe he had fallen right there
and, for that would not happen again, where he tied the blanket wrapped
, sure, "when he walked, that there remained
. but it also came without even the
into channel remained firm, 'thought so deeply about the
circumstances of the act and came to Albacete
tell the clergy, who accompanied him to the place of occurrence, and
also the first round of the plow came for the third time
the beautiful simulacrum, that a procession was brought to the
population, where he stayed until he built the chapel. "
The apparition site was built a humble shrine
to worship the Virgin of the Lowlands.
This was" small but very ornate badges that
devotees left in recognition of the favors
continuously experienced her powerful intercession,
to attending many competitions surrounding sites to yield the
thanks for favors received, because since the first moments
.
Many of the miracles attributed to the intercession of the Virgin
Plains also appear listed in book
the foundation of the Franciscan convent of barefoot. For
this document know the wrought in the person of
swordsmith, Blas Martinez, who through the intercession of the Virgin
in 1632, cured his "paralyzed arm, that of a woman
Carcelén also paralytic, who cured his disease
and thanked "the miracle and cheering
benefit received through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin." Other
many, as occurred in 1637 in the child's person
Antonio Valcárcel Soto, Tobarra, whom a
car ran over, and quickly healed through the intercession of the Virgin
Plains, reflect the importance
worship the Virgin reaches, not only locally, but it transcends
elsewhere, as reflected in the book
miracles made by the Professor Santamaría
Conde, highlighting the prestige
start having this sanctuary.
devotion to the Virgen de los Llanos
appears also documented in the books of municipal agreements
town of Albacete. The oldest
making reference to this are the year 1570, although the first
reflex refers to the April 8, 1581 where
notes that there are actual 24 "for
alms for the poor who go Our Lady of the Lowlands. "
Again in 1587 are recorded in the minute books of a series of warrants
given to" food that is given to clerics
to go in procession to the chapel the Virgen de los Llanos
and the poor who go to this shrine.
Every year in March, April or in May,
brought to the Virgin in the parish of San Juan from
chapel in a procession regulated by the City of Villa
from 1591. It was in 1616, when for the first time
is cited Virgen de los Llanos
Patron of Albacete, in the minutes of detailed "
that you should bring this town to the Holy Image of
Our Lady, patroness and Advocate Villa Desta said."
The reasons for bringing to the Virgin from the chapel were, among others
to implore "the need for water ... leaving
diseases ...." Once lodged in the high altar of San Juan Bautista
be made prayers, masses and even in his honor
various festivals were celebrated as "luminaires and holidays
of bulls ", organized by the City with 5
collaboration of neighbors and the brotherhoods of
Conception and Santa Ana Finished acts, the Virgin
returned in procession to the chapel.
This devotion to the Virgen de los Llanos, who begins to
become important in the final years of the sixteenth century, and
especially since the seventeenth century, as we have seen, done
studied for some local historian with great success, is
interpreted as an affirmation of the importance of reaching the village
Albacete about Chinchilla, whose
patron saint, Virgen de las Nieves, was venerated in nearby
chapel of St Peter Matilla.
The prestige of this great Marian shrine reaches
boom when it was founded by Royal Decree of 20
September 1672, a convent of barefoot Franciscan
belonging to the Province San Juan Bautista de
Valencia, despite opposition from the friars
Augustinian Observant and Albacete have
the support and influence of Dona Maria de Toledo, marchioness of
Vélez, aya Don Carlos II and patron of the Franciscan Province
Cartagena. However, the desire of City Council
have this foundation "that will
His Divine Majesty, to his Blessed Mother, in profit and increased
spiritual and temporal body of the people
of the town of Albacete and neighboring towns elsewhere,
propitiate that on the night of Sunday, October 3, 1672
, the provincial minister, Brother Jerome Tous,
take possession of the chapel and set up a convent. These Franciscan friars
will be in charge of the cult of the Virgin
as detailed in the agreement signed with the town of Albacete
on 6 November. It noted, among other things
, "that the said town is to be
the patronage of the convent ... this Villa, provided that
offered, is to ask Our Lady and the Religious
are about to make on any occasion of need that
said town has voted the feast of Our Lady, in the day
San Juan de Mayo Our jewels Lady
have, you have to conserve, especially the two crowns,
the imperial and the other ".
signing these agreements, both the town and the religious
show their satisfaction, , "first,
pleased with the increase of worship that is taxed to its beloved Patron
, the second, besides the same reason,
pleased with the foundation, in a not too distant future,
was to provide comfort and bienadanza.
Installed the Franciscans in the chapel and outbuildings
attached, start building a new convent in
land granted by the Villa and Don Antonio Cantero,
convent which eventually will be one of the most important 6
the San Juan Province
Baptist Valencia, and later, from 1774, the
Custody of San Pascual Bailon of the kingdom of Murcia. In
it held numerous chapter meetings,
illustrious abode adorned with famous religious sanctity,
grew to novices and also a factory
sackcloth and a hospice in Albacete. Likewise, in 1753 to 1767 was occupied
of worship in the sanctuary of Christ the Elder.
When the city of Albacete, as we read in books
municipal agreements required the presence
of the Virgin, mainly for
conducting prayers, the monks carried in procession "with the usual solemnity
, the patron saint of the town," armed
of harsh and severe penances, "accompanied by" The
secular and regular town meetings. " Some of these prayers,
such as took place on March 9, 1750, caused
among neighbors to step on the most popular
fervor: "with each other concurring torches
with street lighting and many religious relieving
to sustain severe suffering penance
on their bodies. " Made the various religious services
used, "was restored to His Holy House of
Image Mary SS de los Llanos, with great devotion, in remembrance of
the benefits that this will brought to your experienced. "
As noted above, in place of the apparition
built a small shrine. Subsequently,
as we read in the first book of the founding of the convent
, indicated "that to I 628 was manufactured
temple today is that it is very large and capable". These
works for the construction of the new temple would begin,
possibly around 1620 and be completed towards 1638,
when Juan Diaz de Gamboa, a resident of Jorquera, concludes
tower of the church. For this he was supported
Hall and neighbors, a fact that comes to
boom reaches demonstrate devotion to the Virgen de los Llanos
from the seventeenth century. With the arrival of the Franciscan friars
entire religious complex
will expand and there are numerous works, many of them
reflected in the books of Acts and the History of the Custody
San Pascual Bailon, fortunately preserved
. Next to the chapel was built as a hospice
cloister and the rest The convent of
articulated in the same volume as we see in
this small plane in 1780. 7
Undoubtedly the most important work carried out in the same
is building a niche in 1684, being
guardian of the convent Brother Matthew Blázquez. This is
was located behind the chapel and the same
reached by a ladder from the sacristy.
was richly decorated and it "were complete and well kept
all jewels "donated by the faithful and devoted
, whose relationship is in those books
of Custody. Occupying the center of the dressing room was the
image of the Virgen de los Llanos, whose iconography has been
studied both as Sánchez Jiménez García-Elder.
from the original Gothic image of the late fourteenth or early
XV retained two heads of the Virgin and Child
back the current, partially destroyed
1936. Along with these the following inscription was found
which reads: "This is the head / of the Virgin of the
/ plains was the first / ncipio of devotion / this
own home and / subject to be tan / skinny this is hico
leather / wood cabeça po and / Year / 1631 "/. With
posterity this year, in the words of Garcia-Elder, "the image
take a pyramidal shape with a front
triangular, with dress, coat, rostrillo, crowned, with nimbus
star and crescent foot, according to the apocalyptic vision
St. John, as we contemplate
today. This image is preserved several
engravings and lithographs in which we can observe the evolution
iconographic over different periods.
; The temple was expanded in successive stages,
were several chapels, including St. Anthony of Padua, St. Paschal Baylon
, San Pedro de Alcantara, San Diego de Alcala
, Our Lady of Loreto, design. .., all
them adorned with rich imagery and paintings. In these
chapels various relics were venerated as a piece of
flesh, bone and habit of St. Paschal Baylon, a piece of rod
Santa Catalina Martir, as well as others
Peter of Alcantara, Andrew Bl Hibernón , Blessed Savior of 8
Horta, etc. Also built a vault for burial
religious.
.JPG)
These brief historical notes about
devotion to the Virgen de los Llanos would incomplete if we did not
a reference point to the Feria de Albacete.
This is traditionally held in the town, but when
barefoot Franciscan friars took possession of the
chapel in 1672, the show moves to the Plains and ask
the king, in April 1683 , granted the title of fair
frank request is not answered. However,
6 March 1710 whether to grant the Council
Albacete said privilege to celebrate at the Village Fair
all the years of 7 to 11 September. The Friars Resort and
in July 1712 obtained a Royal Provision for the Fair
continue holding "on the site and place
Plains and the village if you send it to another site, sacase
the image of Our Lady of the convent, imposing for
who serve their sentences and corresponding
warnings. " The main argument was that the
alms of the faithful who flocked to the shrine depended
support of the convent. From this point, you will
start a long legal battle between the religious and
City Council to resolve this issue, lawsuit
reached the highest courts of the time, as
Royal Chancery of Granada, which is largely preserved
. This dispute will lead to moments of great tension
between the municipality and the religious,
as those that occurred in 1779, when the guardian, Fray Antonio
Ponce, precludes the commissioners appointed by the Villa
for Fair this year entering the hospice house
convent. This vexatious litigation is resolved at 11
July 1783, when the Supreme Court of Castilla
license granted to the City Council to move and hold
Fair in Albacete. For this she was determined to
make a building "in the Santa Catalina were
more than enough capacity for all needs and requirements
of the time." At this time, the fair takes
great importance and is one of the factors that will contribute to
Albacete progress, and crystallize in
granting the capital in 1833. Moved
to the Village Fair, religious
remain in the convent looking after the cult of patron
until, in March 1836, the convent was closed as a result of
implementing decrees
disentailing Mendizabal. Closed it, the religious
leave him, and while deciding the fate of the convent
, cult of the Virgin, care of jewelry and other belongings
, authorities agree "that no
deprive those faithful to hear the Holy Sacrifice,
provides interim, stay stay at one of the 9
houses of the farmers, the Rev. Father Jose Suarez,
handing the keys of the Church, apparel and other
need to celebrate the Holy Sacrifice to
further disposition. "
In 1836, the City claims the image of the Virgin
and belongings being deposited in the
parish of St. John, placing it in a niche of the altarpiece disappeared
Baroque altar. In
1875, founded the Association of Our Lady of the Lowlands to the
King Alfonso XIII granted the title of Royal.
partially destroyed in 1936, the image is restored and reconstructed
in Undaveytia Ramiro workshop. In 1948 the sculptor José Valencia
Díes Lopez made a new base,
copy of the destroyed in 1936. After the Civil War in
1940, the Virgin is enthroned on the present site
in a beautiful XVI century altarpiece. On May 27, 1956,
the Virgen de los Llanos was canonically crowned by Apostolic Nuncio
in a brilliant act that no doubt many Albacete
still remember. With donations provided by
the town of Albacete was a golden crown, a new base
silver Díes also designed by Jose Lopez and a beautiful mantle
by Carmelite nuns
barefoot the city. Finally, the current image
has a half moon with two stars on the ends
in which there is an inscription with signature, date and
donor's name, the ruler, Diego de Molina Montesinos
which was made in 1654 by Manuel Lopez.
Hail Mary of the Plains,
Lady of shadow and light ...
Iñigo Vicente Pascual Carrión
SOURCE: http://www.mariologia .org/advocacionesespana11.pdf
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