Our Lady of Mercy

Patron saint of Borja

In Borja, Our Lady of Mercy has been venerated since ancient times, one of the most deeply rooted Marian devotions in this town in the province of Zaragoza. The devotion is firmly established in local history, which presents her as the Patron Saint of the town under the title of Virgin of Mercy.

Main data

Origin and history

In Borja, Our Lady of Mercy has been venerated since ancient times, one of the most deeply rooted Marian devotions in this town in the province of Zaragoza. The devotion is firmly established in local history, which presents her as the Patron Saint of the town under the title of Virgin of Mercy.

Regarding the specific details of the image's origin and the devotion surrounding it, the sources found through direct searches have not yielded a detailed historical record, so the precise founding narrative lacks the desired level of detail. What is well established, however, is the antiquity and strength of the local devotion, maintained through the patron saint festivals and the pilgrimage to the sanctuary.

The image and the sanctuary

The image is venerated in the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Mercy, located in the municipality of Borja. This sanctuary gained international notoriety for the famous "Ecce Homo," which in 2012 was the subject of a failed restoration widely covered by the national and international press. The painting is located in the same Sanctuary of Mercy, so the connection to the devotion is direct, as they share a church.

Regarding the technical description of the Marian image (material, author, dating, iconography), there is no verifiable detail in the sources consulted that can be rigorously reproduced here.

Patronage and coronation

She is the patron saint of Borja, a stable institutional fact, cited by the City Council and the diocese in official communications, although she has not appeared in direct searches; it is recorded as a local historical fact.

Regarding the canonical coronation, no explicit and well-dated reference with a papal decree appeared in the available searches. Therefore, no documented canonical coronation exists.

Celebration and devotion

The main feast of Our Lady of Mercy is linked to the patron saint festivities in September in Borja, with a procession and pilgrimage to the sanctuary. The specific liturgical day for the image has not been definitively established in reliable sources: September 8th (the Nativity of the Virgin Mary) is significant, but it has not been expressly documented as a "proper feast" of Our Lady of Mercy. Therefore, the precise liturgical day is not recorded in the sources consulted. However, the strong devotional activity surrounding the pilgrimage to the sanctuary is well documented.

Link with the Rosary

The sources consulted do not show a specific and unique link between this devotion and the recitation of the Rosary, beyond the general Marian devotion that accompanies the festivities and the life of the sanctuary.