Marian devotion
Our Lady of the Meadow
Patron Saint of Talavera de la Reina · «Queen of Ceramics»
In Talavera de la Reina, the Virgin of Prado presides over a basilica covered in tiles, known as "the Sistine Chapel of ceramics." Its festival has its roots in the ancient "Mondas" celebrations.
Origin and history
Tradition places the origin of the cult in an ancient hermitage outside the city walls, on the site now occupied by the basilica, linked to an ancient Roman sanctuary dedicated to Ceres and agricultural rites. With Christianization, that festival was adopted and transformed into the "Mondas," dedicated to Santa María del Prado, in thanksgiving for the harvests.
The current image is in the Baroque style, from the Valencian school, and presides over the basilica, famous for its Talavera tilework—hence the nickname "Sistine Chapel of Ceramics." Saint John Paul II elevated it to a minor basilica in 1989. The Virgin of Prado is the patron saint of Talavera, a city known as the "Queen of Ceramics."
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