Our Lady of the Ancient of Manjavacas

Mota del Cuervo (Cuenca)

Patrona de Mota del Cuervo, the Virgin of Manjavacas is famous for her "career romance": the trails run with the image between her hermitage and the people at a national tourist interest party.

Origin and history

The advocation is that of the Virgin of Manjavacas, under the title of Our Lady of the Old, patron of Mota del Cuervo and linked from ancient to its rural hermitage, about seven kilometres from the village. The original size was burned in the Civil War; the current image dates back to 1940.

Its most characteristic feature is the "Romeria a la carrera": on the first Sunday of August the trails run with the image from the hermitage to the people ("La Traída"), and on the third Sunday they return it ("La Cara"), at a national tourist interest party. Tradition explains the race with a 17th century legend about finding the image.

Year of canonical coronation: it is not certain in the sources.