Our Lady of Zocueca

Patrona de Bailén

Our Lady of Zocueca, also known as Virgin of Zocueca Coronada, is the patron of Bailén (Jaén), although her sanctuary is in the village of Zocueca, the municipal term of Guarroman. The sanctuary is of medieval origin, linked to the repopulation and the old royal road of Andalusia. Along with this documented origin, local historiography gathers pious traditions about the finding of an ancient image and the intervention of the Virgin in favor of the city, stories that should be presented as tradition and not as a proven history.

Main data

Origin and history

Our Lady of Zocueca, also known as Virgin of Zocueca Coronada, is the patron of Bailén (Jaén), although her sanctuary is in the village of Zocueca, the municipal term of Guarroman. The sanctuary is of medieval origin, linked to the repopulation and the old royal road of Andalusia. Along with this documented origin, local historiography gathers pious traditions about the finding of an ancient image and the intervention of the Virgin in favor of the city, stories that should be presented as tradition and not as a proven history.

The image and the sanctuary

La imagen se venera en el Santuario de Nuestra Señora de Zocueca, en la aldea de Zocueca (Guarromán), si bien habitualmente reside en la parroquia de la Encarnación de Bailén, desde donde se traslada en romería al santuario. En torno a su manto circuló largo tiempo la leyenda de un origen «regio», atribuido a la reina regente María Cristina; una investigación reciente, al examinar el forro, halló una inscripción con los nombres de las hermanas Rosa, Rita y Margarita Gilar, artesanas mallorquinas, lo que permitió atribuir la confección a su taller y desmontar aquella leyenda sin restar valor devocional a la pieza.

Sponsorship and coronation

Es patrona de la ciudad de Bailén, donde se la venera como «Nuestra Señora de Zocueca Coronada». El año exacto de su coronación canónica no consta con certeza en las fuentes consultadas, que recogen solo la denominación de «Coronada».

Party and devotion

The main rosemary is held on the last Sunday of September, culminating in the sanctuary, with ninth, floral offering and previous acts in Bailén the previous days. It is one of the most important religious and festive events in the city, with a great crowd accompanying the Virgin from Bailén to the sanctuary, where the Eucharist and various acts are held.

Link to the Rosary

In the sources consulted there is no specific link of this advocation to the Rosary, nor a fellowship of the Rosary, which is uniquely linked to the image. It is reasonable that the Rosary is praying in the ninth and cults, as in most Marian shrines, but it does not appear as a documented distinctive feature.