page_title: Virgin of Hope of Macarena
section_title: History
hierarchical_section_title: Virgin of Hope of Macarena / History
caption_attribution_description: Español: Fotografía propia realizada por Manuel Francisco Álvarez Ruiz.
context_page_description: The Virgin of Hope of Macarena, popularly known as the Virgin of Macarena or simply La Macarena, is a Roman Catholic title of the Blessed Virgin Mary associated with a pious 17th century wooden image of the Blessed Virgin venerated in Seville, Spain. The Marian title falls under a category of Our Lady of Sorrows commemorating the desolate grievance and piety of the Virgin Mary during Holy Week. The image is widely considered as a national treasure by the Spanish people, primarily because of its religious grandeur during Lenten celebrations.
  The image is also known for local folklore, most notably its discolored cheek allegedly caused by a bottle of wine thrown by a drunken Protestant rebel at her face which pious legend also claims has never been able to be removed. Its popularity among the masses is often highlighted in the five Rose-Emerald brooches attached to her dress given by the famed bullfighter José Gómez Ortega, also known as Joselito, and the historical fact that the image has only worn an entire black vestment ensemble on a singular point in Spanish history; during Joselito’s death and funeral.
context_section_description: The image's genuine authorship is unknown and widely disputed; often by art schools who wish to claim ownership of both its artistic style called Encarnacion. A similar image of the Virgin Mary and crucified Jesus was certainly in existence by 1654 by santero artist Pedro Nieto. Religious images of this type was a result of baroque reforms between 1670 and 1680 by the Confraternity of Macarena.
  The image is scholarly attributed to the artist Pedro Roldán or one of his protégés in his workshop. Three other famous sculptors and their schools place claim on the image. Over time, the image fell into disrepair, but was officially restored in March 1881 by Emilio Pizzaro de la Cruz, who created new arms and hands; it was restored again in 1883.
  By the early 20th century, the famous gold-embroiderer Juan Manuel Rodríguez Ojeda, a member of the brotherhood of the Macarena devoted his work to the image as a gesture of thanksgiving. Between 1899-1900, the image began to showcase a mantle made of gold embroidery, French wire bullion and gold-plated tin, popularly referred to as a "mesh cape".
  By 1908, a canopy of red velvet was added to protect the image from weather conditions, and was restored in 1964. Various crowns and accessories were repeatedly redesigned in 1938, 1953 and 1963.
  A new cape was made in 1930, which was unique because the color emerald green was also used along with gold tones. King Alfonso XIII of Spain promoted its devotion by issuing a regal document on the image after being inducted into the fraternity in 1904. In the same year on 11 April, Cardinal Eustaquio Ilundáin y Esteban once again blessed the image and its new cape.
  Folklore recounts an alleged tale of a Protestant rebel who drank (drinking is permitted on some religious processions) and then threw a wine bottle at the image sometime before the 1950s. He became a pallbearer for the image the following year as penance for his sacrilegious act.
  The image was granted a canonical coronation on 27 March 1913 by Cardinal Enrique Almaraz y Santos, who added the five emerald brooches donated by the bullfighter El Gallo. A similar coronation was also repeated in 1964 by the Archbishop of Seville.
caption: A close-up on the face of the image. Later restorations enhanced  the cheekbones to masquerade the alleged stain on the cheeks. Note the five emerald mariquillas or brooches donated by the bullfighter El Gallo.
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