Our Lady of Itziar

Pattern of the Basque sailors · Deba (Gipuzkoa)

In Itziar, on Deba, an ancient sanctuary has a beautiful Romanesque image of the Virgin, patron of the Basque tidal and reference on the North Road to Santiago.

Origin and history

The first news of the town (Tiziar) dates back to 1027, and in 1294 Sancho IV gives the town letter, which the church already mentions. The present church is from the 16th century, with Roman walls and Gothic elements, on previous temples. On the main altar, the Roman headline image is venerated, one of the most beautiful and ancient of Gipuzkoa, an unknown author.

The Marian devotion in Itziar has been documented at least since the 13th century, of the oldest of Gipuzkoa. He is a patron of the tides and very venerated by the Basque sailors; the news remains that Juan Sebastián Elcano has bequeathed some of his goods to the sanctuary. The foundational legend speaks of a maiden, Magdalena, who found the image among the weeds. It was canonically crowned on August 3, 1952.