The Virgin of Matará

We are often asked: “who is the Virgin of Matará?” “Is this a title of Mary associated with an apparition?”  “Does she have a shrine?” “What is the origin of this name?”

The answer is very simple: she is the Virgin on the Cross of Matará.We sisters who bear the Cross of Matará as part of our religious habit are named “the Servants” (Servidoras) like the women who served Jesus during His apostolic journeys and who stood with Mary at the foot of the Cross, “of the Lord and the Virgin of Matará” (del Señor y de la Virgen de Matará).

Truly, where Christ is on His Cross, there too is His Virgin Mother. This bond of Jesus and Mary is part of how the Cross of Matará tells its story, and reflects the Marian dimension of our charism which leads us to make a Fourth Vow of Marian Consecration.

“A brilliant feminine figure with a crown and halo that is carrying in her hand a scepter is visible. This figure represents the traits of a Spanish queen, who is without a doubt the Virgin Mary.”

So too, “the figure of the Lord stands out, which extends to the vertical part of the wood where the entire figure is completed. The figure of the body of Jesus Christ is designed with very originally stylized features. A crown is supported on the head and behind there is a halo. Around the waist there is a cloth that covers the center of the body, and the feet are shown holding themselves above a support.”

May Our Lady, the Virgin of Matará, always teach us how to stay with her at the foot of the Cross with our eyes on Christ, the Bridegroom, in order to become true mothers of souls for all those entrusted to our prayers and apostolates.