Montserrat
here are the legends of Montserrat: the Moreneta black virgin of Montserrat, the stone Cavall Bernat
La Moreneta, black virgin of Montserrat
According to legend, in 880, on a Saturday afternoon, several children of Montserrat saw a very intense light coming down from the sky, accompanied by a sweet melody. The legend says that this spectacle was observed on the Spanish mountain a total of 6 times, with a week difference in each new appearance. The news finally reached the ears of the bishop of Manresa, who organized an expedition. There he discovered a cave in which was a black statue of the Virgin Mary.
The bishop then tried to transport the statue to bring it to Manresa but its weight prevented him from doing so. The monk interpreted this as the divine will to leave the statue in the cave and ordered the construction of a chapel, which became a place of pilgrimage. The Virgin has since been known as the “Moreneta” (the brunette) for her very dark color. It is now stored in the Monastery of Santa Maria de Montserrat.
The Stone “Cavall Bernat”
Arguably the most iconic mountain peak of Montserrat is the “Cavall Bernat”. According to legend, a woodcutter who was transporting bundles of wood to Llobregat, a nearby town, met the devil on his way, who, to help him in his task, offered to lend him a horse called Bernat, fast as the flash. In exchange, the devil asked that in 10 years, the woodcutter offer him such a fast horse.
According to legend, the woodcutter made himself rich thanks to the horse and 10 years later, when he had forgotten his pact with the devil, he was threatened by it. The woodcutter's wife then went to pray to the Virgin, who granted her wishes, and after a gigantic light illuminated the sky, the devil and the horse had disappeared and in their places, a huge stone pointing to the sky was erected.
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