Virgins

Saint Ignatius of Loyola was always devoted to Our Lady. In fact, when he started his pilgrimage to the Holy Land, the first objective of his trip was to get to Montserrat, something quite common in the 16th century.

At the Oratory in the Solar de Loyola House where he spent his childhood, there was a panel he loved, which represented the Annunciation of Our Lady and Our Lady of Sorrows. During his childhood, Saint Ignatius lived between the current "Holy House" or "Loiola Tower-House" and Egibar Hamlet.

He was also a devout follower of the Virgin of Olatz, a beautiful image of the Virgin in the Olatz Hermitage, dating the 13th century, which is in front of the Old Sanctuary in Azpeitia, where he often prayed.

In 1522, when he began his path towards God, the first stage of his pilgrimage took him to Arantzazu Sanctuary. It is thought that, on the way, he prayed at La Antigua Hermitage, which has an incredibly beautiful interior, and houses an interesting Gothic statue of the Virgin.

It is thought he made a vow of chastity before the small Virgin of Arantzazu, which dates to the 13th century, and later started his life in God's service at Montserrat.

Among the different devotions to Our Lady throughout Ignatian Lands, we can include the Virgin of Dorleta in Leintz Gatzaga, patron saint of cyclists. A 12th-13th century Gothic statue shows Mother and Child in an attitude of mutual contemplation.

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