Timeline of the History of the Devotion to Our Lady of Peñafrancia

700-800 AD

A black statue of the Virgin Mary found its new sanctuary in the slopes of Peña de Francia in Salamanca, Spain as people were seeking refuge in the mountains during the invasion of the Moors.

1424

Hundreds of years later, a certain Juana de Sequeros became instrumental in what would eventually be the devotion to Our Lady of Peñafrancia. It is said that at her deathbed, as she had fallen ill due to an epidemic, Juana had said, “Pray to the Virgin Mary facing Peña de Francia, where an image [of her] has been hidden.”

In addition to this, Juana also prophesied the three crosses seen in the sky during the sunset of the third Sunday of May. The second cross was said to fall over where the image was recovered.