Marian devotion
Our Lady of La Vega
Patron saint of Salamanca
Santa María de la Vega, patron saint of Salamanca, presides over the Old Cathedral and opens the city's fairs every September. Her name evokes the fertile plain of the Tormes River, where her former monastery once stood.
Origin and history
The devotion is linked to an ancient monastery located in the Tormes valley, from which it takes its name. From there, its veneration spread as protector of the city and its surrounding countryside. She was proclaimed patron saint of Salamanca in 1618, a patronage confirmed in 1653 and integrated into the civic and religious life of the city.
The image passed through the Church of San Polo and the Convent of San Esteban before arriving at the Old Cathedral, where it was placed on the main altar at the beginning of the 20th century. Local tradition recalls its invocation as a defense of Salamanca during the siege of 1706. A pontifical mass is celebrated in its honor every September 8th.
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