page_title: Our Lady of Covadonga
section_title: The Shrine
hierarchical_section_title: Our Lady of Covadonga / History / The Shrine
caption_attribution_description: English: This is a photo taken in Covadonga, Spain, among the Picos de Europa in the province of Asturias. The cave in the center of the frame is the Holy Cave, dedicated to the Virgin Mary.
context_page_description: Our Lady of Covadonga/Cuadonga also named "La Santina" is a title of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the name of a Marian shrine devoted to her at Covadonga/Cuadonga, Asturias. The shrine in northwestern Spain rose to prominence following the Battle of Covadonga in about 720, which was the first defeat of the Moors during their invasion of Spain. A statue of the Virgin Mary, hidden in one of the caves, was believed to have miraculously aided the Christian victory.
  Our Lady of Covadonga/Cuadonga is the co-patron of Asturias, and a basilica was built to house the current statue. Her feast day is 8 September, as it is also the autonomic day of Asturias.
context_section_description: Pelayo credited the intercession of the Virgin Mary for his victory. And in recognition of this miraculous intercession, King Alfonso I, the Catholic (739-757) commanded that a monastery and chapel be built on the site in honor of Our Lady of Covadonga.
  The sanctuary came to be run by Augustinian canons but was destroyed by fire on 17 October 1777. The shrine was rebuilt piecemeal, until replaced by a great Basilica that was consecrated in 1901. The basilica houses the current statue of Our Lady of Covadonga, dating to the 16th century. Pope John Paul II visited the shrine during his papacy.
caption: The Holy Cave, place where Our Lady of Covadonga appeared to Pelayo
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