Tradition narrates that the Virgen de la Cabeza appeared to the shepherd Juan Alonso de Rivas on the Cerro del Cabezo in Andújar on August 12, 1227. This event gave rise to one of Spain's oldest pilgrimages, celebrated every late April, and a devotion that attracts pilgrims throughout the year.
To mark the 799th anniversary of the apparition, the Royal Brotherhood of the Virgen de la Cabeza of Alcalá la Real and the Brotherhood of the Virgen de la Cabeza of Los Villares have scheduled two trips for Tuesday, August 11th. Registrations for these pilgrimages are now open.
The Royal Brotherhood of the Virgen de la Cabeza of Alcalá la Real will depart at 4:00 PM with a price of 17 euros. Registrations can be made at the number 630 372 825.
Meanwhile, the Brotherhood of the Virgen de la Cabeza of Los Villares will depart at 5:00 PM from the Fountain, returning after the procession concludes. The cost of this trip is 20 euros, and registrations are managed at 675 943 968.
The legend tells that the shepherd Juan Alonso de Rivas, who suffered paralysis in one arm, observed lights and heard a bell on the hilltop. There, he found an image of the Virgin Mary between two granite blocks. The Virgin asked him to build a sanctuary and performed a miracle by healing his arm to prove the truth of his story.
The residents of Andújar, convinced by the testimony and the miracle, erected the temple. Over time, the shrine became a major center of Marian pilgrimage in Spain. The name 'Virgen de la Cabeza' refers to the place of discovery, the Cerro del Cabezo.
