Our Lady of Virtues

Patron saint of Conil de la Frontera (Cádiz)

In the former convent of the Minims of Conil, now the parish of Santa Catalina, Our Lady of Virtues, patron saint of the town, is venerated: a Gothic carving, one of the oldest in the province of Cádiz.

Origin and history

The image is a Gothic carving of the Virgin and Child, carved from a single piece of wood, dating from the late 13th or early 14th century and considered one of the oldest Marian sculptures in the province of Cádiz. It is believed to be of Aragonese or Italian origin. In the 18th century, it was covered with a silver sheath that reveals only the faces. The site of the discovery was once occupied by a hermitage dedicated to the Virtues, which was replaced in the 16th century by the Convent of the Minims. According to the ducal chronicler, the Guzmán family donated the image to the friars.

Local tradition tells that the Virgin Mary appeared to a peasant, who initially mistook her for a doll, and that the original hermitage was built on the site of the discovery. She is the patron saint of Conil de la Frontera, along with Saint Catherine and Saint Sebastian, and is venerated as highly miraculous—she was invoked during the plague epidemics of the 17th century—and enjoys great devotion throughout the region. Her feast day is September 8th, when she is carried in procession as the Patron Saint's Day.

Canonical coronation: not found in the sources.