The Arrival of the Virgin of la Serra

According to tradition, the Greek princess Irene Laskarina passed through Montblanc on her way to Zaragoza, carrying with her an image of the Virgin. Upon reaching a hill near the town, the oxen pulling her carriage stopped and refused to move any further. This was interpreted as a divine sign: the image wished to remain in that place.

The princess asked King Jaume II for permission to build a convent there. It was the year 1296. From then until 2008, the Poor Clare nuns guarded and venerated the Virgin of la Serra, who became the patron saint of Montblanc and a symbol of deep devotion for its people.

The image is a Gothic sculpture made of polychrome alabaster, dating from the 13th century and probably of Italian origin. It was canonically crowned in 1906. Since then, Montblanc has held an extraordinary celebration every 25 years —and now every 10 years— to commemorate the event.