Our Lady of Meritxell

{{Short description|Andorran Roman Catholic statue of a Virgin Mary apparition}}

{{Infobox holiday

|holiday_name = Our Lady of Meritxell

|type =

|image = Mare de Déu de Meritxell.jpg

|imagesize =

|caption =

|official_name =

|nickname = Diada de Meritxell, festivitat de Nostra Senyora de Meritxell

|observedby = Andorra

|litcolor =

|longtype =

|significance =

|begins =

|ends =

|date = 8 September

|duration = 1 day

|frequency = annual

|scheduling = same day each year

|celebrations =

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}}

Our Lady of Meritxell ({{langx|ca|Mare de Déu de Meritxell}}, {{IPA|ca|ˈmaɾə ðə ˈðew ðə məɾiˈtʃeʎ|IPA}}) is an Andorran Roman Catholic statue depicting an apparition of the Virgin Mary. Our Lady of Meritxell is the patron saint of Andorra. The original statue dated from the late 12th century. However, the chapel in which it was housed burned down on 8 September 1972, and the statue was destroyed. A replica can be found in the new Meritxell Basilica, designed in 1976 by Ricardo Bofill Taller de Arquitectura.

The Catalan philologist Joan Coromines says that Meritxell is a diminutive of {{lang|ca|merig}}, from the Latin {{lang|la|meridiem}} ("midday"). Merig is a name used by shepherds to denote a pasture with a lot of sun.{{Cite web |url=http://www.vegueries.com/asp/rutasVCAT.asp?V=Andorra&Id=94 |title=Meritxell Chapel |access-date=2008-09-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140109161144/http://www.vegueries.com/asp/rutasVCAT.asp?V=Andorra&Id=94 |archive-date=2014-01-09 |url-status=dead }}

The image was canonically crowned by Pope Benedict XV on 8 September 1921.

Legend

File:Santuari vell de Meritxell - 1.jpg

In the late 12th century, on January 6, a wild rose in bloom was found by villagers from Meritxell going to Mass in Canillo. It was out of season and at its base was found a statue of the Virgin and Child.

The statue was placed in the Canillo church. However, the statue was found under the same wild rose the next day. The statue was taken to the church of Encamp. However, as before, the statue was again found under the same wild rose on the next day. As in similar legends elsewhere, the villagers of Meritxell took this as a sign and decided to build a new chapel in their town after they found an open space miraculously untouched by the winter snows.

[https://museus.ad/media/files/publicacions/meritxell_eng.pdf "Historic Ensemble of Meritxell", Museus Ad, Departament de Patrimoni Cultural]

Influence

File:Meritigel - J-A Brutails - Université Bordeaux Montaigne - 1705.jpg on 1921.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bondia.ad/cultura/meritxell-un-segle-amb-corona|title=Meritxell: un segle amb corona {{!}} BonDia Diari digital d'Andorra|website=bondia.ad|language=ca|date=23 March 2021}}]]

September 8 is both the feast day of Our Lady of Meritxell and the Andorran National Day.[http://www.andorra.ad/en-US/events/Pages/Diada_Meritxell_2009_andorra.aspx "Our Lady of Meritxell Day", Andorra Turisme][https://2009-2017.state.gov/secretary/remarks/2016/09/261601.htm "On the Occasion of Our Lady of Meritxell Day in Andorra", U.S. Dept. of State, September 6, 2016]

The image is mentioned in the anthem of Andorra.[http://www.nationalanthems.info/ad.htm "El Gran Carlemany", National Anthems]

"Meritxell" is a relatively frequent female name among Andorran women and other Catalan-speaking women.

Notable persons with the name include: