Prior to the battle, the entire city was dedicated to the Virgin Mary (this was done several times in the city's history, most recently in 1944 to guard the city from Allied bombs).
Antes da batalla, toda a cidade encomendouse á Virxe María (isto fíxose varias veces ao longo da historia da cidade, a máis recente en 1944 para protexer a cidade dos bombardeos aliados).